Portfolios Archive - Page 3 of 3

Cathy Lewis

CATHY LEWIS

Born: 1968 Bristol UK Foundation course: Weston-Super-Mare College of further Education: 1986-1987 Degree: Glasgow School of Art & Falmouth School of Art BA (Hons) : 1987-1990 Bronze casting course, University of the West of England : 1995-1996 Moved back to Bristol from Cornwall in 1994. Where I still live with my husband and two children. I work from my studio in Spike Island,a contemporary art centre. I have been continually showing work since leaving college.

Artist’s statement: My work often combines a layering of ideas, each influencing the outcome of a piece. For me, art is as more about questions than answers.

Born: 1968 Bristol UK Foundation course: Weston-Super-Mare College of further Education: 1986-1987 Degree: Glasgow School of Art & Falmouth School of Art BA (Hons) : 1987-1990 Bronze casting course, University of the West of England : 1995-1996 Moved back to Bristol from Cornwall in 1994. Where I still live with my husband and two children. I work from my studio in Spike Island,a contemporary art centre. I have been continually showing work since leaving college.

Artist’s statement: My work often combines a layering of ideas, each influencing the outcome of a piece. For me, art is as more about questions than answers.

Title: Treasure

Title: Can't See The Wolf For The Trees

Title: Dragon Girl

Title: Swarm

Title: Music and Movement-1973

Title: Pomp & Brick a Brac

Title: Narcissus

Title: Lets Rock

Title: Mia

Title: FTL Detail, Mia

Title: Quick Silver, Bronze

Title: Orlando

Title: The Dying Art of Martyrdom

Title: Zap

Title: Ollie

Title: The Wonder

Bert Vredegoor

BERT VREDEGOOR

Dutch artist Bert Vredegoor studied at ArtEZ, the Academy of Art & Design in Arnhem.

He works and experiments with different techniques and media such as his self-conceived black velvet bleaching which creates an enchanting light experience.

In addition, he makes acrylic laser cut panels, which generates a sculptural trompe-l’oeil.

His so-called Original Pattern Screens are semitransparent window films, which provide different kinds of visual screens, separating the private from the public domain.

The artworks are best described as contemporary icons. They allow contemplation, refer to a mystical experience and stimulates curiosity.

Dutch artist Bert Vredegoor studied at ArtEZ, the Academy of Art & Design in Arnhem.

He works and experiments with different techniques and media such as his self-conceived black velvet bleaching which creates an enchanting light experience.

In addition, he makes acrylic laser cut panels, which generates a sculptural trompe-l’oeil.

His so-called Original Pattern Screens are semitransparent window films, which provide different kinds of visual screens, separating the private from the public domain.

The artworks are best described as contemporary icons. They allow contemplation, refer to a mystical experience and stimulates curiosity.

Title: Into Temptation 1

Title: Crossing

Title: Sirens

Title: Rosewood Abu Dhabi

Title: Not see the Wood

Title: Into Temptation 3

About the velvet collection

The creative process

Bleaching black velvet with chlorine solutions at different strengths is the basis of these works of art. Some of them have a golden yellow or sometimes red effect lighting up from the dark background. Creating light in darkness is achieved in the literal and practical sense of the word.

Chemical process
However, one drawback of this process is that the chemical reaction between chlorine and velvet cannot be stopped. The chlorine in the velvet continues to act on it very slowly when exposed to light or humidity and would eventually discolor it by creating spots and blotches.

Advanced technology
To overcome this problem, the process has been virtualized, while preserving the specific character of the bleached image. The original work of art is copied digitally, thereafter processed and then applied to the velvet with the most advanced spray painting technique. This creates the permanent image. Each work is part of a limited edition, and is numbered and signed by the artist.

Breathtaking

…The breathtaking light effects of these works are created by a time-consuming, complex and clever technique of chemicals applied to black velvet…

…more important than the technique is the ultimate result. Utterly beautiful images of bewitching light coming up from the velvety darkness and creating an ethereal atmosphere, comparable to the experience of entering a holy place where daylight filters through stain glass windows and sparkling rays of sunlight dance on mosaic floors…

…These works are intimate, contemplative and inspire peacefulness and refer to mystical and religious perceptions. The magic of golden light is captured and preserved via a unique and durable process…

Wim van der Beek Glamorous velvet light from darkness
De Stentor, 04-03-08

Anna Tas

ANNA TAS

Anna Tas is a British born artist, who currently lives in Philadelphia, where she graduated with honours from the University of the Arts. Anna’s work has been described as rather ambiguous and conceptual, allowing the audience to interpret what they see in their own way, as well as stimulating discussion about how we see and how images persist in our minds. “I always feel rather uncomfortable talking directly about my work – not necessarily because I’m worried what people will think of me, but rather more that I enjoy the dialogue that comes from a viewer who is seeing the work from their point of view, rather than mine, someone who has no preconceived idea of what it is that I am trying to talk about […] I have no answers, no judgment, just questions. I am drawn to looking at why we think what we think, how we develop and learn to decode what we see and assign certain values (for want of a better word) without being really conscious that this is what we do. I am part of something, yet also apart from it – observing, watching, questioning, and wondering. Why? What? How?”

