“Lacan revises and enriches the myth of Narcissus, so passionately in love with his image that he plunges into the water and is drowned.”[1]
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
Bathroom, (c)2011 Hayley Harrison
The mirror holds peril. Revealing truths unwanted or enticing the loss of the self to an objectified world. The creation of our self-identity begins with how we respond to our image in the mirror in infancy. We either recognize the ‘other’ and begin the process of socialization or we retreat to find the maternal object and become locked in the death wish.[2] Psychoanalytical theory is of course more complex and involved than that simple description. But the significance in the simplified description is the relationship of self to object. We begin to understand we are an object which occupies space, distinct from others or we seek the comfort and reassurance of objects to satisfy our longing, beginning to see everything as an object available to satisfy us.
In Kleinian theory, the ‘internal object’ is “a mental and emotional image of an external object that has been taken inside the self. The character of the internal object is coloured by aspects of the self that have been projected into it. A complex interaction continues throughout life between the world of internalised figures and objects and in the real world…the state of the internal object is considered to be of prime importance to the development and mental health of the individual.”[3]
Her, (c)2011 Hayley Harrison
We are bound to objects as a means to understand the world, ourselves and the complex relationships we have throughout life. Any kind of exploration of self and identity must perforce include a discussion of objects. This ‘Me’ of Mine has delved into several aspects of this ‘object relationship’, through the work of Kate Murdoch and memory association with personal identity development, Annabel Dover and the complex personal codes and emotions imposed on objects, Cathy Lomax and objects which represent self-image and emotional states and now with the work of Hayley Harrison and her use of objects as an expression of an inner self:
“I think we have to be in the ‘right’ place both internally and externally and that’s when a conversation occurs. For me self-recognition through the external is experienced in its ‘purest’ form when we are here, now, rather than through our pasts or futures. We can be taken off guard by something, something perhaps poetic that throws us into the present. Whatever that something is, we just have to come into relationship with it. When we experience one of these rare conversations between the internal and external I believe we come back to ourselves, much like Jacques Lacan’s famous discourse with the sardine can. Ultimately within these moments we are looking into a mirror.”
Street sculptor and photographer, Slinkachu has been busy putting together his new show, Global Model Village, which opens September 27th at Andipa Gallery in London. It will feature a mix of installations placed in different cities around the world over the past couple of years.
But that is not all since the show coincides with the launch of his new book also called – incidentally also called Global Model Village which collects together 50 different installations left in cities such as New York, Moscow, Cape Town, Paris, Beijing, Hong Kong and of course London.
Slinkachu followers will have seen most of the images but it is worth noticing that the sets of photographs from his last show at Fame Festival in Italy and from his solo show last year in Germany may be less familiar so get preordering the UK version, or see the Slinkachu website for other countries
Global Model Village opens on the 27th September 2012 at Andipa Gallery, London
We at Art-Pie have enjoyed following the work of contemporary British Artist Dave White for many years. We are drawn to the energy of his explosive and dripping paint style, and moved by his primary subject matter of animals.
This November 4th – 28th sees Dave’s new show Critical open at the Loughran Gallery in Chelsea. Focusing on animals from the critically endangered list and near extinction, or the tiers just below, it’s the labor of an artist impassioned by the plight of animals.
The Art-Pie team had the pleasure of interviewing Dave this past September at his studio in Dorset, exactly half-way through the creation of his new collection.
Dorset in South West England is a landscape dominated by spectacular nature, and it is breathtaking. We toured his studio, conducted a very insightful interview, and saw prints from several past collections, including his recent shows Albion based on native English wildlife, and Apex which documents great white sharks.
“I love cities…. I am in London all the time but I can’t live there. I love Dorset. There’s a tranquility, a complete silence that just works for me. [It’s a] headspace that ….almost cements the 1:1 relationship you have with the medium that you work with…there’s no distraction for me. It’s just me, and that.”
We too felt the strength and power of the natural surroundings, and in learning more about Dave’s formal background as an artist, came to understand how it shaped the progression of his career. Dave graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art (Painting) from Liverpool John Moores University, and was “blessed” as he describes, to be a working artist since his first show in ‘94 at the Royal College of Arts, which was his initial animal series.
