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from ammocity.com art, design and style pete mariner swapped the graf artist spray-can for the kind of portable blow-torch favoured by plumbers when a mate gave it to him after finding it was too hot for its intended purpose. a bit of experimentation later and mariner was developing a technique for burning and sanding images onto wooden surfaces retaining character based graf styling yet using an entirely different canvas.
he calls this style of work "pyro-graf" and although he works in other mediums including photography, film, paint and illustration it is this latest work that takes centre stage in his new exhibition "celebrity burnout" at kingly court, soho, london from 4th-15th august.
a bit of a face on the british urban music scene mariner's had the opportunity to hob nob in celebrityville and says his theme is a comment on the celebrity fatigue caused by the relentless conveyor belt of disposable celebrities built on nothing more than showing your tits on reality tv. his work of portraits, he says, are intended to leave a more permanent image, separating the wheat from the chafe.
early subjects of his blow-torch included drum and bass dons fabio and grooverider followed by an all star cast that includes keira knightley, james gandalfini (tony soprano), anthony kiedis (red hot chilli peppers), roy ayres, shane lynch (boyzone), paul danan (hollyoaks) and jason fleming (jekyll & hyde - league of extraordinary gentleman). a commercial commission from the bbc 1xtra station resulted in the immortalising on wood of dj's including jumping jack frost, semtex, rampage, ace & invisible, k.c., jason & iyare.
all of the above will be on display at the exhibition which has its invite only private view on friday 6th august from 6-9 p.m. provided with a small bursary from the gallery owners, it's refreshing that the event does not suffer from a barrage of corporate sponsorship so you won't have to put up with retina straining logo's in order to see the art. you might however get the opportunity to rub shoulders with a few of the celebs coming along to the show.
we have four (yes, four!) tickets to the private view and to get one all you have to do is answer this simple question: what is the temperature (in fahrenheit) that book paper catches fire? email your answer [here] before 4 pm (gmt) thursday 5th august. links: visit pete mariners website national campaign for the arts art at kingly court © copyright 2003 AMMO CITY INDUSTRIES LTD |