Anna’s work is held in private collections around the world, including New York, Miami, London, Amsterdam, Rome, New Dehli and Hong Kong.

Anna Tas is a British born artist, who currently lives in Philadelphia, where she graduated with honours from the University of the Arts. Anna’s work has been described as rather ambiguous and conceptual, allowing the audience to interpret what they see in their own way, as well as stimulating discussion about how we see and how images persist in our minds. “I always feel rather uncomfortable talking directly about my work – not necessarily because I’m worried what people will think of me, but rather more that I enjoy the dialogue that comes from a viewer who is seeing the work from their point of view, rather than mine, someone who has no preconceived idea of what it is that I am trying to talk about […] I have no answers, no judgment, just questions. I am drawn to looking at why we think what we think, how we develop and learn to decode what we see and assign certain values (for want of a better word) without being really conscious that this is what we do. I am part of something, yet also apart from it – observing, watching, questioning, and wondering. Why? What? How?”

Anna’s work is held in private collections around the world, including New York, Miami, London, Amsterdam, Rome, New Dehli and Hong Kong.

INFO

Art Education:

08/06 – 06/08 University of the Arts, Philadelphia, BFA. Hons. Photography

01/05 – 05/06 Community College of Philadelphia, AAS in Photographic Imaging
Transferred after two years into the BFA programme at the University of the Arts.

09/03 – 04/04 Fotoacademie Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Foundation course in Photography.

Art/Community:

Having a background in marketing, I have donated my time to help several local arts organisations, including Philagrafika, Inliquid, and The Print Center, as well as serving as a panellist for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and lecturing on my work and the lenticular process at the Fleisher Art Memorial.

“All Things Considered, Collected works by Anna Tas”

By Sabrina DeTurk, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Writing about her preference for listening to others respond to her work rather than directing a viewer to a certain interpretation, Anna Tas says that “I enjoy the dialogue that comes from a viewer who is seeing the work from their point of view, rather than mine, someone who has no preconceived idea of what it is that I am trying to talk about.” This is a refreshing approach in a contemporary art world that often seems to prize work that denies dialogue with the viewer, either through explicit strategies of exclusion or through a didactic approach that dictates a particular, often political, interpretation of the artwork. In her new series, Impossible Goddesses (2014), Tas offers an immediately identifiable lens through which to view the work – that of gender and ideals of female beauty – while at the same time hinting at other possible viewing strategies and interpretive channels, such as the history of art, ideas of mutability and change and mass-produced consumer culture. In these images, the classic Barbie doll is posed against a simple grey background, draped in white tulle and dramatically lit to emphasize her curves and features. At first glance, particularly at the photographs of Impossible Goddesses #1 and #2, the viewer is confronted with an idealized form of female beauty rendered in molded plastic and given a grace and gravity through Tas’ presentation.

Debates about the role Barbie plays in creating gendered stereotypes of unobtainable female perfection are well-rehearsed in contemporary discourse and Tas’ photographs nod to those dialogues. Look more closely, however, and you see that the dolls in these images, and even more explicitly in Goddesses #3 and #4, are posed to mimic older ideals of feminine beauty in Western culture: Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, a Renaissance Virgin Mary, the Nike of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo. Tas even mutilates the dolls to achieve a fidelity to the original models. In this way, the artist adds an interpretive layer to the images, connecting the debates about Barbie’s social role to a larger examination of historical and cultural constructions of beauty. The use of the lenticular technique, though less pronounced here than in earlier series, provides a slight movement to the figures, perhaps reminding us of the changeable nature of our conceptions of beauty and perfection. And the use of cheap, mass-produced dolls in the photographs draws our attention to the commodification of beauty in advertising, mass media and entertainment. In an earlier series, A Thing of Beauty (2013), Tas also references ideals of beauty and the many ways in which we construct and interpret that notion. These photographs, like the Impossible Goddesses, leave themselves open to a range of readings. However the use of the lenticular process to achieve a full transformation in each image from butterfly to folded currency may be seen to highlight the constant link between beauty and commerce in contemporary culture – beauty is what we are sold, not just as we behold. Throughout the entire portfolio, from The Tipping Point (2008), her earliest exploration of the lenticular process, through Chromopathic (2011), Trinity (2012) and A Thing of Beauty (2013), we see Tas exploit how the medium allows the image to transform. These visual shifts in the image – be they a total metamorphosis or a delicate alteration of features – are initiated by the viewer physically interacting with the piece, and in that instant, allow a moment of connection and interpretation. Although the themes throughout the body of work may be subtle, each series offers us, in that moment of interaction, the opportunity to question what we are really seeing, to interpret what it means, and in this way, Tas offers us the control of her creation, providing, “…the ambiguity of meaning, which allows it to work on different levels for different people.

