Contemporary Artists & Exhibitions
Issue 12 spring 2018
THE OLD TRUMAN BREwERy 2 - 4 March 2018 Dray Walk, (off Hanbury Street) London, E1 6QR Friday Night PV: 6pm - 9pm FREE ENTRY 12pm - 6:30pm
For tickets visit
talentedartfair.com
All artworks in their finished state are vast and multifaceted. Sometimes the layers are physical. Paint upon paint, built up and scraped back, each mark and brushstroke visible; coming together to form a miraculous vision of colour and texture. It’s also what’s not seen which makes up the many dimensions of the piece; the process of creation, the interplay of emotion, inspiration and narratives behind the finished work. In Juliet Piper’s photographs it is stratums of memory that combine behind the lens; although often it is not the artist’s own histories which are captured as she seeks left-behind traces of small, personal moments - the sparks of second-hand nostalgia. Whether literal or conceptual, it’s always fascinating to peel back the pieces of an artwork, deconstructing what we see and feel, finding our way layer by layer.
Come to the Fair
contemporary
Will Rochfort: The Wey Gallery
27-29 APRIL 2018
46 LEADING GALLERIES : 5000 WORKS
v i s i t : f r e s h a r t fa i r. n e t
EDITORS Kieran Austin Toby Oliver Dean COVER IMAGE Juliet Piper Treasure cove, 2016 photographic print, 80 x 80 cm PROOF READER Daisy Francome FOLLOW US InsideArtists InsideArtists ONLINE insideartists.co.uk ENQUIRIES info@insideartists.co.uk +44 (0)1273 649 724 Inside Artists is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publishers. The magazine can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.
"Remember, Last Summer's Treasure cove. The series seeks to spark our imagination and scan our memories for corresponding happy times. I came across this pirate's hide out down in Cornwall. With tales of shipwrecks, treasures from the sea and secret passageways to reach the beach... oh the untold adventures of such a place!" Juliet Piper
Exhibitions 08 Talented Art Fair 10 FLUX
18 Fresh: Art Fair
Interviews 22 Juliet Piper 40 Hun Kyu Kim
66 Shelley Lake
Artist profiles 28 30 32 34 38 44 46 54 56
Brigitte Yoshiko Pruchnow Sonja Cabalt Frea Buckler Bob Barron Chan Hong Yui Clement Ioana Vrabie William Oxer FRSA Marcel Schwittlick Heather McFarlin
Artist showcase 94 Sami Gjuka 96 Durga Garcia
Artist exhibitions 98 Upcoming artist exhibitions
60 64 72 74 76 82 88 92
Dongeun Alice Lee Lily Rigby Holly Addi Julian Mullineux Ien Lucas Helen Tabor Margaret Ann Withers Janey Sharratt
08 EXHIBITIONS Talented Art Fair
Brook Tate Makoto
Daniel Shaw This Man's Soul
Talented Art Fair 2 – 4 March 2018 The Old Truman Brewery, London
L
ast year saw the launch of Talented Art Fair with 8,000 visitors flocking to view work from a variety of exciting artists over its inaugural weekend. This March, London will once again be host, as Talented Art Fair returns to showcase some of today’s most exciting contemporary British and international artists including painters, photographers, sculptors and printmakers. This second edition of the event promises to be just as diverse as the first, with work from both emerging and award winning talent, as
well as recent graduates and established artists with years of experience, each having been carefully selected to exhibit. With over 90 artists in attendance, each working across a variety of styles and mediums, visitors and buyers have the unique opportunity to meet them and to learn more about each piece, the techniques used and the inspiration behind the finished artwork. Talented Art Fair was created by the team behind the long-running New Artist Fair as a platform for artists to exhibit and sell their work directly to the public. The relaxed environment of the fair allows collectors – both new and seasoned – to discover
Talented Art Fair EXHIBITIONS 09
Ian Rayer-Smith
exciting artistic talent they can safely invest in. With artworks priced from as little as £50 to a maximum of £5,000, the Talented Art Fair offers something for all tastes and every budget. Taking place between 2 – 4th March at London’s iconic Old Truman Brewery near Brick Lane, the weekend of art launches with a ticketed private view on the Friday. A full list of this year’s
exhibiting artists can be viewed on the Talented Art Fair website. talentedartfair.com
10 EXHIBITIONS FLUX
Alan Powdrill
FLUX 11 - 15 April Chelsea College of Arts, London
T
he fifth, much anticipated edition of FLUX will take place this April, bringing 100 artists to the fore, having established itself as London’s leading exhibition to discover the most talented, dynamic painters, sculptors and performance artists.
The Chelsea College of Arts is once again the home of FLUX, kicking off with an infamous opening party which sees the space come alive with musical guests, performance art and site specific installations which complement the work while bringing a new experimental approach to the exhibition.
Curated by Lisa Gray, the founder of FLUX, each of the artists has been carefully selected for their sheer talent, and both emerging and established artists have been chosen to showcase their work. More than just an exhibition, FLUX is a vibrant; ground breaking five day art event; a one-ofa-kind platform for contemporary artists to be discovered.
With 100 exhibiting artists there is a hugely diverse range of artworks to view across all mediums, including pieces by Marcus Jake who uses photography and mixed media in his emotionally charged work which attempts to capture the beauty of life and the human experience, and Iva Troj who seamlessly incorporates her vast experience of traditional
FLUX EXHIBITIONS 11
Flux Exhibition - Chelsea College of Arts
Flux Exhibition - Chelsea College of Arts
12 EXHIBITIONS FLUX
Marek Emczek Olszewski
painting techniques with postmodern elements to create engaging and stunningly detailed works that challenge the notion of societal conformity. Landscapes by award winning-photographer Alan Powdrill will also be on display, taking a different look at the everyday and often overlooked with a unique hue and palette. Throughout the five days, visitors will also get the unique opportunity to view and purchase pieces from the selected ‘Mini Masterpieces’. This part of the exhibition will feature smaller artworks by FLUX artists, priced at £300 or less, giving new collectors the chance to invest in art at a fraction of the price of the artist’s normal sized artworks. To celebrate the fifth and most ambitious edition of the exhibition, FLUX will also be giving away a limited edition artwork by Marcus Jake worth over £300 to the first 50 purchasers.
