Contemporary Artists & Exhibitions
Issue 14 autumn 2018
NEW ARTIST FAIR
SUMMER EXHIBITION 14-16 September 2018 Friday PV 6pm - 9pm Tickets on Eventbrite Free Entry All weekend 12 - 6:30pm Old Truman Brewery Elys Yard off Hanbury St London E1 6QR www.newartistfair.com
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Art is a conduit to the human soul. Through paint and ink, metal and wood, pencil and clay we catch a glimpse at the inner feelings of the artist. They invite us to look further than the perimeters of the canvas, to experience the meaning behind every mark, fingerprint and brushstroke. Whether it’s a state of happiness or sorrow, the artist pours their emotion into their process, and in turn the viewer is free to find their own interpretation in the artwork; intertwining their personal joy, despair, passion, grief or rage. The artwork is a mirror into which we gaze, finding pieces of the artist and ourselves.
Aut umn ART FAIR
20 & 21 October 2018 10am - 5pm
Admission £4, Concessions £3, U16s & LAC Members FREE
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InsideArtists
InsideArtists
EDITORS Kieran Austin Toby Oliver Dean COVER IMAGE By Pierre Williams Standing male forms with layers 2015, ceramic, 160 x 82 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.
"Layers can have different meanings and stories to tell, such as strata in rock or the rings in a tree. When I developed the 'Precious series' of my work I used layers and different finishes to convey messages of value and this got me thinking about layers in general. Walls in houses can show different eras and fashions when the paper is stripped back, which has always made me think about the people who applied these layers. Are we, our selves, just layers of our experiences?." Pierre Williams
Exhibitions 08 Human Nature Sculpture Trail 09 Landmark Autumn Art Fair
10 The ACS Studio Prize 2018
Interviews 12 Pierre Williams 34 Jess Merlo
58 Cho, Hui-Chin
Artist profiles 20 24 26 30 32 40 44 46
Peisy Ting Viral Padiya Kate Gritton Josiane Dias Ezra Enzo Krisztina Horvath Christopher Langley Dean Rossiter
Artist showcase 80 Meng Zhou 82 Jessie Pitt
Artist exhibitions 86 Upcoming artist exhibitions
50 54 56 64 66 74 78
Stephen Charlton Lorenza Panero Hasti Sardashti Azita Panahpour Lynne Godina-Orme Lorraine Sadler Paul Bennett
08 EXHIBITIONS Human Nature Sculpture Trail
Human Nature Sculpture Trail 15 September – 25 November 2018 | The Bishops Palace, Wells
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his autumn will see the atmospheric gardens of The Bishop’s Palace in Wells, Somerset, hosting a stunning new sculpture trail, surrounding the medieval buildings with ten striking pieces of art.
Entitled ‘Human Nature’, the sculpture trail will celebrate the qualities that characterise and define humankind. Curated by Gallery Pangolin, one of the few galleries in the UK which specialise in sculpture, the exhibition will highlight the natural virtues and ways of thinking, feeling and being which are universal to all humankind, while also celebrating and enhancing the acclaimed Inner Gardens of the Palace.
bronze and resin, the trail will comprise diverse sculptures from a disparate group of scultors including pieces by Lynn Chadwick, one of the giants of twentieth century sculpture; Jon Buck, RWA and a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors; William Tucker, who was awarded the International Sculpture Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010; Ralph Brown, RA; Anthony Abrahams and Terence Coventry. Opening September 15th until November 25th, the sculpture trail is included in standard admission to The Bishop’s Palace, and is open daily. Printed trails for adults and children will be available to enhance the experience. bishopspalace.org.uk
With works ranging in size up to over two metres in height and a variety of materials including
Landmark Autumn Art Fair EXHIBITIONS 09
Alce Harfield
Hannah van Berge
Landmark Autumn Art Fair 19 – 21 October 2018 | Landmark Art Centre, Teddington
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he Landmark Art Fairs provide a unique setting for individual artists that make high quality fine art to exhibit and sell their work direct to the public. With no galleries or dealers, the focus is on the artist themselves and their stunning array of work, which ranges across all disciplines and mediums from painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, printmaking, ceramics and more. The Autumn Art Fair is housed in the magnificent surroundings of the Landmark Arts Centre, in Teddington, south-west London. Visitors will find a huge variety of fine art, all within the unique setting of the Grade II* listed building. It offers visitors the opportunity to engage with the artists and art work, and to learn a little about the
skills and ideas behind it. Buying exciting new artworks directly from the creator also avoids gallery commission charges, which is particularly good for new collectors. The Landmark Art Fairs are firmly established major events in the visual arts calendar, with the Autumn Art Fair taking place on the 19-21st October. An invite-only private view will take place on Friday 19th October. Admission to the fair is just £4 (£3 concessions and free for under 16s and LAC members). landmarkartscentre.org
10 EXHIBITIONS The ACS Studio Prize 2018
Stella Kapezanou
Sara Lavelle
Rebecca Harper
Jamie Fitzpatrick
Anne Griffiths
The ACS Studio Prize 2018
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ollowing the success of the Artists’ Collecting Society’s inaugural ACS Studio Prize last year, the national open competition has returned for 2018 with five exciting new artists selected as finalists. The prize offers one student or recent graduate £6,000 in order to help them secure studio space in a UK city of their choice, and this year attracted almost 330 submissions. The finalists have been announced as Anne Griffiths, Jamie Fitzpatrick, Rebecca Harper, Sara Lavelle and Stella Kapezanou; their work ranging from painting and mixed media to large-scale sculptural pieces. The judges Lady Bridgeman,
founder of the Artists’ Collecting Society, renowned artists Eileen Cooper RA and Rob & Nick Carter deliberated over an initial longlist of 32 artists from throughout the UK and Europe. Over the course of 2018, the Artist’s Collecting Society has been able to provide over £30,000 in educational bursaries and prizes at arts universities and charitable institutions throughout the UK, with the ACS Studio Prize being the largest of these awards. The winner of the prize will be announced mid-September. artistscollectingsociety.org.uk
