Broken Promises Collection
“Structurally I took inspiration from deficit interiors; broken plaster board exposing wooden beams, in keeping with the industrial aspect that influence a lot of the work. I then started to think about opposing ideas - ‘new and old’ and ‘life and death’ were the original working titles and this is where the theme developed."
Lhouette
“Structurally I took inspiration from deficit interiors; broken plaster board exposing wooden beams, in keeping with the industrial aspect that influence a lot of the work. I then started to think about opposing ideas - ‘new and old’ and ‘life and death’ were the original working titles and this is where the theme developed,"
Lhouette
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... strewn across the plaster and firmly in the foreground is chaotic life and messy interpretations. The pop culture references are deliberately ambiguous and even random with some much darker ones too. I liked the idea of contrasting this against the palette background in something a bit more zen, clean, golden and rich”
Read More
... strewn across the plaster and firmly in the foreground is chaotic life and messy interpretations. The pop culture references are deliberately ambiguous and even random with some much darker ones too. I liked the idea of contrasting this against the palette background in something a bit more zen, clean, golden and rich”
Deluxe Versions Available
INTRODUCTIONS
Lhouette has long upheld an almost obsessive commitment to the materials selected to craft his distinct fine art pieces. Spearheading a revolution that has left countless imitators of his artistic brand of Pop Maximalism in the dust, Lhouette enters the new decade with a seminal collection of three original artworks, enthrallingly titled ‘Broken Promises’. Each found form created on a reclaimed wooden pallet; a signature choice for the artist and a material on which some of his most celebrated works have been born.
METHODOLOGY
Extending the lifespan of an object otherwise abandoned as ‘weathered’ or ‘old’, the concept of re-use has long been central in Lhouette’s art making. Preferring to use salvaged boards, pallets and drums that possess characteristics of age, the artist can often be found at salvage yards seeking discarded diamonds in the rough. Challenging a society mobilized by slogans dependant on a call to action based on ‘newness’, Lhouette continues his campaign against the trend of the disposable and wasteful.
The Creative Process
All three independent compositions are distressed and treated, the timber has become the canvas to hold the lavish patina each piece features. One is sealed in extravagant 24ct gold leaf, another sheathed in oxidised metal foils. The third is subtle and iridescent, shimmering from a petrol sheen to a copper glow, leaving the warmth of the wood below exposed with soft varnish. Influenced by recent research into materials used in architectural construction, each artwork is partially encased in a broken plaster fragment. The surface of the smooth plaster is adorned with cultural iconography fashioned from intricately cut stencils layered with pop coloured aerosol paints.
IMPRESSIONS
Building upon his eye-catching hand painted striped frames and elaborate antiqued rims, a new framing department attached to his countryside studio has helped the artist to play and experiment with the format of presentation. Adding the finishing touches with sections of broken ornate frame, each part of ‘Broken Promises’ is an avant-garde vision giving the viewer an impression of looking at a lost urban masterpiece, recovered following decades of absence - The choice of luscious metallics as the ‘zen’ of his composition elevates the content of these extraordinary works.
CONNOTATIONS
The notion that creation or beauty cannot exist without the equilibrium of destruction is central to the ‘Broken Promises’ collection. With references to art historical themes of vanitas and memento mori, paintings from this era were devised to remind of human mortality, the transience of life and the subsequent worthlessness of material possessions. The irony that this concept was communicated on artworks intended for sale is exactly the kind of playful subversion that Lhouette thrives upon and uses to his witty advantage.
Macro-shots
“Structurally I took inspiration from deficit interiors; broken plaster board exposing wooden beams, in keeping with the industrial aspect that influence a lot of the work. I then started to think about opposing ideas - ‘new and old’ and ‘life and death’ were the original working titles and this is where the theme developed,"
Lhouette
Read More
... strewn across the plaster and firmly in the foreground is chaotic life and messy interpretations. The pop culture references are deliberately ambiguous and even random with some much darker ones too. I liked the idea of contrasting this against the palette background in something a bit more zen, clean, golden and rich”
Deluxe Versions Available
Exclusive only to the Wyecliffe Galleries. Expanding on his original pieces for this art-shattering collection, Lhouette has been working behind the scenes to bring forth the complete body of gritty artwork. Alongside the persevering edginess that Lhouette brings to his methodology, these almost complete-looking pieces have been married together in a Warhol-esque style as the art and objects fill the contents of both sides of the crack. Every decision is done with purpose for Lhouette, so creating three extra-large compositions is not just an expansion of his acclaimed collection, but more executing the final product on his original designs. He had "unfinished business" as Lhouette likes to put it. Swipe below to view Deluxe versions.
INTRODUCTIONS |
Lhouette has long upheld an almost obsessive commitment to the materials selected to craft his distinct fine art pieces. Spearheading a revolution that has left countless imitators of his artistic brand of Pop Maximalism in the dust, Lhouette enters the new decade with a seminal collection of three original artworks, enthrallingly titled ‘Broken Promises’. Each found form created on a reclaimed wooden pallet; a signature choice for the artist and a material on which some of his most celebrated works have been born.
