The local phone box was hang out spot for local ne er’ do wells who used it as a base (excuse pun) to smoke crack throughout the night. Often loud and very funny these impromptu party events were often a daily occurrence starting at night and often ending as the school run started in the morning. I thought it was about time that both the occupants of the box and the often stunned locals deserved a break from each other in this relic of telecommunication.
‘Wash it up” mixed media installation in the heart of #Dalston A series of staged photo’s and videos with myself as the model. Photo’s taken by @streetartatlas a big thank you to The Pea for cutting the stencils and Betti for the support in making it happen!
So it’s election day, and my! What a choice there is ! A Myriad of promises, logos and strap lines. Its like your at a market on a Sunday where everyone is selling knock off goods. They all look legit but after a few washes the the signs of forgery are sure to show themselves in time. Inspired by the lies and images that accompany them and a desire to see how paint works on glass, led me to a practice paint on this much loved phone box / voting booth in Dalston (well loved with the late night crack crowd and your voting crack). so here it is ! A pic n’ mix of logos, slogans and lies that it doesn’t matter which way round they are arranged and organised in the end up in the same old message. Promise the world if its secures you power. Then you have 4 years to line your pockets. Personally i’m up for spoiling it, faced with the candidates my choice is to register a protest after all spoils get counted. We need a dramatic change, not a pick of the same coloured hue of bullshit
So todays the day that Roam couch and myself release the print we have been working on. Prints launch at 10 am BST on the 5th of June sorry for the late notice (I’ve been ill)
The blue fade background is my UK colour way printed at bi-cep press in Bristol on. 300gsm Canson Arches Aquarelle paper with archival inks.Signed by both artists, numbered and embossed It measures 50cm by 50cm Available here Each artist will have a set of 5 pairs of both images for those that are interested in owning both at a discounted price for the two and without the subsequent postage from both locations Available here certificates of authenticity from both artists accompany the print.
Last year i was lucky to bump into Roam Couch in Tokyo at Kawamatsu Gallery. During an afternoon talking shop and drinking highballs the idea came up that we could work on a collaborative piece combining the styles and themes we liked working with. I’ts taken some time working across timescales, language and techniques, which really come in to focus when you work by DHL.
We decided on two versions to be painted in each others cities. Yep a lot of back and forth, our couriers faces lit up.
Twinning Penge, London with Nagoya, Japan.
We are thinking of releasing this as a small edition Giclee print when we work out the logistics , couriers and the inevitable postage back and forth to get the thing together, so stay tuned for details. The basic idea being that we will do a simultaneous release of each print edition in Japan and the UK, with each artist posting them locally.
Up cycling out of date London Underground pocket maps
Central Line Set
The news from the underground is that we are losing a line, and gaining a few to simplify it?! The orange overground is out and turns in to Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette and Liberty with colours we will all soon learn.
I suddenly realised that this would make all their pocket maps (free from every station) outdated and these would soon need to be replaced with a new one. Rather than see these things go to land fill i ran around town collecting them with a view to up cycling them into something you could keep to mark a few new lines.
After a week of frantic collecting, dry mounting and painting i’m happy to show you what i’ve been up to.
The first ones i set about making to see if they would work were Indigo, Astrid and Edgar, three of the iconic rudekids series. I’ve been living on the Central line for a decade and have a deep love of the colour red, the first few were always going Central line centric. Because of this each one priced at a cheaper price of £60 +P&P
Indigo central line, dry mounted underground map 27.5cm x 16cm available here
Astrid Central line, dry mounted underground map 24.5cm x 16cm Available here
Edgar Central line, dry mounted underground map 24.5cm x 16cm Available here
Central Line Set
Central line set, The three above as a set, for the bargain price of £150 Available here
Then i thought, perhaps you want your rude kid popping your own line colour up on a underground map. All you have to do is choose your line here. Bespoke lines will be charged at £80. This is time based offer starting today and finishing Saturday 24th at 8pm GMT. All orders will be shipped Royal mail (special delivery within UK and tracked world wide) all orders are aimed to be shipped before the 5th of March.
i was invited to collaborate with Taku Hisamura for two shows, one in Tokyo at Gallery Kawamatsu and then a larger installation show at Art Osaka . An initial preview show in Tokyo enabled me to paint the 3 Huts that made up the final show, in an upstairs cupboard (only joking…no really) at Kawamatsu.
Japan like most places around the world is hotter than usual. It hosts a WBT (wet bulb temperature) everyday experience.
After a successful preview in Tokyo, thanks to everyone who attended! We packed the Hut up and moved all three to a new space in Osaka part of the Art Osaka art fair.
To coincide with my trip to Japan, Kawamatsu and i decided to coincide my visit with a release a print. Its a 5 colour silkscreen print on 300gsm Somerset paper printed in the Uk by Bicep press. It’s a smaller than usual indigo image measuring 60 x 23 cm featuring a new Japanese wave wallpaper and a new Dot Master Hokusai’s “The great wave of Kanagawa”
Indigo gets up! Japan edition of 33 plus a few hand finished special editions each one unique in wall paper and colour way.
Indigo gets up! japan blue wave edition plus a few hand finished unique works .
I was happy to have Osaka in the schedule this trip and it gave me a chance to catch up, paint and drink with some old friends. I have been coming to Osake to paint for over 10 years and always friends have be kind enough to find me spots to paint. Thanks Ken! Thank you Masagon!
additions to old spotslove this bar in kitagaya added a few to my hairdresserspainted his bike under the counter vibes if you know you know painting by a cemetery
I had one spot left to paint, This trip’s image was definitely The Great Wave. I’d painted this on the street in Tokyo with in 4 hours of my arrival.
I’d been in touch with ol Gypsy eyes who actually lives in Kanagawa (where the great wave is set) and nagged him for months before my arrival to find me somewhere to paint it. He’s a great guy and helps visiting street artists find spots. I’d visited his stretch of coast last time we were working together and fallen i love with the series of little bays that Tokyo comes to bathe in summertime, across the water Mount Fuji stands in the clouds. It seemed like the perfect spot for it and wanted to visit and paint.
View from the black water Onsen
So i did.
A big thanks to all who helped on this one Seigo , Gypsy Eyes, Shin at Substance Bar Koenji city. Tuna Guy aka Mikami. Play the Earth bar.
I’ve been a bit quiet over the last couple of months, I’ve been busy building a show for Kawamatsu Gallery for Art Osaka, with a preview event in Tokyo on the 19th of July. The show “Hut trick” is a collaborative show with Taku Hisamura , whose street architecture practice creates surfaces for me to paint.
Part of Art osaka’s city wide exhibits, This installation show will give you a temporary structure based shanty town for the public to explore.
Happy to announce in partnership with GCA gallery Paris the launch of my next colour way from my Trash bag Dior edition Silk screen print. 16 colour silk screen on 410 gsm somerset cotton rag paper. Print is an edition of 50 and is 35cm x 50 cm signed numbered and embossed.
Doors open at 5pm at GCA Gallery PARIS – 2 place Farhat Hached – 75013 – Paris. with a small show of trash to accompany the release of the Paris Gold edition.
