David Shillinglaw’s Hobo Chic, opened last Thursday at Negre Gallery in the Columbia Road area of London, and AM went along to take a look. Shillinglaw’s work involves a multitude of surfaces, mediums and media. His bold, hand-drawn rhythmic text immediately draws the eye as it is the most prevalent part of the visual language within his work, and is so instantly recognisable – with the signature colours and filled in bowls – that maybe he should copyright a new ‘Shillinglaw’ font. Found, salvaged, scavenged and re-appropriated, Shillinglaw’s canvas comes from a variety of sources, but the majority have an inherent vintage that a freshly stretched canvas cannot hold. It is this vintage background that both aligns with – and also influences – his aesthetic.
The main wall of work in Negre’s small first floor space functions more as an installation than an exhibition. The components are gathered together in an almost Jim Houser-like manner, and it was a pleasure to chat to David about the various stories that each of the found materials brought with it and how he has integrated a new dynamic into the existing features each piece of work.
Check our pictures from the opening after the jump.
Discuss David Shillinglaw here.
See our full set of flicks here.
