Mike Philp: INTROSPECTIVE
14th December 2023
Quantus Gallery
11-29 Fashion Street
London
E1 6PX
Quantus Gallery announces a metamorphic new solo exhibition by up-and-coming artist Mike Philp. Debuting his first winter collection at Quantus Gallery, Introspective presents a series of achromatic and geometric multi-media compositions that seek to explore the depths of emotion, mind, and nature – giving a new perspective to the way in which we view art.
Conceived from the timeless work of Michelangelo and Bernini, Mike takes the stylised perfection of their works and others, to overlay a geometric pattern constructed from a range of perfect lines and angles to explore an individual depth that gives light to the omnipresent and consistent existence of geometry and shape in nature. Mike, much like the artists who influenced his works, is on a quest to create art which transcends the centuries. It is with that thought he established what he describes as Geo-Realism.
By overlaying a geometric pattern to the base of his medium, he seeks to fuse seamless and ornate patterns with valued realist works to demonstrate the deep harmonic connection geometry shares with emotion, mind, and nature. The result is a metamorphic new variety of composition.
Growing up on a Council Estate in Birmingham, Mike became absorbed by the environment in which he lived so much so that he became known as ‘Silent Mike’. It was in this phase of his life he began to meticulously watch his peers, observing their personalities and recognising the natural patterns they exhibited. It’s with this influence, he discovered his unique artistic voice. Whilst years passed and his artistic voice remained unacted, Mike found a new passion in the form of skateboarding. Unbeknown to him at the time, learning this valuable skill would later give him the resilience, confidence, and conviction to pursue other endeavours, including his passion for creating art.
Having later become renowned for his experience as an award-winning tattoo artist, Mike uses his unique skills with the needle and applies them to his art. By utilising achromatic spray paint, acrylics and even tattoo ink on a natural canvas of wood, he aligns his exploration of emotion, mind, and nature with the very composition he presents. But it is with this thought that the artist seeks to give exploration to the world we live. For Mike works within the confines of black, white, and other natural colours to epitomise and begin to explore the repetition and pattern of nature itself.
Using this realisation – that of perfect lines and forms – the artist’s patterns seamlessly flow across the canvas to orchestrate a composition which draws its viewers into a captivating journey within the artwork – one which proves the transcending existence of shape and symmetry. By developing his own distinctive technique and exploration, Philp continues to push his medium to extraordinary boundaries. His work bridges his personal reflection of the ever-existing relationship between geometry, emotion, mind, and nature to demonstrate its immeasurable presence in the life he lives.
You can experience the new world of Mike Philp’s Geo-Realism and explore the endless possibilities of timeless art at Quantus Gallery.
©2023 Mike Philp
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