WORDS OF LOVE 23 FEBRUARY - 17 MARCH 2017
Monday – Friday 10 am – 6 pm and by appointment
PORTLAND GALLE RY 3 BENNET STREET
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LONDON SW1A 1RP
T E L E P H O N E 020 7493 1888
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EMAIL art@portlandgallery.com
www.portlandgallery.com Back Cover: Let It Be Acrylic and pencil on canvas
34 x 36 ins
Cat. no.12
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Page 44:
I Love You Acrylic and pencil on canvas
16 x 16 ins
Cat. no.40
DAVID SPILLER – AN INTERVIEW
Why do you use text and song lyrics in your work? Music has always been a big part of my life. I grew up during a time of massive changes in music, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pop, Punk… My mother was always singing and I could see the way music would stir up emotions. She would sing; ‘Oh, oh Antonio’ to my brother Tony and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. Perhaps she was remembering a certain time or place. I’ve recently used those lyrics on a couple of paintings. Perhaps it’s to remember my mum and my brother. Music links us to our past, to events and experiences that have happened. Music and lyrics touch us. Using them becomes maybe a way of trying to make sense of things by remembering souls or fragments of things in my life. The words are never abstract. There is always a reason for doing them, a connection with a person I am thinking about. What first gave you the idea of using text? When I first went to art college I studied typography at Sidcup. I’m interested in the way text has shaped our world and once did a big painting with the letter ‘A’ on it. It was the 550th anniversary of Guttenberg printing press and I wondered what or where we would be in this world with out print and text? The use of text was actually a response to a painting I was doing. I was trying to paint a head or figure (in oils) I kept scraping it off… again and again… and in frustration and exasperation I wrote ‘fuck off’ to the character that I could not make come to life. Writing on the works seemed a natural thing to do. Then in the 80s I lived in New York and I guess the immersion into a word of graffiti was impossible to ignore. The subway trains, the sidewalks, the walls and even at the very top of the Empire State Building. Covered like a cave in words of love, hearts and names, scratched and scribbled in biro. Maybe like the cavemen, all we are doing is leaving our fingerprints, leaving our mark. What is the inspiration for the work which you have made for this show? It’s probably more about continuing to find new ways to express myself. It’s about getting older, I felt there were some things I really wanted to say before I no longer could. To play the songs I love; Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Sid Vicious and telling my story, saying the things that need to be said. At this time of life, you’re thinking all the way back through, trying to make sense of it all. Aren’t we all touched by these emotions? Most people would possibly describe you as a Pop artist, but that’s not necessarily true. How do you define yourself? Like Van Gogh said; ‘We are just another link in the chain…’ I accumulate from art history, sampling from the likes of Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Warhol. I accumulate ideas and thoughts and images, from Disney, to advertisements, to literature and piece them together, making things my own and sharing the things I love. Tells us about the cartoon characters in your works; why are they there? When I was a kid my older brother had a little hand held projector with bits of cartoon films of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Felix the Cat and Popeye. They were magic.
