Studio Visit: Nick Walker

August 27, 2015 butterfly

Ahead of his upcoming solo show ‘Entrophy’ at Above Second Gallery in Hong Kong, we popped by the studio of Bristol artist Nick Walker.

For this new show, Nick Walker has been exploring new ideas and broadening the scope of his signature Gentleman Vandal series to more abstract imagery and new techniques playing with metal and sculpture.

Nick Walker - Studio Visit 2015

“A new element I am exploring with this show is ‘Numbers’ which I call the Smoke series. Originally I was inspired by Jasper Johns some time back and began to implement numbers into my paintings as background or fragmented, but now I am focusing solely on the numbers themselves.”

Nick Walker - Studio Visit 2015

Having visited Hong Kong in December to gather inspiration and collect photos some new pieces featuring the Hong Kong busy urban landscape, Nick Walker mentions “It [has] an abundance of old signage and history, and also a very gritty edge which is something I love to portray in my street scenes.”

Nick Walker - Studio Visit 2015

View the full set of pics here

Festival, Shows, Weston Super Mare

Dismaland Focus: Banksy

August 27, 2015 butterfly 1 Comment

We take a closer look at the Banksy artworks featured at the ‘Dismaland Bemusement Park’ (covered) that opened officially this week end in Weston-Super-Mare.

The Ice Cream van (first seen at the Bristol Museum exhibition in 2009) is back.

Ten new pieces are featured in the show including a woman attacked by seagulls, a killer whale jumping out of a toilet seat, a butcher on a merry-go-round with a hanging horse dripping blood next to boxes of lasagne ( nod to the 2013 horse meat scandal).

Dismaland Bemusement Park

Within the gallery space new artworks include a canvas featuring a revisited version of the Creation of Adam, the hand of God being replaced by the Devil. In the fireplace we recognise a familiar image of the spraycan candle, tribute to King Robbo (as seen in the streets of London in 2011). A seaside painting shows a mother and child playing on the sand unaware of the tsunami of detritus coming to them. Banksy continues his animatronic series that we much enjoyed at the Bristol Museum (2009), with an animated rabbit that took control and made the magician disappear from the circus tent.

Dismaland Bemusement Park

Banksy also created some pieces relying on the participation of the audience while highlighting political and environmental issues. Local families visiting the park were confused with the Mediterranean Boat Ride, as the public could drive robotic boats of migrants amongst dead floating people. Kids were desperately looking for disappearing golf balls on the impossible Mini Gulf course or playing at ‘ Fish a Duck’ drown in oily waters. We also see the return of the Pier Pressure / Dolphin Ride ( protest against BP’s 2010 Deep Horizon oil spill ) and the Dance of Death (seen in BOTI).

Dismaland - Banksy Dismaland Bemusement Park

Banksy plays with placement in this new stencil where a woman is showering while kids are peeping through the steel curtain.

A billboard falls down due to the weight of a fat cat having diner while his wife and kids are still standing and waiting.

Surrounded by murky water with a dumped riot van transformed into an impromptu water fountain, a decrepit fairy-tale castle ‘shows how it feels to be a real princess’: a sinister Cinderella pumpkin crash sculpture is lit up by the swarm of paparazzi, with flashing cameras taking photo after photo of the tragic crash scene echoing Princess Diana’s death. And you can pose and have your souvenir photo. Truly depressing.

Dismaland Bemusement Park

View the full set of pics here

Check back for further updates on Dismaland

Dismaland
Until 27 September 2015
Tropicana
Marine Parade BS23 1BE
Weston Super Mare

Uncategorized

Video: Banksy Dismaland

August 25, 2015 butterfly

Bristol, Festival, Weston Super Mare

Weston-Super-Mare (UK): Banksy – Dismaland Bemusement Park

August 20, 2015 butterfly 1 Comment

Banksy is returning to the UK and curating a pop up festival / bemusement park entitled ‘Dismaland’. Located on the seaside front of Weston-Super-Mare, not far from Bristol, Dismaland will be running from 22 August until 27 September at the Tropicana, a former Lido. Revisiting Disneyland with a sinister twist, the park features attractions, sculptures and installations, three galleries showcasing the largest contemporary artwork collection ever assembled in a north Somerset town, a model village, a Cinderella’s Castle, a Guerilla Island, a cinema, a puppet show, a circus tent and a mini Golf to name a few.

Here is a map from the Dismaland’s website:

Dismaland presents a selection of international artists coming from a wide range of countries and backgrounds, with artists coming from Syria and the Middle East, an installation from Burning Man, artists from the contemporary art scene, YBA and more: AAndreas Hykade (Bavaria), Amir Schiby (Israel), Axel Void (USA), Banksy (UK), Barry Reigate (UK), Ben Long (UK), Bill Barminski (USA), Block9 (UK), Brock Davis (USA), Caitlin Cherry (USA), Caroline McCarthy (UK), Damien Hirst (UK), Darren Cullen (UK), David Shrigley (UK), Dorcas Casey (UK), Dietrich Wegner (USA), Ed Hall (UK), El Teneen (Egypt), Escif (Spain), Espo (USA), Fares Cachoux (Syria), Greg Haberny (USA), Huda Beydoun (Saudi Arabia), James Joyce (UK), Jani Leinonen (Finland), Jeff Gillette (USA), Jenny Holzer (USA), Jessica Harrison (UK), Jimmy Cauty (UK), Joanna Pollonais (Canada), Josh Keyes (USA), Julie Burchill (UK), Kate MacDowell (USA), Laura Lancaster (UK), Lee Madgwick (UK), Leigh Mulley (UK), Lush (Australia), Mana Neyestani (Iran), Maskull Laserre (Canada), Michael Beitz (USA), Mike Ross (USA), Neta Harari Navon (Israel) , Nettie Wakefield (UK), Paco Pomet (Spain), Paul Insect & BAST (UK/USA), Peter Kennard & Cat Phillips(UK), Polly Morgan (UK), Pure Evil (UK), Ronit Baranga (Israel), Sami Musa (Palestine), Scott Hove (USA), Severija Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė (Lithuania), Shadi Alzaqzouq (Palestine), Suliman Mansour (Palestine), Tammam Azzam (Syria), The Astronauts’ Caravan (UK), Tinsel Edwards (UK), Wasted Rita (Portugal), Zaria Forman (USA).

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In parallel several live events will also be taking place every Friday night including Peanut Butter Wolf, Pussy Riots, Kate Tempest or Massive Attack.

Book your tickets now on Dismaland.co.uk

BROCHURE

Dismaland
Until 27 September 2015
Tropicana
Marine Parade BS23 1BE
Weston Super Mare

Malaga, Shows

Malaga: D*Face – ‘Wasted Youth’ @ CAC Malaga

August 16, 2015 butterfly 1 Comment

CAC Málaga, in collaboration with the British Council, recently opened up the first solo exhibition in Spain from D*Face (see the studio visit here). The London-based artist’s work was seen for the first time in Málaga in 2013 when he created an immense mural for the MAUS Project (covered) along with Shepard Fairey. Wasted Youth is his first solo exhibition for a museum, and includes 40 works created during his 15 year long career, some of which are on show for the very first time.

Featuring paintings, screenprints, sculptures, stencils as well as a huge skeleton installation, the show is currently on view through September 27th and is running alongside Fairey’s Your Eyes Here (covered).

D*Face - Wasted Youth @ CAC Malaga