A selection of photos from my recent exhibition "People Using Umbrellas Always Seem to be Under the Weather - The Winter of Our Discontent" at the Gate House Gallery in Guernsey.
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"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." By Smithsonian Rosterino, is a small diptych composed of two matchbooks. The title is a quote by U.S. President George W. Bush, post 9/11 at the height of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden during the “War on Terror!” Each matchbook is cut to resemble the New York skyline, with the iconic ‘Twin Towers’ being the only two ignitable matchsticks left whole. The owner of the artwork has the choice to light them; to play god, to destroy art! One matchbook is from the presidential aircraft; ‘Airforce 1’, the other is a ‘bounty’ matchbook given to U.S. troops to distribute in Afghanistan, featuring a reward for the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden. One is white, the other is black, one exudes wealth and opulence, whilst the other promises wealth by betrayal and submitting to the ‘American Dream’, one is “good”, one is “evil”, one is right, one is wrong and both are terrorists in the eyes of the other! The artwork is about dilemma. How do you assign the roles of “good” and “evil”, and who do you trust to give you the context of that judgment. Who is responsible for the atrocities that happened on 9/11? Who is responsible for the ongoing death and destruction that has happened in the name of oil driven capitalism in the middle east since March 3rd 1938? Whose side are you on? about the matchesThe mighty matchbook has a long and quite successful history in the world of marketing. There was a time in our history when matchbooks were the most popular advertising medium in North America. They were inexpensive, colourful, persuasive, and highly mobile. The simple matchbook links the tragic events of 9/11 with President George W. Bush and Osama Bin Laden. There are various different designs of matchbooks associated with the U.S. presidential aircraft, Air Force One. From piecing information together about all the various designs, it is most likely that the matchbook design Rosterino has used is the style that would have been used during George W. Bush’s term in office. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush traveled to Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, where he received news that two planes had flown into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. He had travelled to Florida on the presidential aircraft, Air Force One. President Bush was rushed back to the airport where he flew to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. While enroute from Florida to Louisiana, the pilots were told there was a plane approaching. Fearing the unknown plane was hijacked, Air Force One altered its course; but ultimately, decided to continue on to Barksdale. (The second plane turned out to be harmless.) The President went from Barksdale Air Force Base to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska; however, he insisted on returning home to the White House, where he addressed the nation from the Oval Office. Many of the important decisions made that day were made on board Air Force One. President George W. Bush was a smoker and could very well have used these type of matches to light his cigarettes during this stressful time. After Bin Laden's suspected involvement in the Sept. 11, 2001, matchbooks were put into circulation offering a reward for his whereabouts. The thinking was this: many of the rural people of the Middle East don't have access to radios or internet. But research showed that a high percentage of people in those regions were smokers. Matchbooks are an interesting item. Heavy to moderate smokers look at a matchbook 20 or more times a day. Up to eight additional people are exposed to a single matchbook. They get borrowed and shared. Every time a matchbook got pulled out of a pocket, the owner was reminded of the bounty. Matchbooks were an inexpensive, yet effective way for the State Department to get the word out to remote regions, and to keep it top of mind. Unfortunately, as it turns out, the matchbooks weren't effective in bin Laden's case. Many people in rural areas can’t read and the reward amount on the matchbooks was missing a zero – it said $500,000 instead of $5 million. Also, the matchbooks were green, a colour Muslims associate with Islam, so many Afghans would interpret it to mean bin Laden was a holy man. And lastly, the website on the matchbooks was also incorrect – so anyone wishing to leave a tip just got an error message. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
U.S. President George W. Bush, 5th Aug 2004 I took the opportunity to paint two BT Boxes in Weymouth last month, seemed a good time as the gas company had fenced them off. It's been a while since I've painted anything, but soon got back into the swing of it. Obviously climate themed... because nothing else is as important. Some of the black and white images were borrowed from Miles Glyn... check him out here...
