most aren’t closed on Saturday 

but are on Sunday 

I would avoid London with young kids. Much better places to go to. Or do you leave them with their nanny?

There’s a Lego art exhibition in brick lane which is the Shoreditch area. Your kids may like this?

theartofthebrickexpo.com/london/

If you happen to go to Brick Lane, make sure to make your way to Pellicci cafe on Bethnal Green road, family run cafe for over 120 years.  Beautiful original art deco wood panelling.  The food is great and plenty of it, the warmth and friendliness of the family is wonderful.  You’ll often get some famous faces in there, check out their instagram page. Often a queue but well worth the wait plus they feed you hot chips whilst queuing 🤣 Not sure on opening times but its only breakfast and lunch, not opened in the evening 

Thank you very much!
What a great community!
Still havent booked my flat but if anyone has a tip for a family of 5 central london

Depends on budget. Maybe Airbnb may be cheaper than 2 or 3 hotel rooms. Budget hotels in Central London usually cost between £80-200 per double room (average is probably £130), depending on day and season. Decent hotels of say 4 star and above in a good central location start at £200 for a double room and then the sky's the limit. A 2/3 bed flat will cost around £300-1000 a night around zone 1 and edge of zone 2. Some friends rented a 3 bed flat near Paddington Station for £600 a night last October, it was fairly decent and well located. 

Saw today in the Royal Exchange Banksy/STIK.

Capturing the Moment at Tate Modern in London was extended until Sunday, 28 April 2024.


www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/capturing-the-moment



This exhibition was also mentioned by its all about me in a separate thread* in January.



In case a further nudge might encourage anyone to visit over the seven remaining days, they are recommended to do so. It's the strongest show I've been to since the excellent (now‑closed) retrospective for Philip Guston*.

The number of impressive works on display is a treat. I was especially pleased to see once again notable images by Gursky, and to view for the first time in person a Sugimoto seascape in large scale.

My main criticism is relatively trivial: There is no audioguide. This could have provided additional background on specific artists and pieces. And unified the exhibition more effectively, around its theme of the relationship between painting and photography, and how modern‑era painters and photographers captured moments in time.



Semi-doppelgänger of one member of this forum:



Pauline Boty, Portrait of Derek Marlowe with Unknown Ladies (1962–1963)

This is a street art forum, here `s some street art. 




































































atom

More posts like this always welcome! Fantastic taxed thanks

Hey All,



I have been working on a show with an artist called Didier Chamizo. He is a legend among circles in France, and I thought you would enjoy his genuinely epic story and artwork.







London, 23rd May 2024 – D'Stassi Art is thrilled to announce the first-ever UK solo exhibition of iconic French painter Didier Chamizo, Rebel Soul. Didier Chamizo’s UK Debut show will be revealed with an opening night on 7th June, with a rare appearance by Chamizo.



Didier Chamizo
Last Indian in Manhattan
Acrylic on canvas 51 1/8 x 38 1/4 in 130 x 97 cm (DADC003)



Opening on 7th June 2024 at D’Stassi Art in London’s Shoreditch, the exhibition showcases 19 vivid figurative portraits and a custom Harley Davidson hand-painted by Chamizo. Inspired by Lettrism, a unique alternative to graffiti and tag art, Chamizo is renowned for creating ‘Lettric’ abstraction-figuration, a style marked by raw, untamed expression and profound emotional truths.



To be an artist with expression is one thing, but to be an artist with a story is another. Chamizo is an artist in the most authentic sense, his art informing his life and life informing his art. His life is a life lived to the fullest. However, Chamizo is more than a living example of the trope of a suffering artist: his art was born out of experiences that most people wouldn’t live through in a lifetime, but he channelled these experiences into visceral narratives that jump out of the canvas. As the saying goes, 'You never know what you know until you do what you've never been told.' This sentiment sets an artist on a path to iconism. Chamizo epitomizes the blend of art and lived experience. His work is an emblem of his turbulent journey, filled with political activism, personal tragedy, and relentless creativity.



Born into poverty in Cahors, France, on 15th October 1951, Chamizo's early life was marked by stark contradictions and intense transformations. His is a tale of extraordinary, often near-death experiences that could rival a three-season Netflix docuseries or form the plot of a Martin Scorsese film. Full of intrigue, pain, suspense, joy, and triumph, Chamizo's tale is as gripping as it is inspiring. Ultimately he channelled his angst, pain, activism, incarceration and protest into a completely unique artistic practice which germinated in prison, and led to recognition as an extraordinary and authentic artist whose work is collected and coveted by art world insiders including the Cartier Foundation.



The Rebel's Journey:

Chamizo left school at 13 to become a locksmith apprentice, and pursued his passion for art through evening classes. His involvement in the May 1968 protests in France catapulted him into a life defined by rebellion and defiance. He participated in demonstrations against nuclear power, the Vietnam War, and advocated for women's liberation. Chamizo's activism led him to the arms trade and eventual imprisonment, where he spent time channelling his existential angst and very real experiences into his art, and went on to sell out art exhibitions from his prison cell. His talent caught the discerning eye of Perrin, Founder & President of the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art. Change was in the air for Chamizo, taking a turn toward recognition and redemption. Eventually, he was pardoned by François Mitterrand, the President of France during this period.






