'A' exhibition by Remi Rough and Steve More
@ Blackall Studios 1st - 11th Feb 2011
Remi Rough and Steve More started off as graffiti taggers in the 90s and returned to white cube gallery instead with an artwork strongly embedded in graffiti. Current ‘A’ exhibition, draws parallels and looks at how the two graffiti artists (Rough and OneMor) have grown from a stereotypical and regulated graffiti world to an expressive abstract art without taboos.
Art is very much about trends, repetitions and moving in cycles like fashion. Steve More shares how he truly disliked 80s because it seemed so cheesy to him, where now all the kids love it. “As an artist I don’t think you make a choice to follow a trend, but there is an underline current that always drives you.” The title of the exhibition ‘A’ reflects such a diverse list of meanings to both of them. More shares his perspective how the concept ‘A’ symbolises a beginning: “what we do now you can feel it is starting to transform to something else.” Rough‘s excitement is reflected in doing a show with an icon rather than title. The show is also examining “the artistic relationship” between them.
The artists met at about 1992 and over the years they were tagging in Edinburgh and London. Both of the artists share similar points of view on leaving graffiti scene. Rough’s shares: “I think I have done everything I needed to do and you can only write your names so many times in a different type and letters and 3D.” In 2003 more decided to move across the planet and work on his visions in an isolated environment in New Zealand. “I had to pretty much find a new way of communicating to be honest. I kind of changed direction, the materials I was using.” He talks passionately about looking behind the surface, its substance, his fascination with texture of walls on the streets, passage of time and erosion. On contrast, Rough’s work delivers a profound depth in a 2D surface, graphically constructed through use of vivid colours and minimalism in focus, reflecting direct roots in graffiti arts.
In graffiti scene immediacy is an important factor. His fascination with Martial Art, Tai Chi has injected slow pace movement in to his artwork. On contrast, Rough’s work has formed its shapes and context over the time to extreme minimalism. There are aspects to Rough’s work, which he talks about passionately; colour and tension. “Graffiti is an expressive art form that is not going to go. It is not going to disappear, it is just going to re-manifest itself in different ways.”
Talking about IDOL’s More feels connected with works by modern artists like Tapies, Ben Nicholson and Robert Rauschenberg. Rough remarks graffiti artist FUTURA’s ethic. The warmest words from both of the artists are devoted to Jaybo Monk. I am curious if they are making a comeback to streets as both of them are actively engaged in non-commercial projects under Agents of Change. Rough shares the emphasis is on a group of eight creative artists collaborating within spaces.
Pictures courtesy Ameliaphotos
Steve More 'Red Blue and Void'
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