IT IS important to see the work of Fiona Rae and Dan Perfect both individually and collectively.

For the first time people in Southampton can see the works of these famed artists together and it is interesting to see their distinctive styles.

Although their art does have similarities – they both work in an abstract medium, but their creative styles and execution are almost at polar opposites.

This is clear to see with the “melange” of detail in Dan’s chaotic works which are sprinkled with swirly, almost incoherent, brushstroke and nightmarish shapes.

Among the cacophony of colours, recognisable elements such as the head of a dog in Cerberus, a snaky grey line mimicking the writhing Ancient Roman sculpture Laocoon, can be seen.

If Dan is looking to convey the nightmare visions of a science-fiction film or the adventure of a computer game that certainly comes through.

It won’t take long for anyone to spot that panda bears are littered across nearly all of Fiona’s paintings.

In both I Always Wish You Every Happiness [...] and I Need Gentle Conversations, panda bears seem to be putting across a message.

While the former has a black background conveying a dark atmosphere accentuated by cascading murky paint the latter appear light and fairy with a blue background and blossoms of white clouds.

They can appear either benign or malevolent, perhaps guiding the viewer into Fiona’s mind, or warning you away from sinister elements.

Those who don’t like abstract art may struggle to comprehend the orchestra of forms in Dan’s work or the vast expanse of space in Fiona’s. Similarly people may wonder what Fiona’s obsession with panda bears is.

But there is something strangely haunting about both sets of paintings – Dan’s Laocoon and his Cerberus preach something foreboding while Fiona’s eerie works can linger in the mind too.

These psychological landscapes may appear incoherent but they remain in the viewer’s mind for some time afterward.

ED STILLIARD