Black Friday and Thanksgiving mark the final days of our Sale!
27/11/09 at 01:11:44 pmAs we’re sure you’ll already know, our early Christmas Sale will end on Monday, November 31, 2009, which leaves you all just enough time today and this weekend – that’s Black Friday and Thanksgiving Weekend to our US followers – to take advantage of the fantastic reductions!
With up to 50% off many original works, signed prints, polaroids, photography, and much, much more, these offers are simply unmissable!
Click an artist’s name to view a selection of their works and take advantage of our amazing reductions!
Ivor Abrahams Nobuyoshi Araki Lucie Bennett Sir Peter Blake
Erwin Blumenfeld Claire Brassil Bob Carlos Clarke Rob Carter
Maurizio Cattelan Peter Davies Susan Derges Teresa Duck
Tracey Emin Elliott Erwitt Anouska Fisz Ralph Gibson
Greg Gorman Damien Hirst Laurie Hogin Chris Kettle
William Klein Sol LeWitt Martin Maloney Josie McCoy
Steve McCurry Japeth Mennes Helmut Newton John Pawson
Marc Quinn Jamie Reid Bettina Rheims Marc Riboud
George Rodger Ed Ruscha Jenny Saville Jeanloup Sieff
Justine Smith Dennis Stock William Wegman
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!
Last Chance Thursday, December 3, 2009, from 6pm!
25/11/09 at 02:11:10 pmIt’s that time once again – your last chance to see our current exhibitions!
Matt Straub’s first ever UK solo show – Badlands – comprises a number of brand new works by this Wyoming born artist, which reveal his deep nostalgia for the American West. Featuring the classic Wild Western iconography of cowboys, cowgirls, guns and horses, his colourful, comic-book style is bound to evoke a similar nostalgia in anyone who comes to take a look, whilst adding a new depth to these themes, ensuring that they’ll endure as long, or longer, than the memories from which they evolved.
Revert to Type – our current, group exhibition – explores the place of text in the work of six leading international artists. Artists showing in Revert to Type are Tracey Emin, Jamie Reid, Stuart Semple, Nathan James, Hayden Kays and SHEONE. Highlights include a signed autobiographical poem by Tracey Emin entitled Fighting for Love, and artwork by Jamie Reid that was originally created as promotional material for Punk band The Sex Pistols. Don’t miss your last chance to see such a diverse range of pieces by artists from both Opus Art and Opus Underground, tied perfectly together by ideas of text as a common theme.
Come along for a final browse, a bowl of hot soup and a glass or two of wine from 6pm on Thursday, December 3, 2009. This is also a great opportunity to take advantage of our expert knowledge, in an informal setting, which can be instrumental in painting a full picture of the exceptional artworks on display.
Please RSVP to stacey.wilkinson@opus-art.com to confirm your attendance.
Give the Gift of Culture with the Opus Christmas Show, December 11, 2009 – January 31, 2010!
23/11/09 at 12:11:05 pmIt’s almost 2010 already! Can you believe it? It seems like only months since we were all worrying about the Millennium Bug! Anyway, what better way to bid adieu to 2009 and kick off a whole new decade than with a Christmas Show to top all others!
Showcasing a diverse range of original paintings by some of the world’s leading emerging artists, including Chris Kettle, Henrik Simonsen, Josie McCoy, Chris Acheson, Teresa Duck and Karl de Vroomen to name but a few, you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll love.
We’ll be announcing more details in the near future, but for now, why not whet your appetite with a sneak peak at some of the exceptional works which will be on show by Josie McCoy, including Catherine Zita Jones III, Duffy, and our personal favourite; Leeloo XIV. More coming soon!
The Christmas Exhibition will also see the official launch of our newest, hand-picked and extra-special interiors gifts and accessories. They come in all shapes, sizes and prices to suit any taste and budget, making them the perfect gifts for your loved ones or, let’s be honest, yourself. You know you deserve it!
More details coming soon, but in the mean time, have a look at these flat packed clocks (don’t worry, they couldn’t be less IKEA if they tried) by recent Northumbria design graduate Amy Levinson. Because you build them yourself, each one is absolutely unique, and at just £15 they couldn’t be more perfect!
For your first look at all of this under one roof, come along to the Preview Evening on Thursday, December 10, 2009, at 6pm. RSVP to stacey.wilkinson@opus-art.com.
