We talked to the Spanish born graffiti/street art artist DEIH who is part of the XLF CREW. We asked to tell us about him –
“I’m painting graffiti since 1993, and I still love it. I draw, I breath. I am developing a project called “The Insider”, which is part of an introspective investigation on my feelings and my life.
I draw my inner life, as I consider that the particular way of relating to the others and oneself (and the impasses one undergoes through that process) are the very core of any attempt of creation.
Thus, I understand science-fiction representational codes as a way to achieve (to construct) a personal truth, as I think that truth has a fictional structure.”
We have included a few photos of DEIH’s works along with some related links
In our first group show in the new Paul Street space, we are presenting four very interesting artists whose work links and entwines in very winning ways. It’s a fine match between the abstract and figurative ends of the painting spectrum.
However, this is not a one sided game, but an exploration of overlapping skills and techniques, that will make excellent viewing, if not producing any obvious winners.
Dan Baldwin
Of the two strongly figurative artists in the show, Dan Baldwin is best known to the UK. His dynamic and intricately subtle paintings are a familiar and respected part of the contemporary/urban art scene.
Joram Roukes
Joram Roukes is a new name to the UK. Roukes large-scale oil paintings have a sense of fantasy and humour that is superficially akin to Baldwin’s work. However, there is a more robust and serious purpose to these works, which gives them a powerful and dark effect.
Andrew McAttee
The absence of any familiar figurative imagery seems to create an unnerving sense of emptiness. This is indeed joyous and decorative work (Power Pop Art as the artist calls it), with a childlike directness, but somehow there is still a sense of a void, giving the work an edge.
John Squire
His artwork first came to public notice with the very popular Pollockesque album cover designs for his band. Since then, his work has been paired down and has become generally abstract in form.
When
10th February Private View.
11th February – 5th March open to public.
With the release of yet another episode of the Star Wars saga – Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, later on this year we looked at how much artists get inspired by it and selected 10 pieces we felt were worth sharing.
May the (art) force be with you. Enjoy these 5 awesome Star Wars themed prints by RYCA & Trafford Parsons
There seems to be a trend amongst many other on the web right now – animated GIFs. I must admit, I love some of them.
Some are hilarious and other rather cleverest than funny. How about this one below (You’ll all have recognised a famous street art work from Banksy)?
Now, to all things, they are better things? To creativity, there is always more creativity. To animated GIFs, there are Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg’s animated GIFs or rather photos. Next level? Yes, defintely.
Take Jamie Beck and motion graphics artist Kevin Burg and “cinemagraphs” as they are called, are here for us to enjoy, are here to mesmerised us. Subtle and soft are the feelings that come to mind when I look at these.
How did these come about? The pair was inspired to create these cinemagraphs while preparing to cover Fashion Week this past February: “We wanted to tell more of a story than a single still frame photograph but didn’t want the high maintenance aspect of a video,”
I am now back from Barcelona where I had the chance to enjoy a warm winter sun, delicious tapas but also and above all eye-catching graffiti.
You can see quite a few scattered around the city and especially in the main avenues of the city but head down to the port, look for the maritime museum and you will definitely spot the Jardins de Walter Benjamin, a very formal name for what is a hotspot for so-called underground activity: graffiti.
A selection of best shots is below as well as a map where this spot is located.
This is it. It is lunch and I am craving, not food, but a good art show to go and check out, preferably a short distance from the office.
I quickly gathered my thoughts and here I am on my way to Zari gallery on Newman street (London) or this is where I thought I was going, should I rather say.
I stand there now and as I look up, I realise that I am in front of a gallery called Edel Assanti (the galleries are next to each other but I had never realised there were two separate ones until that day).
As I step in the gallery, I cannot help but noticing the simplicity and sobriety of the venue, which is not a bad thing at all, since it enables the viewer to focus only on what matters – the artistic output from the current show.
A quick nodding to the gallery assistant and here I am, almost trotting towards the back of the gallery to look at ‘Great Wall Of Sand‘.
Great Wall Of Sand (Click to enlarge)
This very large piece drew my attention right away, because all large pieces usually do, but also because I could not make out what I was looking at from far.
I still can’t.
Now, what really needs your attention is the relief in this piece, which you cannot figure out at first but come closer and closer and you’ll see that actual sand (see below) is included in Gordon Cheung’s work.
Samples of what looks like newspapers also help to make up some of the background of this artwork.
A beautiful and dreamy piece.
Alongside the large pieces (of what looks like sceneries – more pics below), 2 other different types of works are on display –
The first one is using plain pigment paste (and later painted on) and stuck sand on canvas again (see previous post) and depicts flowers in a vase like I have never seen it before. Although, the aesthetics of the piece did not wow me, I can appreciate the various technics and the ‘refreshing’ take on such a subject.
The second type of work is radically different with the rest and is a series of what may look like collages. It also reminds me of some times where you watch TVs and the signal gets weak – you know what I mean I am sure.