Didier Chamizo
The Shoot
Acrylic on canvas 39 3/8 x 39 3/8 in
100 x 100 cm (DADC004)




Didier Chamizo
Cocaine
Acrylic on canvas 51 1/8 x 38 1/4 in
130 x 97 cm (DADC005)



Despite facing numerous challenges, including multiple imprisonments and a severe car accident in 1987 that resulted in braeaking ‘every bone in his body, Chamizo's art continued to flourish. His vivid figurative portraits critique the human condition, reflecting the gritty textures of his past. He gained international acclaim, going on to exhibit alongside luminaries like Jeff Koons, Arman, Niki de Saint-Phalle, César, Combas, the Di Rosa brothers, Kenny Scharf, Birk Dietman, Erro, and Antonio Segui. With sold-out shows under his belt, he solidified his status as one of the most influential French artists of his time.






Didier Chamizo
Tarzan
Acrylic on canvas 39 3/8 x 39 3/8 in 100 x 100 cm (DADC006)



Chamizo's art, shaped by his chaotic yet resilient life, challenges societal norms and explores a wide range of themes from consumerism to social and political issues, his legacy continues to inspire, raising profound questions about redemption, personal transformation, and the role of art in societal healing. His art is not just a visual experience but a thought-provoking journey that invites the audience to delve deeper into the complexities of the human experience.




Didier Chamizo
Nique Club (Fuck Club)
Acrylic on canvas 51 1/8 x 38 1/4 in 130 x 97 cm (DADC009)



Didier Chamizo: Rebel Soul will be a rare opportunity to experience the raw talent of one of the most intriguing, unexpected and collectable artists to come out of France in recent history.




Didier Chamizo
Les femmes à Mossoul
Acrylic on canvas 63 3/4 x 51 1/8 in
162 x 130 cm (DADC019)



CHAMIZO Timeline 1951 - 2000

1951-1968: Apprenticeship
Didier Pierre Chamizo was born on October 15, 1951, in Cahors. He lived at No. 6 Impasse Nadaillac with his grandmother, mother, and aunt. At the age of seven, he left Cahors for Saint-Étienne. He was an intelligent but rebellious child, already talented in visual arts and curious about everything. He left school at the age of thirteen to begin an apprenticeship in locksmithing. He had been drawing and painting since he was young and decided to enroll in evening classes at the School of Fine Arts in Saint-Étienne in September 1967. There, during the winter, he had the opportunity to present his first exhibition – drawings – at the Maison de la Culture. The events of May 1968 put an end to his experience at the School of Fine Arts.



1969-1972: Political Engagement
The temptation of heroism lived within Didier Chamizo: in the summer of 1969, he saved three people from drowning in rough ocean waters at Contis-les-Bains. In December, he joined the Paris Fire Brigade for his military service and attracted attention through his insubordination by reading Mao Zedong's Thoughts in the barracks yard. After completing his service, he returned to Saint-Étienne where he found work as a nurse in an industrial boiler works and then as an arc welder. He took on odd jobs, fueling Didier Chamizo's revolt against the plight of workers and awakening his rebellion.
From 1971 onwards, he participated in all demonstrations: against nuclear power, against the war in Vietnam, for women's liberation, and he became strongly politicised without, however, belonging to a party or union. He engaged in discussions with organised groups of students but didn't see the point in just talking. He took action in a libertarian approach that took him to Italy, Germany, and Spain, where he engaged in political agitation.



1973-1976: From Underground to Prison
During this time, the torn and uncompromising artist decided to destroy all of his artistic production; he burned three hundred paintings and drawings as well as a thousand poems. Chamizo was at war, his causes needed weapons and money. He then went underground to support armed groups in Europe.
Married in December 1972, father of Yvon-John born in January 1973, he was arrested and imprisoned in June 1973. The judgement on December 18, 1975, sentenced him to five years in prison for the robbery of the Veuve Morin-Pons bank in Saint-Étienne. Still politically active, he participated in the prisoner movements of 1974 and the Prisoners' Action Committee. The prison revolt was motivated by unbearable detention conditions. Didier Chamizo knew them well, having experienced confinement in the "chicken coops" of Eysses prison in Lot-et-Garonne during this first sentence.



1977-1980: Reintegration
Released in 1977, Didier Chamizo reunited with his wife and son. He had given up armed struggle and sought work, aware that he couldn't support his family solely through his painting. In 1979, he worked as a delivery driver for Nouvelles Messageries de Presse Parisienne in Lyon. For the first time in his life, he found fulfilment in the world of work. His analytical sense, his synthesis of ideas pushed him to make remarks on work organisation; he was listened to and, within ten months, rose to the position of manager at Midi-Poste, a commercial company of N.M.P.P. for the Southeast region. He continued to paint, in his free time, with critical or narrative figuration.



