After a successful inaugural exhibition at Matthews Yard with the Living Free collective, I am please to announce a second event this time at the Black & White Building close to Shoreditch High Street in collaboration with Creative Debuts and Living Free.
The event opens on Thursday 7th April and runs until 2nd May 2016. For details on this event, please visit our events page.
We take a retrospective look back at Croydon’s biggest ever art launch and exhibition. The Living Free Art Collective held their debut exhibition from the 6th of October to the 1st of November, with the launch party on the 7th of October.
The collective is made up of myself plus Hark1karan, Vega, Anjali Barot, Danny Sloff Hedges, Nahwand Jaff, Priya Barot, Lee Fairweather, Grace Humphreys and Leon Bartholomew. Support from associate members Oliver Sudden, Mike Lawse, Darren Christopher Randon, Michael Balamwezi, Joan and Brgr & Beer.
Overview, community and impact
The aim of the collective is to create passionate and meaningful art in various forms, to inspire, to share, to bring the community together, to be inclusive, and to create opportunities for local talent and beyond.
What stood out was the quality and diversity of the art, poetry, photography and film on show. The viewer was offered an array of expressions and messages. The artists freedom to create without compromise and come together is what makes the collective unique. The sense of humanity and honesty in all the work draws the viewer in. It’s also a statement of individuality and unity all at once.
The launch itself was a cultural celebration bringing together 350-400 people from Croydon, central London and many places beyond.
There was art, poetry, spoken word, photography, music, a film screening, a raffle, burgers and drinks. Much of the feedback has been that they didn’t know events like this took place in Croydon.
Others also highlighted the energy they felt at Matthews Yard that night. Many left inspired and proud. A common unity brought everyone together for a special occasion.
Our collaboration painting raised £121.50 for charity. All money goes to SEWAC to feed the homeless, elderly and vulnerable in Croydon.
Our month long residency at Matthews Yard Gallery in Croydon as part of the Living Free Art Collective starts tomorrow, 7th October until 1st November 2015.
Below are some of the key pieces available to purchase during the event, every one of them handmade, one-off originals, never to be recreated.
Click on the images for a closer look
£POA
Installation made from wood, lead, using x-rays retrieved from around the world (one from a friends sister in Poland) to represent everything to do with equality.
(Smaller three x-ray piece available in white or black frame)
£POA
Mixed media collage backed on US dollar covered wood.
The skull, representing evil, is a collage entirely made up of different currencies from Egyptian pounds to Disney dollars, leather wallets, old credit cards, financial times clippings, coins etc.
£POA
Mixed media collage, using ink, spray paint and paint.
This collage is entirely made up of American packaging, money, Disney dollars etc. It’s an ironic look at what the Native Americans would essentially lose their land for.
£POA
Mixed media collage on road sign.
I wanted to create an urban fox entirely made from rubbish and items I found while on my travels around Croydon. It’s been in the making for around a year, trying to find each perfect piece such as old rusty coke cans etc. Made on an old discarded road sign, spray painted white with a few of the original features left coming through.
The piece represents the way a fox improvises due to the environment, by foraging and scavenging.
£POA
Graffiti inspired spray painted skull in presentation box
£ SOLD
A portrait of my Uncle, created in ink, marker and splashes of paint for his awesome beard, all backed on pages from Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop
If you are interested in bespoke portraits of yourself our your loved ones, please contact me for details
£500
Mixed media collage on canvas, spray paint and ink.
£POA
Ink and spray paint on glass.
I am proud to announce a month long residency at Matthews Yard Gallery in Croydon as part of the Living Free Art Collective from 6th October until 1st November 2015.
The Living Free Art Collective is a group of creatives mainly based in South London. What bonds all the work together is the energy of artists, photographers, poets, performers and creatives. The positive energy about what they do and the ideas they want to express. Each person in the collective is unique to themselves and a creative in their own right. Each individual is different to the next and most importantly is able to share what they want.
Join me and the collective between 6pm and 10pm on Wednesday 7th October for the collective’s launch night and mingle with some of London’s freshest talents that include photography, art, illustration , music, poetry, film and baking.
You can find full details from our Events page >
Urban Fox Collage – Mix Media on Road sign.
I wanted to create an Urban fox entirely made from rubbish and picked up items I found on my travels around Croydon. It’s been in the making for around a year trying to find each perfect piece such as old rusty coke cans.
This is made on an old road sign my dad found for me that I sprayed white with Montana Cans but with a few of the original sign left just coming through.
The piece represents the way a fox improvises to its environment using rubbish and it’s urban environment.
This will be on view in October in Matthews Yard Croydon in October for an exhibition for local artists. Why not come along and have a butchers…
