You can imagine my surprise upon walking into my now fiance’s flat for the first time and being greeted by a giant portrait of Margaret Thatcher. Upon closer inspection, I came to realise that it was not a typical depiction either; instead of your standard lines and shading making up the former Tory PM’s face , a sort of mosaic of sex toys, skulls and Tony Blair masks came together to depict that unmistakeable visage. Let’s just say, she made an impression!
Well, thanks to Shapero Modern and acclaimed British artist, Marcus Harvey, you too can greet your visitors with a bang!
Harvey has created 2 limited edition silkscreen prints for this year’s London Original Print Fair, opening today at the Royal Academy of Arts, and both are of infamous British females.
The first print, entitled Myra, is based on one of the artist’s most famous pieces, a highly controversial portrait of the ‘Moors Murderer,’ Myra Hindley. The original work was first shown at Sensation, the 1977 exhibition that introduced the world to the group now known as the Young British Artists (YBAs).
Not surprisingly, this particular image was one of the most controversial included in the already ‘sensational’ exhibition. Although, Sir Norman Rosenthal, the RA’s then Director of Exhibitions, insisted it was a “serious and sober work of art,” and in fact the most important piece in the entire show.
That first Myra was made using casts of an infant’s hand, however Shapero Modern’s recent print is based on a 1997 version of the work created with plaster casts of sundry plastic objects — children’s toys and iconic sweet brands the artist associated with the period.
The second print available at the fair, Maggie, is of course one-and-the-same Maggie that greeted me a couple years ago. Needless to say, she will always hold a special place in my heart.
– India Irving
The London Original Print Fair takes place from Thursday, May 5th – 8th, 2016, at The Royal Academy of Arts, London W1J 0BD. Shapero Modern can be found at stand 25. Myra and Maggie are in an edition of 25, and can be acquired (unframed) priced £1,250 exl VAT. Each is signed and numbered by the artist.
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