Jonathan Yeo
dal 4/6/2008 al 10/7/2008
Segnalato da
4/6/2008
Jonathan Yeo
Lazarides Gallery, London
Yeo has created a unique series of collages that, on first glance, look like painterly works of art, but on close inspection, are for top-shelf viewing only. The artist carefully builds up variations in skin tone, nuance of colour and skillfull use of light and shade.
Jonathan Yeo, leading painter of celebrities and politicans of our time,
will present a series of new works, inspired by his famous George W
Bush porn collage, at Lazarides Gallery London.
Yeo’s skill in portrait painting has seen him receive commissions from a
huge variety of high-profile personalities, from David Walliams to
Erin O’ Connor, Dennis Hopper to Bush. Yeo’s depiction of Tony Blair in
2008 with its blood red remembrance poppy has become the iconic
image of the British Prime Minister around the world. When Yeo’s talks
with George Bush’s team slowly ground to a halt, he decided to use his
art to offend a man he himself found offensive. The Bush porn portrait
(illustrated above) became instantly famous internationally,
representing a combination of both political satire and Yeo’s obsession
with producing highly-crafted pictures.
Now, using the same meticulous techniques, Yeo has created a unique
series of collages that, on first glance, look like painterly works of art,
but on close inspection, are for top-shelf viewing only. Demure,
neo-Classical nudes and portraits, head Playboy honcho Hugh Hefner
and Paris Hilton appear multi-dimensional and picturesque, but actually
hide a multitude of sins. Through gradual layering of the thinnest pages
from pornographic publications, Yeo carefully builds up variations in
skin tone, nuance of colour and skillfull use of light and shade. The
result is a series of works that signifies a dramatic new departure for the
artist.
‘I’ve always been intrigued by collage and how I would one day
incorporate it into my style of painting. Inspired by my feelings towards
the warped moralities behind George Bush’s policies, I decided that it
was time to turn my frustration into action. I set about creating a new
approach that was deceptive, yet traditional, and multi-layered in every
sense.’
Breaking the taboo of porn by using it as a fine art material in his work,
Yeo has created his most powerfully provocative series of work to date.
Jonathan Yeo was born in 1970 and was almost entirely self-taught.
Solo shows include Jonathan Yeo’s Sketchbook at Eleven Fine Art,
London and Election Art at Portcullis House, London. Yeo has shown in
group shows at Compton Verney, Bloomberg Space and the National
Portrait Gallery, which recently bought Yeo’s painting of Rupert
Murdoch. He has work in the private collections of the House of
Commons, Damien Hirst and Dennis Hopper. Yeo’s portrait subjects
include Minnie Driver, Grayson Perry, Jamie Theakston, Ross Kemp
and Marco Pierre White. A fully illustrated, hard backed catalogue with a
text by Francesca Gavin will also be available.
Lazarides Gallery 8 Greek Street
Soho, London W1D 4DG
Hours: Tues-Sat 11am-7pm
Admission Free