Mr Jago – ʻPiltdown Tacticsʼ 18:10:13 – 16:11:13

Art-el Gallery has had the honour of working closely with Bristol based artist, Mr Jago for a number of years.  His art is unique and collected and recognized all around the world and it is great to see that one of the UK’s most prominent gallerists has realised the potential within the artist and his work.

The Outsiders Gallery, part of the Lazarides group will be hosting ‘Piltdown Tactics’ an exhibition of new works by Mr Jago, please see below for the official press release.

EXHIBITION PRESS RELEASE – The Outsiders Newcastle

Mr Jago – ʻPiltdown Tacticsʼ

18th October – 16th November 2013

Private View – 6-9pm – Thursday 17th October 2013

Gallery open Tuesday to Saturday 12 – 6pm, admission free.

The Outsiders Newcastle is honoured to welcome UK urban art star Duncan Jago for his first solo exhibition with the Lazarides group of galleries, Piltdown Tactics. The show features Jagoʼs trademark large format canvases in acrylic and spray paint, the largest measuring six feet high by ten feet wide, and a number of works on paper.

Mr Jago, to address him by his street handle, has honed his own form of graffiti-influenced abstract expressionist art over the past decade and a half. His lavish canvases, seemingly effortless synchronisations of a loose painting style and coherent composition, are things of beauty that can be marvelled at on a purely aesthetic level.

“In terms of form, I absorb everything I admire,” explains the artist, “from Japanese woodcut prints, to early Manga comics, and concept artwork for science fiction movies. I was ten years old when graffiti began coming over from the States, growing up in rural Suffolk, so I donʼt want to claim that it all comes from that.”

However, behind the opulent strokes and deftly assembled colour palettes a voracious mind and an avid imagination work in tandem to portray a complex vision. Like the finest instrumental electronic music, the canvases and their dramatic titles slam human perception into overdrive – bridging the gulf of comprehension between the average Western metropolitan experience and the all-too- threatening issues we as a generation are only just beginning to confront.

“Violence is perhaps the most regular theme in my work,” says Jago, “not just physical violence alone, but that which seems to thread through modern society.” To the viewer, the hulking futuristic forms looming out of Jagoʼs compositions could represent rampant emotional aggression, the overlooked cruelties of a hypocritical social democracy, or indeed the enforced scarcity that provides the ichorous fuel to keep our modern world turning. “My paintings are imagined futures,” continues Jago, “I suppose Iʼm processing a fear of the days to come. Itʼs difficult to be optimistic when wars of resources are still going on. Moreover, I canʼt see any way out either.”

The heralds of Jagoʼs brutal new age are cybernetic kraken, champions of entropy and ushers of catastrophe. Their forms are often visible in the artistʼs portrait-format character studies, to anyone with an over-active imagination or a doyenne of dystopian science fiction. His Human Fossils series is inspired by the thought of epic conflict between these brutes, each on its own side as a metaphor for individualismʼs unseemly scramble, where sharp elbows become plasma cannons and a thick skin is represented by an ablative exoskeleton. There truly are no friends in this game, and for what? “All that crap weʼve harvested, will we be buried with it like the tribal chiefs of old were buried with their treasures?” says the artist, “archaeologists in eons to come would find it very confusing.” In this way Jagoʼs ambitious works depict the Piltdown Tactics of the exhibitionʼs name, as we all scrap in this florid muck for the sake of a legacy like that of the hoaxed millennia-old human remains unearthed in Piltdown, southern England.

What delineates Jago though is his use of aesthetic beauty, however transcendent, to represent this sobering vision. This may be a shocking melodrama, but it grips the imagination with the ingenuity of the master storyteller, the wit of the court jester, and the bombast of the prodigal composer.