FLUX takes place between 11-15th April at The Chelsea College of Arts Cookhouse Gallery, The Triangle Space and Outdoor installation in the Parade Ground (facing Tate Britain). The show represents an opportunity to gain access to a vast and diverse group of gifted artists, on the path to being the big names of tomorrow, showcasing international talent in a collaborative, inclusive show. FLUX celebrates artists on the precipice of wider accolade and fame. Full exhibition information including opening hours and opening party tickets can be found on the FLUX website. fluxexhibition.com
FLUX EXHIBITIONS 13
Fernando Velazquez
Fernando Velazquez
14 EXHIBITIONS FLUX
Iva Troj
FLUX EXHIBITIONS 15
Marcus Jake
16 EXHIBITIONS FLUX
Painting Pedro Sousa Louro - Sculpture Linda Lipinski
FLUX EXHIBITIONS 17
Tomas Harker
18 EXHIBITIONS FRESH: ART FAIR
Anthony, Eleanor and Tweed with Bruce McLean
Fresh: Art Fair 27 - 29 April Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, UK
S
ince its inception last year, Fresh: Contemporary Art Fair has been breathing new life into the UK art scene, taking the focus away from the capital and surprising everyone along the way.
With the Centaur building at Cheltenham Racecourse hosting 45 of the UK’s leading galleries over three days, 2017’s launch saw some 5,000 paintings and sculptures exhibited by 400 artists, and attracted 4,300 visitors from the Cotswolds and beyond. The success of the first year ensured a return for 2018, and firmly
established Fresh: Art Fair as a major player in the art fair calendar. Fresh: Art Fair is the brainchild of Eleanor Wardle, owner of Cheltenham’s Paragon Gallery, and her father Anthony. ‘People simply didn’t know what to expect ‘, says Anthony, reflecting on last year’s success. ‘We knew we had some wonderful galleries’, adds Eleanor. “With original prints and paintings, sculpture, ceramics and glass from £100 to £50,000, we knew we had something for everyone. But we had no idea how many people would come or what an amazing buzz it would create’.
FRESH: ART FAIR EXHIBITIONS 19
Raquel Alvarez
When Fresh: Art Fair returns this April, visitors can expect 31 of last year’s prestigious exhibitors coming back, along with 15 outstanding new exhibitions including 6 from the Cotswolds. There’ll be a new outdoor Sculpture Park showing some 70 large sculptures by 15 artists. There’ll be bigger and better Fresh: Cafés, a Happy Hour on Friday evening with free wine, new painters and sculptors working live and new Talks
each day. An exciting range of artists’ work will once again be exhibited, from emerging artists to Royal Academicians. Well-known names include Bridget Riley, Sir Peter Blake, Bruce McLean and Nic Fiddian-Green, famous for his 10m high horse’s head at Marble Arch, London. Rising stars include Iryna Yermalova, Raquel Alvarez, Will Rochfort and Steven Lyndsay.
20 EXHIBITIONS FRESH: ART FAIR
Iryna Yermolova
Gavin Rowath
Taking place from 27th-29th April, Fresh: Art Fair is a great way to see a huge choice of extraordinary art away from the stress of London. Tickets for the fair are just £6 on the door for the whole weekend or £8 for two when bought in advance online. A Private View will take place on the evening of Thursday 26th April, for which a limited number of tickets are available online. The venue is only an hour’s drive from 10 surrounding county towns and cities and just 10 minutes off the M5; it’s easy to get to and there’s unlimited free parking. Fresh: Art Fair is for everyone, from complete newcomers to established collectors. It's an easy and exciting way to see 46 of Britain's best Galleries in one place, many of them rarely seen on the UK art fair circuit. For more information visit: freshartfair.net
Irene Jones
FRESH: ART FAIR EXHIBITIONS 21
Natasha Kumar
22 INTERVIEW Juliet Piper
Juliet Piper
P
hotographer Juliet Piper’s beautiful analogue images of hidden places, hazy skies and snatched landscapes explore ways in which the emotions held within a memory can be captured, and how they are triggered by unrelated events. Her latest work, ‘Remember, Last Summer’ is a series of found places with traces left by something or someone else. Through her camera - which she considers her visual sonar - Piper searches for echoes of her own childhood, finding moments that ripple through her memories such as animal prints in mud, abandoned stick dens in the woods and fading golden summer light on sand. Born and raised in Switzerland, Piper now lives and works in the UK, via Paris where she moved after graduating from Art school to pursue her career as a portrait photographer. Her time working in the photography industry has seen her covering assignments in different parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, while her personal work has been exhibited in the UK, Switzerland and the USA. This April will see ‘Remember, Last Summer’ exhibited in Geneva, Switzerland at Galerie Ruines. Has photography always been your medium as an artist? I have been working in photography for 20 odd years now, taking on different roles at different times, dotted here and there are some artist moments. It must be 10 years ago; I felt a stronger need of space for my personal projects, things that, in the beginning, only made sense to me. I guess what I'm saying is that given the medium and having worked as a photographer for many years, it's difficult to separate the artist from the general and professional use of a tool to communicate. I'd differentiate it with the camera used... My Rolleiflex (analogue middle
format camera) is the ‘artist in me's’ medium, not photography. I know this is old news but, my camera makes me feel safe and bold and invincible. We all like feeling like that, don't we? How has your work changed in this time? I'd like to think that I have changed in the past 25 years, keeping the good and ditching the fashionable and the ugly. I'd like to think that my photography has evolved with me, improving all the time. I still prefer shooting with film, that will never change, and I still like moody and emotionally filled shots, as I did when I started.
