Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup II: Old Fashioned Vegetable, 1969
We need artists now more than ever to show us just how similar we really are. Whether David Shrigley unites us in shared laughter as we identify with his fretful, pink goose, or Stik empathises with his audience through his socially conscious characters, a bold image can wield great power.
Some of Hidden’s most recent acquisitions are spirited examples of how we have more in common than what separates us. It takes a shrewd artist to turn, for example, a simple soup can into a unanimous portrait of humanity. Sometimes, it's the little things that connect us the most. The smallest of ideas, such as vegetable soup or a scruffy old dog, can become incredibly persuasive in the right hands.
Please enjoy this week's selection of works and don't hesitate to reach out should you have any questions at all.
Any questions? We are happy to help. Call: 0117 279 6402 or send us a message now.
Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup II: Old Fashioned Vegetable, 1969
Andy Warhol’s soup cans are endlessly iconic, and arguably one of the most important images in pop art. It’s certainly hard to beat one of the most pioneering artworks, created by one of the biggest artists of the last century.
Warhol’s first solo exhibition in 1962 consisted of 32 different paintings of soup cans on canvas. The artist later embraced the silkscreen process to achieve a more realistic, mass-produced aesthetic. Warhol’s cans are genius for multiple reasons; the artist explores consumer culture in such a crisp, impactful way, dissecting the power of images through simple repetition. The artist also thought of his soup cans as portraits, which ultimately emphasise how similar we all are. Each soup can may vary, depending on its given flavour, however only the name changes, not the essence.
Stik, Book Deluxe Edition, 2015
The artist Stik has rapidly gained popularity, growing in international acclaim and becoming one of Britain and Europe’s most beloved street artists. The artist began by creating socially conscious murals in Hackney. Each of his compositions, though minimal, are imbued with a deep love and concern with community.
It is incredible how the artist’s work can be found on such an immense scale in cities around the world, yet somehow still retain their unique, intimate quality. The artist rarely publishes prints of his work also, making sought after images such as this incredibly desirable and even more intimate.
David Shrigley, Old Dog, 2021
No contemporary portfolio is complete without a Shrigley artwork. David Shrigley is renowned for his distilling of human nature into deceptively simple and punchy compositions. The artist hones in on the absurd, creating hilarious juxtapositions of discerning text and cartoonish imagery. Shrigley consistently holds up a bizarre mirror to ourselves, making us both laugh and question why we are relating quite so much to an ageing blue dog.
Harland Miller, Hate's Outta Date!, 2017
Harland Miller’s reimaginations of vintage Penguin book jackets are certainly amongst his most iconic works. The artist considers the physicality of books, and how they might have been read, discarded, borrowed or forgotten. Contrasting battered dust jackets with his own titles provides a compelling juxtaposition of the past and present. Miller challenges histories whilst asserting potential new futures.
The artist’s immensely popular ‘Hate’s Outta Date’ prints are a glorious call to arms for a much more united future.
Tracey Emin, Me and My Twin - Paul - 1975, 1994
A monoprint is a unique, one-off print created by applying paint or printing ink to a sheet of glass or metal and pressing it onto paper. Monoprints are the backbone of Emin’s practice as an artist. They’re perfectly suited to the immediacy of expression that characterises her work, requiring rapid execution and a bold, fearless approach. They work as a stream-of-consciousness, with an intimate, confessional quality. Several are held by the Tate. To find one made this early that explores one of her most important relationships is very special.
The addition of the date '1975' to this print captures a moment of pure innocence - a snapshot of a sibling relationship before the harsh realities of teenage life and adulthood set in. Here, we see the frank honesty of Emin's oeuvre employed in a celebration of one of her closest bonds.
Any questions? We are happy to help. Call: 0117 279 6402 or send us a message now.
