We were instantly moved when we looked at Victor Lundy’s sketchbook.
The quality of the drawings is impressive and the story behind them heart breaking : Victor Lundy’s documented his time in the army and fighting in the second world war.
We appreciate the soft yet very efficient touch in Lundy’s drawings. We feel that his drawings were done in one sitting, no erasing but a driving hand screen printing, if you like, what his eyes recorded.
_____
A ‘natural-born’ skilled individual
We learned that Victor Lundy was born in New York City in 1923 and very young, he showed some artistic skills which will lead him to attend New York University to study architecture, specialising in the Beaux Arts style.
A will to help post-war
Lundy did not have to be involved with war but the thought of doing his bit in rebuilding Europe once World War II was over was very strong, so much so that he voluntarily joined the Army and very quickly ended up at the very forefront of the action.
This is at that time where he would capture any faces, scenes or moments in his sketchbook.
We included a few drawings of the very evocative Victor Lundy’s sketchbook (all images below are courtesy of LIBRARY OF CONGRESS)
Dale Grimshaw has got a fine art education which meant that he has been difficult for him to be accepted in the streets as a graffiti artist but long ago was that time, Dale Grimshaw seems to plain sailing his style, his own.
His new show, Semi-detached is the expression of monsters and victims, making reference here to his violent father and the tensions this created in the household. Dale Grimshaw are full of that tension, the whole composition and combination of human and animal gives the tone of what it must have be like at home.
Dale Grimshaw – ‘Semi-detached’
6th October – 29th October 2011
www.signalgallery.com | 32 Paul Street | London, EC2A 4LB
We are looking forward to Pride & Prejudice, the new show from Dale Grimshaw at WellHung gallery and guess what? We have two signed posters of the flyer show (see left) to give away to two of our readers so get involved and refer to panel on the right.
_____
23 MARCH – 29 APRIL
Private View: Thursday 23 MARCH 6-9pm
Well Hung are delighted to announce Dale Grimshaw’s first solo show at Well Hung Gallery. Pride and Prejudicebrings together a body of work based on a ‘two worlds’ theme that Dale has been developing over the last few years. The work contains a strong political message, depicting portraits of threatened indigenous people, mostly from Papua New Guinea, which collide with familiar symbols of the privileged western world, producing a jarring effect that emphasises their powerlessness.
More recently, Dale has become involved with the political struggle to free West Papua from Indonesian occupation. This bitter and hard fought struggle is rarely reported in the West and through his work, Dale has been supporting Benny Wenda, the campaigns leader and long term champion Peter Tatchell, in raising awareness in the UK.
Due to Dale’s involvement with this Campaign his latest work is moving towards a subtler and more emotively lead approach to painting. Contrasting with the earlier, more graphic representations of Western culture, Dale has begun to incorporate softer references to his cultural identity, for example graffiti interspersed with decorative wallpaper motifs. This makes the figures themselves more personal and touching, reflecting his increased interest in the plight of individuals and the intensity of their cultural identity, which is so at risk.
Dale’s work has always been boldly figurative and has been inspired by his strongly held humanitarian beliefs. However, this political message is always achieved by an emphasis on powerful direct emotions and a deep empathy for his subjects.
Click to enlarge
Background
Dale Grimshaw was born in Lancashire, in the North of England. During a difficult childhood, his drawing and painting became extremely important to him. He developed his skills at college, firstly with an Art Foundation course at Blackburn College and later to Degree Level, studying Fine Art at Middlesex University.
Dale Grimshaw has a successful gallery career, having exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally, including five solo exhibitions with Signal Gallery, London. His exhibitions have been widely recognised in the press and online, articles have been published in The Independent, Juztapoz, Art of England Magazine and Widewalls. His works are collected internationally, alongside celebrities including Adam Ant and The Prodigy.
Click to enlarge
More recently Dale has been invited to festivals nationally and internationally as well as painting many iconic walls across London, where he lives.
Private view from 6pm until 9.30pm is on Thursday 23rdMarch. Music and refreshments will be provided, the event is open to all but please do email info@wellhung.co.ukto confirm attendance. Admission is, as always, free.
The year: 2001, the place: Buenos Aires, Argentina, the event: a terrible economic crash.
The outcome and most probably the best one: the explosion of the street art scene. Artists as a reaction to what was happening started to paint the streets and for some of them in a rather large scale.
Buenos Aires Calling is the show Graffitimundo presented at Pure Evil with the aim of bringing a feel of this scene to London.
I got very excited when I heard about this show as I know how much Argentina and the whole Central and South America street art scenes have been buzzing in the recent years.
I walked into Pure Evil and saw those stencils on the wall and thought ‘hmmm another set of stencils, I have seen it all before’ but looking at them closer and especially those from the artist rundontwalk and I was actually liking what I was seeing.