EXHIBITIONS 11 their work. This year’s nominees are Forensic Architecture, Naeem Mohaiemen, Charlotte Prodger and Luke Willis Thompson. Their work will be on display from September 25th, with the winner decided in December. tate.org.uk
Martin Raskovsky
New Artist Fair 14 - 16 September 2018 Old Truman Brewery, London Returning this September to the iconic Old Truman Brewery in London’s E1 art district, New Artist Fair will showcase over one hundred new, emerging and recently established artists to art lovers, buyers and collectors. With a gallery layout, rather than the booths usually seen at art fairs, the exhibitors have been carefully curated, with both UK and international artists selected for their dynamic work across a wide range of mediums. The fair opens with a private view on Friday 14th September (tickets £7.50), and is then open to all with free entry 12-6.30pm on Saturday and Sunday 15-16th September. newartistfair.com
Turner Prize 2018 25 September 2018 – 6 January 2019 Tate Britain, London The 34th edition of the Turner Prize returns to Tate Britain, awarding a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of
Strata – Rock – Dust – Stars 28 September 2018– 25 November 2018 York Art Gallery, York Inspired by William Smith’s geological map of 1815, Strata – Rock – Dust – Stars showcases ground-breaking moving image, new media and interactive artworks. Featuring artwork by Isaac Julien, Agnes Meyer Brandis, Semiconductor, Phil Coy, Liz Orton, David Jacques and Ryoichi Kurokawa the exhibition explores a timely and contemporary poetic layering of human curiosity, exploration and reflection on the universe. yorkartgallery.org.uk
Modern Couples: Art, Intimacy and the Avant-garde 10 October 2018 – 27 January 2019 Barbican Art Gallery, London This new exhibition reveals how relationships can become a playground for creativity, exploring creative pairings across painting, sculpture, photography, design and literature. With work from the likes of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Emile Floge and Gustav Klimt and Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin, meet the artist couples that forged new ways of making art and of living and loving. barbican.org.uk
12 ARTIST INTERVIEW Pierre Williams
Pierre Williams
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natomical features and figures are placed against architectural shapes in Pierre William’s ceramic sculptures, inspired by the juxtaposing forms found in everyday human interactions with their surroundings. His distinctive style was born from a quick, direct method of decorating; using materials from around his studio to create pieces that, when assembled together, resemble an eclectic museum ceramics cabinet. With his work in private collections internationally and having shown both in the UK and New York, Williams’ upcoming exhibitions include the Affordable art fair, Battersea in October and Windsor Contemporary Art Fair in November. Can you tell us about your journey as an artist; have you always worked with ceramics? Art is the one thing that has been a constant in my life, but when I left school pursuing this was not an option, so I got a job as an apprentice toolmaker/ Development engineer. This was ok for a while; I was making things and enjoyed being skilled. The urge to be creative was still there and I would make metal sculptures during work and I would paint when I got home, I still wanted to be an artist. Eventually I met someone who came to work with us who was doing what I wanted to do, he was studying at the local college after leaving the army. This gave me the motivation to follow my passion, which led me to sell my house, leave my full time job and enrol on a full time foundation course at the age of thirty four. It was here that I decided to study ceramics as I liked the idea of working in 3D and was able to use colour and texture whilst working in a way that would still require a high level of skill and knowledge. I studied at Cardiff for my degree
where I learnt all the basic skills then specialised on the potters wheel. After my degree I set my studio up back home in Hereford and got a job running the ceramic department at Hereford College of Art, which I did for four years. This really pushed my knowledge and skill level further as I was solving the student’s problems. The next three years were spent teaching part time at the Royal National College for the blind where I taught Ceramics and Art and Design. All the time I spent teaching I worked at my own art where eventually the potters wheel became just a tool to be used if I needed a thrown form to combine with my newly developed figurative pieces. While on first glance your work may appear as traditional figurines from a museum collection, a closer look reveals the contemporary compositions, and the layering of colours, patterns and lustres. Can you tell us more about how you developed your style and the decoration techniques? When I decided I wanted to explore the human form I found it quite difficult to find a way in;
Pierre Williams ARTIST INTERVIEW 13
Two seated male nudes.(precious series), 2018, ceramic, 58 x 36 cm
14 ARTIST INTERVIEW Pierre Williams a reason for making. After endlessly looking through my historical sculpture books and countless trips to museums I started to question my ability to actually be an artist. So I decided to come at the problem from a different direction. I realised most historical art was rendered on buildings such as churches, temples, cathedrals and civic buildings, so I took myself down to our own Cathedral; somewhere I had spent a lot of time as a child. It was how I remembered it and I studied it with a different eye, but still nothing inspired me. I walked back outside disappointed, which is when I encountered the area where the restoration work was being done, and I noticed how one of the stone masons was leaning on one of the stone blocks drinking his coffee. This was the image that was to be the catalyst for a new period of work. The human form, a form of gentle curves juxtaposed with a hard very architectural form got my imagination going. This happened at a similar time to me buying a book on Anthony Gormley’s work. Some of the images blew me away, as I could see similarities of his figures and their settings as to what I had just discovered, and also the reference to classical sculpture which I have always admired. The figures and forms were resolved, but I was still unsure of how I would finish it. The idea to make the pieces look, what I call ‘very ceramic’, came from my many visits to museum antique collections where I loved walking into a room full of shiny colourful pieces. One problem was I had no money to buy materials, but I dug out what I had at the studio and realised I could make a tin glaze and I had some blue floral decals I was going to use on some porcelain table ware I had developed. From my time spent teaching I developed a very direct way of working and decorating from doing quick demos for students
