Urban Art Association

London Calling 2014 Graffik Gallery, by Rowan Newton on Sept 9, 2014 9:42:32 GMT 1, Jef Aerosol, K-Guy, Remak, Akse and myself were asked to produce a piece of work inspired by The Clash's seminal album London Calling. Come check out the exhibition if you have the time or happen to be in the area. 

Akse's painting of Ray Lowry




My painting and blurb (sorry a bit long) of the meaning of the image I've painted.



Based on the song Guns of Brixton, off the album. I felt a strong connection with Paul Simonon who, as with myself was a tall blonde guy who grew up in Brixton wanting to be an artist. So the song Guns of Brixton struck a chord with me, both growing up in Brixton and around gun culture. My best friend was shot dead in Brixton in my early twenties. As a result I don't like to represent guns or weapons in my work, as I in no way want to glamourise them or make them look cool. So I decided I would paint a hand as if it were holding a gun "trigger of your gun", but due to the gun not being there its represents the fact there still an option "hands on your head". In The Clash's visual for this song I came across Paul Simonon playing the bass in a room plastered in shooting target posters. The target poster visual was also used in various other imagery that The Clash used. So I thought I would use this well known image for the background but then decided to replace the silhouette of a male target to the silhouette of Simonon. Painted his face by painting the negative to create a ghostly appearance. As the character in the song dies towards the end "Goodbye to the Brixton sun". On the hand are various tattoos which represent aspects of the song or band. So on his fingers is Brixton's postcode, SW2. On his wrist is the tilted star, an image which the band took on in the artwork for the record covers, tour posters etc. The use of this image came as a result of a trip that Paul Simonon took to Russia, bringing back a load of badges with the star on it. Along the forearm is the sentence 'the harder they come' a line from the song, which was also a reference to the film 'The Harder They Come'. The main colour palette I chose to use was black, white, greys, pinks and greens (in fairness its more turquoise) which is the colour palette of the albums front cover. Also of course it is a photo of Simonon on the cover of the album. Oh and and on the side of the hand is a tattoo that reads 'survivin', a word taken from the song, and something I feel everyone is just about doing to live in this city. 


LONDON CALLING Again...

"Ray Lowry who designed the 'London Calling' album sleeve passed away in 2008. In 2011 the Lowry Foundation asked me to create a series of limited edition hand pulled screen prints based around the original sketches as ray was on the road in the USA with The Clash. So many of the images have never been seen before."

Robin Ross

Wednesday 10th September 6.30 pm Private View Party
Graffik Gallery, 284 Portobello Road, London, W10 5TE

RSVP: art@graffikgallery.co.uk
Press: ollie@graffikgallery.co.uk

Jef Aerosol, K-Guy, Remak, Akse and myself were asked to produce a piece of work inspired by The Clash's seminal album London Calling. Come check out the exhibition if you have the time or happen to be in the area. 

Akse's painting of Ray Lowry




My painting and blurb (sorry a bit long) of the meaning of the image I've painted.



Based on the song Guns of Brixton, off the album. I felt a strong connection with Paul Simonon who, as with myself was a tall blonde guy who grew up in Brixton wanting to be an artist. So the song Guns of Brixton struck a chord with me, both growing up in Brixton and around gun culture. My best friend was shot dead in Brixton in my early twenties. As a result I don't like to represent guns or weapons in my work, as I in no way want to glamourise them or make them look cool. So I decided I would paint a hand as if it were holding a gun "trigger of your gun", but due to the gun not being there its represents the fact there still an option "hands on your head". In The Clash's visual for this song I came across Paul Simonon playing the bass in a room plastered in shooting target posters. The target poster visual was also used in various other imagery that The Clash used. So I thought I would use this well known image for the background but then decided to replace the silhouette of a male target to the silhouette of Simonon. Painted his face by painting the negative to create a ghostly appearance. As the character in the song dies towards the end "Goodbye to the Brixton sun". On the hand are various tattoos which represent aspects of the song or band. So on his fingers is Brixton's postcode, SW2. On his wrist is the tilted star, an image which the band took on in the artwork for the record covers, tour posters etc. The use of this image came as a result of a trip that Paul Simonon took to Russia, bringing back a load of badges with the star on it. Along the forearm is the sentence 'the harder they come' a line from the song, which was also a reference to the film 'The Harder They Come'. The main colour palette I chose to use was black, white, greys, pinks and greens (in fairness its more turquoise) which is the colour palette of the albums front cover. Also of course it is a photo of Simonon on the cover of the album. Oh and and on the side of the hand is a tattoo that reads 'survivin', a word taken from the song, and something I feel everyone is just about doing to live in this city. 


LONDON CALLING Again...

"Ray Lowry who designed the 'London Calling' album sleeve passed away in 2008. In 2011 the Lowry Foundation asked me to create a series of limited edition hand pulled screen prints based around the original sketches as ray was on the road in the USA with The Clash. So many of the images have never been seen before."

Robin Ross

Wednesday 10th September 6.30 pm Private View Party
Graffik Gallery, 284 Portobello Road, London, W10 5TE

RSVP: art@graffikgallery.co.uk
Press: ollie@graffikgallery.co.uk