Juliet Piper INTERVIEW 23
And then he said..., 2016, photographic print, 80 x 80 cm
24 INTERVIEW Juliet Piper My confidence has grown, my decision making is quicker, to shoot or not to shoot... Knowing when the perfect shot is done, and when to keep looking for it. Your photographs are often presented in series, do these come together as you capture images or do you plan a theme before shooting? What’s your process? At first they come as I capture images, over a roll or a dozen, it depends. It's while scanning my negatives that I often put two and two together and understand the path I've been following. It's only once I have a glimpse of a possible series that I purposely go out looking for additional images. I've never thought 'Hey, my next series will be on this or that’. What sort of challenges do you find come with your working style? When out with my camera, I only photograph what I find in situ, I don't stage my landscapes. This is quite important for me. It's pushing the adage of being at the right place at the right time and spending hours just walking around... wellies and waterproofs are a must! Editing my work can be really challenging. Taking a step back and not being emotionally attached to the images and deciding what to keep and what not to. How does your approach to taking photographs change when shooting a set-up scene or portrait? My approach to portraits is the opposite to that of landscapes. I think everything through, the location, decor, the clothes etc... so I can focus on the sitter, reassure them and give them a role to play so they can relax and be themselves, to bring out emotions and capture them at just the right time.
Your work often explores themes of memory and childhood nostalgia, can you tell us more about how you’ve been inspired by these notions, and how they come into your photographs? I've always thought photographs do not depict reality, only a fraction of reality. Even of things that can never be reproduced. Like time, and the recollection of it through our memories. I've also come to realise that we all have different memories of the same events, depending on how we choose to remember them. In French we say ‘it's all a question of perspective’. I chose to focus on positive memories, to scan the shared image bank for happy times. Childhood really lends itself to this exercise; those memories usually carry innocence and blissfulness, where nothing but the present moment/game matters. I work on memory to remind us that only the present moment matters. Also, none of the elements in my images were created by me, as I said earlier, I don't stage my landscapes. They are all found residues of someone else's passage. I'm not looking for my own memories, more the possibility of a memory. The best thing is when someone tells me with a great smile and a sparkle in their eye ‘I remember! When I was a kid, I did that!’ What are you currently working on? I have the first ever exhibition of "Remember, Last Summer" in a gallery in Geneva in April. I'm messing around with frames, going for the right paper, what images and what formats, etc... julietpiper.com info@julietpiper.com
Juliet Piper INTERVIEW 25
1, 2 skip a few, 2016, photographic print, 80 x 80 cm
26 INTERVIEW Juliet Piper
Quick! Hide!, 2017, photographic print, 80 x 80 cm
Juliet Piper INTERVIEW 27
924, 2016, photographic print, 80 x 80 cm
28 ARTIST PROFILE Brigitte Yoshiko Pruchnow
Look Beyond Your Plate, Cream Cheese With Chives, 2018, acrylic and modelling paste on raw linen, 30 x 30 cm
Brigitte Yoshiko Pruchnow
B
eautiful plays of light and shadow on different matters and surfaces translate into mesmerising patterns in Brigitte Yoshiko Pruchnow’s photorealistic paintings. Usually painted with acrylic on canvas, there is a quality of calm to her work, allowing the viewer to step out of the stream of time and life as they find themselves lost within the paint. The artist’s background as a filmmaker can be seen through her use of cinematic compositions; the unusual framing and angles capturing fleeting moments and adding a sense of narrative.
Pruchnow’s Japanese heritage is also felt throughout her work, through her experiments with different papers and techniques including, ink, pencil, pens, crayon and collage. Based in Munich, Pruchnow has had both group and solo exhibitions in Germany and Tokyo, and has had work shown at art fairs in London, Tokyo and New York. Her most recent exhibition this February was a solo show in New York. brigittepruchnow.com atelier@brigittepruchnow.com
Brigitte Yoshiko Pruchnow ARTIST PROFILE 29
Never Alone, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 150 x 100 cm
30 ARTIST PROFILE Sonja Cabalt
HC #1, 2017, 30 x 60 cm
Sonja Cabalt
A
personal engagement with finding beauty in the imperfect, impermanent and incomplete is the basis for Sonja Cabalt’s intriguing works, which embrace the natural cycle of growth and decay. With a background as a graphic designer with architecture and design firms, recently Cabalt has been working as a multidisciplinary artist creating sculpture, textiles, mixed media and photographic works. Through the exploration of a broad range of media, techniques and processes the artist aims to create new poetic worlds, seducing the viewer with their visual appeal but
allowing mixed feelings with her balance of attraction and repulsion. Cabalt’s studio is located in Amsterdam, and is open to visit by appointment. Next year will see her presenting a solo exhibition at Museum Leids Wevershuis in Leiden.
sonjacabalt.com knsm199@gmail.com
Sonja Cabalt ARTIST PROFILE 31
Pods #4377, 2016, 160 x 65 cm
32 ARTIST PROFILE Frea Buckler
Flips, 2017, acrylic on Somerset paper, 90 x 90 cm
Frea Buckler
B
old uses of colour and shape act as a starting point to Frea Buckler’s artworks, which resemble unfolded boxes or origami as they open out in different directions, playing with illusion and perception.
Buckler’s geometric forms are instinctively chosen without preliminary drawings. She works quickly; responding to what has gone before while embracing a balance between chaos and control. A desire to get as close to the process as possible has seen the artist rejecting digital reproduction methods, instead using screen-
printing techniques to produce one-off images on paper. Having studied Fine Art at Central Saint Martins in London, Buckler passed her Masters degree with Distinction at UWE in Bristol, where she continues to live and work. She has exhibited nationally including a solo show at Jealous Gallery, London, curated by Smithson Gallery, and has twice been selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Her commissions include a large scale work for Facebook, and other public art projects. freabuckler.com freabuckler@hotmail.com
Frea Buckler ARTIST PROFILE 33
Hush, 2017, acrylic on Somerset paper, 90 x 90 cm
34 ARTIST PROFILE Bob Barron
Night scatters distance, 2017, oil on canvas, 100 x 200 cm
Bob Barron
C
oncepts of time and time passing are at the centre of Bob Barron’s practice, as he aims to make these ideas physical through certain images, surfaces and textures. His work incorporates found mixed media such as distressed cardboard packaging and old roof slates, as well as larger paintings in oil on canvas. Tending towards a minimalist, contemplative style with a relatively muted palette, Barron’s painted works are often abstract configurations using geometric shapes of circles, triangles and squares. Sometimes realistic images are incorporated such as fragmented artefacts from the Ancient world, domestic objects such as spoons, and hand or foot prints, as the artist considers the traces left by humans.
