Little Blue Birds

Here are some more blue birds, albeit on a smaller scale, and more humble setting than Katharina Fritsch's Hahn/Cock currently on display in Trafalgar Square. These wrought-iron gates can be found in East Dulwich an area I happen to frequent often. The birds and foliage always bring a smile to my face and remind me of my own bird pieces.

Big Blue Bird

I was in Trafalgar Square the other day and was able to see the latest in the series of the long line of Fourth Plinth commissions, Hahn/Cock 2013, by Katharina Fritsch. The piece is 4.72 m high, and is her fibre-glass rendition of a domestic farmyard cockerel. Fritsch is one of Germany's leading contemporary artists and I have seen, and admired, her out-sized, monochromatic, animal sculptures before at Tate Modern.

I really like this piece. It is beautifully modelled and the colour is stunning, adding some much needed colour to the greyness of Trafalgar Square. I also love the scale, absurdity, and contrasting subject matter of this sculpture in comparison to the other formal military statues on display in Trafalgar Square.

Anax Imperator (Argent)

I was recently commissioned to create this new piece by a client who saw one of my dragonfly pieces, and then gave me free rein to create something with silver-leafed dragonflies. Anax Imperator (Argent) was the result. I really enjoyed creating this piece, and like the way in the finished piece that certain dragonfly wings catch and reflect the light. The piece when viewed as a whole, reminds me of a large silver Alium flower when it is viewed from a distance. I might just have to create a version in gold.

If you would also like to commission a bespoke work then contact me and we can discuss the details.

More Butterfly Couture

More butterflies floating down the catwalk courtesy of the S/S 2013 collection of the Korean fashion designer Lie Sang Bong. Liking the quirky Tiger Swallowtail butterfly glasses.

This dress below is interesting, a trellis-like framework covered with plastic cut-out butterflies. The centre-piece of the collection.

Some really nice colourful butterfly printed textiles which translate well onto fabric.

Byaku: Nahoko Kojima

Whilst we're on the subject of artists who work with paper, one of the great things about events like the recent Urban Art fair is that you get to meet people who like, (as well as those that don't like), your work. It's even better when you meet someone who turns you on to artists or exhibitions that had passed under your radar. One such artist recommended to me by a visitor was Nahoko Kojima who practices the art of kiri-e, (Japanese paper-cutting), and is currently showing at Jerwood Space, Union Street. The piece on display is titled: Byaku and is a papercut sculpture created from a very large sheet of Washi paper. It represents a life-size polar bear diving into the ocean, and took 7 months to create with Kojima apparently having to change the blade of her scalpel every 3 minutes. 

It is a really beautiful, ethereal piece, and is a totally convincing evocation of a polar bear, suspended in space. Thank you Eileen C. for the heads up on this artist, it was a pleasure to meet, (and be photographed), with you and your friends at Urban Art.

Paper: Saatchi Gallery

The Summer show at Cambridge Contemporary Art opened yesterday, and I was interested in seeing this show at the Saatchi Gallery about other artists who also work with paper, so jumped on my bike and cycled over to the King's Road. The Saatchi Gallery is a really nice exhibition space and the show, was I think, a mixed bag with some pieces which were really weak, or had a tenuous link with the paper theme, and others that really inspired me. I feel the curator could have created a stronger show by including internationally known paper artists like Peter Callesen, perhaps. Amongst my favourites in the show however were:-

Eric Manigaud who creates these amazing drawings from old photographs which are enlarged to larger than life scale. Manigaud shows masterly control in his use of shade, tone, and concentration when working on such a huge scale.

Jodie Carey takes copies of the Daily Mail and recycles them to make these fantastic flower arrangements below, which she then stains with tea, coffee and blood etc. to create something sculptural and stunning, but also slightly sinister.

Jose Lerma & Hector Madera made an impact with this massive bust of the former boxer Emmanuel Augustus which I thought was playful and fun. It looks as if he has gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson with the crumpled finish of the paper and those wonky lips.

Marcelo Jacome created what was probably my favourite piece in the exhibition shown below. Planos-pipas is an assemblage of paper kites which adds a flight of fancy, and some colour to the show. It uses the gallery space really well, and reminds me of a dragon or serpent snaking its way through the gallery. I would like to see it animated or given movement in some way.

Paper at The Saatchi Gallery continues until September 29th.

Summer Show Cambridge Contemporary Art

I am delighted to have been invited to exhibit once again at the Summer show of Cambridge Contemporary Art gallery. I made the trip up to Cambridge earlier last week to deliver the artwork, and there are a couple of new pieces that they will be exhibiting for me for the duration of the exhibition. The Summer Show runs from next Monday 29th July until 1st September 2013.

Cambridge Contemporary Art, 6 Trinity St, Cambridge CB2 1SU Tel: 01223 324 222
www.cambridgegallery.co.uk