By Rundontwalk | Click to enlarge
Rundontwalk uses an intricate graphic in his stencils (strangely reminding me of the back on those chairs I have got at home) which apart from being a certainly noticeable technique skill, gives another dimension to the works. The tiling sort of effect reminded me of Paul Normansell’s way of painting.
On of the pieces using this intricate technique is ‘Influenza’ representing a pig wearing a mask which the artist painted in reaction of the panic that followed the swine flu outbreak. Great effect with great colours.
Click to enlarge
I did appreciate the other stencils from other artists but really liked these tiny pieces of art full of colours on oddily shaped pieces of wood representing even querky characters or abstracts. I found a ressemblance with BASHER’S world of characters.
Stencil technique has been embraced by a very large number of artists these days like in Argentina and if the technique is pretty much the same worldwide, I felt that this collective of artists and more generally South and Central american artist really want to put accross a message and do not just do stencils where esthetic is what only matters but their meanings too.
Nothing wrong with wanting to put out there a cool looking Goldie type stencils but it is nice to know that some artists really try to engage their audience by trying to deliver a message to them.
This show really managed to transpire how much the Argentinian street art scene is vibrant and not ready to die just now, oh no.
Colours, colours, there are loads of them, shapes, representations are everywhere like street artist right now in Buenos Aires and surroundings. Feels good.
Amar Stewart steps up to the Lava gallery for his first solo show of 2011.
We first viewed Amar’s work in the East Gallery in early 2010, the show had dark undertones, accented with sections of colour, A mixture of spray paint and acrylic. A different approach has been taken this time, the entire gallery almost devoid of colour, a series of large canvases featuring Black and white photorealistic portraits.
This was a understated approach for show early in the year and to be honest, a welcome one. It is easy to feel bombarded when you attend opening nights, peering through crowds to look at large canvases. Lava gallery is only a small space located on the first floor of Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street.
Amar and the Lava crew did a great job laying out the space, taking a simplistic approach with the arrangement going with white walls and monochrome artworks. It had a overall relaxed vibe, even with droves of friends and fans, it was easy to move around and check out all the work.
Amar’s progression in portraiture is developing a rapid rate and we look forward to seeing what he has to offer in the future.
The finished work by Banksy of the wall of the school – Copyright Local World
A large number of people always get quite to very excited when a new Banksy work is discovered and we must admit, we were one of these this time round when we read this morning about this new work somewhere near Bristol… Keep reading on.
A contest amongst pupils at the origin of all this
Click to enlarge
Bridge Farm Primary School in Bristol, where Banksy dropped his latest piece, organised a little while ago, a contest amongst the pupils in the aim to name houses at the school after famous people and Banksy was one of the names that came up the most and which was therefore chosen. The other names were Brunel, Blackbeard and Cabot.
Geoff Mason, the head teacher wrote to Banksy’s team before they broke up for the half-term to let him know they had named a house after him…
Surprise when kids got back to school this morning
Children, staff and parents from the school in Whitchurch were surprised by the artwork this morning we hear as no one expected Banksy to produce some street art right in the courtyard!
The painting was done over the weekend, when Banksy was supposedly going to collect an award elsewhere namely the Sky Arts Awar.
Although Banksy rarely signs his work, a spokesman for him confirmed this morning it was indeed the elusive artist’s work. It is thought to be the first verified artwork from Banksy in a primary school.
Copyright – Local World
Even more surprised to get a letter back from Banksy
Click to enlarge
Here is what Geoff Mason, headteacher at the school, said the school had received a letter from the artist himself.
“I think it went up over the weekend, and completed last night, but we’re not entirely sure.
“It was done after we ran a competition to change the house names, and we decided to name them after Bristol legends. We had to include Banksy.
We thought it would be a good idea to write to the PR company and let them know we’ve run the competition.
“I’m sure this is Banksy’s work. We had a call from his PR team, and a letter signed by him.”
The letter reads:
“Dear Bridge Farm School, thanks for your letter and naming a house after me.
“Please have a picture, and if you don’t like it, feel free to add stuff.
“I’m sure the teachers won’t mind. Remember, it’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission.
A few works from Codefc can now been seen across Amsterdam. We have put some of these below. We particularly like the juxtaposition with the famous painting “The milkmaid” by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer.
I was as excited to find out about Stolen Space as I was to find out about Jabo Monk’s new works. Both did not dissapoint. I like the sobriety of the venue with that quirky artwork of roads signs outside the gallery – nice touch. This out of the way let’s now focus on Jaybo and his unique manner of using spray paint, acrylics and tar sands (also known as oil sands). Continue reading Jaybo Monk at Stolen Space: stormy time→
Last time I went to Pure Evil gallery I was blown away by the exhibit I saw from ROA (read post here) as well as the gallery itself and the way it was used: clever and original display of the artwork and above all fresh works from the artist himself on the walls – really like this approach where you feel the gallery is owned by the artist so once again, well done to Charles at Pure Evil.