The Abstraction Of Memory

Although at first glance, this new series seems like a departure for me (and perhaps it is, visually), it actually shares many common themes with my other work – the ambiguity of meaning, how we, as individuals decode and interpret what we see (what that reveals about us as much as the work), and the nature of beauty, playing on scope and scale.

I was drawn to investigating Rosharch, and his famous inkblot tests; how the tests were constructed to reveal personality traits of the viewer – drawing meaning from an image that was seemingly abstract. John Berger’s seminal collection of essays, “Ways of Seeing”, explore how we decode images and seek meaning, and rereading his words helped develop my ideas.

Art history influences also helped shape the work – the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings; the surrealist, golden layers of Gustav Klimt. Science has opened new realms of understanding and image making – from the vastness of space to the tiniest microorganisms.

As I began experimenting, always keeping in mind that I wanted to harness the uniqueness of the lenticular to produce an interactive work, I worked with various techniques – ink blotting, Turkish marbling, Suminagashi (Japanese ink marbling), adding pigment to tanks of water, and coloured creams, oils and soap.

These pieces were created by mixing metallic pigments into a particular blend of soap and oils, and then agitating the components and shooting continuous frames (each piece consists of 30 frames, a loop of 15 that repeats (1-15-1)). Thousands of frames are shot, with me mixing, selecting and agitating each one.

The Abstraction Of Memory explores how our past experiences inform our present, how we interpret what we see, and what that reveals about ourselves. Memories distort and evolve, and are fluid in nature, and this is echoed by the pieces as we interact with them.

Download PDF Brochure

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

Art New York, 03 – 07 May 2017, Pier 94, New York, New York
Art Miami , 29 November – 4 December 2016, The Art Miami Pavilion, Midtown, Wynwood, Miami, Florida
Art New York + CONTEXT, 03 – 08 May 2016, Pier 94, New York, New York
Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco, 8 – 11 October 2015, San Mateo, California
Virtual Still & Still Movement, 4 September – 31 October 2015, Silicon Fine Art, Philadelphia. A dual show with my work and that of Tim Portlock, hosted by Silicon as part of Panorama 2015: Image-Based Art in the 21st Century, a city-wide festival featuring over 40 galleries, celebrating the photographic image and its expansive role in contemporary mediums.

Realisme Amsterdam 2012, 19 – 22 January 2012 – Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, Piet Heinkade 27, Amsterdam.
Trickery, 29 April – 20 May 2011 – Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Friday Arts on WHYY – Bambi Project, featuring “Consumer Plastics” – broadcast March 2011
The 47th SPE Conference & Silicon Gallery Photography Competition, March 2010 – Silicon Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
On Exhibit, February-March 2009 – Urban Outfitters Head Quarters, Philadelphia, PA
City Paper: Clog – I’m a believer: Anna Tas
Factory of Photography, May 2008 – International group show in Lodz, Poland
PDNPhoto Annual, May 2008 – winner, published in May 2008 Annual issue under “Personal work” category
CollectedVisions, February/March 2008 – The Walton Centre at George School, PA
Homeland: Borders and Boundaries, November 2007 – juried show of SPEMA at International Centre for Photography, Woodstock, NY

INFO

Art Education:

08/06 – 06/08 University of the Arts, Philadelphia, BFA. Hons. Photography

01/05 – 05/06 Community College of Philadelphia, AAS in Photographic Imaging
Transferred after two years into the BFA programme at the University of the Arts.

09/03 – 04/04 Fotoacademie Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Foundation course in Photography.

Art/Community:

Having a background in marketing, I have donated my time to help several local arts organisations, including Philagrafika, Inliquid, and The Print Center, as well as serving as a panellist for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and lecturing on my work and the lenticular process at the Fleisher Art Memorial.

“All Things Considered, Collected works by Anna Tas”

By Sabrina DeTurk, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Writing about her preference for listening to others respond to her work rather than directing a viewer to a certain interpretation, Anna Tas says that “I enjoy the dialogue that comes from a viewer who is seeing the work from their point of view, rather than mine, someone who has no preconceived idea of what it is that I am trying to talk about.” This is a refreshing approach in a contemporary art world that often seems to prize work that denies dialogue with the viewer, either through explicit strategies of exclusion or through a didactic approach that dictates a particular, often political, interpretation of the artwork. In her new series, Impossible Goddesses (2014), Tas offers an immediately identifiable lens through which to view the work – that of gender and ideals of female beauty – while at the same time hinting at other possible viewing strategies and interpretive channels, such as the history of art, ideas of mutability and change and mass-produced consumer culture. In these images, the classic Barbie doll is posed against a simple grey background, draped in white tulle and dramatically lit to emphasize her curves and features. At first glance, particularly at the photographs of Impossible Goddesses #1 and #2, the viewer is confronted with an idealized form of female beauty rendered in molded plastic and given a grace and gravity through Tas’ presentation.

