C O T T O N
Page 2 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
C O T T O N Modern | Post War | Contemporary New Works by Andrew Cotton September 15 — October 16, 2022
100%Cotton, highlights the split portrait portrayals that have gained the artist international recognition but also features a broader selection of new text based works, abstract paintings, collaged surfboards, vintage Americana, gorgeous pinups, Hollywood icons, and coastal beach scenes.
Page 4 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
CONTENTS Foreword pgs. 8 9 Essay pgs. 10 11 Plates 16 91
(Detail)2022,Pier,Steel
’s formative years diverge from most street based artists in that he received classical training at the highly respected Central St. Martin’s School of Arts in London before leaving the UK to sell his work on the streets of New WhileYork. not a street artist in the formal sense creating works on buildings or in subways, his work incorporates tags and imagery that made Street Art the popular genre it is today. The artist’s work is easily recognizable. While he is
Andrew Cotton, New York City, circa 1990’s.
Armed with the little information I had, I started with an internet search that came up empty. It was my Gallery Director who recognized the image and gave me Andrew Cotton’s name. The rest is history. The experience of that first collector is not unusual. Great art sticks with you. An image embeds itself in your mind and occupies a place in your soul. I can recall my first such experience viewing a Rembrandt painting of an anonymous elderly man while viewing an exhibition in The Hague. I can still trace every line in his craggy face and the worn, world weary look in his eyes. Cotton’s art, while certainly a departure from the Old Masters, had that same influence on the collector who sought out his work 2 years later. It’s an experience that has repeated itself numerous times since we began working with Andrew three years ago. His paintings are so forceful that they persist in the mind, lingering long after the viewer has left the Cottongallery.
I
Working with Andrew Cotton has been both a pleasure and a privilege. Never afraid to take a soonthechance,artistforget.
first met Andrew Cotton while tracking down a work of art for a collector. He had seen Andrew’s work at a local exhibition and was not able to purchase at the time. The image stuck with him and two years later, he approached me with a grainy photo of a surfboard featuring Bob Dylan’s image.
Page 8 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art best known for his trademark split portraits, his range extends to text based, abstract and Judaic art. No matter the subject, Cotton defined by the printed material he incorporates which is perhaps an honorarium to his father, who was a master printer. He layers these printed pages with wheat paste and paint to create bold, richly textured canvases. His text in cheek punch as it reacts to the idiosyncrasies of the human condition and politics of the day. His portraits react to the contemporary cultural phenomenon of false idol worship on the altar of celebrity status, while exposing the hypocrisy of whensocietythey dare show their humanity.
foreword
“As an artist, I am drawn to the free spirit of America,” says Andrew Cotton, describing his decision to move from London to New York City at the age of 24 to pursue a full time art career. It is important to note that before relocating to the South Florida region from New York, Cotton, along with a small group of fellow artists, operated a successful Art Truck, a mobile gallery that drove around the five Burroughs of New York selling art on the streets; not unlike how a typical food truck would serve its patrons. His distinctive art entrepreneurship landed him a street credibility sought after by so many budding contemporary artists. It was here in NYC, that he caught the eye of rapper, record executive, and media proprietor, Jay Z, who would become one of Cotton’s early A List collectors more high caliber clients would follow as Cotton developed a more mature visual voice.
100% Cotton shows a more resourceful artist in tune with his own artistic practices. Cotton embraces his coveted family lineage and formulaically calculates the building of his own brand with a narrower and more focused mindset to
The painterly chronicle in 100% Cotton briefly touches on the artist’s more formative years after he departs the U.K. to arrive in the United States to sell graffiti inspired Pop Art on the streets of New York City, before progressing to showcase his current body of work.
Page 10 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art Essay
As a young artist struggles to find his voice, the increasing lust of existence, the expanding inner spirit becomes a cavernous echo that calls within him to know thyself, find thyself, and love thyself. This embracement of the genuine is not a guarantee for all who seek it.
Those fortunate few, like Andrew Cotton, who realize these aspirations within themselves, thrive and rise to do amazing things.
