JONATHAN DARBY

WEBSITE FINALLY ONLINE>>THIS BLOG HAS NOW MOVED TO WWW.JONATHANDARBY.COM/BLOG

2011-06-08T23:51:00.000+01:00

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Jonathan Darby 'FAVELA' Teaser

2011-03-03T08:48:00.000Z

Jonathan Darby 'FAVELA' Teaser from Jonathan Darby on Vimeo.

2011-03-01T19:55:00.000Z

JONATHAN DARBY SOLO SHOW - SIGNAL GALLERY 10TH MARCH 2011

2011-02-28T16:13:00.001Z

As some of you know I have been locked away in the studio for the last couple of months preparing for my solo show at SIGNAL in March. The work is coming along very well, with a completely new direction and a massive exploration in new media and techniques. I have been and am in the process of planning some very exciting elements for the show, expect a few surprises.....more details coming very very soon.....

The one and only Ian Cox from WALLKANDY was round the studio a few days ago and as always took some beautiful photos of the work in progress. Thanks again Ian.

2 Man Show with Jonathan Darby & Adam Caldwell @ WHITE WALLS, June 2011, San Francisco

2011-02-27T16:13:00.001Z

I have just been confirmed for a 2 man show with Adam Caldwell this coming June in White Walls Gallery, SF. More details to follow closer to the time. Here are a couple examples of Adam's work...

'SHOCK DOCTRINE' for 'Never Judge?' Group Show @ Stolen Space 3.12.10

2011-02-27T15:13:00.000Z

‘SHOCK DOCTRINE’

Mixed media on salvaged wood

Enclosed in hand-made metal shell

20cm x 13cm

A brief insight into Naomi Klein's Book 'Shock Doctrine'...

'NEVER JUDGE?' Group show in assosciation with Penguin Books @ Stolen Space Gallery

2010-11-29T21:43:00.002Z

PRIVATE VIEW THIS THURSDAY 6-10PM

UPCOMING SHOWS ETC

2010-11-22T02:31:00.001Z

2010 has been a very busy year, lots of traveling, lots of painting, lots of shows, and what better a way to end the year with a couple more group shows to end a brilliant year. THANK YOU 2010.

'NEVER JUDGE' group show in association with Penguin Books @ STOLEN SPACE GALLERY Dec 3rd-23rd

The first show that is coming up is the 'NEVER JUDGE' group show in association with Penguin Books at STOLEN SPACE. The Show will be running form 3rd December through til the 23rd. The brief for the show was to create a piece (in almost any media) the size of a penguin book cover based on a book that has some kind of relevance. I have taken the opportunity to do a slightly different kind of piece. Expect at least 80 artists taking part, with the usual line up of the gallery artists as well as a very impressive list of others...Come to the show @ STOLEN SPACE GALLERY or watch this space for more. More details of the show can be found here...

'TRUE BRITS' 3 man show with Dan Baldwin, Dale Grimshaw & myself @ BLACKBOOK GALLERY, Denver, Colorado. Dec 4th-23rd
I have been invited to take part in a 3 man show alongside Dan Baldwin and Dale Grimshaw in a fairly new gallery in Denver, Colorado. The Gallery, formerly known as Andenken, is now THE BLACKBOOK GALLERY. The show, "TRUE BRITS", will be held from December 4th through til the end of December. watch this space for more images of work plus work in situ. More details of the show can be found here...

JONATHAN DARBY SOLO SHOW @ SIGNAL GALLERY, March 2011
Finally, I will begin to be working on my second London Solo Show which will be held in SIGNAL GALLERY in march, 2011. Lots of ideas swirling, very excited at the prospects of new work...WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE DETAILS....

Finally, Finally, I have finally had some spare time to rebuild my website which is scheduled to go online before the end of December...Its looking nice and smart....COMING SOOOOOOON

SIGNAL GALLERY MOVING

2010-11-22T01:38:00.002Z

Signal Gallery have moved into a new bigger slicker gallery space just round the corner from the previous space. Byroglyphics solo show "SUBSIDIARY" was the opening event for the new gallery space. More images of the new space coming soon.

