Image manipulation is an art form often used by today’s leading graphic designers and digital artists. A technique that innovatively deforms and transforms an image, giving it a lease of fresh life, and often provokes new thought. Yet this commonly known ‘modern’ technique, actually emerged long before the revolutionary wave of computer-generated graphics.
A master, and possibly the commander, of the image manipulation movement, John Stezaker, made the artform his signature style and gained critical acclaim for this work throughout the 1970’s. Stezaker’s work combines photography found in books, magazine and postcards, splicing them to create misshapes that form part of his collage technique. His abstract approach is reminiscent of artist Pablo Picasso, where the image often plays with the fundamentals of cubism.
Chopping and layering images to experiment with the way lines are processed by the eye has created a timeless style that exposes the image to a new light. Stezaker’s signature style often incorporates still life scenarios, layered behind landscape photography that, although may seem non-related at first glance, often follows the same lines and forms of the original image. Ultimately, the build up of layers creates one overall image that can often be described as an illusion to the eye.
John Stezaker’s work has made an astounding contribution to the art world today, with his perfectly executed shape shifting canvases, which can now be seen in his first major exhibition at The Whitechapel Gallery. The exhibition highlights his personal techniques of shape play, collage, and image distortion. Along with the ninety-work collection on show, the gallery is also hosting a collage workshop to demonstrate the techniques used by Stezaker himself. A wonderful insight into the thinking and experimentation behind this inspiring and revolutionary artist.
And running concurrently with the exhibition, John Stezaker’s work is also on display at Louis Vuitton Maison on New Bond Street for those who have a love for fashion and art.
Date: January 29 to March 18 2011
Time: 11am-6pm
Place: Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX
Cost: Free
By Alice Goodwin