London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Headless Heroes – Conor Harrington @ Lazarides

November 2nd, 2009 | Author: Chocoralie

Some artists leave you speechless. Like Vhils or here, Conor Harrington. Street Art only seems to be an accessory in their artist set, another colour to mix and use.

With Headless heroes, Harrington plays with superposition, mixes extraordinary visual effects. A very strong imperial feeling with the refined, flashing red uniforms of the soldiers. But also trhough these ships, we can’t help thinking war ships – proud and sailing away on a stormy sea of colours. A notion of force, almost violence, power. Speed, too, through allusions to Formula 1, even through fonts used.

I read here and there he is including women for the first time. Far from bringing a soothing note, thet reinforce the idea of a male dominated world – eroticised, glossy pin-up lips, their poses remind me of bondage. Nothing shocking, each line, curve is exquisitely elegant.

Colours explode, faces fade away, each soldier could be another, unique and multiple. This is a battlefield of art too - oil painting, glistening against the more mat finish of graffiti. Two worlds coming together, fighting, two eras, two styles – enemies who find a strange harmony in the relation ship.

Powerful and vibrant.