The new address of Signal Gallery is:

SIGNAL GALLERY

32 Paul Street

London EC2A 4LB

ZYAIR

2010-08-20T17:57:00.002+01:00

BP piece for 'AS THEY SEE IT' @ 941GEARY, SF

2010-07-20T15:25:00.021+01:00

This is the piece that I have been working on for the upcoming show 'AS THEY SEE IT' at 941GEARY in SF. It was unavoidable for me not to do some work in response to the catastrophe that has been and still is taking place thanks to BP. The magnitude and sheer scale of the devastation is hard to fathom. At first I wasn't sure how to approach this piece as I believe that the hardest hit is the environment and all its creatures. However a large portion of the population that is effected by the mess is completely dependent on the fishing areas that have been/are being destroyed...

TOXIC: Gulf Full Length

2010-07-14T16:07:00.000+01:00

Insight into what is really happening to the environment and those effected on a local level as a result of the BP spill.

Caught in the oil - The Big Picture

2010-07-13T15:38:00.004+01:00

Please check out this link..Caught in the oil - The Big Picture - Boston.com

WHAT

2010-07-12T15:20:00.001+01:00

941GEARY OPENS

2010-07-11T14:44:00.000+01:00

Justin Giarla from White Walls and The Shooting Gallery in SF has expanded his empire and opened yet another gallery called 941GEARY just round the corner from White Wall s and The Shooting Gallery. I have been asked to take part in their upcoming show in July...watch this space for more info.

'RINPOCHE' & 'MAI MAI'

2010-06-05T16:19:00.000+01:00

More pics from the Lebasse Projects pieces...

Arrested Motion

2010-06-04T10:55:00.003+01:00

Arrested Motion have done a brief blog for the upcoming show at Lebasse projects. Thanks goes out to Sven for that one...click the image or links for more.

We saw that rising UK star Jonathan Darby posted some images on his blog from his studio of some new work in progress as he prepares for a showing with Lebasse Projects as part of the annual Culver City Artwalk, so we thought we’d ask him for a few more....

more after the jump.....

Culver City Artwalk @ Lebase Projects from 05/06/2011

2010-05-29T03:47:00.009+01:00

I have been invited to take part in this years Culver City Artwalk with Lebasse Projects. The event is held at Los Angeles' art district, Culver City. There will be 37 galleries participating with lots of interesting happenings and doings. The show begins on June 5, if you are around, MAKE IT.

These are the pieces that I have been working on for the show which will be a Lebasse showcase including several other artists including Greg Gossel and myself.

More images coming soon....

Quicky

2010-05-27T04:07:00.000+01:00

A quick lil' mural that I managed to squeeze in whilst visiting my parents in Crete...Much Much more coming sometime soon...

BACK FROM SAN FRAN - EPIC!!!!!

2010-02-13T03:17:00.001Z

The build up to the show at WHITE WALLS turned out to be an incredible time. Most of us were out of towners, holland, london, italy, new york, so we all spent a fair amount of time together through out the week and some great relationships were formed...it was a real pleasure to work together and the build up to the show was by far the most enjoyable time. The WHITE WALLS crew were great hosts and they definitely played an important role in creating such a great atmosphere/environment to work in. SO A BIG MASSIVE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, LETS HOPE WE CAN DO IT AGAIN SOMEDAY.

You can view the full photo album HERE

Justin & Leigh from WHITE WALLS
Remi/Rough at work
Cheryl Dunn
Erik Otto
Chris Blackstock from WHITE WALLS
Anthony Lister & Angela BoatwrightJustin doing the chors
Sam Ash & Diana Spaghetto
Augustine Kofie
Curator of it all iO T. Wright
My work in progress, had to do a painting in the gallery as time was an issue
Remi/Rough mid installation

Dutch Crew Antistrot
Silas from Antistrot

PREP FOR SAN FRANGEEE BEGINS

2010-01-21T02:57:00.000Z

Flights booked, now to get on with the paintings...

NEVER A DULL MOMENT - WHITE WALLS GALLERY, SAN FRANCISCO, FEB 6-27

2010-01-10T02:45:00.002Z

I have been invited to take part in a group show in WHITE WALLS GALLERY, San Francisco in February...The show is curated by iO T. Wright and features a range of photographers like Cheryl Dunn to painters such as Anthony Lister and Remi/Rough.....SHUD BE GOOD GOOD GOOD

MIXED SIGNALS WINTER SHOWCASE - Signal Gallery 3-19 DEC

2009-12-04T01:27:00.000Z

The winter group show this winter is very strong, lots of big dogs featuring here...

Images courtesy of S.VEGAS & UNUSUALIMAGE

Here's the spiel about the show...

