Tag Archives: Solo show

The Other Art Fair Bristol Highlight: Hisham Echafaki

London based multidisciplinary artist Hisham Echafaki is presenting his new solo exhibition at the Saatchi TOAF (The Other Art Fair) in Bristol.  His body of works focuses on the complex and ever changing relationship between humans and the animal world, exploring themes of anthropomorphism, endangered species and the delicate balance between mankind and nature.

His source of inspiration includes vintage scientific illustrations, taxidermy, cabinet of curiosities, patterns in art as well as animal fables. One of the paintings is directly inspired by The Dove and the Crow Fable by Greek author Aesop ‘To enjoy our blessings we must have freedom’.

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‘Family portrait’ depicts a moving scene in an abandoned house where nature takes back its course and a doe and her baby pay tribute to a deer trophy head.

His three dimensional paintings are intriguing and fascinating, and visitors are often wondering how these fauna and flora have been created. The 3D and trompe l’oeil effect is achieved by meticulously painting on multiple layers of resin.

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Hisham Echafaki
The Other Art Fair Bristol
1-3 September 2017
Arnolfini
16 Narrow Quay , Bristol

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Paris: Sowat – Studio Visit

SOWAT Studio Visit

From September 2015 to August 2016, French artists Lek & Sowat were the first Graffiti writers to become artists-in-residence at the prestigious Academy of France in Rome, the Villa Médicis. A mark of recognition for this atypical duo whose path has led them from the urban wastelands of the Mausolée project (covered here) to the underground ventilation shafts of the Palais de Tokyo (see more here).

We caught up with Sowat in his Parisian studio before he left for his residency and share  some behind the scenes pictures.

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Sowat thoroughly balances geometry, abstraction and alchemy, playing with the variety of reactions allowed by mixing china ink with chemical substances.
The vibrant colours provide a highly emotional impact to the works. Carefully chosen colour combinations of Blood and Light, Blue and Steel, Purple and Gold, Coal and Fire, evoke a universe, references, an invitation to dream, and seek to revive the ancient alchemical myth of transformation.

SOWAT Studio Visit     SOWAT Studio Visit
SOWAT Studio Visit

During his 12 months residency,  Sowat shared Ingres’ former studio with Lek, and created a new series of work that will be exhibited for his solo show ‘Tempus Fugit‘ at the Galerie Le Feuvre in Paris on 17 November 2016.

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Thirty- nine large-sized works, scrupulously composed and staged in the gardens of the Villa explore his research into calligraphy, lines and movement, drawing as much inspiration from the engraved marble slabs of the Roman Codex as from Cholo Writing, the Latino gangs’ art from the Los Angeles of his youth, thus creating a tension between the primitive aspect of his work and the stone and plaster of antique statues.

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Photos credit: Paris by Butterfly Art News, Rome courtesy of Sowat and Yulia Galycheva 

Sowat – Tempus Fugit
Opening 17 Nov from 6 PM
17 Nov – 17 Dec 2016
Galerie Le Feuvre
164 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
75008 Paris

London: dran – Public Execution show

Dran - Public Execution Show

Returning to London after five years, the French master draughtsman dran has just launched a new solo show entitled ‘Public Execution‘ . Announced at the last minute on Pictures on Walls, the show ‘ promises to be a ‘live’ masterclass in ‘spontaneous creativity’ happening in ‘real time’. All of which actually means he hasn’t done much yet. Over the next three weeks dran will be creating an art show from scratch in full public view in an empty shop in Soho. Upon completion it will close immediately.
The public are invited to visit at any time, but may not always be welcome.’

Despite the last minute announcement, eager fans came in force to the opening, and were welcome with enormous cheese platters, wine and beers. Sitting behind a broken laptop and copy machine, a painted female assistant is greeting  visitors.  Next to her features a canvas of a little boy dressed up in shiny costume made of snack packaging. Guests are invited to put bids and comments to get it. And so far the walls are covered with painted blank frames. So we’ll see how the show will evolve  and what surprises lay in store.

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View the full set of pics here

dran – Public Execution
Until 21 Feb 2015
35 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1

London: David Walker – A Blank Canvas is a White Flag

David Walker

Lawrence Alkin Gallery is presenting brand new works by David Walker at the Hoxton Gallery in London. The show entitled ‘A Blank Canvas is a White Flag’ features sculpture, photography and printmaking, made in collaboration with RYCA and Schoony.

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David Walker & RYCA

Working only with spray paint, his signature multi-layered colourful portraiture has evolved through different techniques. For his ‘Pour Paintings’, David Walker created portraits by literally pouring paint onto canvas.

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A medical cabinet displays a series of colourful multilayered fragments, results of years of spraypaint accumulation. These are featured in his new photographic series.

David Walker
David Walker     David Walker

The main body of new works in the show titled as ‘arrangements’ are made of single portraits created across multiple canvasses each with their own self-contained colour theme and nuance, from monochrome to photorealistic sections.

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On this collection of works, Walker comments:“The arrangements are a way for me to revitalise my process, the different coloured backgrounds suggest different approaches and colour logic to each, seeing both the individual and the whole. This is what I want the viewer to experience- first acknowledging the portrait in its entirety – then as the eye moves across each canvas the image is decoded and in some instances its elements become abstract.“

View the full set of pics here

David Walker – ‘A Blank Canvas is a White Flag’
Until 30 November 2014
Lawrence Alkin Gallery
9 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8AA

Paris: Vhils – Vestiges

Vhils - Vestiges

After completing his walls for the Paris Nuit Blanche (Covered here), Portugese artist Vhils just opened a new solo show ‘Vestiges‘ at Magda Danyz gallery. Engraving portraits and abstract patterns on cork, metal, wood and paper, Vhils continue to explore the city and its habitants’memory.

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View the full set of pics here

Vhils – Vestiges
Until 15 November 2014
Galerie Magda Danysz
78 rue Amelot, 75011 Paris