Ideas of passing time are particularly seen in his works with slate tiles; the eroded and textured surfaces of which force us to consider the journey from seabed to quarry, from quarry to rooftop, and from rooftop to artwork. Working from his studio in Southampton, UK, Barron’s work has been shown widely throughout the country and is in gallery, corporate and private collections in the UK and abroad. bobbarron.com barron@bobbarron.com
Bob Barron ARTIST PROFILE 35
Continuum 1, 2005, oil on card, 127 x 99 cm
36 ARTIST PROFILE Bob Barron
Cadence 2, 2017, oil on canvas, 100 x 100 cm
Bob Barron ARTIST PROFILE 37
Deciphered days 2, 2006, slate, 59 x 62 cm
Brook, 2015, slate/oil paint, 40 x 78 cm
38 ARTIST PROFILE Chan Hong Yui Clement
Untitled #01 (Witness), 2017, archival inkjet print
Chan Hong Yui Clement
H
ong Kong-based visual artist Chan Hong Yui Clement works primarily with images and text to explore and reveal both the limitations and potential that is inherent in photographic
language.
The artist creates works which tend to be medium specific and process-driven, via various means of image making including photography, digital image manipulation and graphic uses of text. The works dissect ideas of visuality, examining colour and composition and the perceptions of the viewer.
Having graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in the US, Clement’s works have been selected as part of the International Photo Festival Leiden, Photoville New York, Liverpool International Photography Festival, and Krakow Photomonth Festival, amongst other exhibitions around the world. holditorloseit.com holditorloseit@gmail.com
Chan Hong Yui Clement ARTIST PROFILE 39
Black and White Surfaces, 2017, pencil on wall, printed paper, inkjet on canvas
Stopwatch and Its Reading #01 (Synchronize), 2016, archival inkjet print
40 INTERVIEW Hun Kyu Kim
Hun Kyu Kim
I
ntricate narratives twist and weave through Hun Kyu Kim’s large scale works painted on silk, which combine traditional techniques with contemporary themes. Defining himself as a storyteller, each new work connects with fragmented and scattered histories, tangled and mixed together. Alongside his paintings the artist works with taxidermy as an extension of his imagined world, mirroring the anthropomorphic scenes where mice battle in suits of armour in the shadows of fang-bared snakes. Having studied Oriental Painting in Seoul, he completed his MA in painting at the Royal College of Art, and is currently based in London. Last year amongst group and solo shows, his work was exhibited at Freize Art Fair.
Your process embraces both the traditional and contemporary, both in your techniques and subject matter; can you tell us more about how you paint and the materials you use? I studied BA of Oriental Painting at Seoul National University where I was trained as a restorer for ancient religious Korean painting. Although it is painstakingly time and labourconsuming I was so impressed by traditional images of ancient Eastern Asia painting that I have trained myself the special technique over a decade during my school years. Basically, I draw on silk with traditional oriental pigment based on natural resources such as mud, stone powder and plants, which were used for old Eastern Asian religious paintings such as Buddha’s portrait you might find in the British Museum. I make use of the tradition as a contemporary practice by borrowing diverse skills from several East Asia
countries such as China and Japan. Although my works are based on traditional technique, narratives in my painting share a contemporary pop culture in a harmonious manner. I make strange but subtle and beautiful stories about an imaginary world, combining a beautiful atmosphere from traditional oriental painting with contemporary political discussions to bridge between the past and the contemporary. Each of your pieces has a distinct narrative, and you’re wonderful at telling stories through your work. How do the pieces fit together, is it all part of one big narrative, or can each painting stand alone? Several narratives in a painting are mixed together, making another narrative. Several paintings are also gathered together in a space, constructing a huge imaginary world I created.
Hun Kyu Kim INTERVIEW 41
A Present, 2017, traditional oriental pigment on silk, 49 X 35 cm
42 INTERVIEW Hun Kyu Kim
You are always welcomed, 2017 traditional oriental pigment on silk, 140 X 105 cm
Each project coming from diverse studies including politics, science and history acts as a puzzle piece, making a huge picture. This is how my stories work. Thus, my previous project is closely connected with later ones. However, it might be uneasy to catch the clue because the big picture is not yet completed and I will keep drawing it for whole my life. I wish to meet someone who loves my work so much that he or she connects all my projects with a thread someday. Your taxidermy works also sit so well beside your paintings; how did you learn these techniques? Cultural eclecticism is one of the physical characteristics of my work. Therefore, I try to consume every cultural factor to make attractive images. I think art, as a sub-concept of culture, is like a living creature that tries to get diverse
Don't be afraid, my love, 2016 traditional oriental pigment on silk, 140 X 105 cm
DNAs from other living entities to make their offspring strong and well-adjusted. Likewise, I am making a hybrid cultural creature through subtle combination of diverse cultures. I think taxidermy is one of the most typical British cultures, so I learned the skill in a professional institution to bring the object as a part of my dark fantasy. How much planning goes into each piece? Do you do a lot of sketchbooking or preparatory drawings? Some people might think that I draw idea sketches before starting a work, but it is only half-true. I don’t have any physical sketches. Instead, I draw some sketches in my mind after choosing just one theme. I just make some stories surrounding the theme and the process is quite improvised. As a consequence, the first plan for a painting is a little bit different from its result.