Our annual group show this year is stronger than ever. As usual, we are focusing on the top end of the urban art scene. There will be paintings (though not all on canvas), drawings, 3d work and ceramics.

The show will be our richest yet featuring a stunning line up of seventeen international artists, most of whom will be showcased in solo shows over the next eighteen months in the gallery. The artists are: Dan Baldwin (UK), Armsrock (Denmark), Byroglyphics (UK), Dale Grimshaw (UK), Guy Denning (UK/France), Case (Germany), Jonathan Darby (UK), David Le Fleming (New Zealand), Ethos (Brazil), C215 (France), Alke Schmidt (Germany/UK), Holly Thoburn (UK), Jef Aerosol (France), Labrona (Canada), Christopher Ross (Canada), SPQR (UK) and Istvan Szanto (Hungary).

C215

We avoided any brief for the artists, only asking them to keep their works on the small side so that we can fit them all in the gallery. All the works have been specially produced for the show and have not been shown elsewhere before.

After two and a half years of showing work in Hoxton this show is a landmark for us, pulling together many creative strands. The show represents where we are now as a gallery.

Guy Denning
Dale Grimshaw
David Le Fleming
Holly Thoburn

WHO CARES?

2009-12-03T04:47:00.000Z

One foot in the grove - PICS

2009-12-03T04:08:00.000Z

Mutate opens this week, I have been down to drop my work off and its looking great....

You can view photos from the previous opening in october in S.VEGAS's & UNUSUALIMAGE's photo sets.

SHOCK AND AWE

2009-11-30T00:05:00.005Z

HALLIBURTON, BLACKWATER PRIVATE SECURITY FIRM and OIL are some of the key factors that devastated Iraq. In this piece I have decided to be quite bold with the branding of logos as opposed to the subtle approach that I may have taken in the past. I wanted the logos to have a 'concrete block' effect...Strong, Impenetrable, Robust..

MUTATE BRITAIN-ONE FOOT IN THE GROVE

2009-11-29T23:58:00.001Z

I have begun working on a piece that I will be contributing to Mutate this december...
The show will be on right up until 22 december and I will be selling my full range of prints there.

BLACK AMERICA THE EXHIBITION

2009-11-29T22:32:00.013Z

Image courtesy of Toby Ross-Southall

BLACK AMERICA the exhibition is to support THE ODYSSEY's album which was launched at the roundhouse, camden. The exhibition was held in the basement of The Shoreditch Town Hall. The venue has dozens of run down nooks and crannys that made perfect for an event of art and music. On the night there was live music from various artists and allsorts of art installations scattered in dark corners.

BLACK AMERICA music video filmed and edited by Toby Ross-Southall

Actors playing devasted/demented bankers who were struck hard by the credit crunch were scattered everywhere...

Piece on the right by a good friend Giorgio Bruni

BLACK AMERICA

2009-11-23T21:24:00.005Z

coming soon.....

Flyer courtesy of Toby Ross-Southall

REPRESENT Art Workshop PICS

2009-11-21T21:06:00.001Z

The art workshop was a nice evening, although the live painting was pretty minor as chit chat became more of the focus.

REPRESENT Art Workshop

2009-11-13T20:53:00.003Z

Mark at Single Homeless Project and Matt are doing a screen-printing workshop in the gallery. Matt, George-Morton Clarke, David Walker, Dale Grimshaw and Myself will be doing live painting aswell.

Come down! there will be drinks and nibbles to keep u satisfied.

JONATHAN DARBY VS DAVID LE FLEMING

2009-11-11T04:03:00.002Z

I really like the way David has intertwined his piece on top of my old piece, seemless.

TENZING close-ups

2009-11-10T20:46:00.000Z

Vandalog>>Represent show at Blackall Studios

2009-11-10T20:14:00.002Z

Represent show at Blackall Studios

You can view more images from the show courtesy of Ian Cox@Wallkandy HERE

The last time I mentioned the Represent show was towards the start of October, so if you happened to forget about Thursday’s opening, I’ll forgive you. But if you’re in London and you don’t make it to Represent before the show closes November 11th update: the show has been extended and now closes November 20th, well I’m just not so sure.

Represent has been curated by Matt Small and it’s a show of portraiture. Matt is one of the artists and people that I most respect, so I was curious to see what this show would bring. You figure that a talented painter should be able to identify other talented artists. Well Matt definitely can.