Cartoons are my family and friends, I grew up with them and they’re part of a universal language. Recently there was kid on the TV news, in Africa wearing a faded worn out t-shirt with Mickey on, everybody knows Mickey. I wanted to say how important these characters are to me, to make them ‘real’ and to show their importance by painting their portraits. Most of your works comprise sections of immaculately sewn together pieces of canvas. Why do you continue to use this element in your works and who introduced you to sewing? At first sewing it was just a solution to a problem as I had a painting that needed more on the side to make it ‘balance’. But it made so many things more possible for me as I could use and re-use pieces of canvas, arrange and re-arrange, turn them around and keep trying different options of assembly. I liked some of the randomness of choice and of not knowing exactly what it was going to look like when I had it all sewn together and ironed out. It means I can re-introduce old fragments of canvas and make links back to earlier paintings, so I feel I am making a construction, breaking things down into pieces, building a wall. There’s a lot of emotional content in the work; why? There are certain themes where we all touch base together. I’m voicing what happened to me and what happened to you. My hope is that these paintings bring you memories and that they might stir something inside you. It’s like I’m leaving a note, a prayer, a poem in the Western Wall in Jerusalem. I think it is desperation a lot of the time in my work,what the hell do you do? You work like a child with a tower of bricks, building this thing, and there comes a point when you want to push it over. I make the wall and then scribble on it because I really want to make paintings that put some magic on the wall. Some of them are straightforward things. Some are wild things but underneath it’s really important to say…I love you still…I miss you… There are many characters, lyrics and phrases which have reappeared in your works throughout the decades. ‘Love’ is more prominent than ever in this new body of work; why is that? At this point in my life I feel I’m trying to get the important message down, cut to the chase. It’s about four alphabet letters… LOVE. That means so much, expressed in songs, in poems and in art. On Dean Martin's gravestone is written: ‘Everybody loves somebody sometime’. So there is a little bit of me that thinks, maybe these are my tombstones. I do sometimes think, this may be the last thing you do, so don't waste your time. Say the things you mean to say and do it. Don't be afraid. That is my challenge. Maybe it is a bit like Sid Vicious singing: ‘My Way.’ But I do really believe … ‘Love… Is all there is’…
OPPOSITE
All My Love - Golden Years Acrylic and pencil on canvas 49 x 49 ins Catalogue no.5
8
OPPOSITE
All My Loving Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 30 ins Catalogue no.20
One Day With You Acrylic and pencil on canvas 23 x 26 ins Catalogue no.29
9
I’m Glad I Spent It With You Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 36 ins Catalogue no.14
10
A Beautiful Day Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 30 ins Catalogue no.21
11
Hold Me - Play A Song For Me Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 36 ins Catalogue no.15
12
My Way Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 36 ins Catalogue no.13
13
All You Need Is Love Acrylic and pencil on canvas 49 x 46 ins Catalogue no.6
14
We’re After the Same Rainbow’s End Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 34 ins Catalogue no.18
16
To Make You Feel My Love Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 34 ins Catalogue no.19
17
Crazy Days
I Could Hold You
Acrylic and pencil on canvas 16 x 16
Acrylic and pencil on canvas 16 x 16 ins
Catalogue no.37
Catalogue no.38
18
Play A Song For Me
Love Is All There Is
Acrylic and pencil on canvas 16 x 16
Acrylic and pencil on canvas 16 x 16 ins
Catalogue no.41
Catalogue no.42
19
Let It Be – All Our Dreams Acrylic and pencil on canvas 32 x 44 ins Catalogue no.11
20
One Love – Sweet Dreams Acrylic and pencil on canvas 32 x 44 Catalogue no.10
21
22
You and Me Acrylic and pencil on canvas 30 x 26 Catalogue no.25
Be Brave Acrylic and pencil on canvas 59 x 59 Catalogue no.1
Come and See Me Acrylic and pencil on canvas 30 x 26 ins Catalogue no.26
23
Take a Walk on the Wild Side Neon 32 x 30 ins Catalogue no.47
24
Love You All the World Neon 32 x 27 ins Catalogue no.48
25
26
True Love Acrylic and pencil on canvas 23 x 26 ins Catalogue no.28
Dance Me Acrylic and pencil on canvas 49 x 49 ins Catalogue no.4
Stay with Me Acrylic and pencil on canvas 23 x 26 ins Catalogue no.30
27
Lay Lady Lay Acrylic and pencil on canvas 46 x 32 ins Catalogue no.7
28
Born to Run Acrylic and pencil on canvas 46 x 32 ins Catalogue no.8
29
Ain’t Love the Sweetest Thing Acrylic and pencil on canvas 24 x 24 Catalogue no.31
Sweet Love Acrylic and pencil on canvas 26 x 30 ins Catalogue no.22
30
Perfect Day Acrylic and pencil on canvas 49 x 49 ins Catalogue no.2
31
