Frieze Art Fair

Alex Katz

Alex Katz- West 1-2013

I found Katz's work at the frieze art fair and it instantly reminded me of a structural building, to most like city or modern buildings. He has only used very simple lines and methods to create a bold finish. He has also only identified the feature of the widows and stuck to only black and white, this give the impression of it being set at night. The marks that have been made look like they have been made with a scraper or squeegee. Katz was born in Brooklyn and went to Art College in Manhattan. His first solo exhibition was at the Roko gallery in 1954, at this time his work was mainly landscapes and collages. It wasn't until 1960 when he moved into more figurative works like this one pictured which has been influenced by his time as an engineer.

http://www.alexkatz.com/biography/narrative_bio

John Stezaker

John Stezaker-untitled-1990

I again first saw Stezaker's work a Frieze art fair, I liked it because of the simple take on perspective that makes the solid flat colour appear 3D. It is such a bold piece because of the use of monochromic colours. It's a very structural painting because of the use of line, but it really plays on the use of space within the painting. Stezaker mainly uses photography and playing with putting two things together that shouldn't. This particular piece is silkscreen on canvas so it is very flat so you get a better take on the perspective. Stezaker's first exhibition was in 1970 in London and he graduated from the Slade School of art in 1973. He mainly works with monographs with pre-existing postcards and his main focus is on the way that memories are preserved.

http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/john_stezaker.htm

Wilhelm Sasnal

Wilhelm Sasnal- Cairo-2013

Sasnal is a very figurative painter, they are all quite realist of some kind. Born in 1972 he first studied architecture; so you can see where his natural structural ability came from. Before then moving on to study fine art in Poland. He uses quite simple shapes and blocks of colour within the work, there isn't anything over complicated in the painting. It's mainly hues dominated; it seems to create this delicate and careful feeling to the painting. It makes it look prettier, there is such a good sense of perspective in the painting made by using sharp lines and a vanishing point. He is inspired by interesting looking things.

http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/wilhelm_sasnal.htm

Jules de Balincourt

Jules de Balincourt- untitled- 2013

Balincourt's pretty picture style of painting is influenced by his time in America and his interest in politics. It's painted in quite a realistic style, but the colours aren't what you would expect from an urban landscape; they are a lot brighter hues. There is an overall feeling of happiness within the photo, it looks so peaceful. The paintings focal point is the park which I think the fact that he chose to include this helps provoke the feeling of peacefulness. This abstract of a cityscape because of the play on colour within the painting. Balincourt is an abstract painter who plays on colour when painting realist scenes. He was born in France, but moved to New York where he was inspired to paint.

http://www.julesdebalincourt.com/bio.php

Timo Nasseri

Timo Nasseri-one and one-2013

This piece was featured at frieze art fair this year; it is based on a very complex line and shape system. This creates a beautiful repetitive pattern. Nasseri is inspired by complex geometry and star maps, which you can see is an obvious connection between them and his work. Nasseri is both a sculptor as well as painter and he uses this complex style throughout his work. I also think that they look like engineers drawings, but could also be interpreted as crowds of something. His work is very precise which must be something to do with his background; the German artist who was born in 1972 studied in Berlin and still lives there now.

http://www.timonasseri.com/

Zhu Jinshi

Zhu Jinshi- Couriered Landscape-2013

  This was exhibited at frieze as well and I really liked it because of the thickness and the texture of the paint. The shapes that the paint makes are incredible the way they overlapped and blend to create what seemed to look like a stormy sea. Everything was crashing against each other in such a harsh way it worked. I think that the almost clumsy way that it had been applied created this effect. Jinshi works in this manor on all of the paintings. You get a really sense of space and depth from all of the work. He was born in 1954 and studied both art and architecture which you can see really influences his work. You really want to touch his work, it's very interactive with the viewer, and this is something that I would like to achieve in my work.

http://www.pearllam.com/artist/zhu-jinshi/

Jason Martin- Mallais- 2013

Jason Martin 

This painting is mixed media on stainless steel. I really like the effect that the varnish and steal gives the lighting is also really important with this piece. There are parts of the paint that have been scrapped back to reveal the metal underneath, but also creates this drippy effect which is really interesting. It adds another texture and gives the painting space and depth. Martin was born in 1970 and has studied at both Goldsmiths and Chelsea school of art. Martins work mainly specialises in simple textured paintings on a really large scale. I think that I need to experiment with varnish in my work.

http://www.pearllam.com/artist/jason-martin/

Fredrick Vaerslev

Fredrick Vaerslev- striped Canopies - 2013

I liked this work because of the simple straight lines that it uses in the centre of the canvas. Vaerslev isn't afraid to leave most of the canvas empty; I think this is a very brave move. I really like the way that he has stuck to the same colours on each canvas and the varied thickness in line. I think that they have obvious structural features and could be easily linked to my work. The work is supposed to look like a canopy like the ones you find above shops in cities they are Vaerslev's main inspirations. Vaerslev has done many exhibitions all over the world and is very successful, but I can't help thinking that there are only so many paintings that to can achieve using inspiration from canopies. 

http://www.scoop.it/t/my-contemporary-art/p/1837000628/fredrik-v-rslev-sunny-side-up-indipendenza-studio

Cyprien Gaillard

Cyprien Gaillard- Gates - 2013

I came across this at frieze art fair and I found the whole print very interesting. I really like the bold shapes that are given by the rubbing, but also the fact that they have chosen not to include any of the surroundings of the print, they only focus on the object. I think the drain cover its self is very visually pleasing, which is half the battle when you are trying to take an interesting rubbing. The "S" in the middle creates a focal point in the middle of the work which maybe why this piece works you need something to draw you in to it. Gaillard was born in Paris in 1980, however now lives and works in Berlin. He has been featured in endless Exhibitions and press and as a whole I think is a very successful artist.

http://www.laurabartlettgallery.com/artists/cyprien-gaillard/