Debates about the role Barbie plays in creating gendered stereotypes of unobtainable female perfection are well-rehearsed in contemporary discourse and Tas’ photographs nod to those dialogues. Look more closely, however, and you see that the dolls in these images, and even more explicitly in Goddesses #3 and #4, are posed to mimic older ideals of feminine beauty in Western culture: Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, a Renaissance Virgin Mary, the Nike of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo. Tas even mutilates the dolls to achieve a fidelity to the original models. In this way, the artist adds an interpretive layer to the images, connecting the debates about Barbie’s social role to a larger examination of historical and cultural constructions of beauty. The use of the lenticular technique, though less pronounced here than in earlier series, provides a slight movement to the figures, perhaps reminding us of the changeable nature of our conceptions of beauty and perfection. And the use of cheap, mass-produced dolls in the photographs draws our attention to the commodification of beauty in advertising, mass media and entertainment. In an earlier series, A Thing of Beauty (2013), Tas also references ideals of beauty and the many ways in which we construct and interpret that notion. These photographs, like the Impossible Goddesses, leave themselves open to a range of readings. However the use of the lenticular process to achieve a full transformation in each image from butterfly to folded currency may be seen to highlight the constant link between beauty and commerce in contemporary culture – beauty is what we are sold, not just as we behold. Throughout the entire portfolio, from The Tipping Point (2008), her earliest exploration of the lenticular process, through Chromopathic (2011), Trinity (2012) and A Thing of Beauty (2013), we see Tas exploit how the medium allows the image to transform. These visual shifts in the image – be they a total metamorphosis or a delicate alteration of features – are initiated by the viewer physically interacting with the piece, and in that instant, allow a moment of connection and interpretation. Although the themes throughout the body of work may be subtle, each series offers us, in that moment of interaction, the opportunity to question what we are really seeing, to interpret what it means, and in this way, Tas offers us the control of her creation, providing, “…the ambiguity of meaning, which allows it to work on different levels for different people.

The Abstraction Of Memory

Although at first glance, this new series seems like a departure for me (and perhaps it is, visually), it actually shares many common themes with my other work – the ambiguity of meaning, how we, as individuals decode and interpret what we see (what that reveals about us as much as the work), and the nature of beauty, playing on scope and scale.

I was drawn to investigating Rosharch, and his famous inkblot tests; how the tests were constructed to reveal personality traits of the viewer – drawing meaning from an image that was seemingly abstract. John Berger’s seminal collection of essays, “Ways of Seeing”, explore how we decode images and seek meaning, and rereading his words helped develop my ideas.

Art history influences also helped shape the work – the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings; the surrealist, golden layers of Gustav Klimt. Science has opened new realms of understanding and image making – from the vastness of space to the tiniest microorganisms.

As I began experimenting, always keeping in mind that I wanted to harness the uniqueness of the lenticular to produce an interactive work, I worked with various techniques – ink blotting, Turkish marbling, Suminagashi (Japanese ink marbling), adding pigment to tanks of water, and coloured creams, oils and soap.

These pieces were created by mixing metallic pigments into a particular blend of soap and oils, and then agitating the components and shooting continuous frames (each piece consists of 30 frames, a loop of 15 that repeats (1-15-1)). Thousands of frames are shot, with me mixing, selecting and agitating each one.

The Abstraction Of Memory explores how our past experiences inform our present, how we interpret what we see, and what that reveals about ourselves. Memories distort and evolve, and are fluid in nature, and this is echoed by the pieces as we interact with them.

Download PDF Brochure

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

Art New York, 03 – 07 May 2017, Pier 94, New York, New York
Art Miami , 29 November – 4 December 2016, The Art Miami Pavilion, Midtown, Wynwood, Miami, Florida
Art New York + CONTEXT, 03 – 08 May 2016, Pier 94, New York, New York
Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco, 8 – 11 October 2015, San Mateo, California
Virtual Still & Still Movement, 4 September – 31 October 2015, Silicon Fine Art, Philadelphia. A dual show with my work and that of Tim Portlock, hosted by Silicon as part of Panorama 2015: Image-Based Art in the 21st Century, a city-wide festival featuring over 40 galleries, celebrating the photographic image and its expansive role in contemporary mediums.

