ArtAttack Launch Exhibition Artists Announced!

 

Massive congratulations to the 7 artists officially chosen for the ArtAttack Launch Exhibition from our #HangInChelsea competition.

The artists are:

1. Massimo Agostinelli. American-Italian, but London-born artist, Agostinelli, is known for his ‘Word Play | Text Art’ works which have been exhibited in galleries in London and New York and are held among collections in major cities across 5 continents.

2. Samin Ahmadzadeh. This Iran-born artist and CSM graduate’s background in street       photography is combined with a passion of expressing her personal views on sociological and cultural matters of her country. Her practice continues to evolve with a specific focus on archival collections of her family’s cultural history.

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‘I feel it is essential for art to take on serious issues and to reflect our societies and the issues of the day’ – ArtAttack Interview Graeme Messer

ArtAttack first came upon artist Graeme Messer‘s work at this year’s The Other Art Fair in London. We were drawn in by his witty and unique mirror works made for the fair and knew instantly this was an artist we wanted to watch.

After requesting to interview him for this very blog, Graeme let us know about a special project close to his heart; We R is an upcoming art exhibition exploring the meaning of LGBT identity and celebrating difference. Launching during Pride Week London, the show at Espacio Gallery will include nineteen artists from all different cultures and nationalities contributing to a really authentic representation of the diversity and fullness of the LGBT community.

The goal is to to reach out to the many people who find it difficult to be their true selves and to challenge viewers to believe and remember that being different is an inalienable right.

In the words of exhibition curators, Bettina Stuurman and Joao Trindade, ‘We always talk about equality and whilst it may be important to have have the same rights, we really wanted to show how you must celebrate difference. We are proud of this collection which reminds us to think about the present representation of the LGBT community. We want people to leave the exhibition feeling positive, excited and remembering their own unique nature – and this is what we hope the art has captured.’

We decided to chat with Graeme about We R as a preview for our readers to this sure-to-be powerful and moving exhibition.

A Moon for all – Artist William Leach Builds a Moon for Prison Inmates

Most of our readers would probably agree that art can be a powerful tool. Art can touch people in innumerable ways; it can make people laugh and cry. It can make them think. It can stop them in their tracks and push them to action.

In the case of William Leach, it is not only the art itself that is powerful, but the mere fact that someone thought to create it. As inspiring as the work may be, I find the artist perhaps even more so.

I discovered William Leach through Facebook. Our mutual friend had just posted photos he’d taken of Will’s latest project. The post read: ‘My friend William Leach lives opposite HM Holloway Women’s Prison, with the wall literally in his garden, and supplying the view for the inmates’ cells. Will realised the inmates couldn’t see the moon from the North wing, so he decided to build them one (on his roof).’

Photo by Jake Elwes

As soon as I read those words I knew I had to speak to Will, and I am so honoured he agreed to this interview. Here is someone whose incredible work has reminded me how profoundly art and the artists behind it can make a difference.

What happens when an Art Student ‘breaks up’ with technology? ArtAttack Interviews Caley Holmboe.

Chelsea College of Arts student, Caley Holmboe, has a flip phone and no Instagram profile. When I fell in love with a sculpture of hers at last year’s 2nd year show, I had to tweet at the Chelsea student union to get her contact information. When Caley receives an email, it comes to her laptop only. When Caley sends a text, she has to use the numbers as letters just like you did on your old Nokia circa 2004.

Her complete lack of online presence in an increasingly digital world, is something that makes Caley stand out immensely, and I wanted to know how and why she made the practically unheard of choice to be almost totally offline.

It turns out that the lifestyle choice started an experiment and a work of art. I like to call it ‘The Unplug Project,’ but the formal name of the piece is ‘I Want to Break Up.’

I had the chance to speak with Caley about this fascinating project, which ended up extending into her daily life. You’ll notice this is a much longer interview than those we normally publish, but I encourage you to read every word as it really is a supremely interesting look into a very non-traditional choice.

The 2016 SOLO Award Shortlist Has Been Announced!

It’s official: WW Gallery‘s SOLO Award 2016 shortlist has been announced!

The following 17 international emerging artists have made the cut this year, selected from an original 2,850 submissions and then a long list of 63:

1. Olivia Bax
2. Ezio Cicciarella
3. Alicja Dobrucka
4. Damien Flood
5. Ian Healy
6. Adam Hennessey
7. Victoria Lucas
8. Karolina Magnusson Murray
9. Antonio Marguet
10. Holly Muir
11. Milly Peck
12. Giovanni Termini
13. Tom Verity
14. Sonja Vordermaier
15. Relli De Vries
16. Ziling Wang
17. Mary Wintour

The overall winner, announced mid-June, will receive the exceptional prize of a solo stall at the London Art Fair  2017, a truly rare and unique opportunity.

Ezio Cicciarella – ‘Untitled’, Sculpture in pitch stone. 

Ian Healy – ‘The Miracle’, Oil on paper.

PREVIEW: Ally McIntyre ‘The Sun Popped’ Opening Tonight at CNB Gallery

After winning last year’s prestigious HIX Award, Canadian emerging painter, Ally McIntyre, is back in London with a solo exhibition at CNB Gallery.

The Sun Poppped, which opens 25 May, challenges the age old concept that there can be a ‘perfect’ in painting, blending traditional genres, iconographies and artistic processes to create an alternative mythology in a new painterly age.

Ally McIntyre, Robespierre, 2016 c. Ally McIntyre. Courtesy of the artist and CNB Gallery

The paintings on view present an alternative to traditional heliocentric (male/patriarchal) worship, instead making nature, animals and the cosmos the receivers of praise and the central figures of faith. And whilst the theme and vibe of the work itself is very much mythological, it strongly alludes to the contemporary feminism, as well as the protection of nature and animals.

SOLO Award Longlist is Live!

Massive congratulations to all 63 longlisted artists of this year’s SOLO Awards!

Louis-Nicolas Darbon – ArtAttack Artist of The Week

ArtAttack is proud to present our latest ‘Artist of the Week’, Louis-Nicolas Darbon. Artists of the week are selected by the ArtAttack team from the diverse and eclectic group of artist users on our app.

Parisian born, London-based artist, menswear & lifestyle blogger, Louis-Nicolas Darbon stands out from the crowd with a mixture of his two worlds of art & fashion colliding, sartorially influencing gentlemen around the globe.

I had the chance to talk to Louis about his career so far, and find out more about his artistic practise.

Painting has always played a Part in My Life- ArtAttack Interviews Christian De Wulf.

ArtAttack‘s next The Other Art Fair artist interview is particularly unique and will undoubtedly capture attention due to artist Christian De Wulf‘s original trade, psychotherapy. De Wulf uses this background extensively in his creative process, interpreting his understanding of the psyche into imaginative pieces of art work.

The Belgium-born artist believes that the underlying psyche of an individual is not easy to determine and in his work, looks at what happens if you magnify those inner-most thoughts, emotions and feelings.

Personally, what I find most interesting about De Wulf is that he is not just an artist/art lover, but works alongside seemingly non-art related personal interests to create his works. Of course, his collections resonate in modern society due to the extensive connection between art and therapy and the contemporary use of art therapy. 

What first appears quite simple — acrylic paint and canvas — involves a great deal more than meets the eye and we are delighted to share this with you.