Following the recent success of three Bungeroosh Gallery artists being selected for HOUSE Open in the festival of Artists Open Houses in Brighton this May, I asked each of them to send me some background information on their work and some stills for the blog. The first is Helen Cann, enjoy!
Helen Cann - rules of graffitti and regeneration
I’m interested in language, both verbal and non-verbal. Much of my acrylic work makes use of lettering and design and I often make pastiches of familiar printed ephemera – old posters, adverts, playing cards, book jackets etc…
I was interested in looking at the language and design rules of grafitti in the paintings made for the Bungeroosh gallery. Seemingly ruleless, grafitti has distinct types of lettering, design rules, language and codes of conduct. I wanted to contrast its anarchy and connection with the contemporary city with old myths and legends associated with the wild ancient forests – Little Red Riding Hood, The Green Man, Herne the Hunter and Titania, Queen of the Fairies.
The work displayed in HOUSE, at the Regency Townhouse in Brunswick Square has the theme of regeneration. I’m exhibiting a set of happy family cards based around the design rules and lettering of an old traditional pack that my grandmother used to own. Instead of using the traditional tradesmans’ families (butchers, bakers, sweeps etc) I was interested in the different “tribes” that people belong to now – the substitute families of people you spend time with in cafes, bars, at work…
Lastly, I’m a resident artist for one night only (8th May) at Residence, a pop-up restaurant on Whitecross St, open for the duration of the festival. I will be making a piece based on an 18th century fan design but using the contemporary restaurant and its customers as part of the image. Fans were used to communicate in code and I’ll be watching the non-verbal body language that inevitably happens when groups of people get together!
Written by Helen Cann
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