Notes to Editors About The Artist

Duncan Jago studied art in Bristol and became a staple of the cityʼs Scrawl Collective. In recent years he has exhibited at Parisʼ Galerie Le Feuvre, New Yorkʼs Opera Gallery and the Thinkspace gallery in Los Angeles. He is considered both a pioneer and an exemplary ambassador of the abstract graffiti movement. His immensely popular murals can be seen at the See No Evil event in his native Bristol and the Pow Wow mural festival in Hawaii. He was born in 1972.

The Outsiders Galleries, Newcastle and London

The Outsiders galleries sell affordable original works of art and limited edition prints from the Lazarides stable of artists. Emerging talents are also showcased alongside experimental and boutique projects from established names. The exhibition schedule focuses on work produced by artists who thrive “outside” of the orthodox gallery system. The Outsiders project was launched in 2008, with a group show in New York that attracted more visitors than a corresponding Gilbert and George retrospective at MOMA NY.

The two spaces in London and Newcastle upon Tyne occupy the sites of Lazaridesʼ original galleries. Having hosted some of the earliest gallery showcases by the likes of Banksy and Jonathan Yeo, and the first European exhibitions by American artists including David Choe, they boast a proud heritage on the contemporary urban art circuit. Artists exhibiting recently include Antony Micallef, Conor Harrington and Invader.

The book Outsiders is out now published by Thames & Hudson and the organisation is featured in Oscar-nominated documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. A dedicated print studio, Execution Dock in east London creates all the galleryʼs editioned works. Incorporating the thriving online art store http://www.theoutsiders.net, The Outsiders welcomes over ten thousand visitors annually.

www.theoutsiders.net

Lazarides

Lazarides is one of the worldʼs most influential galleries, with three permanent spaces and extensive high profile off-site activity. The group is dedicated to emerging international artists who defy categorisation, often existing outside of conventional artistic career structures. This vision has resonated with the general public and major collectors alike.

Founded in 2006 by Steve Lazarides, the gallery represents some of the most exciting and innovative artists working today including Antony Micallef, David Choe, JR, Vhils, Faile, Jonathan Yeo, Charlie Isoe, Conor Harrington, Ian Francis, Stanley Donwood, 3D, Invader, Zevs, Mode 2, Todd James /Reas, Blu, Paul Insect and BÄST.

www.lazinc.com

The Outsiders | 77 Quayside | Newcastle upon Tyne | NE1 3DE | UK | + 44 (0) 191 2212560 | http://www.theoutsiders.net

For media enquiries and high resolution imagery please contact Julia Huff at Purple PR: julia@purplepr.com +44 (0)207 434 7061 or Charlotte Sluter: charlotte@purplepr.com +44 (0)207 434 7069. For gallery and sales enquiries please contact stevie@lazinc.com +44 (0)191 221 2560.

Georgina Anton – Matchboxes

Further to the launch of new artist Georgina Anton onto the Art-el Web-site we have also just made available on-line a new series of hand-painted matchboxes.

Unique and original and priced at only £15.00 (plus p&p) each these make brilliant gifts.  Each is signed on the end IMaGINAtion.

 

 

 

 

 

In other news Art-el Gallery is hosting Georgina’s first solo exhibition at Co-Lab which opens on the 13th Spetember – more to come very soon.

New prints by EKO

EKO’s solo show Brother Dolomite is now open and in full swing at Art-el Gallery but is only open until the 7th June so if you haven’t been to check it out already, hurry down, the clock is ticking.

Co-LAB
2-4 Fairfax Street
Bristol
BS1 3DB

The show prints are now available to purchase from the Art-el on-line gallery.  Priced at £45.00 they A3 in size and in a limited edition of 30, signed and numbered by the artist.

More work from the show will be released shortly, so please watch this space.

Co-LAB – officially open

Wow what a great day it was yesterday.

The one thing that we didn’t think would be working in time was the wonderful coffee machine, so when on Saturday morning the Co-LAB shop slowly filled with the aroma of ground coffee beans everybody breathed a sigh of relief and smiles filled faces.

The shop was busy all day and filled with great tunes as the DJ line up took turns at the decks.