and especially working with the special needs students. The result of this always looked better than if I put maximum effort into the process. Although I feel I am carrying on the tradition of ceramic figures they are not as refined as what you would imagine when thinking about figurines. I noticed that when gold was used on pieces such as cups and plates it was used quite sparingly so I wanted to put more on in a statement of the piece’s worth. I am open to all decorating materials and techniques so I am experimenting all the time. I'll use slips, oxides, underglazes, glazes, onglazes and lustres to achieve the desired effect. When I empty my kiln and place all the pieces together on a table and I get the same feeling as the one I get when walking into a ceramic collection I know I have achieved the outcome I wanted. Later different series have appeared where the main theme is still there, but an autobiographical narrative has been introduced, such as in the 'precious’ and 'The pugilists and the swifts' series. I have come to realise I pick up on subject matter that has always interested artists throughout time, which is not something I set out to do. Partly it's the challenge of the making, for example the skulls, which man has always had a fascination with, are one of the most complex forms I have encountered. I hope they are a contemporary version of a traditional theme. While classical art history is referenced visually in your work, how much inspiration do you take from museum archives when creating new work? With regards to the museum collections I visit from time to time I usually end up frustrated with the ceramic collections and it has taken a while for me to find out why. This is because when I
Pierre Williams ARTIST INTERVIEW 15
Two male nudes on 'I' plinth (precious series), 2017, ceramic, 45 x 29 cm
16 ARTIST INTERVIEW Pierre Williams
Dead Quiet, 2018, ceramic, 32 x 28 cm
walk into these rooms I am filled with anticipation about what I will find, but leave disappointed and I have realised that it is the whole collection of colour and shine and the decoration, not the pieces themselves that were seducing me. Figurative sculpture - whether stone, bronze or plaster - always impresses me with the skill level and how one piece may tell a whole story or suggest part of it. I am still trying to find out why I am drawn to traditional sculptural forms, but I'm thinking it may be the challenge of creating something that can be directly judged against the masters that have gone before me. So combining traditional sculpture with ceramic decoration and some personal subject matter results in what I make today. Can you tell us about the series you are currently working on? The most recent direction I am starting to follow is actually my versions of iconic sculpture or
Two pugilists waiting for the swifts on lidded jar, 2018, ceramic, 79 x 45 cm
paintings. I found myself dwelling on certain pieces time and time again trying to think what I could do with them. Realising that some sculptures and themes have been repeated by different artists at different times, and it was ok for me to just do my version of these pieces. I would also like to move them on and play with the original idea to create a new series from one piece. pierrewilliams-artceramics.com pierrewilliams@hotmail.co.uk
Pierre Williams ARTIST INTERVIEW 17
Four standing male nudes (precious series), 2016, ceramic, 67 x 50 cm
18 ARTIST INTERVIEW Pierre Williams
The listeners, 2018, ceramic, 82 x 45 cm
Pierre Williams ARTIST INTERVIEW 19
Standing black angel, 2018, ceramic, 66 x 25 cm
20 ARTIST PROFILE Peisy Ting
Fahrenheit 1945, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 92 x 183 cm
Peisy Ting
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or Peisy Ting the overarching objective of her paintings is to give personal emotions a tangible form, using her artworks as a universal language and celebration of humanity. A constant evolution of her practice has seen her creating a body of compelling and soul-stirring pieces of contemporary art. Through the use of colour, textural-play and structural form the artist blurs the lines of social conformity with bold strokes that cut through geometric blocks of colour with dramatic, jagged lines, evoking a visceral range of contrasting emotions: strength and vulnerability, joy and sorrow, conflict and peace.
Early 2016 saw Ting taking the step to exit her career as a creative director and devote her time to developing her first series of contemporary works. Since then she has had work published both online and in print, and has exhibited work as part of a group exhibition ‘Color’ at CICA Museum of Contemporary Art, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. peisyting.com peisyting@gmail.com
Peisy Ting ARTIST PROFILE 21
Separation Consciousness, 2018, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 92 cm
22 ARTIST PROFILE Peisy Ting
Magnetic Path, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 92 cm
Peisy Ting ARTIST PROFILE 23
Stranger Than Friction, 2018, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 61 cm
24 ARTIST PROFILE Viral Padiya
Nexus Globe, 2016, digital art photography, metal print, 91 x 91 cm
Viral Padiya
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eautiful and dramatic landscapes are the muse of travel photographer Viral Padiya, with an eye for composition which sees him often focusing on the small details of the scene. His aerial photographs capture abstract viewpoints of panoramas from around the world, observing stretching rural vistas, urban cityscapes and snowtopped mountainsides.
multiple images to create new forms and different perspectives. With the spirit of adventure instilled within him from a young age, the photographer aims to capture the beautiful moments between frames on his camera; connecting with nature and seeking the untold stories of the landscape.
His new body of work ‘The Nexus series’ expand on his abstract visuals, combining and mirroring
viralpadiyaphotography.com viralphotography@gmail.com
Based in the USA, Padiya’s work has been recognised internationally, and he has won many accolades and awards throughout his career.