If all this is just too tempting and you simply cannot wait, check out our Christmas Sale, ending November 30, 2009, for a wide range of reductions to ease the strain of Christmas shopping. And the best bit? It’s all online, so you can browse our massive range from the comfort of your easy-chair!
It’s All About Hector de Gregorio! Nominated for the Catlin Art Prize and featured in The Independent. Whatever next!?
18/11/09 at 07:11:43 amHector de Gregorio, one of our current favourites, has done it again!
Following the announcement of de Gregorio as joint winner of the Young Masters Art Prize, along with artist pair Ghost of Dream, Hector has not only been featured in The Independent, but with barely time for his feet to touch the ground, has been nominated for the prestigious Catlin Art Prize.
Clearly, de Gregorio’s individual style and provocative portraits are beginning to win him the acclaim he so obviously deserves, leaving us with nothing more to say but ‘Whatever next, Hector?’
It seems that right now, for Hector de Gregorio, the sky’s the limit, and we can’t wait to see what his bright future brings!
Browse and buy his works now at Opus-Art, or catch him at the fast-approaching SCOPE art fair in Miami, from December 2-6, 2009.
Hector de Gregorio wins Young Masters Art Prize
10/11/09 at 01:11:57 pmHector de Gregorio and artist pair Ghost of A Dream have been announced as the joint winners of the annual Young Masters Art Prize, sponsored this year by AXA insurance.
Hector de Gregorio not only featured in our recent Fresh Cream exhibition, but was also one of our chosen artists for the 2009 NewcastleGateshead Art Fair, and so we are especially proud of this, his most recent achievement – he couldn’t deserve the award more!
Though Art History has declined in popularity over recent years, the Young Masters Art Prize is all about reviving the influence of the Old Masters, but with a modern twist, and de Gregorio certainly fits this description. His painstakingly prepared and intricately finished portraits evoke original paintings of seminal historical figures, from kings and queens to great warriors, mirroring the symbolisn of classical portraits which used precise positioning and key props to not only represent their subjects, but reveal a deeper truth about them. De Gregorio’s pieces allow his subjects to transcend their ordinary everyday existence to become striking, fantastical characters whose portraits tell a story all their own.
This historical influence is offset by De Gregorio’s use of decidedly contemporary techniques in the production of his images. Composed from multiple digital images over which paint and varnish are layered, his pieces lack none of the depth and intensity of historical works, yet they are anything but unoriginal copies. De Gregorio reinvents the passion and impact of the Old Masters for a contemporary audience, without sacrificing anything of his uniqueness.
Browse and buy Hector de Gregorio prints, signed by the artist, at our Gosforth Gallery, open 9am-6pm, Monday-Friday, or online at Opus Art.
Stuart Semple for Umbro: A Striking Collaboration
10/11/09 at 07:11:33 amBritish artist Stuart Semple, whose work features in our current exhibition, Revert to Type, has teamed up with leading sports brand Umbro to create a limited edition football boot. Semple, well-known for his striking pieces commenting on contemporary pop-culture, has designed the sole of Umbro’s aptly named new Speciali boot, incorporating aspects of Umbro’s considerable Mancunian heritage along with more emotive elements to produce a unique and inspiring final product. The graphic-style soles continue the black and yellow colourscheme of Manchester’s legendary venue The Hacienda, whilst the text ‘Believe’, in a factory-style typeface, provides a hopeful nod towards the coming World Cup.
These unique boots combine style with substance by applying Semple’s artistic vision with the best-quality materials, engineering and design, for which Umbro are famous, making these boots a must-have item for sport fans and art lovers alike.
Visit Opus Art, open 9am-6pm Monday to Saturday, to see Stuart Semple’s work in our current exhibition – Revert to Type – which runs until December 7, 2009. Alternatively, if you’re passionate about exceptional design and superb functionality, why not visit out interior design branch, Opus Interiors, at http://www.opus-interiors.com.
Revert to Type/Badlands Opening a Resounding Success!
10/11/09 at 05:11:59 amFollowing the successful opening last Friday (November 6, 2009), we at Opus would like to thank all those who attended to browse and buy artworks – it was a brilliant night with a great turnout!
