Martin Whatson : OLD NEWS
12.11.15-29.11.15 (Galleri A/A minor)
Opening Thursday the 12th of November at 6pm. Welcome!
Martin Whatson (b. 1984) returns to Galleri A with his new solo exhibition OLD NEWS.
The exhibition consists of a series of canvases and objects where he muses over classic nudes, Greek sculptures and antiques in a new context. The interaction between the classic mixed with contemporary street art technique reveals a new direction in the artist’s career.
By recycling antiquated art, we can reflect over if all that is created has a certain life span, or if it can be renewed and given a new lease of life. With his new exhibition, Martin Whatson applies an important tool in his work, the ability to use art history as a direct influence for his creativity today.
The exhibition is divided into two spaces. On display in Gallery A will be a collection of canvases using classic motifs mixed with street art technique, and in A minor, a selection of older and new oil paintings re-worked by the artist and framed in antique frames, as well as readymades and antiques, all staged in a 19th century setting.
You could say that in Gallery A, the contemporary has been made antiquated, and in A minor, the antiquated has been made contemporary. You could question whether what goes on in A minor is vandalism, or an enhancement? Whatever the viewer’s stance may be, Martin Whatson clearly displays a fondness for the past’s artistic expressions whilst showing his skills with the contemporary.
Martin Whatson studied graphic design at Westerdals Oslo School of Arts, Communication and Technology. Since his debut in 2004, he has developed his own unique expression as a graffiti artist with several solo and group exhibitions in Oslo, Tokyo, Paris, London, NYC, Los Angeles and Miami.
