Tag Archives: butterflyartnews

London: Katrin Fridriks – Macrocosm

May 14, 2016 butterfly

Icelandic conceptual artist and abstract painter Katrin Fridriks returns to Lazarides Rathbone in London for a new solo exhibition entitled ‘Macrocosm‘.

Alongside the 2014 installation Perception of the Stendhal Syndrome – Gene&Ethics Master Prism with a giant magnifying glass, the exhibition features a whole new body of works, with canvasses bursting with vibrant and swirling energetic coloured shapes of splashing paint.

The role of the magnifying glass is to enhance the intensity of the experience of being overwhelmed by the artwork, evoking a phenomenon that is called “beauty nausea”.

The two dichotomies contained within the gallery space represent the elusive philosophical idea of macrocosm with one canvas being a micro particle of the other. ‘Macrocosm’, originating from Ancient Greek philosophy, refers to everything that exists, an infinite, complex structure that can be regarded as a universe, or the cosmos. The microcosm, however, is just a small representative part of it. Since the time of Plato, human imagination has been drawn to an idea of an analogy between the macro and the microcosm. Thus ‘as above, so below’ was a leading motto in the doctrine of ‘correspondences’ between the two dimensions.

The spatial arrangement of this show invites viewers to participate, to adopt various viewpoints, and to discover new perspectives and hidden depths within the paint through the magnifying glass.

   Katrin Fridriks - Marcrocosm

View the full set of pics here

Katrin Fridriks – Macrocosm
Until 16 June 2016
Lazarides Rathbone
London

Shows, Toulouse

Toulouse: Subcultures @ Espace Croix Baragnon – Part I

April 23, 2016 butterfly 2 Comments

The museum ‘L’espace Croix Baragnon’ in Toulouse is celebrating the underground cultural scene with a new exhibition called ‘Subcultures’. The city of Toulouse is the cradle of many renowned artists from Miss Van, Fafi, Reso, Tilt to dran, but the artistic scene is even more prolific, mixing popular cultures (rock music, punk, goth, hip hop, experimental … sci-fi, comics, movies, skateboarding, tattoo…) revisiting modern art movements (surrealism, Dadaism, pop art, poster-art…) as well as post-modern art forms (lowbrow, graffiti, street art,…)

Curator David Pujol has been observing the local underground culture for several years and presents ‘Subcultures’ featuring 10 established and emerging artists, with their influences and distinctive style on the local and international scene: Amandine Urruty, 100TAUR (covered), A4 Putevie (covered), Mathieu Bourrillon, Nicolas Delpech, Fräneck, Herbot, Kinder K, Arnaud Loumeau and Benjamin Stoop.

Although not listed in the official artists roster, enfant terrible dran (covered) makes several appearances with a brand new canvas and stickers and flyers throughout the exhibition space.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Huge crowds and artists turned out for the eagerly awaited opening including anonymous artist <++ (covered) who also made a live performance.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Through his drawings and sculptural installations, artivist artist A4Putevie (b.1980) illustrates the thirst for freedom within the urban environment, his thoughts and distress about the current politic affairs, war and surveillance society.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Inspired by nature, religious art, Japanese culture and mythology, 100TAUR (b.1982) explores the concept of imperfection, creating a universe populated by fantastic creatures, distorted hybrids humans and animals with a sacred touch. Anthropomorphic fishes are adorned with a golden aura, while his signature character ‘Slug’, symbol of resilience is omnipresent within his compositions.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Kinder K. (b.1984) oil paintings play with medieval imagery and religious iconography to question our faith in life. Her colourful compositions illustrate empowered female characters with an erotic touch, whether Lolitas dancing and being seduced by the devil, or a man-eater she-devil.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Fascinated by video games, Arnaud Loumeau (b.1978) draws kaleidoscopic shapes on paper. Using mathematical precision, patterns are repeated in a loop like in a computer and coloured with marker. Underground illustrator Franeck painted a mural inside the gallery space with a series of small black and white drawings featuring his signature humorous round shaped characters within architectural landscapes.

Subcultures - Toulouse

View the full set of pics here

Stay tuned for the rest of the coverage soon with our Part II

‘Subcultures’
Until 18 June 2016
Espace Croix-Baragnon
24 rue Croix-Baragnon
31000 Toulouse (FR)

London, Street, streets

London: Space Invader – Wave 18

Image April 2, 2016 butterfly 2 Comments

French artist Space Invader has just returned to London since 2013 for a 18th wave of invasion. As part of an art commission for the London Games Festival organised by Film London, 12 new artworks have appeared on iconic buildings and streets.

As always location is key, and to celebrate spring, brand new CCTV flowers have popped up across the city, including a union jack one next to the British Film Institute surrounded by four other video cameras .

A pixelated cheeky prince with crown and 3D glasses is flying high above the Prince Charles Cinema in the West End , while the Arts Building in Finsbury Park is adorned with a paint brush waiving invader mosaic.

London Invasion 2016 - Wave 18

Wandering through the Museum of London, visitors can enjoy two new invaders with bowler hats and umbrellas watching each other.

And before looking for the remaining invaders, enjoy a cup of tea in Shoreditch…

London Invasion 2016 - Wave 18

View the full set of pics here

London, Shows

London Opening: Lusus Naturae – 100Taur & Hisham Echafaki

October 23, 2015 butterfly 3 Comments

Lusus Naturae - 100Taur & Hisham Echafaki

Here is a photo recap of ‘Lusus Naturae’ we have been pleased to curate with French artists 100Taur and Hisham Echafaki.

Viewers were introduced to the dark enchanted world of 100Taur with his hypnotic hybrid creatures from a weird Buffalo, a meditating and multitasking Holy Slug to some cheeky ‘Blood Brothers’ and a flying Mandrill.

Trompe l’oeil paintings by Hisham Echafaki captivated the audience, while they were intrigued by his oniric butterflies in three dimensions.

Congratulations to the talented artists 100Taur and Hisham Echafaki on this fantastic body of work. We would like to extend massive thanks to Dave Skelly, Bassim and Tunde for their precious help and all the people who have been supporting this event.

Lusus Naturae - 100Taur & Hisham Echafaki

View the full set of pics here
Lusus Naturae
100Taur & Hisham Echafaki
94 Leonard Street
EC2A 4RH

London

London: Lusus Naturae – 100TAUR & Hisham Echafaki

October 13, 2015 butterfly

Hisham Echafaki - Sunset Moth (detail)

We are excited to curate Lusus Naturae, a two-person exhibition with French artists 100TAUR andHisham Echafaki featuring a series of new paintings, drawings and three dimensional works.

In natural history, the latin terminology ‘Lusus Naturae’ is used to describe any creature or specimen that defied classification, an animal or a person that is markedly unusual or a freak of nature.

The show explores notions of anthropomorphism, human fascination with oddities or monstrosities and our fragile relationship with the natural world. 100TAUR’s mythical monsters are portrayed in a surrealist dark enchanted world with colourful details rich in narrative.

100Taur - Flying Mandrill 100TAUR - Blood Brothers

Hisham Echafaki’s paintings play with intricate repetitive patterns found in nature and examine the impact that humankind exerts on its fragile balance.

For the first time Hisham Echafaki will also present a series of his three-dimensional paintings. Using a unique technique of resin layering and acrylic paint, the artist meticulously builds layers to create three-dimensional insects in transparent boxes. Oniric butterflies, bees and dragonflies appear to be suspended and preserved in the manner of fragile taxidermy insects.