Viral Padiya ARTIST PROFILE 25
Nexus Force, 2016, digital art photography, metal print, 91 x 61 cm
Nexus Cross, 2016, digital art photography, metal print, 91 x 61 cm
26 ARTIST PROFILE Kate Gritton
Near and Far, 2014, oil on canvas, 60 x 80 cm
Kate Gritton
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or painter and printmaker Kate Gritton a landscape is made of more than what meets the eye. Her work explores the visible features that conceal untold stories in both rural and urban environments, such as abandoned pathways through fields marking moments from the past and unused doors leading to unknown enclosures, courtyards and secret gardens. These small details become the main protagonists of the artist’s work, framed in the centre of the canvas through archways and doorframes, or focused upon with an almost abstract quality; drawing the viewer in to contemplate the physiognomy of the otherwise overlooked. Gritton’s practice often sees her building a painting with different printing techniques such as lino cutting, monoprinting and
collagraphy, or creating textures with collage or plaster before applying paint. Her work is a celebration of mediums, combining and layering with colour and thin glazes to create a sense of undiscovered elements, inviting the viewer to search for the hidden narrative. Based in East Sussex in the UK, Gritton studied Fine Art at the Sir John Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design, specialising in painting and printmaking. Her recent solo show ‘SOUNDINGS – In search of my Father’s War’ was exhibited at Hastings Art Forum, and will be shown again next year to mark 80 years since the beginning of World War 2. kategritton.crevado.com kategritton@gmail.com
Kate Gritton ARTIST PROFILE 27
lagoon 1, 2017, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
28 ARTIST PROFILE Kate Gritton
Corte dei Polacci, 2017, oil on board, 40 x 40 cm
Kate Gritton ARTIST PROFILE 29
Gheto, 2017, oil on board, 40 x 40 cm
30 ARTIST PROFILE Josiane Dias
Flora XIII, 2017, digital photograph
Flora XV, 2017, digital photograph
Josiane Dias
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razilian photographer Josiane Dias looks for the unexpected details of urban landscapes, seeking aspects of the world which balance on the edge of permanence.
Her current project ‘The Floating World’ sees the artist skilfully capturing organic artefacts in a seemingly suspended state, floating in an inky pool of darkness. The flowers and leaves portrayed in the images are transforming; they are between life and death, pleasure and sorrow. The series is inspired by the endless cycle of birth, life, suffering, death and rebirth,
with Dias aiming to capture the poetic, hidden dimensions of everyday life. Now based in New York, Dias’s work has been featured in several exhibitions including shows at the National Academy Museum, Soho Photo Gallery, Sonia Gechtoff Gallery, and at United Nations Headquarters, as well as abroad in Rome, Venice and Tel Aviv where her solo show ‘Flora Abstrata’ was exhibited last year. josianedias.com josianedias2006@gmail.com
Josiane Dias ARTIST PROFILE 31
Flora XVI, 2017, digital photograph
32 ARTIST PROFILE Ezra Enzo
Gleaner Dreamer, 2018, oil on paper and canvas, 40 x 30 cm
Hamamah, 2018, oil on paper and canvas, 30 x 20 cm
Ezra Enzo
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cross a myriad of media including painting, sculpture and photography, Ezra Enzo centres on questions of geology, boundaries, mapping, power, femininity,
and space.
While Enzo’s work has covered these several diverse topics, recently she has been focusing on issues of the environment and land; specifically in regards to its materiality and politics. Exploring both the physicality of nature as well as its relationship with the temporal, these ideas are particularly present in her site-specific ‘interventions’ which see the artist creating works
that dig directly into coastal earth and left to the effects of erosion from the sea and passersby. Both sculptural and performative in their execution, these works are created and also cease to exist within the space of the same day. Enzo is currently completing her degree in Fine Arts at Brown University while also studying film production and history in Copenhagen. This October will also see her releasing a documentary. ezraenzo.com ezra.enzo217@gmail.com
Ezra Enzo ARTIST PROFILE 33
Valley, 2018, oil on canvas, 60 x 60 cm
34 ARTIST INTERVIEW Jess Merlo
Jess Merlo
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rganic forms play the part of the muse for emerging contemporary painter and sculptor Jess Merlo, who creates abstract works taking inspiration from natural configurations such as the rock formations found at Bridgewater Bay Beach. Her distinctive forms flow freely between sculpture and paint as she translates initial sketches into finished artworks which exude a sense of ease and calm tranquillity. Her paintings in acrylic on board are also informed by domestic spaces, which help to create the perfectly balanced plays of colour in muted, earthy tones. Since graduating Monash University’s Fine Arts programme Merlo has continued to establish herself in the art world, building an impressive body of work. She is a co-founder of the artists-run collective The Lot, with whom she also exhibits.
How long have you been creating work as an artist, and how has your style changed and developed over this time? I had always been playing around, sketching and painting in my spare time when I was a teenager where I slowly developed technical skills. But it was only until my final year at high school that I decided to take it a bit more seriously and study art at University. Starting art school, I believed I wanted to focus on drawing. However, I found myself exploring many different materials and techniques, eventually leaving as a sculptor and abstract painter. Since only just recently graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts at Monash University in Melbourne, I have noticed that my artistic style and aesthetic has been cemented as I continue to produce paintings and sculptures.
Can you tell us about your process in the studio, from inception to final piece? Once I find some inspiration I start drawing shapes in my sketchbook and then keep abstracting and transforming the shape until I’m satisfied. Then I decide whether it’s fit for a painting or sculpture. If I see it as a sculpture, I carve variations of the shape into soap to visualise it in a three-dimensional context. Otherwise I paint on scrap paper, combining my compilation of inspiration onto the page. You create both paintings and sculptural works, how do you balance the two mediums in your practice? Having collected an assortment of shapes, colours and compositions, I make the distinction whether it will feature on a painting or as a sculpture by judging the complexity of the form.
Jess Merlo ARTIST INTERVIEW 35
Ode to the Beginning, 2018, acrylic on MDF, 121 x 91 cm
36 ARTIST INTERVIEW Jess Merlo
The Four of us, 2018, acrylic on MDF, 60 x 44 cm
I often find that I spend a lot of my time in the studio testing the shapes on different materials to see what fits best. Where do you look for inspiration when creating a new work? I often find inspiration from my everyday visual field, whether interior or exterior environments, ranging from home décor to vegetation surrounding beaches. My work often reflects my life through the colours, shapes and materials I see throughout my day-today and it’s only until I start creating work that I slowly realise where it originated. If I’m actively seeking inspiration I tend to take small trips out of the city and get back to nature or I’d spend an afternoon flicking through art books at the local library.
