When visiting Paul Insect's studio for our Summer 2019 issue, we got an exclusive peek at the new works for his upcoming solo show with Allouche Gallery in Paris, and since the There's More Upstairs pop up show opens this Thursday, May 30th, we're happy to finally reveal some of the things we saw.
Created in accessible language and utilizing signature pop-art elements, There's More Upstairs parallels his early work depicting London's darker side in surreal and dark Dadaist undertones. Continuously reinventing his style and creative practice, the latest exhibition will include new pieces that expand themes from his New York Reflective Minds exhibition. With printmaking and graphic design as a foundation, these works are made using traditional painting techniques that create an exciting clash of dissonant aesthetics.
Maintaining the same technique used to pave his way into London's underground, and later on to worldwide acceptance, Paul Insect makes a connection between his early pioneering creations and current studio work. Halftones with labor-intensive brushwork spar with bold strokes and patterns of solid colors, while extravagant gestures and collage compositions, all successfully merge into the signature elements from the artist's previous and current practice.
Although based on classic portraiture, with references from magazines, record covers, and even his personal life, the impetus behind these works is deeper. Though never entirely revealed, these inscrutable faces represent the disguised versions of ourselves within a technology-powered, fast-paced world. Caught in a lightning-fast stream of never-ending information and worldwide connectivity, humans seem to be relinquishing life's essential questions in a perpetual quest for immediately-irrelevant information. Contrasting bold colors and detailed expressions, Insect looks in front and behind all the noise that separates our minds from the reality surrounding us. By playing with format and shape, mixing techniques and mediums, he continuously explores new possibilities to challenge his practice as he entertains and educates us with fresh, innovative work.
Paul Insect's "There's More Upstairs" pop-up show with Allouche Gallery opens in Paris on May 30, 2019, and is on show through June 10, 2019. Check out our Summer 2019 print edition for a special feature on Paul Insect.