I’m Loving Angels Instead Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 34 ins Catalogue no.16
32
It’s a Kind of Magic Acrylic and pencil on canvas 34 x 34 ins Catalogue no.17
33
For Your Love Acrylic and pencil on canvas 46 x 32 ins Catalogue no.9
34
35
Run Away With Me Acrylic and pencil on canvas 30 x 26 Catalogue no.23
36
The Power of Love Acrylic and pencil on canvas 49 x 49 ins Catalogue no.3
37
Forever Young
Always in My Heart
Acrylic and pencil on canvas 16 x 16
Acrylic and pencil on canvas 16 x 16 ins
Catalogue no.39
Catalogue no.36
38
I Love You Acrylic and pencil on paper 19 x 14 ins Catalogue no.45
39
A Picture of You Acrylic and pencil on paper 26 x 19 ins Catalogue no.46
40
Skateboarder Acrylic and pencil on paper 26 x 21 ins Catalogue no.44
41
For Love For You Hand painted screenprint 30 x 25 ins Catalogue no.43
42
CATALOGUE 1
Be Brave
2011
59 x 59
25
You and Me
2016
30 x 26
2
A Perfect Day
2016
49 x 49
26
Come and See Me
2016
30 x 26
3
The Power of Love
2016
49 x 49
27
I'll Wait For You
2016
23 x 26
4
Dance Me
2015
49 x 49
28
True Love
2016
23 x 26
5
All My Love - Golden Years
2016
49 x 49
29
One Day With You
2016
23 x 26
6
All You Need Is Love
2016
49 x 46
30
Stay With Me
2016
23 x 26
7
Lay Lady Lay
2015
46 x 32
31
Ain't Love the Sweetest Thing
2016
24 x 24
8
Born to Run
2015
46 x 32
32
Make Your Dreams Come True
2016
24 x 24
9
For Your Love
2015
46 x 32
33
Till Forever Runs Out
2016
24 x 24
10
One Love - Sweet Dreams
2015
32 x 44
34
For One of Your Smiles
2016
22 x 20
11
Let It Be - All Our Dreams
2015
32 x 44
35
Story of My Life
2016
16 x 16
12
Let It Be
2016
34 x 36
36
Always in my Heart
2016
16 x 16
13
My Way
2016
34 x 36
37
Crazy Days
2016
16 x 16
14
I'm Glad I Spent It With You
2016
34 x 36
38
I Could Hold You…
2016
16 x 16
15
Hold Me - Play a Song For Me
2016
34 x 36
39
Forever Young
2016
16 x 16
16
I'm Loving Angels Instead
2015
34 x 34
40
I Love You
2016
16 x 16
17
It's a Kind of Magic
2015
34 x 34
41
Play a Song For Me
2016
16 x 16
18
We're Searching after the same Rainbow's End
2009
34 x 34
42
Love Is All There Is
2016
16 x 16
19
To Make You Feel My Love
2009
34 x 34
43
For Love For You
2016
30 x 25
20
All My Loving
2016
34 x 30
44
Skateboarder
1992
26 x 21
21
A Beautiful Day
2016
34 x 30
45
I Love You
1987
19 x 14
22
Sweet Love
2015
26 x 30
46
A Picture of You
1991
26 x 19
23
Run Away With Me
2016
30 x 26
47
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
2015
32 x 30
24
If Not For You
2015
30 x 26
48
Love You All The World
2015
32 x 27
E&OE The catalogue features a selection of the works that are to be included in the exhibition. All works are acrylic & pencil on canvas, except catalogue no.43 (hand painted screenprint), 44-45-46 (acrylic & pencil on paper) and 47-48 (neon). Images of all the works to be featured may be viewed on our website: www.portlandgallery.com Works are for sale prior to the opening of the exhibition; please refer to the enclosed price list.
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BIOGRAPHY 1942
Born in Dartford Kent
1957
Sidcup School of Art
1997
(Catalogue)
1958-62 Beckenham School of Art Kent 1962-65 Slade School of Art London
Gallery Cotthem Barcelona Spain (solo show) Gallery Ribbentrop Munich Germany
1998
Take 3 Beaux Arts London
1980s
Lived and worked in Berlin and New York
Rokoko Gallery Stuttgart Germany (works on paper)
1987
Zeitkunst Gallery Innsbruk & Cologne (solo show)
Gallery Cotthem Knokke Belgium (solo show)
(Catalogue)
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay by
Eugene Lendel Gallery Gras Austria (solo show)
Edward Lucie-Smith)
Woord & Reeld Museum Hedendaagse Kunst Utrecht Holland
1988
1999
Cartoons and Comics Virgin Atlantic
Woord & Reeld Stadtmuseum Ratingen Germany
Artists of fame & Promise Beaux Arts London
Materialisation Mannheim Kunstverein Germany
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Twinings Gallery New York (solo show)
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay by Linda
Kana Contemporary Arts Gallery Berlin (solo show)
Saunders)
Zeitkunst Gallery Innsbruck & Cologne (solo show)
2000
Gallery Moderne Denmark (solo show) (catalogue essay
(Catalogue)
by Edward Lucie-Smith)
1989
Twinings Gallery New York (solo show)
Simmer Beaux Arts London
1990
Alexander Roussos Gallery London (solo show)
Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke & Latem Belgium
Twinings Gallery New York (solo show) (Catalogue)
Guy Pieters Gallery St Paul de Vence France
