#lockdowneditions – Delphian Gallery

Articles Tagged with: #lockdowneditions

Sunyoung Hwang in conversation with Sarah Forman

The #LockdownEditions are a Delphian-run initiative to support some of our favourite contemporary artists during these difficult and unprecedented times. Throughout the remainder of the quarantine measures, we will be releasing a new print each week, with all of the profits going directly to the artists themselves. This week, we’re excited to feature our sixth artist, Sunyoung Hwang, to talk about the practice of walking, cutting up old works, and virtual crits.

Sarah Forman: Tell us a bit about yourself and your practice.

Sunyoung Hwang: I’m a London-based Korean artist. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2016, I’ve been painting full time in a Bow Arts studio.

I explore physical and psychological layering through an intuitive approach to painting, without preliminary sketches, drawings, or photographic references. My work can be described as a tangible representation of the unconscious, incoherent flow of metaphorically internalised thoughts, emotions, memories, impressions, and as an attempt to see the invisible accumulation of these phenomena through the tangibility of paint on canvas.

S: Where are you based and how has the current global health crisis affected your day-to-day?

SH: I’m based in East London; my studio is in Bow and I live in Hoxton. They are an hour’s walk apart, and I’ve been trying to walk to the studio once a week. Walking is an important part of my practice, as the process of my painting is similar to that of walking. I used to spend more time painting in the studio before COVID-19, but now I spend more time walking, which makes me feel like I’m kind of painting outside the studio.

I realise mental health and physical health are equally important right now, so I’ve been trying to remain calm despite the frustrations and uncertainty.

S: In what ways have you changed how you work and/or what you’re working on?

SH: I had three exhibitions originally scheduled for April and June, and like most other shows, they’ve been either cancelled or postponed with no new date confirmed. Rather than getting annoyed with this situation, I decided to have fun with this challenging time, working from home and catching up on all those things I put off all last year.

I’ve been working on the paintings on paper I made last year when I participated in a residency programme in Lisbon. By cutting out pieces with shapes or gestures and sticking them together with different arrangements, I’ve gotten to spend more time experimenting with collaged elements.

S: How have you seen your community affected by the current COVID-19 crisis? Inside and outside the art world?

SH: The lockdown has affected how people communicate with each other, how we can be social without physically socialising. Physical distancing doesn’t mean that we are psychologically distant from each other. In the midst of gallery closures with cancellations or postponements of a number of exhibitions, everyone in the art world is still doing their jobs, creating connections, and supporting each other. Artists keep making from home and galleries are virtually presenting bodies of work, benefiting from social media, which I think we are using more meaningfully than ever before. I’ve even begun to think that, in some ways, people seem to be closer and more connected than ever before, and it might be a great opportunity to experiment with our virtual connectivity.

On the other hand, it seems like people outside the art world have been more affected by this challenging time than people inside it. A certain amount of social distancing was already a part of the daily routine of most artists, who spend at least some time alone in their studios. However, this situation is more likely to be a sudden change, stressful, for those who spend the majority of their days working with people and whose social interactions are a huge part of their lives.

S: Can you talk to us a little bit about this print and why you chose it?

SH: I was kind of surprised Delphian chose “Fizzing” to be printed, because it’s less known, even for me. It was last shown in 2017, so I was pleasantly surprised to see the painting again after three years.

S: Do you feel there’s a certain pressure to respond to what’s going on in the world right now? If so, what does that look like?

SH: I think we all need to respond to the current situation in our own way, but there is no pressure for me at all. I’m going to participate in Choose Art | Give Light to Refugees, an online auction in the fight against COVID-19 this coming June. It will raise funds to provide critical support to vulnerable communities, particularly during the current pandemic.

S: Have you seen initiatives taking place that really scare you? Excite you?

SH: I’ve seen some great initiatives for artists in lockdown to participate in and to feel like we are distantly together, like #artistsupportpledge which was started by Matthew Burrows to provide a platform for artists themselves to share and sell their work. Virtual Peer Crit Group, organised by Kate Mothes of Young Space, for virtual critical discussion, is also awesome. It’s important for artists to be able to share, learn, and interact as usual during this crisis. I admire #LockdownEditions, which is what Delphian Gallery is doing at the moment to support artists in whatever way they can. It isn’t easy for a small gallery to take no commissions on sales, with all of the profits going directly to the artists themselves.

