Urban Environments

This week I've been researching artists who use urban environments as their subject matter in their work.

Frank Kiely

I saw some of Frank Kiely's prints in the Bankside Gallery in London. I was really inspired by them, and they provided inspiration for my interest in urban scenes. His work is related to ideas of identity, and based on personal experience and travels in London. The city of London is recognisible in many of his prints through his use of iconic imagery - red buses, telephone boxes, the underground station etc. Many prints express how he feels within the urban environment, and the contrast to where he came from. There are links to travel and movement, alot of his images are very busy and crowded with people moving about. I inparticular like the way that he uses limited a limited colour palette in his work.

Youre not alone anymore 2004

The Luas Picture 2006

Michael Flohr

Flohr's work is an intellectually artistic mastery of colour, perspective, technique and vision. It is inspired by impressionism, in particular the work of Monet. His work is largely urban in content with a european flair, his paintings cover subject matter ranging from nightlife scenes, city scapes, still lifes and figurative portraiture. His work has the ability to capture a fleeting moment. Flohrs paintings seem to portray static movement rather than chaotic movement, but there is huge movement made through the use of busy brushstrokes and use of colour. The works have a flow to them, a rhythm. I am particularly interested in the way that he creates movement through the use of colour.

Stock Talk

Staccato Rain

Tom Christopher

His work capture the mood of times square, New York through agressive and complimentary colours. They are busy and chaotic and confusing, which is what im after in my prints

The times square I like

Jan Kaywood

Jan Kaywood is a NZ artist based in Waikato. Her work portrays the movement of people through urban spaces - busy, crowded urban landscapes. The blur in her work suggests speed, and that people are in a hurry. She uses bright colours to create movement and chaos. She merges both painting and photography and abstracts reality, I want to merge photography and printmaking in my work.

Airport1

Journey