A huge thanks to everybody who mucked in to make this happen (and happen on schedule), to all those that made the effort to put your head through the doors yesterday (and hopefully in the days, weeks, and months to come), to the artists who made those extra special touches, to the DJ’s for banging out da tunes, to all those who helped get Co-LAB out there re-blogging, sharing and re-tweeting and of course to Ujima Radio’s Mistri, although if you weren’t listening I can’t tell you why! (98FM)

Co-LAB is now open everyday at 2-4 Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3DB – Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm and Sundays 11am – 5pm.

http://www.facebook.com/BristolCoLAB

Come and see what it’s all about.

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Co-LAB opens 16th March 2013 – 2 days to go!

The shop is really coming together now.

The amazing coffee machine has arrived, Max Gregor has been busy adorning the walls with some beautiful spray art and the first pieces of art work have been hang on the Art-el wall.

A great DJ set is currently being put together for the opening on Saturday, which includes Dee Jay Dino, Bash Money, Luminous Mary and John Nation.

Join us 11am to 11pm, we’re sooo excited and can’t wait to welcome you all.

Art for Africa, London 2012

This week Dreweatts hold their annual Urban & Contemporary Art Auction, they have also added a charity collection for Temwa to their catalogue.

The collection is currently on view at Dreweatts, 24 Maddox Street, London, W1S 1PP. There will be a launch party on Monday 10^th December, 6pm-8pm, if you are in London you will be very welcome to come to the event which is sponsored by Staropramen & Averys Wine Merchants.

If you are interested in any of the art work, yet unable to attend the actual auction which will be held on Tuesday 11^th December at 4pm, we can arrange phone bidding, online bidding or reserve bids.

 

 

 

This year’s ‘Art for Africa’ for Temwa collection is one of their strongest yet, boasting exceptional pieces from artists, including Mr Jago, andy Council, Jim Starr, Dicy, K-Guy and Adam Koukoudakis.

Each piece has been uniquely created and donated to the event which means that all the money raised goes directly to Temwa.

Temwa has strong links with the urban art scene and as been supported by a wealth of talented artist’s since the charity’s conception in 2003, with the Art for Africa auctions being held annually in Bristol and London.  Temwa’s project’s in Malawi have expanded and are now helping to dramatically change the lives of thousands of people.

A full catalogue of the work for sale can be downloaded, please click here.

For further information please contact jo@temwa.org.uk or phone 07855 967 864.

Win a limited edition print!

And if you can’t make it to the auction in London, you can still get involved by purchasing a raffle ticket online (just go the website, and scroll down to the raffle link). Tickets cost just £5, and you will be in with the chance of winning one of these fabulous prizes…

First Prize: A Will Barras limited edition dry point etching: ‘Storm’. Artist proof. 5 of 10.
Second Prize: A Rowdy print: ‘Neon Nightlife’. Digital screen print. 50cm x 70cm.
Third Prize: A limited edition Paris design Temwa t-shirt. Created by Paris especially for Temwa.

The raffle will be drawn at the launch party, and online tickets must be bought before 4.00pm, Monday 10 December. 100% proceeds are going to support Temwa’s projects in Malawi.

 

 

Acerone (Luke Palmer) solo show – Where Is Iron John?

Art-el Gallery is delighted to announce the first solo London exhibition from one of Bristol’s most exciting young visual artists to have emerged from the street art scene, Acerone (Luke Palmer).

Entitled ‘Where is Iron John?‘, Palmer’s new body of work depicts images from his exploration of masculinity and the transition into manhood, inspired, informed and twisted from the iconic Grimm Brothers ‘Der Eisenhans’ fairy tale and it’s unique review through folklore and mythology by Robert Bly.

From innovative photo-shoots Palmer reveals some of London’s most classical statues and sculptures that evoke personal representations of the fragility, serenity and the complexity of modern masculinity and its links to the male of yesteryear.  Blended with images depicting the pace and expectation of inner-city modernity, double exposure images are replayed in paint and print creating works that are anchored in history whilst emphasising the pressure on the modern male.