The line up includes some names that I’m familiar with like Swoon, Best Ever, Elbow-toe and Case, but there were plenty of people I was either less familiar with or whose names I had never heard before like Peter Michael and Yuko Nasu.

While I can’t say that every painting was a winner, it the most refreshing show I’ve seen in London all year and maybe the best group show.

Of course, there were two original paintings form Matt Small in the show, including this one which is the first time i've seen him paint glasses

I like this piece by David Walker just enough to not call him on for using paint drips to look “street.” Sometimes drips make a painting look better. I would be curious though to see what this painting would be like without the drips, the girl could have more of that really cool metallic look which is sort of hinted at in this piece but overshadowe by drips.

This is one my all time favorite pieces by Swoon. It’s certainly in the top 5 pieces on wood that I’ve seen. I don’t have the cash or wall space for this, but I hope it finds a good home.

Okay so the name might be a bit presumptuous, but the duo Best Ever get better with every painting.

Sometimes it feels like I’m the only person in the world who realizes how amazing Case can be. This painting, Rosemary, is even better in the flesh. So many photo-realistic graffiti writers just end up making portraits of dead hip hop stars or doing commissions for Nike, but Case actually has an artistic mind behind his talents.

Represent is at Blackall Studios on Leonard Street, London and closes on November 11th update: the show has been extended and now closes November 20th. Get there while it’s still open! I may even go back for a second look.

All photos by Ian Cox

REPRESENT set UP

2009-11-04T20:09:00.000Z

TENZING IN THE MAKING

2009-11-02T19:39:00.003Z

This is the piece that I am working on for the REPRESENT show. I have intertwined lots of detailed images of chinese and tibetan symbolism of oppression in the image.

REPRESENT REPRESENT

2009-11-01T19:54:00.000Z

Homeboy Matty Small organised a show in Blackall Studios/Leonard St Gallery. The show was a mix of all styles from Swoon or Elbow-toe to the likes of Best-Ever and Case, however the show was focused on portraiture. All proceeds will be donated to he Single Homeless Charity.

The show runs from 5-19 november

PAINTING CARGO

2009-10-31T06:44:00.009Z

I was invited to paint one of the walls in the CARGO courtyard by the very friendly James Park. Nice one to Toby Ross-Southall for photography and Jasset Harlech for the Filming and editing.

Jonathan Darby paints Cargo from Jasset Harlech on Vimeo.

ART OF ENGLAND MAGAZINE on Jonathan Darby

2009-10-04T03:16:00.000+01:00

Art of England have done a double spread feature on me...CHECK IT!

FAD ART NEWS INTERVIEW JONATHAN DARBY

2009-09-25T05:29:00.000+01:00

I was asked to do an interview for FAD ART....Here it is.....

FAD ART FAST NEWS

Jonathan Darby answers FAD’s Questions.

1 When did you start to make art?

I’ve been sketching since a very early age. I remember I had a massive period between the age of 6 and 9 where I only used to religiously draw Bart Simpson surfing on a single giant wave. One day I found a dusty copy of Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant’s Subway Art on the bookshelf. I developed a fascination for graffiti and I remember constantly browsing the book. I would copy lettering from the old masters until I began to develop my own style. By the age of 12 I was well and truly hooked, sketching at any opportunity. When I was 17 I began to move away from graffiti and began to practice a lot of still life. I guess that this is where my fascination with portraying people was born....

You can read the rest of the interview HERE

NIGHT SHOOT

2009-09-25T05:20:00.001+01:00

We set up a night shoot so that prints will be made possible in the future....WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THEIR RELEASES!

<<< ARTASTY.COM INTERVIEW >>>

2009-09-24T04:32:00.000+01:00

Artasty interview with Jonathan Darby

Hi, Can you introduce yourself for us? (Where you from etc...)
Hello. My name is Jonathan Darby. I live in the shire and I play with flowers and rabbits. When I am not doing that I make large socio-political paintings.

What's your background? Art school? Self learner? Art for Dummies?
I went to a really nice hippy Steiner school, it was awesome, I think I loved it, but I got expelled. I didn’t pursue art seriously at that tender age but one day when I was sketching Bart Simpson riding a massive wave I decided that I wanted to take on something more challenging. So I applied to Central Saint Martins and did a foundation course and then a BA in fine art.