Realisme Amsterdam 2012, 19 – 22 January 2012 – Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, Piet Heinkade 27, Amsterdam.
Trickery, 29 April – 20 May 2011 – Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Friday Arts on WHYY – Bambi Project, featuring “Consumer Plastics” – broadcast March 2011
The 47th SPE Conference & Silicon Gallery Photography Competition, March 2010 – Silicon Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
On Exhibit, February-March 2009 – Urban Outfitters Head Quarters, Philadelphia, PA
City Paper: Clog – I’m a believer: Anna Tas
Factory of Photography, May 2008 – International group show in Lodz, Poland
PDNPhoto Annual, May 2008 – winner, published in May 2008 Annual issue under “Personal work” category
CollectedVisions, February/March 2008 – The Walton Centre at George School, PA
Homeland: Borders and Boundaries, November 2007 – juried show of SPEMA at International Centre for Photography, Woodstock, NY

THE ABSTRACTION OF MEMORY (2017 – )

Although at first glance, this new series seems like a departure for me (and perhaps it is, visually), it actually shares many common themes with my other work – the ambiguity of meaning, how we, as individuals decode and interpret what we see (what that reveals about us as much as the work), and the nature of beauty, playing on scope and scale. The Abstraction Of Memory explores how our past experiences inform our present, how we interpret what we see, and what that reveals about ourselves. Memories distort and evolve, and are fluid in nature, and this is echoed by the pieces as we interact with them.

Title: The Abstraction of Memory #1
Size: 36 x 36 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2017
Technique: Archival pigment print, with lenticular lens

Title: The Abstraction of Memory #2
Size: 36 x 36 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2017
Technique: Archival pigment print, with lenticular lens

Title: The Abstraction of Memory #3
Size: 36 x 36 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2017
Technique: Archival pigment print, with lenticular lens

DIVINE INTERVENTION (2015)

Life. Death. In my mind they seem so opposite, yet at the same time, so close, separated by such a fragile margin. A moment. Inspired by mythology, as well as referencing personal experiences and current global challenges, Divine Intervention creates a space to reflect – effortless yet serious, beautiful yet sad.

Title: Divine Intervention #1
Size: 24 x 36 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2015
Technique: Archival pigment print with lenticular lens

Title: Divine Intervention #2
Size: 24 x 36 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2015
Technique: Archival pigment print with lenticular lens

Title: Divine Intervention #5
Size: 24 x 36 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2015
Technique: Archival pigment print with lenticular lens

Title: Divine Intervention #6
Size: 24 x 36 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2015
Technique: Archival pigment print with lenticular lens

IMPOSSIBLE GODDESS (2014)

Combining what at first seem disparate thoughts on the nature of art, human development, and the challenges (both physical and mental) facing women in today’s world. Impossible Goddess reflects my own personal thoughts – leaping from the female-centric early religions and artworks, through classical interpretations of what it is to be a woman, and how modern society often leads to more questions than answers. Themes of gender representation, the real and imagined, and exploration of paintings and icons reoccur throughout my work.

Title: Impossible Goddess #3
Size: 35 x 47 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2014
Technique: 3D lenticular panel with curved top edge

Title: Impossible Goddess #1
Size: 17 x 23 inch
Edition: Edition of 10
Date: 2014
Technique: 3D lenticular panel with curved top edge

A THING OF BEAUTY (2013 – 2014)

What is beauty? What lengths do we go to achieve an ideal? Is it attainable? Obtainable? Is it fragile? Gender or age specific? Has the ideal changed over time? Dictate by society and culture, or more personal? The idea of beauty represents different things to different people – from the physical to more emotional traits, from the manufactured to the natural world. Our vision of beauty and how we confront it is intriguing, inspiring and alarming, and begs the question: does everything come with a cost?

Title: MORPHO Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Title: CYMOTHOE Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Title: PHOEBIS Size: 90 cm x 90 cm Edition: Date: Technique:Archival pigment with lenticular mounted on Sintra.

Title: PAPILO Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Title: INACHUS Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Title: CHARAXES Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Title: GRAPHIUM Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Title: CATOPSILIA Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

CHILDREN OF MEN (2011)

What is real and yet surreal? How do we recognise and identify with images? What connections have we unconsciously stored in our memory? These pieces not only reference famous Magritte works, but also my own previous explorations involving paintings and icons.

Title: SON OF MAN Size: Edition: Date: Technique:Archival pigment with 3d lenticular on sintra panel

Title: DAUGHTER OF MAN Size: Edition: Date: Technique:Archival pigment with 3d lenticular on sintra panel

THE TIPPING POINT (2008)

What defines us as people – Gender? Race? Sexual Orientation? Culture? How do we identify ourselves and those around us, and how do we form our responses and preconceptions? This series of images seek to provoke the viewer to question these issues within themselves, questioning how exactly we learn and form opinions about the society we live in.