I must have been distracted by the other type of artworks in this show, since as I was going through the photographs I took, I felt urge to go back and have another look at those.
Last time we saw Gordon Cheung’s works was 7 years ago and we are glad to see that the artist is still pushing the boundaries as much as in terms of the colour palette he used than disrupting the usual and common perception of a painting being flat
The much hyped Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition opens at the National Gallery from today with a seven room exhibition. The display is ideal for those who adore the technicality of the line and the workings of an artist , with many drawings and paintings by Leonardo and his pupils on display.
Its build up has been felt for many months, ever since its advance booking opened in May 2011 – a long seven months before its actual opening day.
With its future opening date released then came the capped visitor numbers announcement, with the gallery saying it would restrict visitors due to an, ‘unprecedented demand’. Today (9 November) The Evening Standard has reported how the tickets have sold out until mid-December. The pressure for this display to deliver to its global audience is immense.
The exhibition brings together an impressive collection of international loans never before seen in the UK, from the Queen, America, Poland, France, Scotland and from Art Fund acquisitions.
One difference with this exhibition from others is it the first to be dedicated to Leonardo’s aims and techniques as a painter. Don’t expect reams of glorious huge paintings, though there are a few pretty ladies, curly haired men and angels.
The whole display focuses on Leonardo as an artist, his technical skills and his teaching skills, showing how his works were often finished or copied by his pupils, and in some cases edited. In particular it concentrates on the work he produced as court painter to Duke Lodovico Sforza, in Milan in the late 1480s and 1490s.
As well as finished pieces, each room is peppered with Leonardo’s preparatory and experimental sketches.
The final part of the exhibition, a few mintues walk away in the Sunley Room features a near-contemporary, full-scale copy of Leonardo’s famous ‘Last Supper’, on loan from the Royal Academy. Seen alongside all the surviving preparatory drawings made by Leonardo for the ‘Last Supper’ it makes for an interesting viewing, but seems rather ‘tagged’ on to the exhibition.
Pieces to stop by:
The Musician (1486-7) Room 1 – An unfinished portrait demonstrating Leonardo’s skill in positioning of the face creating a life like portrait with depth.
Portrait of Bianca Maria Sforza (1493) Room 2 – Get your fill of opulence with this lavish picture showing a traditional Milanese style dress, with Leonardo’s profile technique on full view.
The Lady with an Ermine (1498-90) Room 2 – This piece is centre stage of the room and shows off Leonardo’s portraiture and colour skills. The lady almost leaps out of the canvas due to her 3/4 turned pose and the black back background, giving her a 3D quality that soon become sort after by Leonardo’s pupils.
Studies of the Nervous System (1485-8) and Studies of the Human Skull (1489) Room 3 – This is one of many anatomical studies in this room, and they took my breath away. He’s used hints of shadow and light to depict tiny features of the human body. The skull looks perfect in minature form and these observations were no doubt the ground work for his future paintings, making figures seem as real as possible. It astounds me how these delicate sketches are over 500 years old.
The Virgin of the Rocks (1493) Louvre and Virgin of the Rocks (1491/2-9 and 1506-9) National Gallery Room 4 – These pieces are obviously the focal point for this room and essentially a key point for the exhibition. They are on show together for the first time and are intended to show Leonardo’s difference in style and views of painting and art. The earlier piece is very rich in colour and could easily fit into a church altar piece. The second is restrictive in its colour palette and the figures are more sculptural with a porcelain quality.
The Burlington Cartoon ( 1499-1500) Room 6 – This lively large piece in charcoal seems to move as you move around it. The unfinished aspect of the piece almost makes it work more, it stands out in this room. The figures are fluid and contemporary, it’s a break away and step up from Leonardo’s meticulous anatomical studies.
Room 7 in the Sunley room has a handy time line of Leonardo’s artistic career, with significant events and works. This would of been suited to have at the beginning of the exhibition, putting this display into context even more, especially for those less familiar with his pieces. The room feels tagged on, an afterthought. It’s interesting to see the workings that may have gone into this work, and then the copy of the Last Supper is astonishing to see in its grand scale.
Head along to this exhibition for a peek into Leonardo Da Vinci’s undoubted skill as a technical drawer and creater of astonishing life like works, which capture humanity and idealised beauty in all its forms. He perhaps saw himself as a creator and observer of humanity, what’s key from the exhibition is that he was always striving for improving his skills and thankfully we get to see these still today in this exhibition.
‘If the painter wishes to see beauties that enamour him, he is the master of their production, and if he wishes to see monsterous things.. he is their lord and god.’
The exhibition is open now: 09 Nov 2011 – 05 Feb 2012 Mon – Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Fri 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM Closed Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Christmas Day.
We talked to the Spanish born graffiti/street art artist DEIH who is part of the XLF CREW. We asked to tell us about him –
The much hyped Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition opens at the 