The Pair, 2018, acrylic on MDF, 120 x 90 cm
Is there a particular piece you have created recently that has stood out for you? When I think of an artwork that has stood out to me I think about works that have the ability and power to completely stop you in your tracks and make you re-think your current artistic path. For myself, there have been two works in particular that have done just that, due to the transformation it sparked within my practice and myself. However not so recently, back in my second year of University I tried out an Abstract Painting class taught by John Nixon. I honestly just thought it was an interesting class methodically but didn’t think the class would do much for my practice because I never saw myself being an abstract artist. It was only a few weeks in that I painted this large black and white abstract piece that flicked
Jess Merlo ARTIST INTERVIEW 37
Bimbi’s, 2018, acrylic on MDF, 93 x 66 cm
38 ARTIST INTERVIEW Jess Merlo
Redeemed, 2018, acrylic on MDF, 118 x 78 cm
a switch and basically converted me to pursue an abstract direction. Ever since, I have kept that same painting in my bedroom, throughout every move, and would never ever sell. Still to this day, every time I look at the painting, it fills me with so much excitement to create more works. Another work that stood out was my first expandable foam sculpture. I had never truly delved into sculpture before creating that piece and once it was complete, I remember stepping back and realising that I created this enormous form myself and how surprisingly rewarding and satisfying that experience was. I previously never liked sculpture but it encouraged me to start sculpting to explore and learn new materials and techniques to push the boundaries of my forms. That single painting and sculpture changed the outlook on my artistic future and myself as an
artist. Ultimately deciphering what I wanted to represent and show to the world. What are you currently working in? Do you have any upcoming exhibitions? I just finished exhibiting at The Other Art Fair, Melbourne and currently working through a number of commissions and applying for exhibitions. jessmerlo.com merlojbc@gmail.com
Jess Merlo ARTIST INTERVIEW 39
Bridgewater Bay #1, 2018, expandable foam, brass, wooden stump, 137 x 57 cm Bridgewater Bay #2, 2018, expandable foam, brass, wooden stump, 160 x 72 cm
40 ARTIST PROFILE Krisztina Horvath
Dontfly (Zen Study), 2018, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 150 cm
Krisztina Horvath
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escribing her work as Lyrical Abstraction, Krisztina Horvath creates expressive and intuitive paintings which lay bare upon the canvas, composed of frenetic brushstrokes and communicative marks in paint. Although working predominantly in acrylic and oil, other kinds of media such as ink, spray paint, graphite and oil bar also play their part in her creative process. Titles are an important aspect of the artist’s works as it allows us a glimpse into the underlying thoughts, feelings and reference sources that have driven her while creating the abstract piece.
Climate change, environmental issues and the problematic human impacts to life on earth are all subjects that move Horvath to create new paintings, using the abstract expressionistic style to express modern social issues and raise awareness through her art. Born in Hungary, Horvath has lived in The Netherlands since childhood. Recently her work has been shown in Brussels, Milan and New York. krisztinahorvath.nl info@krisztinahorvath.nl
Krisztina Horvath ARTIST PROFILE 41
FTS, 2017, acrylic and oil bar on canvas, 177 x 153 cm
42 ARTIST PROFILE Krisztina Horvath
Erasing, 2017, acrylic, spray paint and oil bar on canvas, 100 x 80 cm
Krisztina Horvath ARTIST PROFILE 43
Midsummer Night, 2018, acrylic, spray paint and oil bar on canvas, 153 x 125 cm
44 ARTIST PROFILE Christopher Langley
Reflections of Tenby, mixed media on canvas, 58 x 40 cm
Christopher Langley
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he varied surroundings of Wales are a constant source of inspiration for artist Christopher Langley, whether he is painting the seascapes of Pembrokeshire, the mountains and landscapes of Breconshire or the metropolitan architecture of Cardiff. Working across a range of mixed media, the artist’s striking use of colour is a key aspect of his process. Skies glow with blushing pinks and purples against fields of vibrant yellow, while watery seas reflect bold splashes of primary shades from the sails of boats. In other works,
famous city landmarks are colour blocked in shades of orange against royal blue skies. Based in Cardiff, South Wales, Langley has exhibited widely since becoming a professional artist in 2012, with exhibitions in New York, Glasgow, London, and Cardiff. His work currently features in a number of public solo and joint exhibitions throughout South Wales. christopherlangley.net art@christopherlangley.net
Christopher Langley ARTIST PROFILE 45
Tranquility, oil on canvas, 73 x 55 cm
46 ARTIST PROFILE Dean Rossiter
Speedball Caviar, 2018 collage on canvas with resin, 100 x 70 cm
Whiskey Chaser, 2018 collage on canvas with resin, 100 x 70 cm
Dean Rossiter
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hrough paint and collage, assemblage and installation, multidisciplinary artist Dean Rossiter engages with the discourses that permeate our contemporary culture, seeking out the purpose of art in the digital age while offering the viewer a visual pause from the noise and pace of modern daily life. While best known for his ‘Reaction Paintings’, where expressive forms interact with backgrounds of flat colour, Rossiter has recently been creating a series of collages which mirror these fluid, painterly forms. Taking inspiration from advertising and pop culture, these precisely arranged compositions
investigate our relationship with consumerist imagery in a media dominate world. Through this transformative process, these collages create a visual experience that’s relatable through imagery but foreign through its reconfigured and abstracted appearance. Since beginning to show work in 2016, Rossiter has exhibited throughout London, New York, Miami, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Madrid. This year his work saw him shortlisted for the Destig Artist of the Year Award. deanrossiterartist.com deanrossiterart@gmail.com
Dean Rossiter ARTIST PROFILE 47
Emissary, assemblage on canvas, 120 x 100 cm
48 ARTIST PROFILE Dean Rossiter
Reaction VI, 2017, mixed media on canvas, 70 x 50 cm
Dean Rossiter ARTIST PROFILE 49
Hecuba, 2017, mixed media on canvas, 120 x 100 cm
50 ARTIST PROFILE Stephen Charlton
Deforest, 2014, oil on aluminium, 50 x 90 cm
Stephen Charlton
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eferring to his works as ‘earthscapes’, Stephen Charlton paints on re-purposed aluminium sheets destined for scrapping, creating monumental landscapes and spatial galaxies in single colours upon the metal; a detail which allows him to push the boundaries of what is possible whilst being restricted to a monochromatic palette. Inspiration for new work comes from tones and textures from the natural environment, particularly the earthy shades and effects of autumn which offer tactile references for his earthscape paintings. Although his subject matter varies, often depending on his mood, Charlton’s process is always fast-paced and intuitive, scraping,