Title: NATALIE AND PATRICIA Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Title: CRYSTAL AND MICHAEL Size: Edition: Date: Technique: Archival pigment with lenticular in sintra panel

Mr. Brainwash

MR. BRAINWASH

Mr. Brainwash is the moniker of filmmaker and Street Pop artist, Thierry Guetta. Born and raised in France and based in Los Angeles, Mr. Brainwash has been pushing pop culture’s envelope for almost a decade, bringing his art to the street, the gallery, and on screen.

Armed with wheat paste, spray cans, brushes and paint buckets, Mr. Brainwash started attacking the streets in 2006 with stencils and posters of beloved icons from Billie Holiday to John Lennon. In Paris and Los Angeles, his work quickly caught the eyes of the public, and Mr. Brainwash emerged from the underground, quickly becoming a renowned figure in the burgeoning street art scene.

Mr. Brainwash is the moniker of filmmaker and Street Pop artist, Thierry Guetta. Born and raised in France and based in Los Angeles, Mr. Brainwash has been pushing pop culture’s envelope for almost a decade, bringing his art to the street, the gallery, and on screen.

Armed with wheat paste, spray cans, brushes and paint buckets, Mr. Brainwash started attacking the streets in 2006 with stencils and posters of beloved icons from Billie Holiday to John Lennon. In Paris and Los Angeles, his work quickly caught the eyes of the public, and Mr. Brainwash emerged from the underground, quickly becoming a renowned figure in the burgeoning street art scene.

INFO

Mr. Brainwash’s first solo show, “Life is Beautiful”, opened in the summer of 2008. Mounted in a former T.V. studio in Hollywood, it was the perfect place for the arrival of the art scene’s rambunctious new player. The show was so eagerly anticipated that it garnered the cover of LA Weekly, one of Los Angeles’ most circulated publications. “Life is Beautiful” opened with a tremendous thunder, attracting thousands of people who lined the streets for blocks. Featuring a 20-foot robot, a pyramid made of 20,000 books, and a life-size recreation of Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” Life is Beautiful was an extremely successful debut. The show extended for three months, attracting a total of 50,000 visitors, and went on to become the biggest art opening in L.A. and one of the most memorable solo shows in LA’s history. This was just the beginning.

Mr. Brainwash’s signature style was soon garnering the attention of everyone from fine art critics to journalists and celebrities. In 2009, when Madonna was set to release her greatest hits compilation, “Celebration”, she asked Mr. Brainwash to design the cover. He designed 15 different covers for the wide release, singles, DVDs, a fold up poster, and special edition vinyl. Mr. Brainwash was now not just commenting on pop culture, he had become a part of it.

New York was the next stop. In 2010, Mr. Brainwash invaded the Meatpacking District with “Life is Beautiful: Icons”, his first New York solo show. This show was bigger than ever, covering a 15,000 square foot, multi-story warehouse. The downstairs displayed Mr. Brainwash’s evocative portraits of music legends, constructed from bits of broken records. The exhibit also featured a 10-foot tall boom box and a life-size NYC taxicab in Matchbox toy car packaging. “Life is Beautiful: Icons” was so popular that it was extended for 3 months, reopened as “Life is Beautiful: Icons Remixed”, with new installations. Mr. Brainwash had now shown both coasts the force of his solo exhibitions. Prestigious auction houses and collectors, including Christie’s and Phillips de Pury, took notice by offering his work in high-profile auctions. The art show space was also used to host an exclusive party during New York Fashion Week for Gwen Stefani’s fashion line, L.A.M.B.

Mr. Brainwash then set off to Miami for one of the art world’s most respected fairs, Art Basel Miami. Without any announcement or notice, Mr. Brainwash took over a 25,000 square foot building in South Beach with a colorful art spectacle entitled, “Life is Beautiful: Under Construction”. The show was his trademark style: playful and positive, but on a huge scale. Once the show opened, it exploded, becoming the must-see attraction at Art Basel.

2010 also saw the release of one of the most talked-about documentaries in years, Exit Through the Gift Shop. Using footage shot by Mr. Brainwash himself, and directed by fellow street artist, Banksy, Exit Through the Gift Shop followed the evolution of street art, with Mr. Brainwash at the center of it all. The film was nominated for an Academy Award and received numerous prizes, including an Independent Spirit Award for “Best Documentary”. The success of Exit Through the Gift Shop catapulted Mr. Brainwash to worldwide fame as he persisted in breaking down pop art’s walls. Over time, the film developed a dedicated “cult film” following and the documentary, along with Mr. Brainwash are now studied on school campuses all over the world.

Mr. Brainwash continued to bring his art all over the world, making his Canadian debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011. Mr. Brainwash’s installations were placed all over the city. They included his signature 8-foot tall spray can sculptures, each one a different film genre, and life-size Canadian Mounties cutouts, armed with boom mics and cameras. Everywhere Mr. Brainwash went, he was able to create a pop art conversation with the city he was creating for.

