Text from the book
Published by
The View Gallery
The View Gallery
Authored by:
Georgie Davidson (art researcher and curator).
Nick Waugh (owner of View Art gallery and commentator on contemporary art).
Andy Price.
Georgie Davidson (art researcher and curator).
Nick Waugh (owner of View Art gallery and commentator on contemporary art).
Andy Price.
I first came across the art of Andy Price when visiting his Bristol studio. A large open space was compartmentalised into functional areas, each giving the strikingly contrasting appearance of meticulous order and creative clutter.
The customary courtesy of being offered a hot drink was indicative of things to come and exemplified the wonderfully unique approach Andy has to life and his art. I was offered a selection of tea, stacked on its own dedicated shelving. Each leaf type came with a poetic description and an experiential story. We debated the merits and meaning of each tea before we perused the rest of the studio.
The “research” corner was a personalised library of travel, philosophy, music, fashion, history and of course, art. Every cutting or image had a reason for being there and provided a fascinating insight into a mind full of psychedelic layers. Time passed quickly as I listened to evocative stories and we exchanged views on everything from modern expressionism to Japanese toys.
I was now keen to Andy to reveal the creative output from the array of all those stimulating sources. We started with the unveiling of the large high-impact paintings of Geishas and took a backward journey to sketches, photos and text that inspired the paintings. We repeated this process for each work and I became increasingly engaged in the narrative and the technique. Everything connected but also stood alone with lasting, thought provoking impressions.
The Kimono represents many layered metaphors and narrative in Andy’s paintings. Behind the surface of aesthetic beauty there is a mix of personal observation and commentary that reflects the artist’s relationship with Japan and perhaps himself. Andy expresses contrast and conflict in his messages; we can read chaos and order, uplifting and melancholic, humanity and robotics, past and present, beauty and horror.
Painting is the primary creative medium for Andy, but with each visit and each cup of tea we share, I discover a seemingly infinite depth of material; Andy Price is a poet, a photographer, a videographer and author and a blogger. This book exposes some of the observations and interpretations on an intriguing subject by a fascinatingly creative mind.
Painting is the primary creative medium for Andy, but with each visit and each cup of tea we share, I discover a seemingly infinite depth of material; Andy Price is a poet, a photographer, a videographer and author and a blogger. This book exposes some of the observations and interpretations on an intriguing subject by a fascinatingly creative mind.
Nick Waugh
Director View Art Gallery
Director View Art Gallery
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