I love to mix all the elements of my art together. I believe that the best art, the best food and the best music comes from a mixture of different styles, cultures and generations.
That is why the art of collages is so intriguing to me. Using all my own photographs I think of a theme that I want to express. I either go out and photograph areas that will aid this idea or use images from previous shoots. I blow them up to all different sizes and also get multiple copies made of various photographs. I may collage other materials into the piece when appropriate, like I did with the map below which I got a Brighton train station.
Below is an idea I had driving to Brighton one weekend last summer. This idea popped into my head whilst driving along the seafront and into the city.
Lose Yourself in Brighton
When you ask people what comes to mind when they hear the name Brighton, they will often say....
The pebble beach, the pier (old & new) and of course the Pavilion.
I wanted to make a piece of art to represent the other side of Brighton, the side I see when I visit.
My aim was to include the work of the many street artists, the musicians, the stunning architecture and of course all the fun seaside necessities (seagulls/boats/cockles and mussels).
I put the typical Brighton monuments in the mirrors to signify the past and the history of Brighton that still remains, whether it be a fallen pier or a magnificent palace. I often look past these monuments when I am there and indulge myself in the fun, culture and buzzing creative life Brighton has to offer.
The airplanes around the doorway were photos that I took of some graffiti, blowing them up big adds more drama to the piece. The musicians bring a lot to the collage. They appear to be engulfed by the colours and action happening around them.
Above is a detail of the collage
To be honest I dont think that these photos really do the collage justice, but it gives you an idea of how I create them.
All photographs were taken by myself and each one was captured in the city of Brighton.
The dimensions of the piece are 4.5ft x 3.5ft, it is mounted on gator board.
It now hangs in the office of MeerKat works, a Brighton based advertising company. www.meerkatworks.co.uk
You may have seen some of my previous collages, if not be sure to take a look in the 'Collage' album on the right hand side on my blog. Feel free to leave any comments I would love to get some feedback on this piece. I am planning to do this for all my favourite cities around the world, viewing them all from different perspectives, not only from a car.
To me, this collage is an advertisement for Brighton.
'Lose yourself in Brighton' and see where its path will take you...
