Weekend Getaway Art Series – Distant hints of Bonnie & Clyde?
The “Weekend Getaway” series by artist Doug Kemp. Where the lines between good and bad blur and the boundaries of morality become hazy.
In this collection, there is a sense of intrigue and mystery as we delve into the lives of characters who find themselves entangled and intertwined in a web of danger and intrigue.
While some may draw parallels to the infamous Bonnie and Clyde duo, it’s important to note that the inspiration here goes beyond mere imitation. In the midst of this thrilling narrative, our hero/anti-hero emerges as a captivating figure, donning the iconic white hat that signifies his noble intentions.
With a touch of enigma, he embodies the complexities of human nature, firearm drawn, indicating the fine line between right and wrong. As the plot unfolds, we find ourselves immersed in a world where alliances shift, loyalties are tested, and the distinction between heroes and villains becomes increasingly blurred.
Weekend Getaway v4
Weekend Getaway v4 Acrylic painting on canvas 127×114cm 1990s pop art painting with uk artist Doug Kemp.
Weekend Getaway V4
True Crime Noir Collection
Acrylic painting on canvas – 122 x 114 cm – Post 2000
What Can You See?
A man and woman move as a single intertwined shape through a stylised cityscape of towering buildings, bridges and geometric forms. Both carry pistols, but their exaggerated poses feel more theatrical than realistic. The man’s patterned suit and fedora contrast with the woman’s flowing red hair, creating a visual rhythm that runs through the composition.
What’s Happening?
Like several paintings in Doug Kemp’s Weekend Getaway series, the image draws loosely on the mythology of Bonnie and Clyde. The pair appear suspended between pursuit and escape, navigating a modern metropolis that feels as much imagined as real. The city becomes a stage set where danger, romance and action unfold simultaneously.
Doug’s Thoughts
The painting combines Doug’s long-standing interest in film noir, crime comics and urban architecture. The towering buildings echo the visual language of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, while the intertwined figures create a sense of movement and urgency. As with the rest of the series, the story remains unresolved, leaving the viewer to decide whether the couple are escaping justice, chasing opportunity, or simply caught in another chapter of their own legend.
Weekend Getaway v1
Weekend Getaway v1Acrylic painting on canvas from the 1990s art collection.
Weekend Getaway v2
Weekend Getaway v2 Acrylic painting on canvas from the 1990s art collection.
Overjump Weekend Getaway
Overjump Weekend Getaway Acrylic painting on canvas from the 1990s art collection.
Weekend Getaway On Paper
Weekend Getaway On Paper Acrylic painting on paper from the 1990s art collection.
One Man And His Doug
Out of all the work in his esteemed collection, Tony Jones picked a painting called Hither & Thither (acrylic on canvas, 2002, 5’x4’). “It’s by my old friend, the English painter Doug Kemp.
It’s part of a long and complex series of paintings and prints that illustrate the story of a shifting cast of characters caught up in a tangle of relationships and incidents, with cities and landscapes real and imagined,” says Jones.
Read Tony Jones on his favourite piece in his art collection.