I never learnt or was taught how to draw or paint. I've been sketching since a very early age. I remember I had a massive period between the age of 6 and 9 where I only used to religiously draw Bart Simpson surfing. One day I found a dusty copy of Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant's Subway Art on the bookshelf. I developed a fascination for graffiti and I remember constantly browsing the book. I would copy lettering from the masters until I began to develop my own style. By the age of 12 I was well and truly hooked, sketching at any opportunity. I only started to really take things further once I started university.

How will you describe your art for somebody who doesn't know your stuff?
I make large images, always figurative (faces mostly), depicting people in a socio-political context of manipulation by external forces. I paint people who have been exploited/conditioned by mega agencies such as the political war machine and corporate commerce. I am currently focusing on children in my work. I believe that the future is very much determined by the experiences that children are having today. This is the subject matter that my current work deals with. I find that combining the innocence of children with the devastating realities in which they live in very profound. Therefore, I often juxtapose and intertwine symbols of human distress with beautiful images of people.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
I like scraping paint. It makes me feel good. Splatts are fun too, who doesn’t enjoy splatts?

I work with acrylic, spray paint, emulsion and a couple of secret ingredients.

How long does it take you to produce a piece? Do you start out with a sketchbook or do you freehand all the way?

A piece usually takes me several nights to complete, I don’t really use a sketchbook. I usually come up with an idea and then envision an appropriate image. The initial marks are very loose and free. When I begin to paint the image I usually start by making a mish-mash of paint on the canvas, anything goes, any media, and any kind of marks. Once I am happy with that I begin to paint a figure on top of the mish-mash. This part is not very free at all as I am careful not to fully paint the figure, I like to let the mish-mash from behind come through and I leave bits of the figure unpainted so that the underlying layers still show. When this is complete I overlay and intertwine logos and imagery that reflects the context of the work.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I have always been absolutely obsessed with drawing the human face. I have such a strong impulse to portray human emotion/life. I still find it incredible that one can make a living thing or produce life by making a few marks on a surface. It still blows me away and gives me the same excitement as ever. This impulse combined with the satisfaction is why I make art, I need to have that feeling.

Do you paint/draw/work outside sometimes? Where can we see your stuff?

Not yet, I am about to paint the wall outside Signal Gallery tomorrow. I have a solo show there and it has become a tradition for the artist to paint the outside wall. COME CHECK IT.

Who influence you the most, any favourite artist(s)?

I don’t have any particular artists that are a direct influence on me. I love figurative work, VERY MUCH. Generally the urban arts is where my focus is. There is a lot of great stuff around at the moment.

My parents too. I am back at home with the parents where we have a fantastic studio space. Both of my parents were artists and they are my ultimate critics, RUTHLESS.

Living as an artist is sometimes difficult financially, any part time job?

No, I suck my parents dry of every last drop of cash, food, sanity. No joke.

What do you think of the current "Street Art" movement?

Vibrant, Fresh, Juicy as ever. I thinks it’s a very exciting time to be part of the urban arts movement. As resources are becoming more accessible, artists are becoming more and more ambitious in their ways. Things are getting bigger and badder, in the most positive ways. It is quite obvious that a strong socio--political voice/consciousness is present nowadays, I think that’s a great thing.

Best Gallery in the world? and why?
Hmmmmm….very very tricky. PASS!>>

Best City to paint outside? and why?
Black Rock City, Burning Man, Nevada. No matter how bad the dust storms and hurricane winds, you will never ever ever be lacking inspiration in burning man. Never.

Beer and Fag or Tea and Biscuit?
Beer and Fag, no doubt.its happeining right now, as we speak.

What are your plans in the near future? Any upcoming exhibitions?

I have been working on my first solo show for the past couple months, the show is at Signal Gallery. I just delivered all my work today and the show runs from 17th Sep – 10 Oct.

I have just been offered a residency in a very nice location in Australia for the next couple of months (which I will be taking) and I have received an invitation to take part in a show in a well-respected venue abroad but cannot reveal the details just yet.

I am planning to start exhibiting abroad from now on, as I need to spread the seeds.

I see my work moving away from a consumerist focus and heading towards a more humanitarian theme. Eventually I would like to take my work to the relevant environments and create site-specific work. I would also like to make work as a direct response to what I see when in these environments of humanitarian trauma. I want to use my work as tool to expose what is happening and bring awareness.

Gallery shots

2009-09-23T03:45:00.001+01:00

A couple gallery shots....If you would like to see more shots of the show you can visit UNUSUALIMAGE's & S.VEGAS's Flickr pages of the show....