scratching and gauging the surface to release light and energy. Painting without hesitation, he communicates thoughts and emotions through his fluid medium; interacting with the surface of the aluminium and its inherent reflective properties. The result is deep and glossy works which capture the essence of the artist’s feelings and experiences upon a single metal plate, embodying the qualities of light, space and movement. charltongallery.com s-charlton@btconnect.com
Stephen Charlton ARTIST PROFILE 51
Gull Rock, 2017, oil on aluminium, 90 x 90 cm
52 ARTIST PROFILE Stephen Charlton
Seavoice lV, 2014, oil on aluminium, 50 x 90 cm
Seavoice I, 2014, oil on aluminium, 50 x 90 cm
Stephen Charlton ARTIST PROFILE 53
Forest, 2011, oil on aluminium, 90 x 90 cm
54 ARTIST PROFILE Lorenza Panero
Tiempo Encantado (The Enchantment), 2013, luminograph (unique cameraless cibachrome image), 76 x 114 cm
Lorenza Panero
I
n the darkroom, Lorenza Panero creates work which inhabits a place unafraid of vulnerability, of deep feeling, and emotional transparency. By choosing to forget, to destroy, to rebuild and reimagine, she considers her imagemaking an exploration; simultaneously obscuring and revealing what is real, what is imaginary, what is hoped for.
shadow, transparency and opacity, motion and stasis, experimenting with mark making in a performance of creation. Her work is light-filled, with colour as content and shape as narrative.
Her process is guided by the materials, allowing them to find their way into the image, each element having been carefully selected over a period of time. Using highly sensitive cibachrome paper, she plays with light and
lorenzapanero.com studio@lorenzapanero.com
Based in Bogota, Colombia, Panero’s work is in several private and public collections. She has exhibited in Colombia and the US, with over 20 solo shows.
Lorenza Panero ARTIST PROFILE 55
El Amor es un Elemento (Love is an Element), 2013, luminograph (unique cameraless cibachrome image), 96 x 62 cm
56 ARTIST PROFILE Hasti Sardashti
Empowerment Feminine
Wounds on My Body
Hasti Sardashti
H
asti Sardashti is always on the move; moving through time, through spaces of body and mind, rarely taking a moment to be still. Her paintings, which are large in scale and often feature elements of self-portraiture, are a way of finding a place in the world. The painting process is an attempt to stay in the present; to maintain stability and calm in a moving life. Ripe with symbolism, Sardashti’s paintings explore powerful themes such as migration, womanhood and mortality. With her own image
as a protagonist she uses the canvas to connect with the most genuine parts of herself and her immediate existence. Sardashti is an Iranian born artist now living in London. Recent exhibitions with The Other Art Fair and The ArtBox Gallery have seen her work shown in New York and Zurich. hastisardashti.art hastisardashti.art@gmail.com
Hasti Sardashti ARTIST PROFILE 57
The Best of Me
58 ARTIST INTERVIEW Cho, Hui-Chin
Cho, Hui-Chin
W
hile Cho, Hui-Chin’s artworks - which feature bubblegum babies and carved wooden totems in pastel shades - may appear friendly and inviting in an almost childlike manner, more often they are used as sugar-coated motifs to symbolise the darker sides of humanity; death and fetish. Her works are the result of personal struggles; manifesting in paint and wood, with the process of creating a form of therapy. By surfacing elements of romance, sexuality, and the concern for cultural identity, her practice is an attempt to discover solace. Your artworks appear to expand from their canvases, with layers of symbolism and meaning conveyed through abstract compositions and motifs. Can you tell us about your inspirations and references? I am very often inspired by iconography and I have a predilection for baby figures such as the Putto in Italy. Since I am a Buddhist and I do believe reincarnation, interestingly I found ‘baby’ as an ambiguous creature in between life and death in a series of movements of being a human with the same soul. However, I would not reckon that my works are particularly religious even though I arrange various repetitive motifs to symbolise the idea of reincarnation. Generally speaking I would say that I am obsessed with subject matters about the darkest
humanities and fetishes including the existence in between life and death, and I have been trying to convey such ideas into cute motifs with grotesque figures which are ‘sugar-coated’. My idea of every single fact, unacceptable or cruel, being sugar-coated is very often arranged in both my paintings and sculptures and is the reason for choosing certain materials and references. Materiality is an important aspect of your work, with animal by-products such as leather forming parts of the composition. Can you tell us more about how you work with these materials? In terms of materials, according to the last question, I very often tend to use the materials which could be associated with ‘life once lived’ as the responses to my idea of ‘the sugar-coated
Cho, Hui-Chin ARTIST INTERVIEW 59
Her Milky Way, 2018, acrylic & oil on canvas, 116 x 91 cm
60 ARTIST INTERVIEW Cho, Hui-Chin
Eon, 2018, acrylic & oil on canvas, 53 x 45 cm
fact’. But I have to slightly mention the reason why I do pay massive attentions to the choices of materials as the metaphoric messages. This is because that a few months earlier I have been diagnosed with a physical health problem (a tumour in my breast) the day before flying back to London for my BA degree show; in the meantime I got the offer to do MA at Royal College of Art, but after very careful thought, I decided to defer the offer to 2019-2021. After these dramas at times I have been feeling scared by the fact of having a breast tumour with Bipolar (I have been suffering mental disorder since I was around 16); and I just realised that I have been so close to death after being diagnosed. Such feelings could actually be traced back to the early period when I was an adolescent, and the thought of committing suicide kept running to me. With sensitive curiosity, I have been researching and exploring the subject matter related to the existence between life and death. Consequently, such tactile materials such
The Cloven Hoof, 2018, acrylic & oil on canvas, 53 x 45 cm
as woods, for me, symbolise creatures as life which once existed. By exploring different kinds of materials, the process of carving and painting ubiquitously forms another solace and pleasure. How do you approach creating three dimensional sculptural artworks, compared to your painting practice? I would like to postulate that painting and sculpture are similar references as they both have an ambiguity in their concrete dimensional demeanour; but when it comes to sculptures, I have a predilection for carving the wood, or I should say that I am still obsessed with the wood as the metaphorical material of life, as mentioned before. I am eager to touch such materials like woods, fabrics, papers, PU leathers or real leathers since they were lives! They were animals or plants. But why do human-beings have the right to define the presences of other life?