This was due, in part, to the fact that we opened not just one, but two new exhibitions: ‘Revert to Type’ and ‘Badlands’.
‘Revert to Type’ featured big-name artists such as Tracy Emin and Jamie Reid alongside favourites of ours including Stuart Semple, SHEONE and Nathan James, not to mention Undergrounder Hayden Kays. Of particular interest are Hayden Kays’ satirical and often self-referential pieces which force a harsh reevaluation of contemporary British culture, embroiled as it is in the web of a misleading media.
‘Badlands’ is Matt Straub’s newest exhibition which, continuing the textual theme, explores the American West and its classic iconography of cowboys, cowgirls, guns and horses, as seen in comic books and pulp fiction novels.
Missed the opening? Don’t worry! You can still see this unmissable pair of exhibitions which will be showing until December 7, 2009, from 9am-5pm, Monday-Saturday.
Hayden Kays at Revert To Type
04/11/09 at 12:11:38 pmOpus have just added several new pieces by urban artist Hayden Kays.
Hayden Kays is the screaming voice of an angry Britain. In a world where we are spoon fed mediocrity from the media and the government, Hayden is kicking back and saying what everybody wishes they could. “I want to spend the rest of my life mocking everywhere, with everyone, one to one, always, forever, now.”
My Pen Is For You
Hand-finished giclee print, edition of 20
Womanipulate
Giclee print, edition of 25
Hayden Kays will feature alongside Tracey Emin, Jamie Reid, Nathan James, Stuart Semple and SHEONE in our upcoming show at our Newcastle gallery Revert To Type from November 7th. Our private viewing opens Friday 6th November from 6.30pm, email enquiries@opus-art.com if you’d like to attend.
See www.opus-art.com for more information.
Jamie Reid at Revert To Type
03/11/09 at 06:11:03 amRebellious artist Jamie Reid’s visual anarchy features in our upcoming show Revert To Type this November. Reid’s signature newspaper-cutting graphics have become synonymous with the spirit of British punk rock music, having appeared on seminal Sex Pistols’ punk records of the 1970s including Never Mind the Bollocks, Anarchy in the UK, God Save the Queen and Pretty Vacant.
Tea & Sympathy (Royal Gold)
Screenprint, edition of 95
Signed and numbered by the artist
Jamie Reid will feature alongside Tracey Emin, Stuart Semple, Nathan James, Hayden Kays and SHEONE in our upcoming show at our Newcastle gallery Revert To Type from November 7th.
Our private viewing opens Fri 6th November from 6pm, email enquiries@opus-art.com to RSVP. See www.opus-art.com for more information.
Interview with Dan Baldwin
02/11/09 at 09:11:00 amOpus artist Dan Baldwin interviewed with Juxtapoz Magazine. The Brighton based artist creates mixed media works on canvas. His pieces are a mixed bag of unlikely, juxtaposed elements—motifs associated with the charm of childhood, riddled with floating razors and skulls—and are composed of colors that pop off the canvas.
Long Way From Home
Mixed media on canvas, framed
What city do you currently reside in?
I live in West Sussex-a tiny part of West Sussex called Cootham. There is just one pub—it’s in the nearest village. We have to walk 20 minutes to get there but I don’t go far if I can help it. I can drive to London in 3 hours, Brighton in 1 hour. I moved here to think, paint and have peace and space to focus on my work. I was born in Manchester and lived there until I was 10, lived in Brighton for 12 years, then West Sussex.
Tell me about your childhood.
I was very practical, wanted to be a carpenter, and was always making things. Then I was a skater for 8 years, made my own half pipe because there was nothing else. I began doing plumbing when I was 16 and enrolled in a YTS (youth training scheme) in plumbing, which is essentially an on-the-job training course where I earned £28 a week. It wasn’t for me. I left that and went back to my school.
When I was 17, I got an interview at Eastbourne Art College and got in. I loved it. It was a whole new world. I made more personal art than college art, I won best student award—it was a BTEC national diploma in general art and design. We would do a month of photography, a month of graphic design, a month of printmaking/textiles, a month of ceramics, illustration, and a lot of life drawing. I specialized in Illustration. [Read more at Juxtapoz...]
Dan Baldwin’s work has recently exhibitied at the Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles and at our Opus Gallery as part of our Dark Surrealism exhibition, see www.opus-art.com for more information.
