Opening my Banksy Account

Banksy Mousetrap, Kingsdown, Bristol (2008)

It's amusing to read the recent consternation about the Banksy stencil (or lack of) on a Poundland store in Wood Green, London. There are people trying to make big bucks out of something that is seen by many as illegal and antisocial.

I'll admit I'm a big fan of Banksy. He combines intelligence, wit and daring, always with great skill and often with a sprinkling of politics. His work has done a lot to convince people to treat graffiti as legitimate art. I've been an avid 'graffiti hunter' since my architecture school days when (for a student project) I designed a Graffiti Museum for Bristol. There are very many tremendously talented and imaginative graffiti artists working in Bristol and Cardiff. My local Cardiff park has hosted a "Roxe Jam" since 2007 where, every July, a 130 metre length of Railtrack-owned wall is repainted by an international collection of artists.

Street art, Cathays, Cardiff (2012)

One of the essential qualities of street art I've noticed is its transitory nature. Many pieces are scrubbed away by the local municipal cleansing department, the remainder are eroded by the weather, replaced by the artists or amended by their rivals. Their artists, like Banksy, are often elusive.

But, as Banksy knows from experience, it seems however much an artist tries to remain outside the establishment the gallery and auction house system will eventually reel them in. In the art world it's a strategy of the very best artists to always strive to stay one or two steps ahead. I'll watch with interest to see what cunning plan the Banksy's of this world come up with next!

Panama Dreams

Panama Dreams
40 x 50 x 3.5cm
acrylic on canvas

My latest portrait, of a well-travelled gentleman. I took the mid-purple base layer of paint as my starting point. It has been allowed to sing through the cool greens and blues to create a certain vibrancy. Actually I'm particularly pleased with the neck scarf, which was already patterned and multicoloured before it was successfully Kisby-ised.

Paul's partner was also delighted with the result, I've been told. She thought it captured his exact likeness as well as his "complexity of mind, the boy with-in, the joy and the stubborness". Well, his unique dress sense and lively face were clues to his character in this case.

I'm led to believe Paul has twelve siblings, so hopefully I'll be commissioned for an epic recreation of Leonardo's The Last Supper, haha!

Art in a pickle

Yesterday The Independent proclaimed that Damien Hirst was in a bit of a pickle as his art prices plummeted to only $600,000 for one of his 'spot' paintings. Oh how my heart bleeds! Most of us can only dream of getting a tiny weeny percentage of that price for our pain and toil!! This rather sounds to me like a price correction, something that has happened to other valuable assets since the current recession began to bite.

Damien Hirst respresents both the good and bad of the art world. He is evidently a confident, creative personality whose work often deals with the great imponderables, of life and death. I remember seeing his blood-spattered crow paintings at Hoxton's White Cube and found them imaginative and interesting. On the other hand he seems to have become lost in his own ego and tremendous wealth, producing things that are enormous, shiny and vulgar. His giant pregnant females look like the very worst examples of public art, while his diamond encrusted skull showed him unashamedly flashing his 'wad'.

The Independent article also reveals again how the art market often operates like any other market. Hirst's dealers have been shown to stockpile his vast output to keep prices artificially high. There are allegations that his representatives are bidding up his prices at auction events. Testament again, if any were needed, that art has been transformed into a tradable commodity, while artists are providing a (admittedly slow and inefficient) factory line of desirable products for the public. Thinking about it, maybe Hirst is deliberately attempting to reveal to us the worse aspects of the world of art. Otherwise I'm not sure whether we're being pickled or stuffed!

Fauvism in the blood

I mentioned to my father last week that I was reading a book about Fauvism. He immediately blurted out the name "André Derain". This was apparently the only artist name he could remember from his school education, in the dim midsts of the twentieth century. There must be something distinctive about Derain, because he is probably my favorite artist. I particularly like his 1906 painting of his friend, Henri Matisse.

There are other reasons I can identify with Derain. He initially trained as an engineer, before dropping this in favour of a career as a painter. He seemed to be a person who led by his heart and his head, finding painting sometimes a stuggle, a lengthy cogitative process. I rather like his 'warts and all' attitude to his subjects. Like several other of the Fauves he did not shy away from painting 'reality', for example the clutter and jumble of traffic on the River Thames.

But judging by my father's selective memory, maybe my enchantment with Derain has been passed to me in my blood!

Beaten by a Naked Woman

It is seldom a reason to celebrate when one's mother is strung up in public and beaten by a naked woman. However, in this instance I'll celebrate with a clear concience. My mom's portrait was hung in the open exhibition at "Ink Spot", Cardiff and I've just found out the painting won second prize in the people's vote! If I don't say so myself, the standard of entry was very high.

And the naked woman? Well, the first prize went to a very respectable painting of a nude.

Spot at Inkspot

October 2012 is a busy month indeed. My favorite art cavern, Inkspot (in a re-used church on Newport Road, Cardiff) is holding an art competition to coincide with the Made in Roath event. Entries will be diplayed in the first floor fine art materials shop, between 13th and 20th October. Entries are subject to a public vote, with the winner getting a prize.

I've entered my orange portrait, The Fig Tree, into the event. If you're passing by, do drop in and cast your vote. Preferably vote for mwah!!

At the Beech

Submitted, almost before the paint was dry, to the Made in Roath open art exhibition at The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff (opens October 10th). This painting is more 'chocolate box-y' than I normally prefer, but I thought it would prove a good contrast to Closing Down Sale (also submitted).

The copper beech tree in the background is an amazing specimen which I've always loved, located in a picturesque South Oxfordshire village.

At the Beech
acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 x 3 cm