A group show inspired by the iconic image of the Panda featuring C215, Dale Grimshaw, Guy Denning, Jef Aerosol, Elinor Evans, Byroglyphics (Russ Mills), SPQR, TRXTR, David Le Fleming, Gaye Black, Frank Rannou, Joram Roukes, Chris Bell, Lora Zombie and Jane Price: this is Pandamonium at Signal Gallery.
An artwork by TRXTR
Honestly? I don’t like Pandas. Sure they are nice animals and I do like them, but I can’t recognise them as iconic figures to be represented in drawings and paintings.
Even so, I thought an exhibition featuring artists like Guy Denning, Russ Mills, Lora Zombie and Jef Aerosol was anyway worthy a visit. Also, having worked with Signal Gallery promoting the show I’ve had the opportunity to see some of the pieces few days before the opening and since I’ve quite liked them I wanted to see the others!
Just two steps inside the gallery and two artworks had already caught my eyes: an amazing head of panda painted on an old Cadillac by David Le Fleming, and a superb work by TRXTR portraying a girl with a nice panda-hat. In the second piece in particular I’ve appreciated TRXTR’s evolution: from the “dark” works of ‘Pretty Lethal‘ to a painting in which the brighter colours are perfectly combined with a much more “clean” figure; really a good portrait.
In the same room there were also the drawings by Guy Denning and Frank Rannou: outstanding artworks indeed, but I think the “Panda concept” has been forced into the works instead of being really inspired by the iconic imge of the Panda.
In the other rooms I could enjoy a good painting by Dale Grimshaw made with his characteristic dark style, three stunning drawings by Russ Mills (who is really improving and evolving every time I see something new), and an exceptional mixed media work by Lora Zombie (on the right). This last work is definitively my favourite because the talented artist painted a little girl as main subject, hiding then the Panda in the background: a really clever idea!
Around the gallery I could also admire other good works by Elinor Evans, SPQR, Joram Roukes, Jef Aerosol and Gaye Black.
During the preview the gallery was full of art lovers and artists as well, and I think the atmosphere was really nice. Although the artworks were very good I’m still not convinced about the Panda as iconic image, but it has been nice to see how each artist has been able to give his own interpretation of the theme.
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Artist, Poet and Photographer. A person in love with Art who lives trying to make every single day an unforgettable event