Some of Dave’s pieces for his next show ‘Critical’ at Loughran gallery
Dave is an experienced artist of 24 years who knows himself, but has incredible humility.
“You never ever stop learning. And the most important thing is, never ever ever ever give up, ever. The best advice I can give people is discover yourself. Don’t look at anybody else’s work. Just know in your heart and soul that you want to make something. [It’s ok to be influenced] Don’t become obsessed with other people’s work. Do your own thing. Do what makes you happy.”
Our drive to Dorset from London was stunning as we enjoyed the beautiful winding country roads, rolling hills with stunning coastlines, and multiple stops into the medieval ruins of several castles and churches. It was impossible to not feel the power of his environment, and the nature evidenced in his work. He told us his passion for animals comes from childhood, and how he still views them in awe with the “…same wonderment from being a child, amazed that we live in the same world.”
Dave describes his interaction with the wild animals in Dorset as “…blessed and lucky that I see almost daily stags, foxes, owls”. That influenced him to create his Albion series which focused on native English species, and really cemented his incredible affinity for animals. The more research he did, the more his passion grew, as he realized so many of these animals are being pushed to brinks of extinction. He described his shock at headlines touting articles like “40 Million Mobile Phones Sold in the Last Quarter”, while the demise of entire species attracts so little attention.
Dave White talking to us in his studio
The depiction of animals has been a near constant throughout Dave’s career, allowing him witness to the forefront of their sad demise. So many factors have contributed but the crux is modern times; Dave cites climate change, habitat destruction, and hunting amongst others. While maybe not intentional, Dave’s work has come to immortalize these animals. Brave use of color, eyes that jump off the canvas and grab the viewer, it all comes together to heighten their heartbreaking destiny. Dave’s shows such as Natural Selection, Apex, Albion, and now his greatest effort yet Critical, raise this awareness.
Dave White is also a big fan of video games
While Dave described how the peace and inspiring nature of Dorset allows him to connect with his craft, he admits “I would never paint in silence”.
Dave told us excitedly that he enjoys an eclectic variety including Jazz (his father was a jazz drummer), finds himself stuck in an old-school time warp of ‘91 – ‘02 hip hop, and loves ‘93 – ‘07 jungle, and drum and bass.
However more than any other style, it seems Dave is moved to his core by classical music which he feels “approaches perfect“, describing the extreme volume as he would “...blow my head off in here, playing Appalachian Spring by Leonard Bernstein”.
Dave approaches his painting as a serious craft and a consummate professional. He told us multiple times, “You’re only as good as your last piece.” Arriving at his studio by 7am, he fully prepares himself before he starts the work. Does the sketch, lays underpaints, mixes his colors. But then he loses himself in a zone he likens to a meditative state. He locks the door, he is completely unattached to thought, and that is how he produces, “….its an organic process”.
“I don’t actually think about painting when I’m painting, at all. ….I just basically know I need to do this, and do that, and how I get to the end I have no idea. I just go into a zone, ….it’s just a spontaneous thing. And I guess the older I’ve got, the more personal it it for me.”
We were curious about his inspirations, about the artists he admires and why. Japanese artist Takashi Murakami was his first mention, describing “I love his color, love his palette. When I saw them in the flesh, it literally blew my mind. …It’s an incredible skill to be able to put down what he does, the way he does… and it looks almost like it’s a print.”
We discussed Murakami’s long-standing collaboration with Louis Vuitton, and Dave described the partnership as “incredibly brave on both sides. Collaborations work if they’re genuine, if they aren’t one-sided and they are the best of both”. Dave speaks from experience as he has past collaborations with Nike and Jordan, as well as MTV.
Dave went on to describe his greatest admiration for Van Gogh, “A man who did it his way, tried to fit in with convention, but said you know what, fuck it. I’m just going to do what I do, and I’m so blessed to be able to do it.” Dave revealed his personal affinity for that, and how he’s read his diaries and is “…completely blown away by him”.