Hun Kyu Kim INTERVIEW 43
As time goes by, 2016, traditional oriental pigment on silk, 120 X 150 cm
What have been some highlights of your artistic career? Recently, I feel so thankful to my surrounding people. Mr. Jake Miller, a director of The Approach Gallery, offered for me to participate in Frieze Art Fair. It was a great honour for me to show my works with other prominent artists from around the world. Secondly, Mr. Andrew Post and Ms, Mary Aylmer, founders of the Chadwell Award chose me a holder of the Award, supporting me financially. Without their help, it is impossible for me to continue my career as an artist. I truly admire their good will to support numerous artists in their career. I do hope to pay their favours back in the near future.
Do you have any upcoming exhibitions? What are you currently working on? I am preparing a new project for a solo exhibition at The Approach Gallery in November 2018. The project is about 8 parallel universes based on dark fantasy. The story is inspired by contemporary economics, but I am going to reinterpret the complicated theories with full of imagination in an easy manner. I hope many audiences visit the show, sharing diverse discussion. hunkyukim.wix.com hunkyu.kim@network.rca.ac.uk
44 ARTIST PROFILE Ioana Vrabie
Outside In, 2015, analogue double exposure printed on lightbox, 103 x 151 x 6 cm
Ioana Vrabie
I
oana Vrabie’s work explores a fascination with the beauty that arises from overlapping different perspectives, especially those which are opposites. This can be seen in a literal sense in her photographs, in which multiple images are layered like dreams of memories. A gift of expired film ignited the photographer’s work as she travelled through Europe and Bali, shooting multiple exposures instinctively as she connected spiritually with her surroundings. Shooting with analogue film, Vrabie’s double exposure photographs are not digitally manipulated; instead the artist allows the inherent
beauty of reality to shine through her images. This also means she doesn’t see the final image until the film is processed and developed. Printed on a semi-transparent material and displayed on light boxes, the effect is similar to light shining through stained glass, alluding to the artist’s childhood experience in the Orthodox Cathedral in Transylvania. Today, she lives between Ibiza, Spain and London, UK, continuing to build what she calls a ‘database of beauty’. ioanavrabie.com the_agent@ioanavrabie.com
Ioana Vrabie ARTIST PROFILE 45
Roots Of Humanity, 2015, analogue double exposure printed on lightbox, 151 x 103 x 6 cm
46 ARTIST PROFILE William Oxer FRSA
Beautiful Peace, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 81 cm
William Oxer FRSA
T
he female form provides constant inspiration for William Oxer whose artistic career has seen him exploring traditional ideas of how beauty should be represented, creating exquisite paintings full of romance and mystery. His beautiful use of light and shadow frames the figure, making each piece as individual as its protagonist. While often soft and delicate, the atmosphere is at other times moody and sumptuous; heightening each pose and parted lip while giving a sense of the person behind the paint. His classical, romantic style has attracted a wide variety of sitters, and among the women he has painted are relatives, friends and models, alongside strangers and commissioned portraits, connected through social media and the internet. Alongside his figurative works which he paints almost exclusively in acrylics; Oxer also creates
abstracts, landscapes and seascapes, usually in oils and mixed media. The seasons act as changing muses for the artist, and he responds to them with very different working styles. In the summer months he can be found with largescale canvases outside painting expressive en plein air pieces, while the evenings of autumn and winter will see him painting smaller, more subdued and reflective works. Working from his home in Devon, Oxer has painted people from around the world for private commissions, as well as for his personal work which has been exhibited across the globe. His past projects include assisting with largescale designs for interiors in historic houses such as Goodwood House, Buckingham Palace, Petworth House and Hatchlands Park. william-oxer.com wjoxer@gmail.com
William Oxer FRSA ARTIST PROFILE 47
Thoughts, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 cm
48 ARTIST PROFILE William Oxer FRSA
Reflection On Time, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 cm
William Oxer FRSA ARTIST PROFILE 49
A Bright Young Thing, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 40 cm
50 ARTIST PROFILE William Oxer FRSA
A Time To Reflect, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 cm
William Oxer FRSA ARTIST PROFILE 51
Endurance, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 cm
52 ARTIST PROFILE William Oxer FRSA
The dream, oil on canvas, 80 x 120 cm
The Last Of The Light, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 60 cm
William Oxer FRSA ARTIST PROFILE 53
Study for 'Eternal Youth', acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 cm
54 ARTIST PROFILE Marcel Schwittlick
Woven Highlights #3, acrylic on OSB, 100 x 150 cm
Marcel Schwittlick
W
orking across a variety of media ranging from digital images, physical and interactive installations, generative poetry and conceptual video, Marcel Schwittlick examines aspects of generative systems and modern technology. His work embraces experiments with technology, forging a connection between physical and digital media to explore the effects of cybernetic systems in the modern world, often critiquing the ever-present desire for additional features from new technological developments.