OPEN MAGAZINE on 'GENERATION UNDONE'

2009-09-23T03:20:00.000+01:00

Open Magazine wrote a brief review of the show...check it direct here.

Generation Undone

21st September 2009, Alex Hopkins

Our culture is so saturated with images of consumerism that we barely blink if we see a 10- year- old sauntering down the street wearing the very latest accessories while playing innocently with his or her iphone

Jonathan Darby’s first solo show at London’s Signal gallery asks us to question this image, probing the ideology behind conspicuous consumption and raising pertinent questions about the role that children play in what can, perhaps, be seen as a mass marketing conspiracy.

Darby’s interests are intricately linked with the contemporary world’s obsessive reliance on acquisition – the ‘spend, spend, spend’ culture that demands we own and brazenly flaunt ‘must have’ gadgetry and designer goods in order to fit into a perceived mould.

Paradoxically, it is the restrictive qualities of this mould that this exhibition seeks to amplify and deconstruct. Darby appears to be saying that while adults should be more informed and capable of making choices as responsible consumers, it is the vulnerability of children that alerts us to the exploitative, sinister undertow of the capitalist enterprise.

The imagery in this show is simple, yet bold. A proliferation of children’s faces stare out at the viewer, their expressions by turns forlorn, melancholy or simply confused. Their youthful, innocent features are daubed, indeed almost obliterated, by the countless logos and branding of high street stores.

Indian portrays the face of an Indian sweat shop worker. His eyes look empty, almost incapable of expressing emotion, while his face is scarred with the catch phrases of the western conglomerates that other more fortunate youngsters in the developed world feast upon. Juxtaposed with the searing look of disillusionment on his face, the words Just do it and Gap Kids assume darkly ironic ramifications as we begin to imagine the inhumane hours such children must endure for barely subsistence wages.

The overridingly bleak suggestion is that this nameless boy’s western counterparts are no less afflicted by a materialism that traps and deforms. Little Prisoners depicts eight black and white faces of the same young girl, her torso and cheeks ridden with everything from cosmetic, soft drink, clothing and chewing gum emblems. The downcast eyes and shadowy features merge into one, reminding us that that the infinitely shallow quest for the latest trend thwarts any promise of individuality or spiritual meaning.

Knotted around this dominant image is a pristine purple ribbon. It may be immaculately tied and presented, yet it symbolises no less of a prison than the dark confines of a sweat shop. The difference, however, is that this British girl has room to exercise a choice as a consumer – a choice, Darby remind us, that has stark consequences. 

Alex Hopkins

Generation Undone, Jonathan Darby, Signal Gallery, 96a Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3AA, until 10 October 2009

GENERATION UNDONE at Signal Gallery, September 17-11 October 2009

2009-09-23T03:05:00.000+01:00

Here's a couple of pieces that were included in the show...

'Dunkins Donut'

'Angola Diamond'

'DO IT'

'Brothers in Arms'

'Red Army 1'

2009-09-20T02:56:00.003+01:00

QUICK WALL JOBBY

2009-09-19T02:45:00.001+01:00

Its become a bit of a tradition for the artist that has the current show on at SIGNAL to paint the wall outside the gallery..I managed quickly put together a piece with all the bits and bobs left over

MADE IT!!!

2009-09-19T02:18:00.002+01:00

After a couple months of some serious slogg I finally made it and completed the work for my solo show, its always SUCH a relief to have the work in the gallery.

A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MY PARENTS WHO SUPPORTED ME THROUGH OUT AND PREVENTED ME FROM LOSING MY FECKING MARBLES. SAME GOES TO CHRIS AND DALE @SIGNAL WHO INVITED ME INTO THEIR GALLERY.

JONATHAN DARBY - GENERATION UNDONE at Signal Gallery, September 17-11 October 2009

2009-09-19T02:10:00.002+01:00

Its been a tough couple of months but here we are....COME AND SEE!

THE BUILD UP...

2009-09-19T01:19:00.003+01:00

I was asked to do a solo show at SIGNAL GALLERY for september...After returning from several months of travelling it was straight back to work..and work I did, in true hermit fashion I locked myself in this hole and did not see anyone for a couple of months until the work was done...