1981-1982: The Second Arrest
The success of his reintegration was undeniable, so much so that the prosecutor of Vienne asked him to host one of his former cellmates who had just been released. Chamizo agreed, unaware that this would lead him into an infernal spiral. The man he hosted engaged in arms trafficking at his host's place. On the day of delivery, Chamizo, knowing nothing, was alone at home. The man he hosted had miraculously disappeared, but the police who were following the case were there. It was May 10, 1981; Didier Chamizo was arrested for the second time and had to answer to the charge of arms trafficking. He was imprisoned for a year at Saint-Paul prison in Lyon before facing trial. The case was dismissed, with a conditional release.


On April 1, 1982, Chamizo was free but alone; his marriage had not survived this new ordeal. He had fifty-two francs in his pocket and didn't know where to go. The only person who opened his door was Raymond Vaccarizzi, the leader of a famous gang in the Lyon region. The two men had met in prison where they had been cellmates twice. Chamizo soon learned incidentally that he was wanted by the police in connection with a bloody hold-up. Innocent but convinced from experience that he would have a hard time proving it, and not considering returning to prison, he became frightened and fled to Amsterdam. There, he contacted galleries and began preparing an exhibition of drawings.



1982: The Accident
But being on the run weighed on him, and his innocence urged him to return to France to consult his lawyers. With them, he agreed to surrender to the public prosecutor after the weekend of November 11. On November 11, 1982, while riding a motorcycle between Saint-Étienne and Lyon in a sudden snowstorm, an altercation occurred with an angry driver who had been overtaken. A chase of several kilometers ensued on the highway. The car hit the motorcycle, which stalled. The driver got out of his vehicle. Fists were exchanged. Then the car turned around and returned at full speed towards Chamizo, who was still standing on the side of the road. It was a leap. Witnesses to the scene, police officers found a man unconscious ten meters below, on the other side of the guardrail, with a dislocated body. The ambulance that arrived on the scene took away a dying man: thirty fractures of the legs and pelvis, cranial trauma, crushed right hand. Chamizo remained in a coma for a month, locked in a hospital room with bulletproof windows and doors, guarded continuously by police officers.



1983-1984: Rehabilitation
The accident, occurring one day before his surrender, once again threw Didier Chamizo into an infernal cycle. When he regained consciousness, he found himself accused of numerous crimes attributed to Raymond Vaccarizzi's gang. Innocent, he focused his energy on regaining his physical integrity first. Imprisoned in isolation at La Talaudière, in Saint-Étienne, he rehabilitated himself and painted. His right hand gradually regained its mastery; he drew a lot and painted oil works dated 1984-1985 – which he still refused to exhibit. Sitting in a wheelchair, Chamizo appeared in court again. On March 28, 1984, for the blows exchanged with the driver, he was sentenced to four years in prison. To explain the undue severity of the sentence, the prosecutor said to him: "We know you didn't do much on the highway, but the opportunity to hold you is too good to pass up." In prison, he remained an example of rehabilitation.



1985-1987: Exhibitions and Freedom
Released on parole in February 1985, Didier Chamizo resumed his exhibitions and participated in group shows in Lyon and Paris. In 1986, he was invited to show his works in the United States, in the exhibition "Realized Utopias". He also began working as a consultant for companies wishing to develop cultural activities for their staff. In 1987, he met Sylvie Guitard, who became his partner. Together, they undertook the development of the "Oniris" group – a publishing company, record label, and press relations agency. But this happiness was short-lived. On November 8, 1987, Didier Chamizo was the victim of a car accident in which his partner was killed. Didier was thrown twenty meters from the car. He lost his right arm and his right leg was amputated.



1988-1990: Unfinished Paintings
During his convalescence at the Hospital of Saint-Étienne, Chamizo began a long process of physical and psychological reconstruction. He adopted a philosophy that he had previously applied in prison: "One must suffer in order to win". Despite the importance of his injuries, Chamizo continued to paint. His works from this period are imbued with a sense of struggle and a tragic tone that reflects his personal experiences. He created a series of unfinished paintings that capture the uncertainty and fragility of life.



1991-1999: Rehabilitation and Advocacy
After leaving the hospital, Chamizo devoted himself to advocacy work for the rights of people with disabilities. He became involved in various organizations and campaigns aimed at improving accessibility and opportunities for disabled individuals. He also continued to paint and exhibit his work, gaining recognition for his resilience and artistic vision. In 1999, he published his memoir, recounting his life experiences and reflections on art, politics, and the human condition.



2000-Present: Legacy and Inspiration
In the years following the publication of his memoir, Didier Chamizo's influence continued to grow. His story of resilience and creativity inspired many, and his artwork gained appreciation for its depth and emotional impact. He remained active in advocacy work and artistic endeavors until his passing in 2015, leaving behind a rich legacy of art and activism. Today, his paintings are celebrated for their powerful expression of the human spirit and their reflection of the challenges and triumphs of life.

I’ll update this feed with more art and media from the upcoming show.



I’d love to see forum members there if you can make it. RSVP here - as usual feel free to use me as your point of contact on the form and I'll come find you at the launch!



All the best,

Eddy

Colors are amazing, any idea on pricing?