Schwittlick lives and works in Berlin, Germany where he exhibits regularly. His work has also been shown in Europe, Indonesia, USA and Hong Kong, where his piece ‘Berlin Calling’ was projected onto the façade of the ICC tower. In 2015 he co-founded Lacuna Lab, a Berlin based artist group and community working on the intersection of art, technology and science. schwittlick.net info@schwittlick.net
Marcel Schwittlick ARTIST PROFILE 55
The Electronic Chaos Oracle, 2016, custom software, tv, keyboard, 200 x 90 x 60 cm
56 ARTIST PROFILE Heather McFarlin
Title, YEAR, medium, H x W cm The Journey, 2016, oil on canvas, 60 x 91 cm
Heather McFarlin
H
eather McFarlin’s paintings are born from a place of awareness, wonder and inquiry; and a connection to the nature and landscapes that surround her. Imprints of her life experiences are expressed symbolically and metaphorically, as each composition unfolds using colour, texture, layering, symbols, shapes, and gestural marks to give form to the formless. The artist’s practice sees her engaging in a process similar to what the Surrealist painters of the Modernist movement termed ‘automatic
drawing’; approaching the canvas without a predetermined plan as to the outcome of the piece. She allows for the situation, feeling or a question to act as the inspiration, opening up to possibility as the artwork unfolds. McFarlin creates and lives in Mill Valley, California. She exhibits regularly, particularly in San Francisco where she had her solo show at EQ3 Showroom. Last year her artworks were used on the set of the Netflix series SENSE8. heathermcfarlinart.com heathermcfarlin@gmail.com
Heather McFarlin ARTIST PROFILE 57
Genesis, 2017, oil on canvas, 76 x 60 cm
58 ARTIST PROFILE Heather McFarlin
Destiny, 2016, oil on canvas, 121 x 121 cm
Heather McFarlin ARTIST PROFILE 59
My Way Home, 2014, oil on canvas, 76 x 76 cm
60 ARTIST PROFILE Dongeun Alice Lee
COMMUNICATION # 6 _ On Cryptogram S.O.S, 2017 acrylic colour & night glow colour painting on canvas, 30 x 60 cm
Dongeun Alice Lee
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n avatar called Alice acts as an alter ego for Dongeun Lee as she explores questions of identity in the digital age through her series ‘Who in the www am I?’ which takes the form of painting in acrylic on top of a digitally printed canvas; 365 pictures combining to make one whole, 365 scenes in which Alice gazes at her life from different locations the artist herself travelled to. Through Alice, the artist investigates how humans as solitary beings are endlessly inclined to confirm their existence, precisely by communicating with other beings. In the modern world of ever-evolving and updating technology, social media and instant messaging, she considers how the quality of inter-subjective
communication is degenerating more than when face-to-face dialogues were the normal, and how this contradiction can be overcome. Digital avatars are used in a way which presents the person as greater than reality, and Lee traces this back to childhood experiences of identifying with inanimate objects such as dolls. Born and raised in South Korea, Lee is now based in London having studied at Chelsea College of Arts. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in South Korea, Italy, New York and the UK. Alongside her personal work she has also produced moving image and film as an art director. leedongeun.com dongeun.alice.lee@gmail.com
Dongeun Alice Lee ARTIST PROFILE 61
Who in the www am I?, 2017 acrylic on digital printed canvas : 365 piece pictures make one big picture and top of painting on canvas , 100 x 100 cm
62 ARTIST PROFILE Dongeun Alice Lee
4th Solo Exhibition S.O.S:Who in the www am I ?, 2017 Blank Space Gallery, New York, 35 paintings of two sizes of canvases are assembled to create nine SOS signals.
COMMUNICATION # 6 _ On Cryptogram S.O.S : Who in the www am I ?, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 90 cm
COMMUNICATION # 6 _ On Cryptogram S.O.S : Who in the www am I ?, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 90 cm
Dongeun Alice Lee ARTIST PROFILE 63
Who in the www am I?, 2016, mixed media craft and LED lighting effect with moving image, 100 x 200 x 25 cm
64 ARTIST PROFILE Lily Rigby
Blue Sea, 2018, oil on board, 45 x 61 cm
Lily Rigby
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passion for wild landscapes sees Lily Rigby creating mystical, deep and turbulent depictions of land and sea.
Most often taking the form of large scale works in oil; her paintings are inspired by both the landscapes that surround her and those which have left permanent traces in her memory. Her practice sees her forming layers of paint on the canvas, scraping back and building up many times over to create depth and texture. This motion helps the artist to develop the
journey of the work, and allows her to feel and reflect the mood and atmosphere of the place she is describing in paint. Based in Brighton, UK, Rigby’s work has been exhibited in Bristol and across West Sussex. She is currently creating new work for a solo show in Brighton this November. lilyrigby.com lily@lilyrigby.com
Lily Rigby ARTIST PROFILE 65
Blurred Landscape, 2017, oil on canvas, 112 x 141 cm
Skyline, 2017, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 cm
66 INTERVIEW Shelley Lake
Shelley Lake
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or Shelley Lake the computer is more than just an inanimate tool, but rather a creative partner capable of intellectual decisions. This approach to creating digital works leads her to generating completely new aesthetic experiences as she focuses on the computer’s ability to store, process and organise information. Her work features bold, unapologetic depictions of powerful figures; superhuman in their digital form. Throughout her career Lake has received numerous prestigious awards, and has had her work featured in exhibitions across the world including at Tate Modern and Art Basel.
Have you always worked digitally as an artist? I turned the digital corner around 1974 when I saw the revolutionary computer animated movie, “Hunger” by Peter Foldes. I was about 20 years old. That was the beginning of my obsession with computer art. After I completed my studies at the Rhode Island School of Design, I applied to MIT. In 1977, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had just begun an experimental program now known as the Media Lab. MIT stood at the vanguard of technology that sparked a digital revolution and I was honored to be a part of that movement. I became the first female graduate of their Master’s program in 1979. In the early 1980’s I joined Digital Productions in Hollywood and was a technical director for many computer generated projects including the
academy award winning, “The Last Starfighter”. I spent the following decade in the healing arts, becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic and practiced hundreds of hours in the dissection lab, learning everything I could about human anatomy and applied kinesiology. My background in structural anatomy and applied kinesiology still informs the design and choreography of my characters. In 2001 I opened Sky Lake Studios, where I continue to work in the digital domain. Tell us more about your process for creating work; do you work completely digitally or does pen and paper come into play at all? Physical dexterity comes into play when interacting with the computer; hand eye coordination is always a valuable asset. Another physical aspect of the process involves
Shelley Lake INTERVIEW 67
Emily 2.0, 2017, digital, 152 x 122 cm
68 INTERVIEW Shelley Lake
The Skull, 2016, digital, 203 x 137 cm
printmaking, being able to anticipate how what you see in light on the monitor will translate onto paper, canvas and vinyl. With decades of practice, I’ve developed an ability to foresee the transformation of light into pigment. I enjoy hand pulling large format prints and the physicality of stretching canvas onto stretcher strips. The digital domain is an intermediate environment that can lead to an immersive tactile experience. When everything is said and done, it’s all about the print. What are your main inspirations in terms of subject matter for your works? At a moment when the world is obsessed with the cult of personality, I turn instead to anonymous symbols of power, strength and fertility. Superheroes, pinups and warriors are a recurring
UFO, 2016, digital, 203 x 137 cm
theme in my work. Enigmatic characters without the trappings of identity or celebrity. They are the anti-celebrity. The digital dollhouse is occupied by virtual actors who survive and procreate on a virtual stage, frozen in time, making them immortal, timeless. Throughout your artistic career there have been many updates and advances in technology and software; how has your work developed as your tools have changed? As computing grows in sophistication, opportunities as a partner in the creative process continue to exceed expectations. The last few years have seen enormous advances in photorealism due to high definition texture mapping, high definition polygonal modelling, innovations in lighting and rendering speed. We
Shelley Lake INTERVIEW 69
Geisha, 2017, digital, 91 x 76 cm
are also seeing dramatic improvements in large format print resolution, colour fidelity, media, dynamic range and archival stability.
technology. As Dali once said, ‘The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret.’