Dave described his second favourite artist to be Picasso:
“A man who reinvented himself throughout his career. The best work is that he did before he died, when he’s 80 years old. ‘I live in a castle. I’ve got a pet owl living above me. And I’m just going to paint and really not care what it looks like.’ There’s a life, and a zest, and a kind of beauty in the naivete of those late works, and I love it.”
Animals continue to shape Dave’s career as he explores different collections over the years, but always with his signature style of explosive and expressive colors, vibrant and dripping. The plight of animals and their march to extinction upsets him greatly, and his style conveys the strength of that conviction, “I want people to be confronted by these things, and look at them as they are looking at it”.
We support Dave and his artwork, and the message it drives to raise awareness for so many animals at risk. Dave offered much wisdom during his interview and we came to understand the heart and soul depicted through his paintings is very much his own. In parting wisdom, we leave you with this from Dave:
“Do your own thing. Do what makes you happy. Never ever give up. It’s not quick and there’s no formula. Produce things that are honest, true to yourself. High quality. Make the best shit you can. Do what is yourself, be yourself.”
You can find Critical running this November 4th – 28th at the Loughran Gallery in Chelsea.
What – ‘Critical’ Where – Loughran gallery, 43 Cadogan Gardens SW3 2TB When – 4 to 28/11/ 2015
New-York based street artist and real painter, Dan Witz masters the technique called “trompe-l’oeil” with his technique – he uses metal grate graphic that he backs with a 1/8″ thick plastic that give the lifting effect and then the 3D effect is achieved.
Head to the blitz website to check out the latest series entitled “What the %$#@?” (WTF) series and pocket you one up for just 30 dollars.
About 10 years ago, Chris Sammartano (Eddie Breen is his ‘brush name’) stumbled upon a “horrible” painting at a flea market. He bought it for a dollar, picked up some art supplies, and got to work transforming the staid church scene into his own vibrant vision.
An hour or so later, he had created “Piggyback Art,” an exuberantly surreal style that reimagines found works with layers of text, color, and offbeat graphic elements. Continue reading Meet Eddie Breen: piggyback art→
I think we mentioned before that sculpture is a form of art, here at Art-Pie, which we enjoy more and more as we stumble upon yet another great artist like Jed Malitz
We appreciate when artists think twice about what they want to produce or achieve and put loads of thoughts in it. But hold on, we also want and like artists to be conquerors of beauty in art and only brushing the canvas to get the perfect picture, to get the perfect colour blend which will trigger emotions for the viewers
At the intersection of art, science, and technology
Back to Jed Malitx – creates life-size glass sculptures of human figures within architectural forms.
The New Orleans-based artist describes his works as “4D sculptures of cut glass and refracted light,” illustrating how each subject is defined both physically and non-physically through glass silhouettes and their refracted light.
The silhouettes, which are based on live-subject 3D photography, suggest the physical outlines of people through holes cut into architectural glass panels. What’s even more amazing, however, is the alternative perspective of the subject that’s revealed when viewing the sculpture from a slightly different angle.
Redirected ambient light from the silhouettes projects an additional human form on the outer edges of the glass panels, creating a ghostly twin that appears even more detailed and realistic than the solid silhouette.
Malitz, who has an extensive background in math and science, dubs these one-of-a-kind sculptures “windows into souls” for their ability to expose concealed dimensions.
He says, “These forms are made entirely of redirected light, do not physically exist, and reveal otherwise hidden perspectives of their subjects. The entire subjects in cut glass thus project their entire hidden selves as pure light, in essence, revealing their souls.”
Damien Hirst must be used to getting all sort of good and bad criticism by now and although he has got simultaneous show all over the world right now and therefore is regarded as a major player in modern art, I can’t help to think that his latest spots series does not deserve all the fuss currently going about it.
What best to describe how I feel that this street art piece “lazy”. No need to say more.
, or see the 
We were curious about his inspirations, about the artists he admires and why. Japanese artist 
Redirected ambient light from the silhouettes projects an additional human form on the outer edges of the glass panels, creating a ghostly twin that appears even more detailed and realistic than the solid silhouette.
