THE NEWS PRESSED Kate Lewis
Introduction “This all started Spring 2018 when I could not take any more news. I was going about my daily domestic life: walking the dog, doing a food shop, watching the seasons change while bombs are going off and disasters are happening that I have no relation to or control over.” – Kate Lewis
Kate found herself—quite literally— dissecting the news; going back to basics with scissors, newspaper, and glue as a way of processing the state of world affairs. What began as a calming act of low-tech creativity has resulted in a beautifully multilayered and subconscious fusion of nature, current events, design and media. The flower—a fleeting beauty—signifies places and seasons. They are present for all of our major life events: births, deaths, weddings, birthdays. At first glance, you see a beautiful image of a flower, but upon closer examination the story emerges—fragmented pieces of history, staccato words, a familiar font, a sly bit of irony, the symbolism of the bloom. -Sloane Warren 2
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Newspaper collage originals Antirrhinum
Snowberry
Virgin Galactic takes the first tourists into Space. Headline: “Anything is Possible.” Collaged from The Daily Express, 11 August 2023.
Collaged from The New York Times's first full report on 10th October 2023, describing the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas militants, targeting an outdoor rave and the Kibbutz Be’eri, and is in memory to all the lives lost. “Survivors recount the most complex attack on their territory in half a century.” The headline reads: “ Israelis are shaken to the core”.
Clematis Historic Hawaii wildfires fanned by hurricane winds that burned through Lahaina in Maui. Collaged from The Guardian, 11 August 2023.
Originals, collaged from the newspaper framed in walnut with museum glass: £2,200 Unframed: £1,950 Fine art prints: £300 A published set of limited edition archival pigment prints are available that accompany the
Cosmos
original collages.
Historic third indictment of Donald Trump. Headline reads: “The essence of American democracy is at stake. “ Collaged from The New York Times, 5 August 2023.
These are printed on museum quality cotton rag paper, numbered and signed in pencil on the front. 297 x 420mm. Edition of 20.
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Limited edition fine art prints
Wreath for Elizabeth II. “Grief is the price we pay for love.” This quote, from Queen Elizabeth II herself, captures the essence of this wreath commemorating her passing on 8th September at Balmoral Castle and the period of mourning that followed until her funeral on 19th September 2022. An expression of both solemnity and celebration, the wreath serves as a representation of eternal life. Symbolic of the many wreaths that had been placed at memorials of the fallen by the Queen over her platinum reign, this densely flowered bouquet has been meticulously created in honour of the Queen by Kate Lewis, who placed the original at the memorial in Green Park. Even from a distance, we are impressed at a subliminal level: we see ‘love’ and the numbers ‘1926’ and ‘2022’; we can quickly identify the English roses, Scottish thistle, Welsh flax. As we look more carefully, we are taken in by flora displayed in a manner that is both ceremonially and wild—the dahlias, the ivy, the heather—the details diverse and distinct. The linear orderliness of the grasses is suggestive of the queue that stretched miles across London, so 250,000 people could pay their final respect at Westminster Abbey. The black ribbon, the work’s only direct allusion to grief, is symbolic of the hand-tied ribbon on a wedding bouquet—an homage to her 73-year marriage to Prince Philip—while also referencing the ribbons that were tied around the royal hives as the bees were told of the Queen’s death. Some of the many stories that bloom within this wreath: King Charles’s first address to the nation, “We loved you ma’am”. Animals, central to the Queens’s life, played a part in her funeral. Muick and Sandy, two of the Queen’s corgis,
Archival pigment print on cotton rag paper 820mm x 820mm Limited edition of 20 prints Signed and numbered on the front £750 unframed
waited for the hearse at Windsor before the final journey to St Georges Chapel. Emma, The Queen’s fell pony waited in the long procession at Windsor Park. Wreaths and flower are laid, as well as marmalade sandwiches and Paddington Bears. The rainbows, appearing moments after her death was announced, above the crowds united in grief at Buckingham Palace Black cab drivers lined along The Mall. 6
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Limited edition fine art prints
Bramble From The Guardian, November 2nd 2018, telling the story
Allium An Allium for Beirut. Collaged from The Sunday Times August 8th 2020. Headline reads Beirut Howls for Revolution Amid Carnage.
of the migrant caravan of people travelling through South America to the US in daylight.
Broom From the Daily Mail, March 5th 2019, telling the story of the 27 under 19 year olds who have been murdered in the last 12 months by knife crime in the UK.
Anemone In tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Collaged from The Guardian, September 21st 2020, witnessing the vigil for RBG where thousands came to mourn her outside The Supreme Court in Washington.
Blue Bell From The Daily Star, April 29th 2018, telling a story about how the Department for Counter Terrorism held a wedding rehearsal for Prince Harry and Megan Merkel with actors standing in for the couple.