What are you currently working on? With this interview and the prevalence of social media, I’m putting more energy into crafting words to communicate ideas that relate to the imagery. This body of work is fairly new as the result of recent developments in digital
shelleylake.com shelleylake@mac.com
70 INTERVIEW Shelley Lake
Ex Machina, 2016, digtal, 46 x 76 cm
Shelley Lake INTERVIEW 71
72 ARTIST PROFILE Holly Addi
Isle Blue, 2017, acrylic, watercolor and charcoal, 152 x 213 cm
Holly Addi
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ithout imperfections the idea of perfection could not exist; the two are ultimately linked and allow us to see the truth and beauty in the world. The poetic juxtaposition of imperfect perfection often forms the basis of Holly Addi’s paintings and mixed media works. Confidently expressing her ideas through composition, formation and colour, Addi creates reactive works which comment on oppressing themes in our contemporary society. Her work
doesn’t reference recognisable form, and through abstraction she is able to express intense personal moments, deconstructed to the extent that meaning is shifted and possible interpretation becomes multifaceted. Addi currently lives and works in Salt Lake City, exhibiting regularly in Utah and across the US. hollyaddi.com hollyaddi@gmail.com
Holly Addi ARTIST PROFILE 73
Revelle, 2017, acrylic, watercolor and charcoal, 102 x 76 cm
74 ARTIST PROFILE Julian Mullineux
SQGM X Purple II, 2016, photography, 101 x 68 cm
SQGM XIII, 2016, photography, 101 x 68 cm
Julian Mullineux
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or Mullineux the inspiration to create a photo series of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat was instant from his first visit; the immediate sense of beauty compelled him to return with his camera, and from this his Grand Mosque series was born. Through his photographic work, Mullineux wants to evoke in the viewer a feeling and place inaccessible to the intellect, with the accompanying deep sense of being in the ‘now’,
taking inspiration from existential philosophy, particularly aspects of being, space and time. Through his compositions of the magnificent spiritual building he aims to manifest the same transcendental feeling he experienced within the walls of the sacred space; where the challenges of every day existence were forgotten. julianmullineux.com info@julianmullineux.com
Julian Mullineux ARTIST PROFILE 75
SQGM XVI Purple, 2016, photography, 101 x 68 cm
76 ARTIST PROFILE Ien Lucas
Ien Lucas
01.10.2017/ serie ‘curly’, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 140 x 160 cm
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bstraction has always been a main focus for Ien Lucas, who considers her practice an ongoing journey as she composes sumptuous configurations of paint on canvas taking inspiration from the infinite possibilities of experimentation. Through the exploration of the boundaries of painting, Lucas’ work extends from the edges of flat surfaces as she incorporates three dimensional elements; playing with touch and texture through the application and subtraction of colour. The mix of mediums, compositions,
colour and space all come together without any reference to reality, allowing the viewer to find their own direction when considering each piece individually. Lucas is based in the Netherlands, where alongside regular exhibitions her works can be found in the collection of the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior, ABP, AKZO NOBEL and DSM, and at many companies in the Netherlands and abroad. ienlucas.nl ienlucas@planet.nl
Ien Lucas ARTIST PROFILE 77
01.03.2017/ serie ‘merged', 2017, acrylic on canvas, 200 x 150 cm
78 ARTIST PROFILE Ien Lucas
nr. 0219.16/ serie ‘note’, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 33 x 28 cm
Ien Lucas ARTIST PROFILE 79
01.11.2017/ serie ‘colorclouds’, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 90 cm
80 ARTIST PROFILE Ien Lucas
0224.17/ serie ‘note’, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 33 x 28 cm
Ien Lucas ARTIST PROFILE 81
01.01.2017/ serie ‘ZZ top’, 2017, yarn, canvas, 70 x 60 cm
82 ARTIST PROFILE Helen Tabor
Girl with a bird, 2016, oil on board, 41 x 66 cm
Helen Tabor
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he act of painting is as much an inspiration for Helen Tabor as the landscapes, seascapes and still life set ups which feature as her main muses.
Through colour choices and animated gestures the artist is able to capture a real sense of movement at the centre of her expressive works; as the brushstrokes and pigments interrupt the stillness of a scene to suggest the crashing of a wave or the wind in grass. Deep pinks and gold-tinged yellows play mischievously amongst the blues and white tones of coastal pieces adding a sense of joy or touches of melancholy depending on her masterful application, while greens, yellows, purples and oranges make up her striking landscapes.
