Part of our 3 street art works series you should see today: ROA, Hifione and Vanhee x Krank
ROA – located in Stavanger (NUART festival)
Hifione
Vanhee x Krank
Bruce French at Scream gallery
Scream is proud to present the third solo exhibition with fine artist Bruce French. “Absence of Light” is a sequel to his 2008 solo show and will feature his signature fine line drawings, translated into painting, sculpture and limited edition screen prints. The exhibition will be launched on 26 May with an exclusive performance piece at Scream, choreographed and performed by Vanessa Fenton of the Royal Ballet, and sung by Lynne Jackman of rock band St. Jude. Titled ‘And I always will’, this will be the first collaboration between the artist, dancer and chanteuse, and will be performed in ‘First Drafts’ on 26th April at the Royal Opera House.
With the new body of work, French embraces modern technologies, and although each image is drawn from life and inspired by the people and events he observes, he uses his iPhone and iPad to maintain the visual diaries that form the basis of his oeuvre. His observations are translated into faceless figurative drawings, emotionally charged yet androgynous and anonymous. Bruce begins by creating an image in layers on his iPad. By drawing directly onto the pad with his fingers he is able to experiment with line, form and colour, before printing on Perspex or translating the image to the more traditional medium of oil on canvas. Although Bruce’s paintings are essentially figurative, they possess a bold, linear aesthetic. He is passionate about using the latest technology as a tool for artistic purposes, extending to a sculpture created on the iPad and realized using the latest electroluminescent light technology. The images do not necessarily represent a specific individual, but act as an emotional journal of characters who cross his path from day to day. By stripping away distinguishing features, Bruce creates powerful linear images.
Words by Scream gallery
Read the full press release on the Scream gallery website
When – 27 May – 25 June 2011 | Invite only preview on the 26th, contact Lee Sharrock
Where – Scream gallery | 34 Bruton Street | London W1J 6QX
Valencia, full of police, full of beautiful walls
Miss Kaliansky, a keen street art shooter, has been around the spanish city of Valencia and has sent us back this mighty set of street art
Featured artists: Blu | Cere | Deih | Dong | Eric il Cane | Escif | Hyuro Only Ateme | Ro | Pez | Radghe | Sam3 & STN
STN and Dong pieces are our favorites, what are yours?
Sam3 (left) and PEZ (right)
DEIH (left) & DONG (right)
Blanxer, Vasmoulakis & Jos street art
Part of our 3 street art works series you should see today: Christian Blanxer, Alexandros Vasmoulakis & Jos.
Christian Blanxer – located in n/Apolo Teatro, Barcelona (Spain)
Alexandros Vasmoulakis – located in Athens (Greece)
Jos – located in Bilbao (Spain)
‘History’ – portraits from Adam Neate at Elms Lesters Painting Rooms
As I am reading the press release of History – Adam Neate. Portraits from 2006 -2013, I remember that last time I got that excited by a show about portraits was when I went to see Joram Roukes at Signal gallery.
Adam Neate (as much as Joram Roukes) is the sort of artists that will challenge whatever perception of portraiture in art you might have by giving you something radically different to look at. Do not look for resemblance in Adam’s work, his portraits are more expressions of characters in their social environments but what makes his work unique is the mediums he uses – Perspex, metal, fabrics, lenticulars and film.
“Neate’s subject matter is in the strong British tradition of social realism, yet the materials he uses to make his brush strokes challenge tradition. In his iconic portraits, as well as in his portrayals of domestic life, the self-taught artist continues to push boundaries and challenge himself. Neate wrestles with new ideas in painting while working through the powerful emotions that are ever present in his overtly personal work.” Elms Lesters Painting Rooms.
What – ‘HISTORY’ ADAM NEATE . PORTRAITS FROM 2006 – 2013
Where – Elms Lesters Painting Rooms, London
When – 16Nov 2013 – 14Dec 2013 | Tuesday – Friday 12 noon – 7pm Saturdays 11am – 5pm
Under her skin at Atomica gallery
I looked out of the window and the only thought that came through my mind was “bloody weather”. It was pretty nasty out there, aggressive showers and blistering winds. I was that close to get the sleepers back on but I reminded myself that ‘Under her skin ‘ is the first ever show by this newly born gallery – Atomica gallery, and this was enough to galvanise the small amount of motivation I had and turned into some sort of excitement.
A quick (and unexpected) bus journey took me down to Armhurst Terrace where Atomica gallery is located. The gallery actually sits nicely in the middle of Hackney Downs Studios, which have been in service since 2011 and which consists of events spaces and over 70 serviced studios and workspaces for creative businesses.
As I stepped in, I could not help noticing the relatively small size of the gallery but also the large patio that the gallery benefits from and which was, according to Corey, the graphic designer for the gallery and the person I met that day, pretty convenient to accommodate the large amount that turned up at the opening night.
For their first show, the gallery has paired with Things&Ink magazine, a publication which reflects on tattoo culture from a feminine perspective. ‘Under Her Skin’ has been curated by Things&Ink editor Alice Snape and marks the first anniversary of the magazine and the launch of ‘The Art Issue’. The show features work from 12 female tattoo artists who have appeared in the magazine’s pages over the past year.
I will definitely go back there.
