Exclusive : Stuart Semple

Living Doll, Stuart Semple.

You should never judge a book by its cover. On the face of it, artist Stuart Semple, with his Hoxton studio and clever hair could be another edgy East End painter who spends lots of time in an ‘authentic’ boozer and swears rather too much. Not so. Stuart is softly spoken, genuine, even melancholic and represents a growing trend of young artists who are rejecting the brash, loud aesthetic of the YBA’s and embracing a more meditative, thoughtful quality.

“I found myself in New York last Christmas and felt lonely and isolated. I was surrounded by Gucci and Prada and saw something hollow in it all.
Celebrity and brands have taken over, but it all seems so shallow, “ he says.

So in his latest exhibition Fake Plastic Love, Stuart has confronted our immersion in  fame, designer labels, notoriety and fallen stars.
His ( gigantic, 20 x 10 foot ) paintings are crammed with colourful, pop art  images of Kurt Cobain, Chanel logos, a slender Edie Sedgewick, and lines such as " Slow Decay" and " Can't Handle Love."

 “Everyone knows who Britney Spears is: celebrity is a point of reference  for all of us. But we don’t even know our own neighbours.”

And the explosion of social networking has made the genuine process of actually connecting properly with someone even more remote.
“In order to validate ourselves, we must have a picture on myspace or facebook.
 Of course, we choose the best picture, and say we listen to the best music. But it’s not who we really are, just a  projection of ourselves,” he reckons.

And where does art fit in?
“Since the beginning of time art has been perfectly capable of describing current existence. But painting hasn’t actually done this since the pop artists.
But the language they used is just as handy now, we can use it again.”

Indeed , painting is having a renaissance and an original canvas is the latest ‘must have.’
“ It’s never gone away but now it’s getting the hype,” says Stuart, who also has his own fashion label ( I haven't resolved my art and the fashion has yet.")
“Now it’s about quality: art can’t shock anyone any further, so the art market is really painting centred.”
With that comes the sheen of celebrity and being an artist a new kind of credible cool.

“Go down Viner Street on a Thursday and art is like the new clubbing, “ explains Stuart. “ It’s seen as the cool thing to do now.”
 But actually, it’s really geeky, not glamorous at all.”

Stuart’s own way of working is, he says, much like a DJ and music is very important to him ( "I love Radiohead, Blur, early Pulp, Tori Amos.)
“Musicians drag things around on a computer and that’s what I do. Drag and compose images on the computer, then paint them, very big.”
Does he have musical talent?
“No! I have made music but I’m rubbish.  I wish I could play music, but sadly I’m tone deaf.”

Luckily, Stuart uses his gifts elsewhere - and maybe his show can encourage us to muse on our current state.

The world now is fake, it is plastic and you've got to look hard to find love.

Fake Plastic Love , Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL, 12th October to 3rd November

Square Paintings and Drawings ( " a behind-the-scenes to the larger works" )
Martin Summers Fine Art Ltd., Studio 54, Glebe Place, London, SW3 5JB

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