Mr. Brainwash headed back to Miami for Art Basel in 2011 with a new show, “Life is Beautiful: Untitled”. Occupying the same South Beach space, he constructed a vibrant world of fiberglass sculptures and mixed media canvases. Again, the show was a hit, attracting collectors, gallery owners, and celebrities from all over the world. He also collaborated with Absolut Vodka, designing special edition versions of his popular 3D spray cans.

As the year came to a close, Mr. Brainwash returned to the home of his first solo show, Los Angeles, with “Life is Beautiful: Art Show 2011”. This show was his biggest yet, taking over an 80,000 square foot building in the center of the city. Each day, thousands of people flocked to see this thrilling monster of a show, which embraced Los Angeles as the epicenter of pop. In addition to being able to attend the show, Mr. Brainwash also gave artists the opportunity to be a part of the show. For the exhibition, he donated over 20,000 square feet of space to showcase donated works from around the globe. Artists were invited to mail in their art or install the artworks themselves. Most art shows and exhibitions are reserved for a specific segment of society, however Mr. Brainwash’s art shows are for everyone. His shows become an art access point for art lovers of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds.

Not only does Mr. Brainwash create and foster art in his community, but he also gives back in other ways. Mr. Brainwash continues to be a frequent donor to important causes such as the Children’s Cancer & Blood Foundation, Free Arts NY, and The Prince’s Trust.

Following the massive LA show, 2012 only got bigger. Sotheby’s featured Mr. Brainwash in a private contemporary art exhibit in Mexico City, solidifying his popularity with collectors and with the world’s most well-known art houses around the globe.

When the Summer Olympics arrived, and the whole world had its eye on London, Mr. Brainwash made his UK debut (where he was already a well-known name, because of his collaborations with Banksy) by invading The Old Sorting Office, a colossal space, steps from the British Museum. His love of British pop culture icons rang out through the streets, as Mr. Brainwash adorned the side of the Sorting Office with a 6-story tall Queen Elizabeth II, in her coronation attire, holding a Union Jack spray can. The show saw large crowds each day and became Mr. Brainwash’s most attended show to date. The pre-opening of the show was a party in collaboration with Coca Cola, featuring world-famous DJ, David Guetta. The party, titled “Guetta Vs. Guetta,” had over 1,000 people in attendance.

This wasn’t his only collaboration with the other famous Guetta. Mr. Brainwash also made a music video for David Guetta’s “Metropolis” which currently boasts over 13 million views.

While in London, Mr. Brainwash was interviewed by the BBC and was on the cover of “Metro” London’s most widely-distributed free daily newspaper.

From the Olympics to the National Election, Mr. Brainwash headed back stateside to create the artwork for “Rock the Vote,” a national campaign reminding the youth about the importance of voting and the power of democracy.

By 2013, Mr. Brainwash was truly one of the most in-demand artists worldwide. He continued to play with pop culture and designed the décor for Seth McFarlane’s exclusive Oscar Party. He adorned the party space with his Rockwell, Botero, and Degas re-imaginations as well as playful, large-scale sculptures.

2013 also saw Mr. Brainwash’s triumphant return to Art Basel. Taking up residency in Gale South Beach on Collins Avenue, a hotel on one of the most iconic streets in Miami, Mr. Brainwash staged a pop art takeover by installing large-scale oil paintings and sculptures, including a 3 story tall Mona Lisa with a Mohawk.

In addition to the art and film communities, Mr. Brainwash is also an in-demand name in the music industry. He has designed art for the album campaigns of some of the world’s most influential artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, and Rick Ross to name a few. In 2013, in collaboration with the Hard Rock Hotel, Mr. Brainwash attacked the pulse of the music industry: Coachella. He adorned the festival with towering murals, adding an additional element of surprise and wonder and solidifying his already strong connection to music.

Madonna approached him again, and asked Mr. Brainwash to take part in another collaboration, this time for the opening of her gym, Hard Candy Fitness in Toronto. The Hard Candy Fitness opening featured the live on-site creation of an 11 by 30-foot Madonna mural, designed by Mr. Brainwash.

From the Queen of Pop, to the King of Pop, Mr. Brainwash designed artwork for Michael Jackson’s newest release, “Xscape,” as Michael Jackson was an early admirer of Mr. Brainwash and had become close friends over the years.

Mr. Brainwash continued to make his mark on the diverse art and music scenes in 2014, including a colorful, viral performance with pop sensation Rita Ora on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Mr. Brainwash also merged his passions for art, music, film, and philanthropy by directing a video for “Divine Sorrow,” by Wyclef Jean, featuring Avicii for Coca-Cola and the (RED) campaign, which aims to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund’s efforts to virtually eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Mr. Brainwash also collaborated with Mercedes-Benz for The Evolution Tour, 8 intimate concert experiences across the country featuring artists such as Alabama Shakes and

Mayer Hawthorne. At each stop of the Evolution Tour, Mr. Brainwash created a one-of- a-kind Mercedes-Benz 2015 GLA in his signature, splashy colorful style.

