Few subjects are as old, and at the same time as inexhaustible, as the human face. For centuries, artists have tried to capture character, emotion and stories in it, and yet every generation finds a new approach.
Four Positions, One Theme
In FACE OFF, four positions devoted to the portrait go head to head: Julian Kimmings, Rowan Newton, Shai Dahan and Various & Gould. All four are showing at Pretty Portal for the first time. Their approaches could hardly be more different, ranging from gestural oil painting and raw mixed media with spray paint and watercolour to stencil, collage and screen printing.
Julian Kimmings
British artist Julian Kimmings paints mostly portraits, using a mix of oil, spray paint, ink and acrylic. Fascinated by ancient cultures, folklore and mythology, he draws on their stories to give his works a narrative, which he sets against an increasingly materialistic modern world. In his portraits, he combines gestural painting and fast, intuitive brushwork with detailed, almost realistic elements. In these often highly emotional moments, a clear expression contrasts with raw, energetic fields of colour that leave room for the viewer's imagination. Julian Kimmings completed his studies in London. With his unique visual language, he has attracted the attention of collectors around the world and earned high regard among connoisseurs of contemporary and urban art.
Rowan Newton
Rowan Newton lives in London and paints people. His paintings reflect the dichotomies of urban life. Using spray paint, acrylic and watercolour, he creates works full of character, unvarnished and provocative. Since completing his art studies in 2004, he has shown his work in exhibitions in London, Amsterdam and New York.
Shai Dahan
Shai Dahan (b. 1979) is an American painter and urban artist. Born in Haifa, he grew up in Los Angeles, where he picked up his first spray can at the age of 14. In 2007, he moved to New York, where he painted as part of street and urban art projects such as NYSAT, the Underbelly Project and MOM&POPism. Soon afterwards, he began showing his work in galleries in Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Philadelphia. At the end of 2010, he moved to Sweden. In July 2012, his solo exhibition at the Borås Art Museum earned him wide recognition, and shortly afterwards he gave the opening keynote at TEDx Göteborg. In his work for public space, on canvas and in installations, he uses a variety of techniques, including stencil, collage and painting in acrylic, oil and spray paint.
Various & Gould
The Berlin-based artist duo Various & Gould have been working closely together since 2005. Both studied at the Weißensee Academy of Art Berlin (KHB), graduating in 2010. Various & Gould stand for a simple yet powerful formula: 1 + 1 = 3. They reinvent themselves with every project and often cross boundaries between different fields. Shared interests such as a love of paper, a fascination with the accidental beauty of everyday life and, above all, working in public space form the basis of their collaboration. Screen printing and collage are their speciality. In a mostly playful way, they tackle relevant issues such as work, migration, (sexual) identity, death, religion and the financial crisis. Their works are influenced by (political) poster design, Dada and Pop Art and are often characterised by strong colours and an ambiguous interweaving of symbols, associations and clichés.
FACE OFF
feat. Julian Kimmings, Rowan Newton, Shai Dahan and Various & Gould
Opening
Friday, 11 September 2015, 7 – 10 pm
Exhibition
11 September – 10 October 2015
Pretty Portal
Brunnenstraße 12
40223 Düsseldorf