If you visit Weymouth, you can find them located here... Many thanks to everyone that came to my exhibition at the Gate House Gallery last week. The show nearly sold out so I'm very thankfully to everyone who bought something. Here are a few photographs. This event was supported by...
There was some great work on show at the I Heart Art "Cusp" group show at the 5th Base Gallery up in London last weekend. Here are a couple of photographs of my work in situ. Left:
To retain friendship is to be tolerant, therefore it is time for you to forgive one of your friend’s mistake. Paper collage, 41x31cm, 2017 Right: Give yourself a present as an award for the work done. Paper collage, 41x31cm, 2017 I'll be hosting a lecture at the Digital Greenhouse in Guernsey, Channel Islands entitled… “The Originality and Appropriation of Art and Ideas and What Does it all Mean in the Creative Process?” This lecture, supported by the Guernsey Photographic Festival and the Guernsey Arts Commission, is planned to raise just as many questions as it answers. It is designed to encourage discourse. In these post-modern times where artists are on instagram and instagram is art it is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate the world around us and to understand just what it is we are looking at! Using examples from his own career along with case studies from international artists, designers and photographers together we’ll examine the following subjects: What is creativity? What makes a good idea? When does inspiration become plagiarism and does it matter? Is it OK to appropriate images? The importance of context? What: Lecture about creativity When: Thursday 23rd March - 7:30pm Where: The Digital Greenhouse, Market Square, St Peter Port, GY1 1AQ Entrance: FREE - Please reserve a space BY CLICKING HERE Click here for the PRESS RELEASE This event is supported by...
The Gate House Gallery will host an exhibition entitled “How to Cut Your Losses and Make a Prophet - Seeing the Future and Making Money off It.” After a five-year absence from the island Andy Smith AKA Smithsonian Rosterino returns with his usual blend of eclectic influences, styles and substance. In this exhibition Andy analyses the ‘post-modern’ world around us and deals with issues including… Creativity, Recycling, Sampling, Appropriation, Re-appropriation, Misappropriation, Context, Found Imagery, Assemblage, Mixed Media, Practical Jokes, Arts Pranks, Lies, Deception, Truth, Stealing, Ideas, Imagination, Technology, Politics, Fake News, Presenting, Re-presenting, Intention, Homage, Inspiration, Copyright, Theft, Plagiarism, Repetition, Post-Modernism, Trump, Authenticity, Advertising, Photography and Art. The exhibition will feature examples of Andy’s complex hand-cut geometric collages along side assemblages made from found and recycled materials, mixed media, light installations, sound installations, video and performance. What: How to Cut Your Losses... When: Private View - Friday 24th March 2017 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm Where: The Gate House Gallery, Elizabeth College, St Peter Port, Guernsey Click here for PRESS RELEASE This event is supported by...
I'm pleased to announce I have some work in this group show in London. 6 months ago, 28 artists were asked to produce new work interpreting the concept of 'cusp' – to be on the brink, on the threshold or border between two states or actions.
The resulting art works will be shown over 2 days only at 5th Base Gallery, 23 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ before being added to the I Heart Art online archive – a record of the work these and other artists have done as part of the I Heart Art Collective since 1999. The CUSP exhibition in March will feature painting, sculpture, photography, performance, installation, textiles, ceramics, film and sound pieces. Wendy Kirwood, Stephen Maskell, Lee Hazeldine, Vikki Hill, Paul Whyte, Danielle Penhaligan, Cat James, Vikki Maltby, Andrew Smith, Ellen Lever, Mark Freemantle, Richard Martin, Hannah Baker, Mark Shaw, Frances Grant, Aron Spall, Jenny Walden, Brian Lunn, Louisa Dunn, Denise Leworthy, Anja Lubach, Vissey Safavi, Helen Lynwen Woods, Anita Wernstrom-Pitcher, Helen Smith, Jennie Fagerstrom, Chris Giorgi and Xavier White. What: CUSP When: 10th/11th March 2017 (Private view 6pm - 10th March) Where: 5th Base Gallery, 23 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ For more info about I Heart Art CLICK HERE. |