METHODOLOGY |
The Creative Process
All three independent compositions are distressed and treated, the timber has become the canvas to hold the lavish patina each piece features. One is sealed in extravagant 24ct gold leaf, another sheathed in oxidised metal foils. The third is subtle and iridescent, shimmering from a petrol sheen to a copper glow, leaving the warmth of the wood below exposed with soft varnish. Influenced by recent research into materials used in architectural construction, each artwork is partially encased in a broken plaster fragment. The surface of the smooth plaster is adorned with cultural iconography fashioned from intricately cut stencils layered with pop coloured aerosol paints.
New Framing
IMPRESSIONS
Building upon his eye-catching hand painted striped frames and elaborate antiqued rims, a new framing department attached to his countryside studio has helped the artist to play and experiment with the format of presentation. Adding the finishing touches with sections of broken ornate frame, each part of ‘Broken Promises’ is an avant-garde vision giving the viewer an impression of looking at a lost urban masterpiece, recovered following decades of absence - The choice of luscious metallics as the ‘zen’ of his composition elevates the content of these extraordinary works.
No Beauty without Destruction
CONNOTATIONS
The notion that creation or beauty cannot exist without the equilibrium of destruction is central to the ‘Broken Promises’ collection. With references to art historical themes of vanitas and memento mori, paintings from this era were devised to remind of human mortality, the transience of life and the subsequent worthlessness of material possessions. The irony that this concept was communicated on artworks intended for sale is exactly the kind of playful subversion that Lhouette thrives upon and uses to his witty advantage.
Macro-shots
Seeking authenticity in his materials, Lhouette recognises that art and objects can have an enduring presence owing to their age. One of the most iconic sculptures of all time, the Venus De Milo suffered the loss of her arms in the 1800’s, though not her elegance, proving the allure of the exceptionally crafted not only transcends condition but can actually add to its mystique. Crumbling Venetian palaces and ancient relics have this very same quality; their fading beauty and vulnerability makes them all the more interesting because it is apparent that they simply will not last.
We are witnessing their entropy in slow motion, and it is this extraordinary balance between life and death, new and old exactly as Lhouette describes that makes them so compelling. Having travelled to the Far East with the Navy prior to dedicating his time to art, it is possible that the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi has founds its influence in Lhouette’s contemporary practice. Translated as the concept of the ‘golden repair’, this is the ancient tradition of restoring broken pottery with lacquer mixed with metallic powders, especially in golds.
Seeking authenticity in his materials, Lhouette recognises that art and objects can have an enduring presence owing to their age. One of the most iconic sculptures of all time, the Venus De Milo suffered the loss of her arms in the 1800’s, though not her elegance, proving the allure of the exceptionally crafted not only transcends condition but can actually add to its mystique. Crumbling Venetian palaces and ancient relics have this very same quality; their fading beauty and vulnerability makes them all the more interesting because it is apparent that they simply will not last. We are witnessing their entropy in slow motion, and it is this extraordinary balance between life and death, new and old exactly as Lhouette describes that makes them so compelling. Having travelled to the Far East with the Navy prior to dedicating his time to art, it is possible that the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi has founds its influence in Lhouette’s contemporary practice. Translated as the concept of the ‘golden repair’, this is the ancient tradition of restoring broken pottery with lacquer mixed with metallic powders, especially in golds.
A Commended Collection
It is this commitment to the substance of concept along with a masterful knowledge of technique that sets Lhouette apart from the imitators. Those who place a pop icon next to a few brands and call it art have missed the point; every material reclaimed has a story and every global symbol used comes with a myriad of meanings. This inherent complexity and overwhelming planning to every work produced and stamped with his ‘Lhouette’ seal has won not only a hoard of devout collectors and supporters in the likes of Antonio Banderas and Ronan Keating, but earned him a position as an artist whose oeuvre is to be respected.
This was recently validated by the reference to the artists fine art chess set produced in collaboration with Purling, London by BBC’s the Great British Pottery Throw Down. Used as an example of the epitome of artisan craft and artistic vision, Lhouette’s interpretation of this ancient board game served as inspiration for the aspiring potters and a benchmark of modern creativity. In true rebellious trademark style, ‘Broken Promises’ are anything but that – these three new original works are a mission statement and pledge for the next 12 months, for the next decade to the continued uprising against the trend-led and signal his commitment to the authentic love of his practice - Broken Promises is available exclusively at Wyecliffe Galleries. Please contact us on 01932 847939 for more information.
A Commended Collection
It is this commitment to the substance of concept along with a masterful knowledge of technique that sets Lhouette apart from the imitators. Those who place a pop icon next to a few brands and call it art have missed the point; every material reclaimed has a story and every global symbol used comes with a myriad of meanings. This inherent complexity and overwhelming planning to every work produced and stamped with his ‘Lhouette’ seal has won not only a hoard of devout collectors and supporters in the likes of Antonio Banderas and Ronan Keating, but earned him a position as an artist whose oeuvre is to be respected.
This was recently validated by the reference to the artists fine art chess set produced in collaboration with Purling, London by BBC’s the Great British Pottery Throw Down. Used as an example of the epitome of artisan craft and artistic vision, Lhouette’s interpretation of this ancient board game served as inspiration for the aspiring potters and a benchmark of modern creativity. In true rebellious trademark style, ‘Broken Promises’ are anything but that – these three new original works are a mission statement and pledge for the next 12 months, for the next decade to the continued uprising against the trend-led and signal his commitment to the authentic love of his practice - Broken Promises is available exclusively at Wyecliffe Galleries. Please contact us on 01932 847939 for more information.
