After much needed respite in my favourite East-End pub, a pint of Doombar and a sausage sandwich, I wandered outside and found an out-of-the-way mews where tucked away was a small gallery. I was the only visitor so had plenty of time to chat with Charlie, the resident artist and his curator. Charlie sources much of the material for his stunning mixed-media images in his local street market in Deptford, South East London. Sometimes, this creativity involves cutting a garment along the side seams to produce a side-by-side montage, front and dorsal.
Then the garment may be set on fire, so the end result can never be accurately predicted. Sounds strange, but the images are striking, creative, fiercely original and very thought provoking. We discussed the philosophy behind the process of renewal through fire and the legend of the Phoenix rising from the Ashes. Some of Charlie’s work may be seen - here
I asked Charlie about his second name. In a former life, he had worked with an associate in Liverpool and was known as Charlie Pig. However, working with Islamic organisations, he thought that this could cause offence, hence the dropping of the G.
To say that I enjoyed our conversation would be a huge understatement, plus there was the bonus of Charlie pointing out a huge piece of graffiti just around the corner by the well-known street artist, Phlegm. Thank you Charlie and I hope that the exhibition was a great success.
Here's Phlegm's graffiti somewhat embellished by local residents.
Then the garment may be set on fire, so the end result can never be accurately predicted. Sounds strange, but the images are striking, creative, fiercely original and very thought provoking. We discussed the philosophy behind the process of renewal through fire and the legend of the Phoenix rising from the Ashes. Some of Charlie’s work may be seen - here
I asked Charlie about his second name. In a former life, he had worked with an associate in Liverpool and was known as Charlie Pig. However, working with Islamic organisations, he thought that this could cause offence, hence the dropping of the G.
To say that I enjoyed our conversation would be a huge understatement, plus there was the bonus of Charlie pointing out a huge piece of graffiti just around the corner by the well-known street artist, Phlegm. Thank you Charlie and I hope that the exhibition was a great success.
Here's Phlegm's graffiti somewhat embellished by local residents.