DESTIG Interview with our Top 20 Artist of 2018, Oliver Perry.
Read this interview in DESTIG Magazine
Read this interview in DESTIG Magazine
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DESTIG Interview
"Over the last 5-10 years, it has all been one project, just different elements to it. Thoughts and ideas bleed into one, it becomes a natural progression. I never go about planning for one distinct goal, it’s all evolutionary."
Tell us about yourself and background.
I started painting and sculpting quite young, being imprisoned in a cold draughty English boarding school, my one means of escape was to spend my evenings in the art block, I was quite prolific, doing everything; photography, ceramics, painting, sculpture. Anything to avoid the tyranny of the boarding house. I used to spend hours there. My father worked in the oil industry so I was fortunate to travel the world as a kid, so I got to experience all sorts of different culture, and at that age you just soak up information. After school I managed to argue my way out of a place at The Slade, but didn’t let that stop me. I’ve been working on my painting ever since.
Tell us about your work.
My work is in two and a half distinct styles. A figurative approach, an abstract line and I’m now embarking on a 3D painting escapade that is in its infancy, but having shown it to a few people in the know, the response has been favourable.
The different styles feed of each other, and you can see the lineage through all the work. There’s a constant fight between geometric structure and free flowing organic application of paint. It has elements of cubism, an underlying hint of abstract expressionism all held together with a dash surrealism.
What makes your work and approach unique?
There is an element of science to my work, the base structure adheres to the principals of the Golden Section/Ratio while elements of the Laws of Vibration make up the remaining philosophy. They are two elements that the brain resonate with. Colour is also massively important and colour theory was fundamental in my art education. It is key to making a body of work harmonise, let alone individual paintings. Once you have the basis of the painting down, that’s when you can start to break the rules, working into the painting over and over, letting it evolve naturally. It becomes an interesting juxtaposition between the control of the geometric shapes and the evolution of ideas.
Why is your work a good investment.
Over the last few years I’ve won the American art Awards on a number of occasions, it’s voted for by the top 25 U.S. galleries, so they must see something in my work. I’m represented by a gallery in New York of the back of it.
I also represented Britain at the Florence Biennale, and have shown in Florence after that. I’ve also shown at a number of other galleries in Europe. Hopefully I’m building a decent following. With the new 3D pieces I’m making I think I’m on to something really original, and a number of art professionals I’ve shown the prototypes to have agreed. And finding something truly original is a rarity in the art world. I just need to produce more now.
Tell us about some of your achievements.
Having exhibited across Europe and the US, I’m happy to announce that I have some very well-travelled paintings, I just wish that I could have followed them around myself. Being shown by the Opera Gallery in two different countries was amazing, representing Britain at the Florence Biennale and meeting and discussing my work with Tim Marlow was a revelation, but just being in the position to sell my work to people and receiving their feedback, and how my painting effects them emotionally is unbelievable. You never quite believe it’s happening. It’s all rather humbling.
What are your sources of inspiration?
Inspiration comes from everywhere, as an artist you study everything, be it how other artist apply paint to the way shadows work in the trees or how the sun works on the clouds. But there are obvious references to cubism in my work. As a kid I also spent a long time looking at sculpture, and I think this can be seen in all my work, even the more abstract stuff, I think it’s important that you can imagine yourself walking through the canvases.
What are you passionate about?
Away from painting I also have a love of photography, but again keeping it as abstract as possible, it’s amazing the shapes and textures that are all around us, it’s just a different way of seeing them. Next to that the state of the planet is a great concern to me, as with so many of us. I avoid anything with palm oil in it in respect to the plight of the orangutans, I love the majesty of elephants, and fear for their survival, in both cases here, you look into their eyes and see such amazing beauty and understanding. I can't believe people can go about killing them for pleasure. But then again we’re happy to kill each other on a whim so it’s hardly surprising. I also avoid plastic wherever possible, people say, oh its only one straw or one bottle, but when it’s eight billion people saying that its quite a lot of crap thrown out. If we all make little changes, big things can happen. Other than that, good food, fine wine and great company are essential elements to surviving the quite solitary life of a painter.
Tell us the back-story of some of your projects.
Over the last 5-10 years, it has all been one project, just different elements to it. Thoughts and ideas bleed into one, it becomes a natural progression. I never go about planning for one distinct goal, it’s all evolutionary, and I’ve been lucky that along this journey I’ve been selected to show my work at home and abroad.
Tell us about some of your achievements.
I’m currently going off on a slight tangent to the abstract work I’ve been doing, the painting will consist of an underlying photorealistic image, but then a frenetic abstract outburst will dominate the canvas. In the preliminary paintings they almost look vandalised. It’s an interesting way to continue the theme of control and disorder found in my other work. With more space and time, the continuing development of the 3D paintings is revealing some exciting results, new materials and experimentation driving the process forward.
Tell us about where you are based.
I live and work on the banks of the mighty Thames. Far enough away from London to allow me to concentrate, while being near enough to enjoy all the fruits the Big Smoke can provide when it takes my fancy. We have a lovely, eclectic bunch of neighbours here, rubbing shoulders with the Clooneys, Jimmy Page and Uri Geller there must be something creative in the water round here. Our local exhibitions often see them paying a visit, and my last show in the village gave me the opportunity to chat with PM Theresa May and her husband about the merits of abstract art.
Website: ollieperry.com