Cho, Hui-Chin ARTIST INTERVIEW 61
Its russet warmth, 2017, oil, acrylic & leather on wooden board, 97 x 97 cm
62 ARTIST INTERVIEW Cho, Hui-Chin
Traveler In A Strange Land, 2018 acrylic & oil on canvas, 116 x 91 cm
When creating a new work do you find you make preparatory plans or sketches, or do the artworks unfold intuitively? Generally speaking from my perspective, they can be separate. I feel like drawing and doing sketches are reasonably dependant on intuition; whilst painting or sculpture or other artificial presences are more closed to logic, which means I will force myself to balance my objective aesthetics and the subjective motifs. For example, sketches or drawings for me are sort of alleviating my outrageously-switched emotions such as drawing distorted portraits, from which I could feel satisfied. In recent few years when I was around third year at Slade, I found it quite important to establish the working mood every single day in the morning as a schedule, so drawing or doing sketches could be a productive way of doing this. I realise that if I am serious about being a professional artist, I must create
Sailing the High Seas, 2018 acrylic & oil on canvas, 91 x 72 cm
new works, with or without inspiration. The world in my artworks could be a zoomed-in version of my dramatic emotions with rational arrangements. What are you currently working on? Do you have any upcoming shows or exhibitions? I will be having my first solo show in Asia, in my hometown Tainan City, Taiwan, at Soka Art Centre, which is one of the top 500 galleries. I will also be doing artist residencies in Japan from March to July 2019, whilst I will be giving talks and holding a few exhibitions. The information of upcoming exhibitions/talks in Japan will be announced very soon on my social media and my website. chin.art info@chohuichin.com
Cho, Hui-Chin ARTIST INTERVIEW 63
On a vast and mossy bed, 2017, oil, acrylic & leather on wooden board, 97 x 97 cm
64 ARTIST PROFILE Azita Panahpour
Shattered Poems No. 25, acrylic on linen, 81 x 116 cm
Azita Panahpour
M
ultidisciplinary artist Azita Panahpour works in painting, photography, video and commercial art to create lyrical pieces with an emotional depth, particularly seen in her large scale works in acrylic on linen. Her series ‘Shattered Poems’ is an ongoing reflection on her personal journey of leaving her homeland, having been born in Iran but now living in New York. Verses from Rumi, the 13th Century Persian mystic poet, inspired the paintings, which evolved into a visual
representation of rhythm and form, blended in layers of colour and texture. Panahpour‘s career began as an Art Director at New York’s advertising agencies where she continues to contribute on creative direction for select projects, and her photography has been exhibited in a number of group and solo shows nationwide as well as published in various annuals and magazines. galleryap.com azitapanahpour@gmail.com
Azita Panahpour ARTIST PROFILE 65
Shattered Poems No. 35, acrylic on linen, 91 x 91 cm
66 ARTIST PROFILE Lynne Godina-Orme
Edge Of The Ocean, 2018, Original artwork laser printed on UV protected perspex (diptych), 120 x 240 cm
Lynne Godina-Orme
V
ivid colours merge and collide in Australian artist Lynne Godina-Orme’s expressive abstract works, borne from a pleasure of the free forming expression that comes from creation. Each abstract is a personal journey for the artist. At times the works are soft and smoky, the paint applied in fluid swirls like ink in water, while other pieces have a heightened pace of urgency, each mark and brushstroke recorded on the canvas like a visual memory of emotion. Every colour is applied with a deliberate assuredness, resulting in compositions that can both sing with vibrant and energetic joy or sit with a sense of calmness in moody, silent contemplation.