For More:

Moley Talhaoui in conversation

Lucia Ferrari in Conversation

Matt Macken in conversation

Igor Moritz in conversation

B.D. Graft in conversation

Lucia Ferrari in Conversation with Sarah Forman

The #LockdownEditions are a Delphian-run initiative to support some of our favourite contemporary artists during these difficult and unprecedented times. Throughout the remainder of the quarantine measures, we will be releasing a new print each week, with all of the profits going directly to the artists themselves. This week, we’re excited to feature our fourth artist, Lucia Ferrari, to talk about pay raises for the NHS and Andy Warhol coming back from the dead.

Sarah Forman: Tell us a bit about yourself and your practice.

Lucia Ferrari: I’m a London based artist and hold a degree from The Slade School of Fine Art at UCL. My work has taken a huge turn given the current climate and being in isolation. It’s forced me to really push boundaries and explore materials I would have previously never thought of using. I’m heavily influenced by my Italian heritage and after living in Venice have since become obsessed with 15th century frescos, like the ones in San Marco. Narrative is the driving force behind my work and often guides where my paintings go. I lay paint onto a surface, see images appear and from these I start filling in what may be a face, a hand, and build the narrative out of that subject. I think my subconscious plays a vital part in that, perhaps.

SF: Where are you based and how has the current global health crisis affected your day-to-day?

LF: I’m based in North London, literally just on the belt. In terms of the pandemic I’m not working my nine to five. Instead I’ve been lucky enough to dedicate all this time to working in ‘my home studio’. A few months back I cleared out half of the garage…maybe I saw this coming.

SF: In what ways have you changed how you work and/or what you’re working on?

LF: I think what has changed the most is actually having the time to dedicate myself solely to my practice. It’s proved to me when you can give every day to painting, drawing, you can really improve a lot and consolidate what’s successful or not, learn quickly from what you’ve done. Aside from time, I’ve developed a ‘take risks’ attitude -nobody is really going to see if a painting I do completely falls flat, so I just throw myself into it. I’ve treated this time as if I was on a residency, just in my own house.

SF: How have you seen your community affected by the current COVID-19 crisis? Inside and outside the art world?

LF: The artistic community has done incredibly well to support one another. I’ve been involved in other group shows that have been setup for the same purpose as Delphian’s initiative. Ultimately everyone is being affected by this crisis, whether it’s being away from loved ones or being away from work, among many other things. It has completely altered our current lifestyle. I just hope after all of this people continue to be selfless. And that NHS workers get a pay raise.

SF: Can you talk to us a little bit about this print and why you chose it?

LF: Narrative is really important to my work and while making the original drawing I was thinking about how our freedom has been stripped away from us, despite it being for the right reasons – protecting our loved ones, our supports. I realised I’d taken for granted how easy it was to see my partner, family and friends. I was also thinking of our liberty more in a dystopian setting, than directly drawing our current crisis. It’s just relevant.

SF: Do you feel there’s a certain pressure to respond to what’s going on in the world right now? If so, what does that look like?

LF: I think by default if you’re making work now it becomes work you’ve made through isolation, whether you are directly responding to the pandemic or using materials that are readily available to you as a result of having limited resources. The other day I ran out of canvas but I had a full sheet of ply wood, so I’ve just cut that up instead, using oil undercoat that was lying around – and had slightly gone off – to seal the wood. I would never have used this as a surface if we weren’t in these circumstances, but I have to say, it’s great.

SF: Have you seen initiatives taking place that really scare you? Excite you?

LF: It’s not an initiative per se but I did spend a couple of hours the other day going through The National Gallery and Tate virtually. Online exhibitions have provided a really good platform particularly for emerging artists, and the artist support pledge was a little bit of genius, really. I also signed me and my mum up for a MOMA course. After having her run into my room the other day, telling me Andy Warhol was on “This Morning with Holly and Phil”, I figured it was time to intervene…the courses are free and they give you something to do. Yale and Cambridge also have some online free courses as well.