Ariadne Gallery Vienna (solo show)
Gallery Camino Real Boca Raton Florida USA (solo show)
Ariadne Gallery Vienna (solo show)
Gallery Klaus Peter Goebel Stuttgart Germany
Willy Schoots Gallery Eindhoven Holland (solo show)
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay by Ben
1991 1992
Reflex Gallery Amsterdam Holland Pop & Artvertising Museum Van Bommel Venlo Holland
1993
1994 1995 1996
Tufnell) 2001
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Gallery Naviglio Milan & Venice Italy (solo show)
Summer Show Beaux Arts London
Gallery Naviglio Milan & Venice Italy
Gallery Wild Frankfurt Germany (solo show)
Gallery Rokoko Stuttgart Germany (solo show)
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay by
Gallery Ferdinand Maier Cologne Germany (solo show)
Marco Livingstone)
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark (solo show)
2002
Gallery Camino Real Boca Raton Florida USA (solo show)
Gallery Cotthem Knokke Belgium (solo show)
Museum Espace Belleville Paris (L’humour dans l’art
Galley Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Contemporian)
Gallery Cotthem Knokke Belgium (solo show)
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Museum Van Bommel - Van Dam Venlo Holland
Summer Show Beaux Arts London
Gallery Cotthem Knokke Belgium (solo show)
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay by Martin Gayford)
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2003
Royal West of England Academy (David Inshaw - Friends
2009
(Book essay Martin Gayford)
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke (exhibition with Robert Combas)
Wild Gallery Frankfurt Germany (solo show)
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay Edward Lucie Smith)
Summer Show Beaux Arts London Ernst Hilger Vienna Austria 2004
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay by
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay
Edward Lucie-Smith)
Charles Darwent)
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Tournesols Gallery Vichy France (solo show) 2011
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark (solo show)
Guy Pieters Gallery St Paul de Vence France (solo show)
(Catalogue essay Charles Darwent)
(Catalogue essay by Edward Lucie-Smith)
Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke Belgium (solo show)
Wild Gallery Frankfurt Germany (solo show)
Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke Belgium (mixed show Jim
Love for Sale Bankside Gallery London (Curated by
Dine, Indianna, Warhol, Mel Ramos) 2012
Beaux Arts Gallery London (solo show) (Catalogue essay
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Sam Cornish)
Beaux Arts London (solo show) (catalogue essay by Sue
Fisherplatz Gallery Ulm Germany (solo show)
Hubbard)
2013
Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke Belgium (mixed show
Midwest Kunst Herning Museum Denmark
Christo, Delvoye, Jan Fabre, Quinze)
Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark
Portland Gallery London (solo show) (Catalogue essay
Apart Media Amsterdam (solo show)
Karen Wright)
Summer show Beaux Arts London
2014
essay Emma Lilley)
2007 Mannheim Kunstverein Germany (solo show) (Catalogue essay Martin Stather)
2015 2016
Bege/Fischerplatz Gallery Ulm (solo show) Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke Belgium (mixed show)
essay by Edward Lucie-Smith) Gallery Moderne Silkeborg Denmark (solo show)
Portland Gallery London (solo show) Long-Sharp Gallery Indianapolis (2 man show)
Gallery Wild Frankfurt (solo show) Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke Belgium (solo show) (Book
At the Gallery Antwerp Belgium (solo show) Guy Pieters Knokke Belgium (solo show) (Catalogue
Artcurial Paris (mixed show) (Mickey dans tous ses etats)
2008
Espace Villegle St Gratien Paris (solo show) (Catalogue essay Edward Lucie-Smith)
Edward Lucie-Smith)
2006
2010
Guy Pieters Gallery Knokke Belgium (solo show) (Catalogue)
Raab Gallery Berlin Germany (solo show)
2005
Guy Pieters Gallery St. Paul de Vence France (solo show)
and Influences)
2017
Portland Gallery London (solo show)
(Catalogue essay Simon Grant) Tournesols Gallery Lyon France (solo show) Gallery Willy Schoots Eindhoven Holland with Rik Van Irsel) Gallery Wild Frankfurt Germany Interatrium Gallery Porto Portugal (solo show) Beaux Arts London (solo show) (Catalogue essay Martin Gayford)
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PORTLAND GALLE RY