Camelia Le Monde’s tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, 21st February 2019.
Cherry Blossom in Bloom From The Guardian and The Financial Times dated April 23rd 2018, telling the news of Prince Louis’ birth, the murder of nine pedestrians in a terrorist attack in Toronto, the Iran nuclear deal and the Windrush scandal.
Cherry Blossom in Bud Bougainvillea From The L.A Times, December 20th 2018, telling the story of Trump’s pair of tweets about the withdrawal of US from Afghanistan and intentions to build a border wall. 8
From The Sunday Telegraph, April 15th 2018, when the UK, US and France launched over 100 missiles against what they say were chemical weapons facilities in Syria, in response to a chemical weapons attack in a Damascus suburb a week before. 9
Limited edition fine art prints
Chrysanthemum
Fern
From The Times, October 24th 2018 telling the story of the assassination of Saudi dissident and journalist for The Washington Post Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
From The Financial Times, December 8th 2018 telling the story of Paris in lockdown for another weekend of protests from the Gilets Jaunes against President Macron and his policies.
Dahlia Collaged from The Sunday Express newspaper’s story October 13th 2021 of William Shatner blasting into space for a ten minute flight aboard Jeff Besos’ Blue Origin Spacecraft. The oldest man to go into space, boldly going where no other sci-fi actors have gone before.
Dandelion From The Sun’s stories for the day, April 26th 2018 including a headline that reads: “Michael Caine shouldn’t get any stick for walking with a cane”.
Delphinium The story of the rescue of a protester by Patrick Hutchinson and his four friends. One of the defining moments of The Black Lives Matter protests. Collaged from The Guardian, June 16th 2020.
Dock Leaf From Le Journal du Dimanche, November 25th 2018, telling the story of Gilets Jaunes protests in Paris and Montpellier where Gilets Jaunes made a guard of honour for women marching on the same day to protest violence against them. 10
Foxtail Lily Recordbreaking searing heat and wild fires in Greece and Albania. Collaged from the Financial Times and The Guardian, 26 July 2023, with the headline: “This is climate change.. there is no magic defence.”
Greenbell From The Guardian, June 22nd 2018, telling one man’s Windrush story, Alford Gardner.
Hellebore From The Times, March 15th 2019, telling the story of the Christchurch mosque shootings. Two consecutive terrorist attacks at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand during Friday prayers.
Horsetail India’s historic landing on the Moon’s uncharted South Pole. “Success belongs to all humanity. This a victory cry of a new India”. Narendra Modi. Collaged from The Telegraph, 24 August 2023.
Hydrangea From The Guardian, June 24th 2018, telling the story of 100,000 people taking to the streets of London to protest Brexit. 11
Limited edition fine art prints
llex
Snowdrop
From The Sun, December 14th 2018, telling the story of an
From The Guardian, February 15th 2019 , telling the story of school children making history protesting climate change in Parliament Square.
African Grey parrot who has fallen in love with Amazon’s Alexa. He chats away to her all day, ordering amongst other things strawberries and watermelon and asking her to play his favourite band – Kings of Leon.
Iris From Le Monde, July 15th 2018, telling the story of France winning the World Cup.
Olive “Shalom” The moment when 85-year-old Israeli hostage Yocheved Lifshitz shook hands with one of her Hamas captives and said the Hebrew word for peace as she is released. Collaged from The Guardian, 24 Oct 2023
Peony From The Telegraph’s notices page, May 15th 2018 featuring the day’s obituaries, birthdays and palace events.
Protea Tributes and memories of Sinéad O’Conner, collaged from The Guardian, 28 July 2023: “She had guts, she had grit”
Rose In remembrance for George Floyd, collaged from The Guardian May 30th 2020, and The Financial Times, June 3rd 2020. 12
Snowberry Collaged from The New York Times's first full report on 10th October 2023, describing the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas militants, targeting an outdoor rave and the Kibbutz Be’eri, and is in memory to all the lives lost. “Survivors recount the most complex attack on their territory in half a century.” The headline reads: “ Israelis are shaken to the core”.
Stinging Nettle From The Telegraph, December 13th 2018 reporting on Brexit with the headline: ‘‘A vote to remain but when will she leave?”.
Sweet Pea Telling The Telegraph’s story May 15th 2018, of the US embassy move to Jerusalem.
Sweet William From The Telegraph, May 21st, 2018 telling Judith Wood’s story of the Royal Wedding. 13
Winter ’22. Flowers of Resistance (Detail)
Archival pigment print on cotton rag paper 820mm x 820mm Limited edition of 20 prints Signed and numbered on the front £750 unframed 14
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