For More:

Moley Talhaoui in conversation

Matt Macken in conversation

B.D. Graft in conversation

Moley Talhaoui in conversation with Sarah Forman

The #LockdownEditions are a Delphian-run initiative to support some of our favourite contemporary artists during these difficult and unprecedented times. Throughout the remainder of the quarantine measures, we will be releasing a new print each week, with all of the profits going directly to the artists themselves. This week, we’re excited to feature our second artist, Moley Talhaoui, who we spoke to about annual quarantines, social felonies and democratising platforms.

To support Moley Talhaoui and artists like him, browse the prints HERE

Sarah: Tell us a bit about yourself and your practice.

Moley Talhaoui: My name is Moley Talhaoui, I’m a painter born and raised in Sweden.

S: Where are you based and how has the current global health crisis affected your day-to-day?

MT: I’m Based in Stockholm. The situation seems to be unique for Sweden, in comparison to the rest of the world. The Swedish health minister and his people have come to the conclusion that full quarantine is overrated and that all the other nations are wrong…so much hasn’t changed if you’re looking at how people move around the city. All places for socialising are closed and we’re not allowed to meet up more with than 50 people at a time. But we usually quarantine from September to April anyway. That’s part of our culture and social distancing is the default. You’re not well assimilated in the north if your impulse is to enter someone’s personal space – invading that is a social felony.

On a more personal level, I’ve had to cancel my next exhibition and there’s not much at present to hold onto on the bumpy road into the unknown future. Luckily for me, my only demand on life is the ability, or freedom really, to do what I do: paint. And that hasn’t changed. I work underground, no windows and no neighbours. I need solitude to fully focus. I’ve had people ask about my lack of access to daylight and how it affects finding the perfect, right color or what not, but Sweden is eight months of no light then four month of the extreme opposite…so I guess you could say I’ve managed to do without it.

S: In what ways have you changed how you work and/or what you’re working on?

MT: I paint more, maybe a bit more freely. This situation is serious and even if the Swedish authorities may look at it as an overreaction on the part of the rest of the world, I don’t. I guess the concept of mortality has become more vivid, and my will, my motivation amplified as a consequence of all this. I feel a sense of urgency. Life for many, or any, may soon not be a reality anymore. Death is fundamental in my work, or has been the last few years, even though “life” is slowly walking back into the center of my own narrative.

S: How have you seen your community affected by the current COVID-19 crisis? Inside and outside the art world?

MT: I have no community, but I guess in the same ways that I have. What I have seen from social media is an uprising of more democratic solutions, like online exhibitions and prints, which is good. I think this will maybe loosen up and change the predominant structure leading the industry. The increased speed of digital formats may set up some new rules that could be more beneficial for the majority, rather than for the few. But, I don’t know, something good will hopefully come out of it. Let’s just hope it’s for the ones that need it the most, not so much those already thriving.

S: Can you talk to us a little bit about this print and why you chose it?

MT: I don’t know, it just somehow matches the time were in, with or without COVID-19. We find so much brilliance in individuals, but as a collective, we’re limited. Humanity is a beautiful thing, don’t get me wrong. Love is real and hate is the same as fear, but none of these feelings exclude stupidity. I say this from a humble place, like, not stupidity as a choice, but just the way we are in our nature. We celebrate life, which is nature, by devouring it. All this around us is meant to be free and for us, yet we like to package it, claim it to be from some imaginary place. Life and nature are free, and all it wants from us is for us to take care of it.

S: Do you feel there’s a certain pressure to respond to what’s going on in the world right now? If so, what does that look like?

MT: Honestly, I’m not so well read on gallery activity. From what I can see on my Instagram feed, there are some more online exhibitions and things like that, but I’m not sure to what extent that has changed since the pandemic started. It’s not a new idea. The account “workbyfriends”, from what I have seen, is like a solidarity-oriented base for artists to make work easily available and affordable, which is a good thing. Delphian of course with this generous project have stepped up, and Beers London are doing some very interesting physical/virtual exhibitions, like the one with Jan Sebastian and his harmonious paintings.

