Damian Elwes
dal 1/6/2010 al 15/7/2010
Segnalato da
1/6/2010
Damian Elwes
Morton Metropolis, London
In his show at Morton Metropolis, Elwes has shed inhibitions as an artist and drawn on the magical time which he and his immediate family spent over a number of years in the rainforest in Southern Colombia. A multi-part painting installation, which is both large and interactive, includes naked female portraits which are depicted with a new spontaneity.
A new body of work by Damian Elwes draws upon a lifetime of
extraordinary experiences. What began as a young man's escape to New
York to avoid family controversy in England and a determined effort not
to paint portraits in the Elwes tradition, led to an unlikely passion
for graffiti art and a friendship with Andy Warhol. A chance encounter
with the renowned art dealer, Robert Fraser, endorsed the direction in
which he was going and led to a joint show in London with two of the
greatest graffiti artists of all time: Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith
Haring.
Since then Elwes has served what he has described as an apprenticeship
in Europe: in Paris he learned to "paint with a brush" and between
Morocco and Italy he refined his craft by studying the masters,
educating himself through the recreation of the studios of the greats -
Matisse and Delacroix, for example - capturing on canvas their sources
of creativity, ever searching for their inspiration. The work is
lyrical and reverential, many miles apart from his earlier
experimentations.
In his forthcoming show at Morton Metropolis, Elwes has shed inhibitions
as an artist and drawn on the magical time which he and his immediate
family spent over a number of years in the rainforest in Southern
Colombia. A multi-part painting installation, which is both large and
interactive, includes naked female portraits which are depicted with a
new spontaneity.
The installation includes a large floor painting which depicts one of
the primary sources of the Amazon River. In an attempt to remind us of
the world's environmental problems, Elwes entices the viewer to connect
with the work by walking across it, simultaneously creating an
individual path whilst interacting with nature. The work, which is based
on a grid that Elwes constructed at the source of the river using ropes
and pegs, is comprised of 144 small paintings which have been seamlessly
fitted together.
On the surrounding walls are the images of a woman asleep, naked and at
one with her environment, integrated in the flora. Collectively, the
installation illustrates the idea that the woman is a metaphor for the
river and that both represent the source of life.
Press contact:
Monique Rivalland monique@pagetbaker.com
Private View, 2nd June, 2010, 6-9pm
Morton Metropolis
41 -42 Berners Street, London W1T 3NB
Open: Mon - Fri: 10am - 6pm, Saturday by appointment