The Naked and The Nude, Rodolfo Villaplana

The first solo show in London by the young Venezuelan painter, Rodolfo Villaplana, is aptly named The Naked and the Nude. At the 20th Century Theatre, supported by the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Supported by the Museum of Contemporary Art, the selling exhibition will take place at the 20th Century Theatre in Notting Hill, London, during Frieze Week from 16 - 19 October 2014.

It promises to be an exceptional exhibition to visit during the Frieze Fringe this year, marking the artist’s startling achievement and his first steps towards a strong position on the international contemporary art scene.

Michael Petry, the director of MOCA and co–founder of the Museum of Installations in London, has written a very insightful text on Villaplana's work in which he says about Rodolfo's work that he: "aims to create a synthesis of abstraction and naturalistic figuration. A big ask, you might think? He shows us an abstract, coloured space against which float naturalistic banana skins and plastic cups; then naked men and naked women." Petry makes comparisons to Freud and Bacon in his detailed analysis and sums it up when he says about Villaplana that : "He is a young artist and in slaying the dragons of his past, both his artistic and religious fathers, so to speak, he frees himself to attempt even more difficult works. He is one to gaze upon with interest."

The young painter finished his MA studies at the Chelsea College of Art in 2013 and has gone from strength to strength since.

Olga Mackenzie, the curator of the show, says: "Rodolfo is a figurative portrait artist with a passionate following that began in the UK and has spread across several capital cities in Europe. Rodolfo's success continues at an increasingly impressive pace. Having been endorsed by the Young Masters 2013 panel, his debut solo show 'Anarchivolto' was running in Venice, throughout the Venice Architecture Biennale in Sant'Erasmo Island."

The show is kindly supported by drinks sponsor Bepi Toso.