Private View: 5th October 2017
Derek Boshier’s On the Road is the inaugural solo exhibition at Gazelli Art House in London, showcasing his latest acrylic on canvas works and premiering two short films.
Boshier’s clear references to pop culture are ever present in this show with depictions of his long-standing friend and biggest collector David Bowie appearing in three paintings: ‘David Bowie and Teresa Cornelys’, ‘David Bowie Twice’ and ‘David Bowie, Jack Kerouac, and David Bowie’. The pair first met in the late seventies and shortly after their introduction Boshier was to design the album artwork for Bowie’s Lodger. Within these paintings Boshier approaches the subject of how a single performer explores many identities through creative self-management, a performing art Bowie excelled at.
Shortly before David Bowie died, he is known to have written messages to his nearest, longstanding friends and collaborators. Included in these heartfelt goodbyes Boshier received praise and acknowledgement for his body of work and contribution to the pop art movement throughout the decades.
“I just had to write and tell you how much I love the book that has just been published. Your work really cascades over the decades and is utterly real and convincing. You really are a master. Cush!!”
– David Bowie
Boshier attended the Royal College of Art where he was a contemporary amongst notable artists involved in the pop art movement such as R.B Kitaj, Allen Jones and David Hockney. His Image in Revolt exhibition at London’s Grabowski Gallery with Frank Bowling that Boshier introduced icons of American consumer culture with the incorporation of big brand logos. Taking a non-hierarchical approach to the use of popular images has been a long-running theme within Boshier’s work, making use of the Pepsi logo in place of the rising sun and other iconic images such as Kellogg’s cornflakes logo and iconic striped toothpaste image.
Other works in the exhibition include his Otherwise Engaged series (Pyramids and Guadeloupe Mountains), which provide a witty social commentary on the digitalization of everyday life and the lack of appreciation of one’s immediate surroundings. Two paintings; Cheetah Mathmaticus and In Anticipation are a continuation of Boshier’s long-term interest in aspects of duality, which also appears in the series Otherwise Engaged.
Although this exhibition focuses primarily on his paintings Boshier is known to explore other mediums as a sculptor, filmmaker, designer and artist.
About Derek Boshier
Boshier attended the Royal College of Art where he was a contemporary amongst notable artists involved in the pop art movement such as R.B Kitaj, Allen Jones and David Hockney. It was within his ‘Image in Revolt’ exhibition at London’s Grabowski Gallery with Frank Bowling that Boshier launched his career, introducing icons of American consumer culture with the incorporation of big brand logos within his work. Taking a non-hierarchical approach to the use of popular images has been a long-running theme within Boshier’s work, making use of the Pepsi logo in place of the rising sun and other iconic images such as Kellogg’s cornflakes logo and iconic striped toothpaste image. The popularity of Boshier’s work among music icons such as The Clash and David Bowie have brought his work to a wider audience.
Boshier’s work has been shown internationally particularly in Europe and the US. In 2017 he added to his extensive exhibiting record with a solo exhibition at the Night Gallery (Los Angeles) as well as exhibiting at Tanya Leighton (Berlin), Tom Solomon Gallery (Los Angeles) and a two-person show at Galerie Albert Baronian (Brussels). Alongside his solo shows Boshier has also appeared in several group exhibitions at the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), Tate Britain and British Museum, Brooklyn Museum and Centre Pompidou.
In recent years Boshier was the recipient of the Honorary Fellowship of the RCA (2016) as well as the Guggenheim fellowship and NEA award for the arts, he is also an accomplished teacher and lecturer. He lives and works in Los Angeles.
Notes to Editors
Along with Peter Blake and Pauline Boty, Derek appeared in Ken Russell’s cult 1962 film Pop Goes the Easel about the Young British Artists who were pioneering the Pop Art movement.
In 2015 the BBC commissioned Derek to create broadcast idents to launch its Pop Art series and also broadcast a special What do Artists do all Day about his life in Los Angeles.
Boshier work has been shown internationally particularly in Europe and the US. This year Boshier was awarded The Guggenheim Fellowship, adding to his extensive exhibiting record including recent solo exhibitions at Night Gallery (Los Angeles), Tanya Leighton (Berlin), Tom Solomon Gallery (Los Angeles), and a two-person show at Galerie Albert Baronian (Brussels). Alongside his solo shows Boshier has also appeared in several group exhibitions at the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), Tate Britain and British Museum, Brooklyn Museum and Centre Pompidou. Derek is also an accomplished teacher and lecturer.
The catalogue and invitations accompanying the exhibition together with the invitations were both designed by Derek Boshier providing collectable materials available alongside the exhibition.