In honor of September 11, Mr. Brainwash wanted to show New York the love he had for this special city by creating the biggest mural installation he had ever attempted. A tribute to the victims of 9/11, the mural covered a full city block, facing the new One World Trade Center. The art piece provided native New Yorkers and tourists the chance to reflect on this tragedy and take pride in the people that make New York such a unique place.

In December 2014, Mr. Brainwash returned to Art Basel, for a host of shows and collaborations throughout the city including a partnership with global brand, Burger King. Mr. Brainwash created a mural, which encouraged public interaction and provided a colorful juxtaposition of street art and Miami’s multi-cultural lifestyle. The art piece also created a space connecting the vibrant city of Miami to its many pop culture influences and playfully comments on Burger King’s connection to Miami, where the company has its headquarters.

Mr. Brainwash’s adventure into fashion continued in 2015 with his collaboration with Sunglass Hut for their Artist Series. The collection was comprised of 250 one-of-a-kind designs rendered on Ray-Ban’s iconic Wayfarer, Clubmaster, Aviator, and Round models. The sunglasses were packaged in a unique painted case placed in a custom made “mock spray can” in Mr. Brainwash’s signature style. Sunglass Hut’s flagship store, located at 496 Broadway in New York, was taken over by Mr. Brainwash and featured a mock studio with some of his well-known works.

Keeping his charity work a top priority, Mr. Brainwash donated a one-of-a-kind work to the third annual Kaleidoscope Ball, presented by Harry Winston, in May 2015. The Ball raised funds for research at the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute at Mattel Children’s Hospital, which was attended by Goldie Hawn and Academy Award winning actor Halle Berry, one of the honorees.

That was just the start of Mr. Brainwash’s epic summer. In New York’s meatpacking district, where he debuted his first solo New York show, “Life Is Beautiful: Icons”, Mr. Brainwash returned for a pop-up art show, “Life is Beautiful”. The show had thousands of visitors a day, tourists and locals alike, who were delighted to discover this secret art show hidden under New York City’s famous High Line. The show was packed with sculptures, screen prints, and installations, all which showcase his signature take on pop culture’s most recognizable icons and images and signified his glorious return to The Big Apple. The show garnered attention from the press and public alike, with Mr. Brainwash appearing on Fox 5’s Good Day New York.

His work in New York City continued through the fall, where he erected another monumental mural in remembrance of September 11, paying tribute to the resilience of New Yorkers and their incredible city. During the holiday season in 2015, Mr. Brainwash’s artwork was on display in another part of Manhattan, Times Square. In collaboration with Coca Cola, Mr. Brainwash made a video showcasing their slogan, “Make Someone Happy.” The video played in Coca-Cola’s iconic billboard space, in Times Square, through the New Year.

On the other coast, Mr. Brainwash had his Heart Sculpture on display through January 2016 inside the City of West Hollywood’s public library. Crafted out of recycled books, wood, and covered in a spectacular shade of bright pink, the sculpture stands over 6 feet tall. He also contributed a Life is Beautiful sculpture as part of LA Pride in June 2015.

2016 has also seen Mr. Brainwash collaborate with a host of different brands, musicians, and artistic institutions. Mr. Brainwash teamed up with world-famous producer and composer, Kygo to design the poster for his headlining show at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, as well as the album art design for his new record, Cloud Nine. He also appeared in an episode of reality TV’s biggest hit, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Recently, he’s created incredible screen prints for Warner Brothers’ film, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and the National Kabuki Theater of Japan.

In March of 2016, for International Women’s Day, Mr. Brainwash was commissioned by The White House to install a mural for Let Girls Learn, the Obama Administration’s initiative to help adolescent girls worldwide attend and complete school. Not only did the mural receive national attention, Mr. Brainwash was able to meet with Michelle Obama and taught her how to spray paint!

In May of 2016, Hamilton-Selway Fine Art, an internationally known gallery specializing in Pop Art presented an exhibition of Mr. Brainwash’s recent works. Also in May, Mr. Brainwash contributed work to “Streetease”, a collaborative exhibition with Seen and Mr. Brainwash put on by Opera Gallery Hong Kong.

By June of 2016, Mr. Brainwash made his way oversees to Seoul, South Korea for a “Life Is Beautiful” solo exhibition with ARA Modern Art Museum. Mr. Brainwash transformed the 4-story museum for its debut opening causing an explosive reaction from the young audience of South Korea.

Mr. Brainwash is unlike any artist today. His shows are journeys – self-guided tours through a pop culture wonderland: colorful and beautiful. His artwork is a pure sensory experience and like so many of the subjects depicted in Mr. Brainwash’s art, his works are timeless, reflecting human aspirations and the voice that screams, “Follow Your Dreams.”