One of Bristol’s most renowned street artist Rowdy is gathering forces with legendary London screenprinter Aida Wilde for a duo show ‘Rowdy and Wilde’ at Clifton Fine Art in Bristol.

Aida Wilde was born in Iran and arrived in the UK in the mid 80’s as a political refugee. Aida’s artistic career has been a diverse one. She has been a professional screen printer for the last twenty years.

Her work has been featured at the Victoria & Albert Museum since 2011 and The Women’s Art Library (see our coverage here).  Her HASHTAG series of works was used for the Brandalism  project (covered) and the global project Subvert The City, which saw the world’s first coordinated international ad takeover & over 60 creative actions in 38 cities in 18 countries around the world. Aida still continues with her facilitating role with various workshops and community projects through Print Is Power – Reclamation Nation & more currently, Sisters In Print (All female international print collective).

Hailed by many as a screen-printing genius, Aida’s process is her art. She prides herself on her perfect printing technique and continually pushing the boundaries of this once traditionally considered art form. The artist’s skill is second to none when it comes to print making. Her unique style expresses her ongoing battle to bring  alternative elements together, the graphic and the classical, whether this is through pop colours, texture (glitter, velvet…) or through image. Aida’s most recent experiments feature the use of the screen as a mono-printing tool to develop her ‘Life: Still’ edition.

Rowdy, member of the Burning Candy crew, is an integral part of the Bristol graffiti scene. His work appears worldwide and can be found in the most unlikely places, from underground rural settings to highly visible urban reaches. Rowdy’s trademark crocodiles are often huge in scale and are indicative of the playful nature of the imagery in his work.

Burning Candy Crew in London 2009

Rowdy’s abstract cityscape paintings show skyscrapers constructed out of the tiniest marks a spray-can can make, floating colour fields combined with 1980’s graffiti fades. Some are bustling and hectic, recalling markets and highways, motion and change, whilst others show a more meditative side to the city, haze and city lights hover within an expansive luminous ground.

The two artists bring an explosion of vibrant colours with bright, uplifting, and innovative works to Clifton Fine Art Gallery: upon entering the gallery a screen printed leopard rug with velvet feel by Aida Wilde is framed on the floor while abstract landscape paintings by Rowdy and still- life and neon pink screen-printed artworks by Aida adorn the walls. Rowdy signature monumental crocodile wooden sculpture is a playful delight for small children and guests.

View the full set of pics here

Rowdy & Wilde
Until 4 November
Clifton Fine Art
12 Perry Road, Bristol, BS1 5BG