PRIVATE VIEW OF PLEASURE ISLAND
BY NATHAN JAMES

HOSTED BY DegreeArt.com
THE EMPIRE GALLERY
30 VYNER STREET, E2
06^th MARCH 2008

The title of the exhibition, Pleasure Island, refers to the name of the island in Carlo Collodi's children’s novel "Pinocchio". In the novel, Pleasure Island serves as a haven for wayward children, allowing them to indulge their vices in an environment that is seemingly free of recrimination.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:

With this new work, Nathan James illustrates the convergence of two modern domains: cartoon and plastic and flesh and bone. The boundaries between the two areas are not neat or evenly divided. Instead, they overlap, intersperse and transform each other spatially. The plastic world promises excitement and holidays. With its endless curves of neon, cuts and slashes of bright colour and pretty lights, it offers a virtual gluttony of sensory delights, instant gratification and fulfillment. At the same time, it simultaneously divides, covers and competes for dominance with other elements of the composition. It thereby permanently transforms the youthful, pleasure-seeking human subjects of the paintings along with everything around them.

Here, James presents a day-glow matrix that is the antithesis to the modern world envisioned in 1956 by Richard Hamilton, with his principal Pop work “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing?”. With these paintings James is inferring mass media materialism can indeed fulfill some of their promises of leisure and enjoyment, but at the cost of forfeiting some of the subjects’ humanity.

James uses a combination of techniques, including traditional painting, silk-screen printing, and stenciling to achieve his distinctive works. He finds inspiration from many sources, including trash TV, graphic design, vintage photography, popular magazines and his own passion for youth culture.

Click here for more photos of the private view
Click here to view available work by Nathan

Pleasure Island Featured In:










ATTENDED GUESTS
Nathan James, Elinor Olisa (DegreeArt.com), Isobel Beauchamp (DegreeArt.com), Jamie McLaren (RunRiot), Andy Owen, Laurie Freeman, Lisa Agasee, Dan Proops, Andy Wicks

DRINKS
Duvel Vedett

WHERE
The Empire Gallery, 30 Vyner Street, London, E2 9DQ

WHEN
Thursday 06 March 2008
Show runs until the 09th March 12-6pm

PHOTOGRAPHER
James Galloway Copyright 2008

For more photographs please click here