This expressive honesty allows the viewer to dive deep into the heart of the work, exploring the intention of every colour, shape and form while experiencing their own emotional journey. As well as working on canvas Godina-Orme prints her artworks onto high quality acrylic glass; a technique which adds an extra glossy element to the works and allows for a new perspective of the painting. Her paintings hang in private and commercial collections across Australia, as well as internationally in The United States, Italy‚ France and the Caribbean. lynnegoart.com.au lynne@lynnegoart.com.au
Lynne Godina-Orme ARTIST PROFILE 67
Symphony of Colours , 2018, acrylic on stretched canvas, 178 x 122 cm
68 ARTIST PROFILE Lynne Godina-Orme
Before Colour, 2018, original artwork laser printed on uv protected perspex (diptych), 120 x 240 cm
Crystal Clear, 2018, original artwork laser printed on uv protected perspex (triptych), 120 x 240 cm
Lynne Godina-Orme ARTIST PROFILE 69
Finding Strength, 2018, acrylic on stretched canvas, 122 x 122 cm
70 ARTIST PROFILE Lynne Godina-Orme
Feeling Again, 2017, acrylic on stretched canvas, 100 x 100 cm
Lynne Godina-Orme ARTIST PROFILE 71
Mask Of Gold, 2017, acrylic on stretched canvas, 100 x 100 cm
72 ARTIST PROFILE Lynne Godina-Orme
Bring Me Peace, 2018, original artwork laser printed on uv protected perspex (triptych), 120 x 240 cm
Lynne Godina-Orme ARTIST PROFILE 73
74 ARTIST PROFILE Lorraine Sadler
Life Support, 2017, gouache & watercolour, 79 x 61 cm
Laws of Attraction, 2017, gouache & watercolour, 81 x 61 cm
Lorraine Sadler
T
he intricate works of Lorraine Sadler are pure poetry; borne from observations of the wonders of nature and captured as swirling, fantastical scenes that merge fact and fiction. She describes her paintings as ‘Pictorial Mindscapes’, a place where the viewer can choose to think and consider each element of the work, or simply to feel. Traces of inspiration from the artist’s former career as an aerialist and acrobatic wingwalker can be seen in the graceful figures that centre her paintings, elegantly bending and contorting often as if floating through space. Each new work is a celebration of imagination and altered perspectives. It is a strong life-long connection
to the natural world which remains at the heart of Sadler’s paintings, as she aims to inspire a deeper appreciation of our environment by merging existential philosophy with esoteric fantasy, reconnecting the human spirit with its origins within both physical and spiritual dimensions. Each of her paintings begins with a narrative driven sketch, growing with layers of symbolism as her metaphorical muse awakens; for the artist the creative process is a synergy of mind and spirit. lorrainesadler.com art@lorrainesadler.com
Lorraine Sadler ARTIST PROFILE 75
To Touch the Intangible, 2017, gouache & watercolour, 91 x 51 cm
76 ARTIST PROFILE Lorraine Sadler
Entwined, 2017,gouache & watercolour, 90 x 67 cm
Lorraine Sadler ARTIST PROFILE 77
Shards of Illusion, 2017, gouache, 76 x 91 cm
Lunar Wake, 2017, gouache & watercolour, 76 x 61 cm
78 ARTIST PROFILE Paul Bennett
Beyond Solitude, 2018, 100 x 100 cm
Paul Bennett
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illed with glowing light surrounded by passages of darkness, Paul Bennett’s landscape and seascape paintings are a contemporary view of a traditional subject, offering an antidote to the mass produced visuals consumed every day while inviting the viewer to experience more than the eye can see. The artist’s process sees him using rich textures, multiple layers and visible brush and palette knife marks, forging the landscapes and seascapes from recalled memories of visited locations
rather than photographs or source materials. This emotional connection creates a sense of intimacy upon the canvas, with works that are as abstract as they are representative. Bennett’s work is found in public and private collections worldwide. This autumn will see him embarking on a series of six shows where his new works entitled ‘The Light and the Dark’ will be exhibited. paul-bennett.co.uk paul@paul-bennett.co.uk
Paul Bennett ARTIST PROFILE 79
Blue Spirit, 2018, 100 x 100 cm
80 ARTIST SHOWCASE Meng Zhou
Bamboo Yuan (detail), 2018, projection on silk screen, 150 x 200 x 300 cm
Meng Zhou
T
hrough his multi-discipline practice which spans painting, sculpture, and installations, Meng Zhou investigates personal dream-world spaces of the mind; re-enacting narratives charged with poetic allusions to being. His work merges and transforms traditional Chinese symbolism and imagery with Western styles and techniques, and it is this conversation between tradition and modernity which is at the heart of his practice.
His light-filled installations are cinematic dreamscapes, narrating stories that hover between disconcerting dreams and reality. Now based in London, Zhou shows work regularly in group, duo and solo exhibitions. meng-zhou.com admin@meng-zhou.com
Meng Zhou ARTIST SHOWCASE 81
Walk Within, 2018, projection on silk screen, 160 x 190 x 270 cm
Citizen Xiang, 2018, projection on silk screen, 160 x 180 x 250 cm
82 ARTIST SHOWCASE Jessie Pitt
State Of Being, 2018, graphite and acrylic on canvas, 130 x 170 cm
Jessie Pitt
A
deep connection to her surroundings in Austria is at the heart of Jessie Pitt’s work, with the mountains providing constant inspiration for her distinctive artworks.
Her process sees her working predominantly on un-stretched canvas with graphite and acrylic, using texture as an integral part of the artwork to build more than just a portrait of the mountains, but rather a portrayal of the soul; of what is felt but not seen.
The artist’s love for – and extreme familiarity with – the landscape is clear; as she creates atmospheric works that transport the viewer to a new location, an atmospheric space to enter and experience. Originally from Australia, Pitt’s work has been included in many group shows across Europe and Australia, as well as solo shows in Austria. jessiepitt.com jessiepittart@gmail.com
Jessie Pitt ARTIST SHOWCASE 83
Pathway, 2018, graphite and acrylic on canvas, 86 x 60 cm
84 ARTIST SHOWCASE Jessie Pitt
Veiled, 2018, graphite, acrylic and ink on canvas, 87 x 60 cm
Jessie Pitt ARTIST SHOWCASE 85
Last Storm Inside, 2018, graphite and acrylic on canvas, 152 x 79 cm
86 artist EXHIBITIONS
Upcoming artist exhibitions Paul Bennett
Viral Padiya
The Padstow Gallery, Cornwall, U.K 1 September 2018
Art Santiago 18 - 21 October 2018
Arkley Fine Art, Hitchin, U.K 13 September 2018
Spectrum Miami 5 - 9 December 2018
International Art Acquisitions Rochester, New York, U.S.A 23 September 2018 Gallery Different, London, U.K 4 October 2018 Gormleys Fine Art Belfast, Northern Ireland U.K 11 November 2018
Lynne Godina-Orme Celebrate The Abstract by Lynne Godina-Orme Bridges Restaurant / Gallery Hurstbridge VIC 3099 20 November - 17 December
Jessie Pitt The Other Art Fair , Victoria House, London 4 - 7 October 2018
Hasti Sardashti Aqua Art Miami 6 - 9 December 2018
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