Here is our picks
“The Bare Bones” by Charissa Gregson (Jolie Rouge, London UK)
Cobra Girl by Vicky Morgan (Ghost House, Derby UK) (left) | “Elisabeth” by Lucy Pryor (Into You, London UK)
“Medusa” by by Lucy Pryor (Into You, London UK) (left) | “Ruby” by Amy Victoria Savage (Jayne Doe, Hornchurch UK)
Where – Atomica gallery – Hackney Downs Studios Amhurst Terrace E8 2BT London UK
What – ‘Under Her Skin’
When – September 12th – 30th 2013
RUN has hit the walls of Village Underground
Artist RUN just finished his piece on the walls of the Village Underground project space and has kindly sent in a few pictures which are shown below. This commission came as a bit of a surprise for the artist since the guys at VU rang him at the last minute and asked him whether he would like to fill the 6 days off advertising gap by painting the outside walls
The job took about 5 hours and depicts one of classic RUN’s feaure already seen across London streets and beyond.
Slinkachu X Andipa Gallery "Concrete Ocean".
Slinkachu takes figures from miniature train sets and painstakingly modifies them so that they can be used as part of his almost invisible world.
He creates comical, satirical and sometimes slightly dark scenes with these figures, places them all over the world, shoots them with spectacular quality and then leaves them to become part of the scenery.
The first of this series was “the little people project” the photos were formed into a lovely little hard cover book produced in 2008. I purchased a copy of it and was suitably impressed with the content and quality of print.
This left us very excited for the new show “Concrete ocean”, hosted by the Andipa Gallery in South Kensington. It had been two years since Slinkachu hosted a show in London and when it comes to most artists after such a period of time you would expect to see significant progression in their body of work. This however was not the case with the Slinkachu show, but it really didn’t matter. The gallery was laid out with huge high quality prints showing the detail of the characters and the photographs almost bring them to life. The large prints were accompanied by very small location shots to show you just how much they disappear into their surroundings.
Andipa Gallery is a large space located in a very upper class area, totally different to the Hackney / Shoreditch spaces we are used to attending, yet it seem more than suitable for this body of work, it was extremely well organised and the 3d installations were well spaced so you could appreciate the minute detail.
It would come as a surprise to us if this show did not make you smile, laugh and sometimes feel just that little bit sad.
Check out our huge collection of shots from the evening here:
EAGLE by Dave White – print release
One launch night not to miss, one print to get.
The artist, Dave White is on the rise and have been selected for the Northern Graduates show at the Royal College of Art, Liverpool-based. He is regarded by many as one of the most talented of the UK’s new generation of painters and when you see what he is done, you have to agree or at least positively nod.
The event is about the release of an exclusive limited edition print, hand finished in gold leaf, of his iconic Eagle work from his critically acclaimed Americana series.
I should have said enough for you to be gagging to come down to Artrepublic Soho on the 28th and fight for a copy of the print you can see below.
When – 6PM, Thursday 28th July 2011
Where – Artrepublic soho | 42 new compton street | London WC2H 8DA
Contemporary Vanitas at Light Of Sohos
Light Of Soho, London’s leading light art gallery is pleased to announce their next show in collaboration with Lee Sharrock, Contemporary Vanitas, a look at vanity and mortality.
Featuring 16 contemporary artists, the exhibition, which launches 26th May, will showcase the artists own interpretations of the Vanitas – is a category of symbolic works of art, especially those associated with the still life paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries in Flanders and the Netherlands – and features iconic memento mori symbols such as skulls, butterflies, and fruit, as well as more abstract interpretations in the form of celebrity portraiture and the written word in the form of neon.
Vanitas artworks were common in the 16th and 17th Century Dutch and Flemish still life painting, and were often created as metaphors for human achievements, as well as serving as reminders of human mortality. Memento Mori symbols of death, materialism, spirituality, earthly pleasure, temptations and corporality often featured.
Here is what Lee Sharrock had to say about the show –
I’ve always had a macabre fascination with the Vanitas paintings of the 16th and 17th century, and was intrigued to see how contemporary artists would interpret the enduring themes of mortality and vanity.
Each artist’s contribution provides an individual interpretation of the Vanitas theme, such as Pure Evil’s new ‘Angels Never Die’ portraits of departed screen idols crowned with neon halos is inspired by Marlene Dietrich.
Pure Evil commented:
After 1945, Marlene Dietrich’s attitude towards her native Germany remained shaky and it was not until after the fall of the Berlin Wall that she began to warm again to her homeland and especially her home town, Berlin. Shortly before her death, she expressed her desire to be buried in Berlin, in the very same cemetery as her mother. Her funeral, on 16 May, 1992, broadcast live on German television, was attended by thousands of fans. Her grave overflowed with flowers and wreaths from fans and admirers from all over the world. One of these wreaths, given by Wim Wenders, the director of Wings of Desire read, “Angels Never Die.
Other artworks also on display are Alexander James’ beautiful C-Type print evokes Old Master Vanitas still life paintings. or Alt-Ego has created a bespoke skulls series reflecting upon mortality and vanity.
Artists featured includes: Alexander James, Alt-Ego, Derrick Santini, Hannah Matthews, Jeroen Gordijn, Jimmy Galvin, Kalliopi Lemos, Lauren Baker, Nancy Fouts, Paul Broomfield, Pure Evil, Rebecca Mason, Sara Pope, Soozy Lipsey, Tom Lewis and Toni Gallagher.