Yojimbo in Postcards to Alphaville

I have created a 'postcard' to Kuwabatake Sanjuro (from Kurosawa's masterful Yojimbo) for Postcards to Alphaville. This is an online (hopefully book) exhibition of artists and illustrators who make an original image to a character from their chosen film. Kurosawa is my favourite director of films and although I could have chosen any number of films, I think Mifune is iconic in this role. You can see my postcard and a host of others here http://www.postcardstoalphaville.net/

Collectible at Zeitgeist Art Projects

I will be showing one of my Transitory paintings at the opening show, Collectible at Zeitgeist Art Projects, amongst some very fine company. ZAP is a new space, right near Goldsmiths art college and is run and curated by the esteemable Rosalind Davis and Annabel Tilley, with a huge amount of discernment, energy and gusto. Transitory Paintings (2011) are full of interesting contradictions as pieces of work. Paintings, yet not made of paint; Representational, yet abstract; Involved with beauty, yet through destroying. They are made from cutting triangular shaped patterns into reproductions of portrait paintings, culled from auction catalogues. 
The show features 66 artists, including Graham Crowley, Edwina Ashton, Annabel Dover, Freddie Robins, Emily Speed and Peter Jones, with everyone selling their work for under £500. So there is no excuses for not making a start or adding to your art collections! The private view is on Tuesday 17th April 6-8.30pm and continues until 28th April. More details are here http://www.zeitgeistartsprojects.com/exhibitions.html

The Gospel According To… at the Holden Gallery

Karhu This Charming Man will be showing at The Holden Gallery in Manchester at the College of Art. The work was made in Helsinki on a residency and features the Finnish traditional god, the bear, transferred to a singing Karaoke logo of a beer manufacture. In this episode the bear sings The Smiths classic song, as part of the Smiths themed show, The Gospel According to... Other artists in the show include Lucienne Cole, Jeremy Deller, Lars Laumann and Jan Timme. The private view is 6-8pm on Thursday 15th March and continues until 4th May.

Headspace at Over+Out

I will be showing The Six Most Beautiful Minutes in the History of Cinema in Headspace at Over+Out gallery in Lincoln. In this work I mine the history of cinema to create a raging cacophony of 8 frames per second for 6 minutes of images culled from cinema . 2880 scenes from a full range of genres, countries, tastes and time flash repeatedly. Like Orson Welles’ Don Quixote (of which Giorgio Agamben talks of in his essay which gives this work it’s title) the viewer is left with a choice of whether to start slashing away at the screen to halt the constant flow of images. The show features 6 artists who all featured in the first show at The Monks gallery. This show sees each artist exploring a different facet of what goes on inside their heads, a scary thought if you ask me! The show opens on Thursday 14th March 6-8pm and continues until 23rd March. Click here for more details of the show.

Gig Poster Show 3.0

I am in a exhibition of posters by invited artists and designers for a gig in Liverpool tonight (Friday 24th Feb.). I have been invited by all round good egg, Sam Wiehl to make a poster advertising a gig featuring a whole host of musical innovators, including  Insect Ark and Black Octagon, plus Enablers frontman Pete Simonelli. All this kicks off from 6.30pm at Liverpool JMU School of Art and Design. All should be good fun.

UnMasterclass at Reel

I will be showing one of my UnMasterclass films at Reel, a curated screening evening of artist's film. It is being shown in a new artist run space in an ex S&M club in Lincoln, run by Laura Mahony and Dale Fearnley and it all kicks off at 6pm with the films starting at 7pm on Monday 30th January. Bring along a cushion and drink on the night.

A Private Affair

I am showing a painting from the Reconfigure painting series at A Private Affair at The Harris Museum and Gallery, Preston opening on Friday 27th gallery with the private view and then to the public from the 28th January until 5th May. This painting was bought from my solo booth with Castlefield Gallery at The Manchester Contemporary Art Fair in 2011 and was selected by Mark Doyle form Contemporary Art Society and curators from the Harris.


Here is the info from the gallery, "In 2012, we present a major exhibition series focusing on the people and the stories behind collections – from private collectors to those individuals whose donations and vision founded museum collections such as the Harris’ for the enjoyment of all.  

Firstly, A Private Affair tells the personal stories behind private collections of contemporary art asking; why do people collect contemporary art, what influences decisions on collecting, and how does it affect or enhance their lives? The artworks are on loan from private collectors in the North of England, who have generously agreed to live without some of their favourite items for a while. The exhibition highlights a strong interest in supporting artists and the fascinating journeys undertaken by the collectors. A Private Affair demonstrates a variety of artistic styles from the past 40 years, and includes artists of regional and national importance.

In the summer, A Public Affair will celebrate 130 years of fine art collecting by the Harris. The exhibition will chart the growth of the Harris collection, changing tastes, and the enduring principles of the founders in acquiring new works by artists of the day"