Yngspc is doing some really interesting projects too.

S: Have you seen initiatives taking place that really scare you? Excite you?

MT: I have not.

To learn more about the artists involved in the project, read Sarah’s conversation with B.D. Graft HERE

Matt Macken in conversation with Sarah Forman

The #LockdownEditions are a Delphian-run initiative to support some of our favourite contemporary artists during these difficult and unprecedented times. Throughout the remainder of the quarantine measures, we will be releasing a new print each week, with all of the profits going directly to the artists themselves. This week, we’re excited to feature our second artist, Matt Macken, to talk about making the most of what you have at home and turning back to previous practices.

To help us support Matt Macken and artists like him, browse the prints HERE

Sarah: Tell us a bit about yourself and your practice.

Matt Macken: Well, my name is Matt. My work is constantly changing. I reflect a lot on my personal life, my relationships, people that I know and places that I’ve been. I often create images in response to photographs or from memory. Sometimes I won’t have a set idea in mind and will just see where my brushes take me.

S: Where are you based and how has the current global health crisis affected your day-to-day?

MM: I am currently based in Leicestershire, which is conveniently just a short train ride away from London. But the current lockdown means that I am no longer making journeys to my studio.

S: In what ways have you changed how you work and/or what you’re working on?

MM: I’ve set up a cosy little home studio and have actually enjoyed working on some smaller paper works. That’s something I previously used to do anyway – I’ve only recently come to the decision to start working on large-scale canvas pieces within the past few months.

S: How have you seen your community affected by the current COVID-19 crisis? Inside and outside the art world?

MM: When the lockdown started, it was devastating. I had been invited to take part in some exciting group shows this year, one of which has already been cancelled. I’m waiting to hear if the others will be postponed. The #artistsupportpledge has been great, making it possible for artists to still sell some work, and it’s really bringing the community together to support each other. But I’m concerned for galleries, their staff and I hope that it won’t affect them too badly in the long run.

Outside of the art world it’s nice to see that communities are coming together to support those most at risk – I really hope that spirit continues to stay strong after all this has blown over, inside and outside the art world.

S: Can you talk to us a little bit about this print and why you chose it?

MM: It was actually the guys at Delphian who suggested this particular piece when they approached me to take part. I’m really happy that they chose it and I hope it brightens up people’s homes. This work is from a set of other floral still life paintings that I made around August of last year.

S: Do you feel there’s a certain pressure to respond to what’s going on in the world right now? If so, what does that look like?

MM: I’m not seeing anything too different apart from a boost of online exhibitions. I know a lot of artists hit a creative block at the beginning of this, as did I. There are a lot of people without access to their studio making the most of whatever they have lying around the house, which is fun to see.

S: Have you seen initiatives taking place that really scare you? Excite you?

MM: Nothing has scared me really. I’m trying to remain optimistic and constantly remind myself that this as only a temporary issue. I think what Dephian are doing is awesome – I feel so honoured and grateful to have been chosen to take part. I haven’t seen anyone else doing what they’re doing.

For more interviews with artists involved in the project, read Sarah’s conversation with B.D. Graft HERE

A portrait of german artist B D Graft in his Amsterdam studio

B.D. Graft in conversation with Sarah Forman

#LockdownEditions is an initiative created to support some of our favourite contemporary artists during these difficult and unprecedented times. Throughout the remainder of the quarantine measures, we will be releasing a new print each week, with all of the profits going directly to the artists themselves. This week, we’re excited to feature our first artist, Brian De Greft, to take his temperature on the current climate and making work in 2020.

To purchase his print, you can find it HERE – during the lockdown 100% of the profits for each print go directly to the artists, we aren’t taking a penny.

Sarah: Tell us a bit about yourself and your practice.