'Little Prisoners' was a continuation or a remake of 'The Prisoners' but in a different context. The piece has many layers of complexity and required lots of forward thinking and masking to achieve the desired effect, once again, the 'no fuck-ups allowed' policy applies as there is no room for error as corrections are impossible..It drove me to insanity, no joke.

The 'Red Army' sequence was a challenge that I shan't be undertaking for a while. As the pieces create one big piece/scene constant awareness of all pieces whilst working was crucial, every mark was made with the other pieces taken into account...

Late nights almost always turn to early mornings...a couple of beers after the peak worktime became integral to my working pattern as falling asleep during daylight is not natural/right/easy...

NEXT GENERATION..Solo printshow at The Print House Gallery

2009-07-13T15:46:00.005+01:00

I have published 4 new prints of 'Jacob', 'Lily','Lickle Rudey' and 'COS SHES WORTH IT'.....

They are Giclee prints on 300gsm Somerset Archival paper with a hand torn edge. VERY NICE. The print quality is outstanding, the paper looks like canvas because the print even shows texture from the canvas.

AFFORDABLE ARTS FAIR

2009-03-21T13:06:00.003Z

I was asked to exhibit some work at the Affordable Arts Fair with Signal Gallery and the organisers of the event ended up using the image of 'Jacob' for the promotional panflet.

2009-02-02T01:51:00.004Z

AMAZONAS

2009-02-02T01:30:00.007Z

ILLEGAL LOGGING, TRANS-AMAZONIAN HIGHWAY, CRUDE OIL, SOYA BEAN FARMING.

A day at HARWOOD KING PRINT

2009-01-31T03:32:00.009Z

I gathered my work and spent a day in brighton at Harwood king print. I went to get my work photographed so that I could get prints on demand in the future.

Lickle Rudey

2009-01-31T03:10:00.004Z

This is a wee piece that I made for a friend of mine.

Making of...Unnamed baby

2009-01-13T15:01:00.003Z

2009-01-13T14:21:00.002Z

LIMITED EDITION PRINTS AVAILABLE

2009-01-12T05:01:00.014Z

'The Prisoners - Homage to Katte Kollwitz' (below)

I have had prints done of 'Branded and Defaced' and 'The Prisoners.' They make FANTASTIC prints. They are Giclee Prints on 300gsm Somerset paper and are 620mm x 410mm in size. Get in touch through my profile if you would like information on how to make a purchase.

'Branded and Defaced' (right)

Adorn LONDON - DEC/JAN 08/09

2009-01-12T04:56:00.002Z

Mixed Blessings PRIVATE VIEW @ SIGNAL GALLERY - 20 NOV 08

2009-01-12T04:33:00.005Z

Thanks to everyone who made it down to the show. So many of you came and it was great to see you all. Will keep you posted about the next shows....

Little Lily

2009-01-12T03:58:00.003Z

Mixed Blessings @ SIGNAL GALLERY

2009-01-12T03:09:00.010Z

This a group show that I took part in between November and December 2008 at Signal Gallery. The Artists included were David Le Fleming, Alke Schmidt, SPQR, REPLETE and myself, Jonathan Darby. I enjoyed it very much and I have a solo show with them in September 2008.

David Le Fleming

Alke Schmidt

Exhibition flyer

Im england ti i die

2009-01-11T18:02:00.006Z

Bobby, 12

2009-01-11T17:10:00.007Z

the new state of my wall

2009-01-11T04:56:00.005Z

Making of..COS SHES WORTH IT

2009-01-11T04:17:00.008Z

.

working away...

This is the final stencil for the piece. The image is actually made up of 2 images put together. I used the legs from one shot and the top from another and I also expanded her head a wee bit, give it more of childlike look. The positioning of the legs is perfect.

NOISE FESTIVAL CURATOR'S CHOICE 2008

2009-01-11T03:04:00.011Z

I submitted some work into a website/organisation called Noise Festival and my work ended up being selected as one of the top 5 works in the fine art category out of 9000 submissions. My work was selected by Sir Norman Rosenthal, a man who worked as director of exhibitions at the Royal Academy for 31 years. He has worked with the likes of Saatchi, Damien hirst and Tracey emin...I was prettty chuffed to be honest. Amongst the curators in the other categories were Badly Drawn Boy, Noki and ZAHA HADID, one of the most innovative and well established architects of today.

You can find the webpage HERE

Here is the spiel by Noise....

