Designer Desire: Andy Goldsworthy

Mosaic of works by Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy OBE is probably my favourite public artist. I’ve never actually seen any of his artworks in real life, but I have a few of his books including Wood and Stone.

His work is hugely varied; from delicate, ephemeral pieces created from autumnal leaves or blocks of ice, to robust dry stone walls and sculptures that will survive for centuries. He uses all manner of natural materials; clay, flowers, bark, grass, sand, icicles and twigs amongst many others.

He explains his work much better than I ever could:

Each work grows, stays, decays – integral parts of a cycle which the photograph shows at its height, marking the moment when the work is most alive. There is an intensity about a work at its peak that I hope is expressed in the image. Process and decay are implicit.

Andy Goldsworthy, 2006

When I finish the ephemeral work it decays, whereas the moment the permanent projects are finished is the moment they begin…

Andy Goldsworthy, 2018

Have a look at the trailer below for the 2018 documentary film, entitled Leaning Into the Wind. It gives a tiny insight into his methods and ethos.

Portrait of Andy Goldsworthy ©Stewart Attwoodcredit

Designer Desire: Thierry Noir

Mosaic of Thierry Noir artworks | H is for Home

I think it’s safe to say that Thierry Noir is a Marmite artist; I love his bold, bright, childlike work. However, it does absolutely nothing for Justin. I first discovered his work in a recently featured home in our Get their look blog series.

French-born Noir (b. 1958) moved to Germany in 1982; two years later, he was the first artist to (illegally) create artworks on the Berlin Wall (see photo below).

That style of painting came because I couldn’t finish my painting because of thousands of questions – everybody wanted to know something. I said to myself, I speak longer than I paint, so I cant finish what I want to do. So I started to develop a style of painting where it is possible to paint and talk at the same time!
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I had to adapt to be quicker, which became my Fast Form Manifesto. The Fast Form Manifesto is a good recipe for people who have to paint fast in dangerous environments, or with constantly interruptions. You need two ideas and three colours.
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Thierry Noir cites as influences: Picasso, Joan Miro, Basquiat, Keith Haring, Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Kraftwerk and Led Zeppelin.

He has produced numerous public works (some more temporary than others) in the UK. Amongst others, there’s been a multi-storey mural on Barwick House, Acton (pictured, top), a road crossing in Millbank, hoardings in Chichester and a sandwich bar shop-front in Shoreditch.

Portrait of Thierry Noir at the Berlin Wallcredit

Portrait of Thierry Noircredit

Additional image credits:

Flickr | Howard Griffin Gallery

Designer Desire: Biggs and Collings

Collage of Biggs and Collings mosaic works | H is for Home

When we recently spent an afternoon wandering around Spitalfields, we stopped to photograph an amazing public art wall mosaic on Brushfield Street.

After a little online research, we discovered that it was the work of husband & wife duo, Biggs and Collings.

Emma Biggs explains of the wall mosaic:

The design is based on Biggs & Collings paintings. The site is the former Fruit and Wool Exchange. The whites and light greys and browns relate to the colours of wool, and the strong hues pick up the colours of fruit. The rather ‘off’ tones come from looking at silks woven in the area in the 18th century. The weavers were largely Huguenots, refugees from religious repression.

Once we learned it was them, we looked into the other works that they’d done. They produce paintings and textiles, but its their mosaics that we find most stunning. The ones we’ve featured above are in private, public and commercial settings and located around the world.

Portrait of Biggs and Collingscredit

Additional image credits:

Emma Biggs | Mosaic Art Now | Sophie Munns

Tuesday Huesday: Kolonihavehus

'Tuesday Huesday' blog post banner

Tom Fruin's Kolonihavehus in CopenhagenKolonihavehus, 2010 | steel, found Plexiglas, paint | 12′ x 12′ x 14′

We can’t get enough of neon brights for our Tuesday Huesday blog posts at the moment – it must be a subconscious antidote to the grey, wet weather we’ve been having!

When I came across Kolonihavehus (Danish for allotment) by Tom Fruin it just blew me away – there just aren’t enough superlatives to describe it! I’d have loved a visit to Copenhagen to see the installation in the flesh (or should that be “in the glass”?)

Go to his website to see more of his sculptural artwork – his Brooklyn watertower is breathtaking! It’s there until June 2013 so maybe I’ll just have to take a trip to New York instead!