Tabor’s process often sees her beginning with a collage base on which to build her painting, using this technique to add a textured, patterned effect to the canvas or board and to create a greater sense of depth. This method also allows for exciting interactions with paint to take place. Working with large brushes, the paint is applied with bold strokes of colour before being refined as the image develops, allowing the layers of collage to lead and define the final outcome. Living and working in the Scottish Borders, Tabor has exhibited her work across the UK regularly throughout her artistic career. helentabor.com helentabor60@gmail.com
Helen Tabor ARTIST PROFILE 83
The king's daughter, 2016, oil on board, 36 x 41 cm
Back of the village, 2017, oil on board, 24 x 58 cm
84 ARTIST PROFILE Helen Tabor
Grasses near the sea, oil on board, 24 x 34 cm
Title, YEAR, medium, H x W cm
After the storm, 2018, oil on board, 58 x 88 cm
Helen Tabor ARTIST PROFILE 85
The roll top bath, oil on board, 75 x 70 cm
86 ARTIST PROFILE Helen Tabor
Crofter's washing day, 2016, oil on board, 84 x 84 cm
Helen Tabor ARTIST PROFILE 87
In the garden, 2017, oil on board, 51 x 51 cm
88 ARTIST PROFILE Margaret Ann Withers
from this thought a hazy question, 2016, watercolor, gouache, ink, pigment on paper, 132 x 183 cm
Margaret Ann Withers
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ixing narratives with abstraction and modern surrealism, Margaret Ann Withers’ paintings explore conflicting ideas of joy and melancholy as well as community and aloneness in regards to the concept of home and communication. Poetic written words in the form of complex abstract verses are paired with works in paint, adding extra dimensions to each line and mark on the paper. Although most recognised for her works on paper, the artist also works with photography, and has been creating sculptural ceramic pieces.
She refers to her latest sculptural works as ‘lächelmachles’, a made-up German word which loosely translates as ‘Laughing Worlds’. Withers’ studio is based in New York. Her artworks can be found in galleries and multiple private and corporate collections in the US, and has also been exhibited in Belgium, Australia, Germany, China and Russia. She was named to the ’50 Memorable Painters from 2015’ list by Poets and Artists Magazine, and in 2016 she was awarded Artist in Residence at The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. margaretwithers.com art@margaretwithers.com
Margaret Ann Withers ARTIST PROFILE 89
obsessio soul village followed by possesio spirit hutch, chanting, Light the fires!', 2017, watercolor, gouache, ink on paper, 76 x 56 cm
90 ARTIST PROFILE Margaret Ann Withers
trois toits bleus, 2017, ceramic, glaze and enamel, 26 x 26 x 23 cm
Margaret Ann Withers ARTIST PROFILE 91
dot, 2017, ceramic, glaze and enamel, 20 x 26 x 20 cm
92 ARTIST PROFILE Janey Sharratt
Lighten Up, 2017, oil on canvas, 25 x 25 cm
Janey Sharratt
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ith paint on canvas Janey Sharratt uses her instinctive and visceral reaction to describe a reality that is present, can be sensed and perceived – but not ‘seen’ in a literal sense, inspired by collections of familiar and meaningful objects such as ceramic bowls and glass bottles. Rather than a literal approach to her subject matter she allows an emotional exploration to depict what can be both seen and felt within.
Alongside her portrait and landscape commissions, Sharratt’s still life works see her observing a range of vessels depicted with a deep sense of spatial awareness, the expanse in between proving to be as significant as the objects themselves. The power of colour is an important aspect of the artist’s process, as well as the paint medium which she builds in translucent layers of pigment; at times barely concealing underlying statements. .janeysharratt.co.uk janeysharratt@sky.com
Janey Sharratt ARTIST PROFILE 93
Still Life In A Landscape, oil on canvas, 75 x 75 cm
94 ARTIST SHOWCASE Sami Gjuka
By the lake, oil on canvas, 65 x 85 cm
Sami Gjuka
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orking in a variety of materials such as soft pastels, watercolour, ink on paper as well as oil on canvas, Sami Gjuka’s works stand on the edge of many movements. Surrealism, abstraction and symbolism informs and influences the artist’s technique as well as more classical art styles, however above all he is seeking to express his own metaphysical ideas. Dreamlike scenes of human actions are recurring motifs, as well as entwined symbols of nature; particularly trees and forests.
Born in Kosovo, Gjuka studied Painting at the Academy of Art in Sarajevo, Brussels and Amsterdam. Having been invited to the Global Art Award in Dubai, his work ‘By the Lake’ will be exhibited in November. He currently lives and works in Denmark. sami-gjuka.dk sami.gjuka@gmail.com
Sami Gjuka ARTIST SHOWCASE 95
Bath, oil on wood, 74 x 57 cm
96 ARTIST SHOWCASE Durga Garcia
Mother and Daughter, 2017, 76 x 50 cm
Kinsley Kate with her pony Gracie, 2017, 76 x 50 cm
Durga Garcia
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ith numerous awards from major international competitions including LAMCP’s ‘2014 People Photographer of the year’; Durga Garcia is a leading personality of fine art photographic portraits, author, educator, judge and an internationally acknowledged working photographer. Based between South Carolina and the Netherlands, Garcia works as a professional photographer of commissioned portraits. She has received the ATIM Top 60 Masters of
Contemporary Art and Masters Award 2015, and the 2016 ‘Best Photography Studio Award.’ Her work hangs in the permanent public collections of the South Nevada Museum of Art; Centre of Fine Art Photography; International Museum of Digital Art; & Latin American Museum of Contemporary Photography. durgagarcia.com durgagarcia@me.com
Durga Garcia ARTIST SHOWCASE 97
Lillie, 2017, 76 x 50 cm
98 artist EXHIBITIONS
Upcoming artist exhibitions Brigitte Pruchnow Kate Oh Gallery, New York City Until 23 March 2018 Half A Pound Of Art Stoerpunkt Gallery, Munich 8 March - 13 April 2018 A Room Of One’s Own, Orangerie, Munich 18 - 30 April 2018 Stroke Art Fair 2018, Werksviertel, Munich 9 - 13 May 2018
Chan Hong Yui Clement Z-Axis, Scratch Art Space, Sydney 17 - 27 May 2018
Dongeun Alice Lee 2018 Voices of Korean contemporary artists; Butterfly Effect Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London 3 - 6 May 2018
Helen Tabor Borders Art Fair, Springwood Park,Kelso, UK 16 - 18 March 2018
Ien Lucas Ramakers, ART Amsterdam 4 - 8 April 2018
Juliet Piper Remember, Last Summer, Galerie Ruines, Geneva, CH 9 - 16 April 2018
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