By Gabriel Delgado 100% Cotton, a solo exhibition opening September 15th, 2022, at New River Fine Art is a sincere credence to the art of Andrew Cotton. His first solo exhibition with the gallery highlights the split portrait portrayals that have gained the artist international recognition but also features a broader selection of new text based works, abstract paintings, collaged surfboards, vintage Americana, gorgeous pinups, Hollywood icons, and coastal beach scenes.
South Florida based Andrew Cotton embraces his purpose and knows all too well the self assurance and internal fortitude needed to advance forward through the uncharted, as he emerges as one of today’s most sought after contemporary artists. Cotton abides by his rigid rubrics and stays true to himself, his unique vision, and artistic calling motivated by his unconquerable drive for creation.
Andrew Cotton
One Hundred Percent Artist
As the title indicates, New River Fine Art explores the genuine and authentic story behind the artist, while showing the au courant of his work. Through the artwork, text, and gallery ephemera, we bear witness to the artist’s rise from an unknown street artist to a highly collected Contemporary fine artist.
Something magical happens when he finally acknowledges that undefinable self confident glow that internally manifests itself deep down in the catacombs of his soul, a presence that can arouse his very essence.
Curated contexts provide valuable visual insight into the multi generational lineage of the Cotton family printing company in East London. Clearly it was here, under the apprenticeship of his grandfather, father, and their craftsman, that a young Andrew Cotton experienced first hand all the intricate aspects of the professional printing trade from block and offset to silkscreen and other Intechniques.hismorerecent artwork, Cotton eloquently portrays a highly recognizable and signature aesthetic of contemporary art influenced by these personally cherished childhood memories. As he culled and caressed these recollections over the years, they undoubtedly manifested themselves through his use of wheat paste, paper collage, and large scale printing techniques.
Jay Z purchasing an Andrew Cotton painting of circahimself, 1990’s. Andrew Cotton’s mobile art truck, New York City.
“...AsAn artist,Iam drawntothefreespiritof AmericA.”
produce artwork that successfully blends pop culture, nostalgia, friendships, and kinships a culmination where his authenticity is key for success.
A large black and red painting with the 100% Cotton nomenclature written into the composition itself reveals a more illustrative quality to Cotton’s work. White spray painted outlines define a figure wearing a black and white polka dotted bandana with a backwards baseball cap, elevated and menacing above a growling three eyed horned devil. Surrounded by gestural markings, text, and simple sketches, these two entities are a throwback to a more graffiti inspired time, an examination grounded more in historical reflection for the artist. Here, the artist gives a credible nod to his reinvestigations of a raw aesthetic vs. the photographic mixed media collages that resonate with his reinvention of pop culture consumption. However, both are 100% Cotton, in their own distinct Withoutstyles.
Andrew Cotton shows us that anything is possible by staying true to one’s own personality, values, and spirit; regardless of the pressure from society to conform.
For example, in “Basquiat,” Cotton presents a part anatomically correct portrait of the famous contemporary graffiti artist, juxtaposed with recognizable nomenclatures of Jean Michel’s 1980’s identity the gold crown and African mask. Taken together, we see a bold and beautiful split persona. Cotton creates the identifiable and recognizable facets of his subjects to exist simultaneously with the conceptual painterly identity that he has constructed. He brings forth, through visual clues and references, parts of their individual roles, personalities, and actions a skewed contemporary caricature that emphasizes cultural ranks, not embellished sarcasm.
doubt, the artist delivers a blockbuster exhibition, visually and conceptually using his own urban aesthetic that blends graffiti style texts, throw ups, tags and iconic stock imagery. Melded images of collage with compounded surface textures bring forth an audacious ferocity from an artist confident in all he stands for. In these visual narratives, he provides evidence of the 100% we all strive toward, the 100% full commitment, the 100% authenticity necessary to test our own integrity, the 100% satisfaction derived from a job well done.
