Art Around the Child - artist roster grows

The latest artists have been announced who are supporting the 'Art Around the Child' auction on November 16th. It takes place at the Fiat Chrysler Motor Village UK in Wigmore Street, London.

Art created by children in India and Africa will go under the hammer, alongside work donated by an array of leading artists, to raise funds for the Arms Around the Child - a charity helping to build a home and create new opportunities for HIV+ orphans in Jaipur, India.

Curators of this landmark event are Lee Sharrock and Monica Colussi, with Ellie Milner from the charity Arms Around the Child:

INTRODUCING ROMULO CELDRAN

Rómulo Celdrán develops his work within the fields of drawing, painting and sculpture. He had his first solo exhibition at the age of 16. His early introduction into the professional artistic world led him to consolidate his artistic training in a self-taught way.

His curriculum vitae includes solo exhibitions like Rómulo Celdrán at Hasted Kraeutler Gallery in New York in 2014, Macro in 2013 at Arthobler Gallery, Zurich (Switzerland) or Zoom at Raquel Ponce Gallery in Madrid in 2010; group exhibitions at an international level featuring his participation in Sketchy at Hasted Kraeutler Gallery in New York in 2013, the ONCE Foundation IV Contemporary Art Biennial at the Conde Duque Cultural Centre in Madrid in 2012. His work can be found in private and institutional collections around the world.

INTRODUCING MIKE RUIZ

With an undeniable passion for the art of photography, world renowned artist and video director Mike Ruiz creates vibrant, ultra stylized work that stands out from the crowd. Collaborating with the best of the best, he works with an impressive list of clients including beauty and fashion brands like L'Oreal, Shick, Dark, Lovely and Garnier along with a host of A-list celebrities including Prince, Betty White, Katy Perry, and Nicki Minaj to name a few.

An optimist at his core, Mike always shoots big, and is known for bringing the fantastical to life through a creative vision that knows no bounds. Using materials and mediums that most photographers would never think of, his work has been featured by editors at Elle, Vanity Fair, L'Officiel , Paper, Flaunt, Interview, Brazilian Vogue, Prestige and many more.
 
In 2007 Mike was inspired by a project he did with RuPaul, and he formally added video production to his repertoire. Since then he’s had the pleasure of working with Vanessa Williams, Kelly Rowland, Jody Watley, Kristine W., Shontelle, The Blonds, etc... on music videos that are both unexpected and riveting.

To attend the auction and event - please RSVP

Save the date - Art Around the Child

I've taken a bit of time off from the Blog to concentrate on work, but I'm back with an important 'save the date' - November 16th 2017 for the 'art around the child auction' in London, fundraising to help build a home for HIV+ orphans in Jaipur, India.

It is a project that I'm humbled to be involved with - the money raised will help transform the lives of many disadvantaged children. You can read more about our trip out to India to work with the kids last year here on my Blog. Check back for regular updates as we get nearer the big night.

Massive thanks goes out to curators Lee Sharrock with Monica Colussi, and Ellie Milner from the charity Arms Around the Child, for bringing together what promises to be an amazing event, with the power to change lives.

Solo show in Notting Hill - London's Tabernacle

I have a solo exhibition in London coming up in July at the wonderful Notting Hill art & culture centre The Tabernacle.

The show is titled 'Conscious while the world sleeps' - which is the name of a piece of taxidermy assemblage art that I created in tribute to the artist Mary Krishna. You can read more about this work in my Blog here.

It is a retrospective of my recent assemblage boxes, and will include up to twenty individual works of art that each tell their own story. My work follows the thinking of Marcel Proust, the early 20th century novelist who wrote ‘In search of lost time (À la Recherche du Temps Perdu)’, which examines the concept of a memory triggered by an object.

After the success of the recent Contemporary Vanitas exhibition curated by Lee Sharrock and Hamish Jenkinson at the Lights of Soho gallery, it is great to have the opportunity to bring more of my work to a London audience.

I seek out antique taxidermy, or ethically sourced modern pieces, along with vintage objects that I've collected over the years - adorning them with gold & silver, and bringing them together to provoke thought and imagination of their symbolic meanings. I’m passionate about our wildlife and the environment, and would never harm any creature, and I have made it my mission to re-use as much material as possible.

'Conscious while the world sleeps' runs from July 13th - 16th 2016, 12pm - 9pm, at The Tabernacle, 35 Powis Square, off Portobello Road, London W11 2AY - directions here.

Contemporary Vanitas exhibition film launched

A short film has been released showcasing the Contemporary Vanitas exhibition at the Lights of Soho gallery in London that's open until June 25th. My taxidermy assemblage piece 'Remembrance' is on display along with the work of 15 other contemporary artists.

Follow all the updates using the hashtag #contemporaryvanitas on social media.

Contemporary Vanitas - London exhibition

I'm exhibiting in London from Thursday, with a new  illuminated assemblage piece of taxidermy art called 'Remembrance' for the Contemporary Vanitas show at the Lights of Soho gallery in Soho. I'm delighted to be alongside some of the UK's leading contemporary artists for the exhibition, curated by Saatchi's Lee Sharrock, that runs from May 26th to June 25th.

'Remembrance' contains a 19th century human skull & padlock, antique whale vertebrae, Macaw parrot wing & head. In the detail you'll find red sealing wax, antique engraved sherry glasses, old bone dice and clay marbles. The box itself is covered with water gilt silver leaf burnished using a piece of polished agate, while the inside is verre eglomise with 23 3/4 karat gold leaf. Dimensions of the handmade wooden box are 995mm high x 995mm wide x 300mm deep.

You can read & see more by clicking here.