‘The Prisoners’ – homage to Katte Kollwitz, 2008, by Jonathan Darby, was selected out of 9000 submissions as one of Sir Norman Rosenthal’s top five works in the curator’s choice in the Noise festival in September 2008. The piece was also selected to be included in the Noise festival exhibition and it was featured in the Noise festival artist showcase video.

Sir Norman Rosenthal is responsible for transforming the Royal Academy into a vibrant success over recent years. He worked at the Royal Academy for a fantastic 31 years making it into a world-class venue for contemporary art. Rosenthal also initiated a cycle of survey exhibitions of 20th Century work that promoted the Academy to the first division of exhibition venues. He is well known for his controversial ’Sensation’ exhibition which consisted of work from Charles Saatchi's collection, including controversial work by Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.

This is the piece that was selected as the curators choice...

“First of all I think it is beautifully executed. I like the fact that it’s
a paper piece. I think it’s a brilliant image and touchingly and
beautifully executed. I have a very good feeling about this
image. I think it’s a very clever image and very beautifully done.
It’s a genuine, unpretentious image to me.”

Sir Norman Rosenthal

This is the VIDEO of Rosenthal talking about my work....CHECK IT OUT

Noise festival Creative futures Manchester town hall - NOV 08

2009-01-09T04:15:00.005Z

I was invited to take part in a 2 day event that took place in Manchester town hall. It was organised by Noise festival and there were opportunities to take part in debates and receive feedback from topdogs in fashion, art and design. As the town hall is a listed building we were not allowed to mount any work onto the walls, instead, we were urged to fill tents provided by noise with smaller versions of our work. I only really decided to participate in the very last minute as I was working on an exhibition for the following day, leaving it so late meant that there were no tents left. I wasnt exactly sure what they meant by tents, i didnt actually realise they literally meant tents...so I brought a fuck off gazeebo with me and a massive great big flood light.

SHOOT for COS SHES WORTH IT with ali

2009-01-09T03:32:00.006Z

This is my girlfriend modelling for COS SHES WORTH IT. Ali sometimes has mannerisms and movements like a teenage girl which was perfect for what i needed.

Little smoker

2009-01-09T02:26:00.004Z

Painted with chinese chaligraphy ink onto unprimed canvas...no fuck ups allowed what so ever, not able to paint over or cover.

Making Baby JACOB

2009-01-08T03:39:00.011Z

This is One of my most cherished works to date...this piece brought me to a new place that has led to the work that I am currently undertaking...there was a huge unknown aswell as a wee bit of fear (as I take a lot of care in crafting well made canvases, i didnt wanna fuck it up so soon) yet excitement as I began splatting paint all over the shop with no care what so ever. When i finished the eyes I hit a brick wall as I didnt know how to proceed...I was almost content with the eyes alone..however, i charged through and this is what happened........

This is when i hit the wall, didnt have a clue how to proceed, had to leave it for a couple of days and work on something else...

Went for it and pushed through

I like.

MY BELOVED WALL

2009-01-08T03:21:00.003Z

This is where the magic happens.. i have been working here with this wall space for as long as i can remember

More work in the build up to the prisoners and branded...

2009-01-08T02:46:00.006Z

2009-01-08T02:10:00.000Z

Islington Contemporary Art and Design Fair - OCT 08

2009-01-07T03:54:00.005Z

I was invited to take part in the Islington Contemporary Art and Design Fair in October 2008, not knowing much about the fair I willingly accepted. It was the worst thing I have ever taken part in, firstly, I had to pay for my pitch, and secondly the work displayed resembled a gcse art exam...shockingly bad....never ever again.

hence no photos of any other work

2009-01-07T03:49:00.004Z

SITEshow - SEP 08

2009-01-07T03:32:00.006Z

31 artists were invited to fill a derelict building with sculpture, painting and installation in Warwick Sq. in Central London. It was an interesting experience as we had one day to mount, build or set-up...it was pretty manic. 31 people, one building, not much time.

Flyer, lightboxes and video installation by Toby Ross-Southall

DEGREE SHOW

2009-01-07T02:11:00.004Z

Lucky for me I was given the front windows of St. Martins for my degree show. I didnt have a clue what I was gonna put in there until a week before the deadline....

Luckily, I made it.

Degree Show Flyer...

Degree Show Flyer, back...

Charing Cross Road...

Preparing the window space...

BRANDED AND DEFACED

2008-12-31T00:50:00.006Z

MAKING OF...THE PRISONERS

2008-12-30T03:17:00.002Z