Taken together, the portraits, text based works, surf boards and collages combine into an exhibition that is 100% Cotton
Page 12 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art Plates Muhammad Ali (The Greatest) Bitfrank (He that Falls In Love with Himself Will Have No Rivals) Winston Churchill (If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going) Elvis Presley (Young King) Aubrey Hepburn (Chaos Baby) Jay Z (Rise and Grind) Kate Moss (Fake Friends) Princess Diana (A True Princess) Twiggy (Snap) Basquiat (Boom is Real) Basquiat (Inner Samo) Basquiat (Radiant Child III) Basquiat (Radiant Child IV) Frida Kahlo (Broken Column) Frida Kahlo (Do I Need Wings) Keith Haring (Crack is Whack II) Pablo Picasso (Everything You Can Imagine Is Real) Andy Warhol (Tomato Soup) Celebrity PORTRAITS Artists
Brigitte Bardot (When I Love, I Do It Without Counting) Steel Pier Dr. BondNoGirl No. 1 Bond Girl No. 2 TV / Movie Characters James Bond (Tip of the Sphere) Solomons (Mr. Mensch) Superman (There is a Superhero In All of Us) Thomas Shelby (Shelby Company LTD) TEXT Is the Future Human Love Over Fear Free PropertySpeechRights FiguresVintage Figure #187 Figure #1490
Pier,Steel (Detail)2022,
Muhammad ali (TheGreatest) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 18 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Bitfrank with(Hethatfallsinlovehimselfwillhavenorivals) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Winston Churchill (ifyou'regoingthroughhell,keepgoing) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 22 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Elvis (youngPresleyking) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
AuDrey(chaosHepburnbaby) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 26 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Jay Z (riseandgrind) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Kate moss (fake friends) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 30 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Princess Diana (Atrueprincess) 60 x 40 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Twiggy(Snap) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Haring,Keith Whack),is(Crack (Detail)2022,
Page 36 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
(BoomBasquiatisreal) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
(innerBasquiatsamo) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 40 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
(radiantBasquiatchildIII) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
(RadiantBasquiatChildIV) 48 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 44 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Frida (BrokenKahloColumn 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Frida Kahlo (doIneedwings) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 48 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Keith haring (crackiswhackII) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Pablo (EverythingPicassoyoucanimageisreal) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 52 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Andy (tomatoWarholsoup) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
(Beatles),LennonJohn (Detail)2022,
James bond (tipofthesphere) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 58 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
(Mr.SolomonsMensch) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
(thereSupermanisasuperheroinallofus) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 62 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Thomas Shelby (ShelbyCompanyLTD.) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Picasso,Pablo (Detail)2022,Real,IsImagineCanYou(Everything
Page 66 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
futureIsthehuman 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Loveoverfear 48 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 70 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Freespeech 40x 40 in. Mixed Media on Paper 2020
Propertyrights 40 x 40 in. Mixed Media on Paper 2020
Selby,,Thomas LTD.Company(Shelby (Detail)2022,,
Page 76 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Brigitte bardot (When I love, I do it without counting) 60 x 48 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
SteelPier 48 x 60 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 80 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
The sale of this work will benefit Star Sailing, a dedicated to offering who have lost a parent in service to the military participate in
Gold
501c3
children
summer sailing camps.
Dr.no 106 x 76 in. Mixed Media on Boat Sail 2022
Bondgirlno.I 73.5 x 19 x 1.75in. Mixed Media on Surfboard 2022
Page 84 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
BondGirlno.II 73.5 x 19 x 1.75in. Mixed Media on Surfboard 2022
SculptureSplit (Detail)2021,,
Figure#187 72 x 60 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Page 90 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art
Figure#1490 60 x 40 in. Mixed Media on Canvas 2022
Haring,Keith Whack)is(Crack (Detail)2022,,
. PHOTO CREDITS: Andrew Cotton New River Fine Art Shaun Cruz Photography Additional Historical Images Courtesy of the Artist © Andrew Cotton Art, LLC 2022
Located
The gallery infuses its impressive selection of Masterworks with a highly curated collection of contemporary art that is both historically important and current with today’s art market.
Page 94 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art About New River Fine Art
New River Fine Art is South Florida’s premier gallery for 20th Century, Pop, Post War and Contemporary Art. in the heart of historic Las Olas Boulevard for 25 years, the gallery uses its collection and resources to provide educational and cultural experiences for residents and visitors of South Florida.
New River Fine Art’s clients are assisted by an expert staff dedicated to providing the highest level of service to our collectors.
Page 96 | “100% Cotton” Andrew Cotton | New River Fine Art Modern | Post War | Contemporary 822 E. Las Olas Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, FL newriverfineart.com954.524.210033301 COTTON September 15 October 16, 2022
