New oil paintings by Philip Barlow that look like 'bokeh' effect photographs of New York

His latest series, which is due to go on show at Galerie LeRoyer in Montréal this summer, continues to look at some of our favourite street scenes from cities around the world, New York City being a running theme.

As the gallery puts it: "Philip reminds us that even in a broken world, where people often have lost hope, corruption is rife and cynicism dwells we still have hope and beauty do exist. His primary intention is to lift the eyes and to elevate a moment that is seemingly ordinary. He endlessly discovers and explores the beauty and the sublime in the mundane.

"He uses his camera to capture that elusive moment when the magic happens and shape, form and colour relations dance like jewels. He plays with abstraction but continues to explore realism and keep us close to the recognisable, his intention is never to alienate but to rather invite the viewer into the image."

Philip himself describes his work as a step towards abstraction. He is interested in "capturing the moment", a millisecond in time when everything lines up perfectly. You can discover more at philipbarlow.com.