Brian De Graft: I’m Brian: a self-taught, 31-year-old German artist living and working in The Netherlands. I started making art while studying film and literature at university, which eventually lead me down the path I’m now on. My art often deals with the pursuit of happiness, and what I call the deceptively decorative.

S: Where are you based and how has the current global health crisis affected your day-to-day?

BDG: I live and work in the East of Amsterdam; a nice, green area that’s less hectic and touristy than the city centre. My flat and studio are close to each other, so luckily my day-to-day hasn’t been affected too much. It’s just me and my dog in the studio, so there’s no need for social distancing.

S: In what ways have you changed how you work and/or what you’re working on?

BGD: When the lockdown started I became a lot less productive than I usually am. I was more worried and anxious, which affected my motivation and made things difficult. Now I’m beginning to find my groove again, and really enjoy making new work. In terms of subject matter, there are definitely existential questions being confronted in the work I’ve been producing lately though.

S: How have you seen your community affected by the current COVID-19 crisis? Inside and outside the art world?

BDG: Most of the people in my inner circle have ‘normal’ jobs – like tech, media, medicine, real estate – and you can really see the negative impact that the crisis is having on their industries. The same goes for fellow artists, many of which I’m mainly in contact with online. I think right now lot of people are thinking twice before spending a lot of money on art, so initiatives like #LockdownEditions are great for supporting artists and allowing people to get a nice print at an affordable price.

S: Can you talk to us a little bit about this print and why you chose it?

BDG: It’s a still life drawing called “Bright Blessed Day”, which are lyrics taken from Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”. It might seem ironic in a time like this, but it’s meant to evoke positive feelings and hope for a brighter future; something to look forward to.

S: Do you feel there’s a certain pressure to respond to what’s going on in the world right now? If so, what does that look like?

BDG: I think a lot of people are feeling scared and alone right now, so a natural response is it to try and help those in need; be there for one another, be it financially or simply giving moral support. A lot of artists are making art directly about the Corona crisis, which I’m sure is helping some people come to terms with what’s going on. I prefer to give a sort of escape, or distraction, from what’s going on; you can look at my art and forget about this shitty crisis for while.

S: Have you seen initiatives taking place that really scare you? Excite you?

BDG: Some people are tying to capitalise on those in need, which annoys me. For example, someone recently reached out to me, asking me to pay to get my art featured in their magazine. That’s not what the world needs right now. An initiative that I found both exciting and scary was doing a live drawing session that was streamed online while my friend Kyson played ambient music. He usually hosts a little art and music festival in Berlin, and this time it had to be online. The art I show at exhibitions is stuff that I’m pleased with, and that I produced in solitude. When you’re live-streaming you feel quite exposed and have no idea what the outcome will be like. I enjoyed it though!

#LockdownEditions is NOW LIVE!

#LockdownEditions

As we’re sure you’re aware, this pandemic is having a profound effect upon artists everywhere. Whilst we (as a small gallery) aren’t able to help everyone, we think it’s important to support our artists in whatever way we can.

The lack of a regular income is made doubly trying when twinned with an economic downturn that has no immediate end date in sight. Artists not only have to pay rent for their homes during this but also the rent for their studios.

Galleries are struggling too, as the high overheads that come with having a gallery space and staff need paying regardless. Times are tough for everyone.

We at Delphian are in a fortunate situation at present, as not having a permanent gallery space or any staff, our overheads are much smaller than those crippling so many others.

From the very start, we wanted Delphian to be a catalyst for a new way of working.

The one overarching aim present in everything we do is to use our platform to support these emerging artists whose work we are so excited by, in whatever ways we can.

For the reasons outlined above, we think that now is a time that galleries like us need to step-up.

For the duration of this lockdown, we will be releasing a new print each week, from some of our favourite contemporary artists.

We will not be taking a share of the profits for these prints.

After the nominal print costs have been accounted for, the remaining ~90% goes directly to the artists themselves. We won’t be taking a penny.

Artists need our help now more than ever. #LockdownEditions is our way of trying to counter some of the negative impacts this lockdown is having.

To learn more, and to buy prints, please click HERE

For more editions from Delphian Gallery, click HERE