“Art-el Gallery is proud to represent Luke’s work in his principal London exhibition. His shows in Bristol have attracted a diverse range of admirers and collectors and we are delighted to have the pleasure to bring this work to the capital”. 

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

The Scottish writer and activist Alistair McIntosh once told me ‘It’s tough to be a young man in this world’ and he was right.

Images of adult manhood given to us by popular culture and mass media appear worn out. The right man, the tough man, the true man, all of which have been force fed to us since birth and are neither accurate nor relevant to the real life of a modern male.

When I recently became a father, my preconceptions of what it meant to be a man were flipped upside down. I found that the irreversible transition between boyhood and manhood had begun and with guidance from a long forgotten fairy tale, my most recent work explores key moments from what is perhaps the most challenging and turbulent time in any man’s life.

The collection of work comprises paintings that juxtapose imagery of London streets and statues of immortalised heroes, double exposure photography and installations that use images of light and death as an allegory for change.  ‘Where is Iron John?’ is a visual representation of a young man dissecting masculinity whilst negotiating the complexities of modern life in the inner city.

BIOGRAPHY

Acerone’s (Luke Palmer) paintings have been exhibited in a number of group and solo shows in his hometown of Bristol, as well as on streets and abandoned buildings in the UK and beyond since the mid 90’s. His recent gallery works are an accumulation of 17 years’ operating as a graffiti artist with the internationally recognised TCF Crew, whilst working as a freelance photographer and lecturer at the City of Bristol College. Blending together experimental photographic techniques, bursts of light and paint, Palmer’s innovative paintings capture the energy and vibrancy of his street based murals directly onto canvas.

Palmer’s mural work can be seen adorning walls in and around the streets of Bristol as well as in many esteemed public institutions and private collections such as the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery, the Tobacco Factory Theatre and the new M-Shed Museum in the regenerated docks area of Bristol.

He has exhibited in two solo shows; ‘Call to Adventure’ at the Colston Hall, Bristol (2010) and ‘Photographiti’ at Friend & Co Gallery (2009) as well as numerous group shows including ‘See no Evil’ the ‘Weapon of Choice’ pop-up gallery (2011), ‘Crimes of Passion’ at the Royal West of England Academy (2009), and he also co-curated ‘Distance Travelled’ & ‘Triple Drop’ at the Centrespace Gallery in 2010 and 2009 respectively.

In 2009 Palmer was the recipient of the first prize award in the ‘Bristol: A Second Look’ photography competition for his unique take on portraying the atmosphere of the city in a single image.

Palmer’s 2011 joint commission with illustrator Andy Council, for the City of Bristol’s flagship ‘People’s Museum’ M-Shed, was critically acclaimed by James Lachno in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, who commented:

‘If a centerpiece exists then it is ‘Window on Bristol’, a huge graffiti-esque picture of Bristol’s buildings as a looming, luminous dinosaur arching over the M-Shed itself, by artists Andy Council and Luke Palmer.’

With thanks to Bristol Beer Factory who will be providing the opening night refreshments.

EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH AN E & BRISTOL BIENNIAL

EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH AN E

Art-el Gallery is delighted to announce‘Everything Begins With An E’, a new body of work from the Graffiti writer and illustrator Erms.  UK born but now based in Paris, he continues to be active in the Parisian graffiti scene.

Taking diverse influence from classical New York and European graffiti, renaissance art through to pop art, traditional graphic design and illustration, the 80s Hip Hop movement and beyond. Erms takes us on a unique aesthetic exploration of the alphabet, of complex patterns, grids and graphic style.

The title for the show is inspired by the famous rave track of the same name. It also plays with the first letter of the artists moniker as well as having intrinsic links to the rave scene.

Last Night on Earth

The theme highlights the dangers of both of these pursuits that become all consuming, and when taken to the extreme, the darker elements begin to appear…

BRISTOL BIENNIAL @ THE COLLEGE PROJECT

Happening alongside this, in conjunction with The College Project will be the opening off the Bristol Biennial with an explosive multi-media event showcasing an array of visual art by the college creative’s, including an art and sculpture trial, live music and refreshments throughout the evening.   You will be blown away by the transformation of the old City of Bristol College, now a thriving artistic community in the midst of beautiful gardens.

See below for what we have in store for you.

The theme for this year’s Bristol Biennial is Storytelling, inviting participants to interpret the theme through visual arts, film and theatre. Storytelling exists in all facets of life: we tell stories and anecdotes to engage others and break down isolating barriers between individuals or groups. Storytelling can enrich our lives, it can be cathartic, it can impart wisdom or illustrate values and customs.

Photographer Matthew Smith (Mattko) has been invited to showcase his vast body of work.Mattko has spent the last 20 years documenting social movements in the UK.

Read an interview with Mattko and a review of his last exhibition in Crack Magazine.



Alongside the exhibitions, there will be an outdoor art and sculpture trail from the College Project artist studio and workshop residents.

Keep an eye out for the Immersive video, sound & sculptural installation By workshop resident Kathy Hinde & Matthew Fairclough called ‘A Thousand Birds’. This work has been partly created by the wider community, who have been creating origami cranes for it. You can still participate if you follow the instructions on this video.

The installation will be open for viewing at the at the same time as the gallery.  Other work will be available to view throughout the duration of the Bristol Biennial, 1st to 16th June.

There will also be live performance on the evening of the 1st from musicians Yaffle (Benita Johnson & Helen Gregory) and Insomniac Jack and a circus performance in ‘The House of Curious Engagements’.

See the Bristol Biennial website for all the related events throughout Bristol.

Mark Lyken delivered to his new studio in Cromarty.

Team recoat have today dropped artist Mark Lyken off at his this amazing lighthouse in Cromarty, which will serve as his new studio for the next three months as he embarks on his Sublime residency, working along side marine biologists with IOTA.

We wish Mark all the best for his new venture.

More information about the project cane be found here http://www.invernessoldtownart.co.uk/news.asp?newsid=84

His show ‘Pattern Interrupt’ is currently on at the Art-el Gallery in Bristol, and runs until the 25th May.

TEMWA ART FOR AFRICA AUCTION 12TH MAY 2012

We love May, mainly because this is the month that Temwa hold their amazing Art for Africa auction.

It has grown year on year and continues to raise much needed funds for sustainable community development in the African Republic of Malawi.

You don’t have to collect art or even be a fan of it as the evening provides so much more, it really is a very entertaining evening.

So if you’ve not been before then why not just give it a go, and for those of you that have well you’ll know what a good night it is already so we’ll see you there!

Temwa Presents Art for Africa Auction

Temwa is proud to announce that our annual Art for Africa Auction is back! Come on down to the Attic Bar, Stokes Croft, on 12th of May for one of our biggest events of the year. Some of Bristol’s world-renowned street artists including; Xenz, Inkie, Paris and FLX (to name a few) will be contributing, as well as some amazing up-and-coming new talent. This year we’ll be branching out beyond street art into other contemporary mediums, it’s all lined up to be an exceptional exhibition. A full catalogue of the work will be available from our Art for Africa website from Monday the 7th of May.As well as the chance to bag yourselves some incredible art in the auction, there will be live painting from Mr. Jago. Greg Minto and FLX, with more still to be confirmed.And it doesn’t stop there… if all that wasn’t enough, we will have live music from the Disco Two and Bash Money as well as live beat boxers Minimus and S30.

Details

Saturday 12th May Viewing from 6pm-Auction starts at 8pm Attic Bar, Stokes Croft Free Admission 100% of profits to Temwa TESTIMONIAL “Having worked with Temwa over the last few years I have seen the dedication & passion they have for their work in Malawi. We work on the annual Urban Art Auction in London every year and it’s been a joy to work with them.”-Inkie