Scream Print - A Showcase Exhibition of contemporary screen printing

About

Forman's Smokehouse Gallery is a spectacular exhibition space measuring more than 600 square meters. Situated on the top floor of Britain's oldest Salmon Smokers, H Forman and Son, home to Forman and Fields fine food home delivery business, it boasts an unrivalled view of the Olympic Stadium. Our first show of 2014 is 'Scream Print — A showcase exhibition of contemporary screen printing' showing the work of four exciting and innovative East End artists. Lynne Blackburn, Swifty, David Apps, and Ian Bailey are connected through their mastery of the medium of print. Screen Printing is a versatile process which allows an element of unpredictability due to its handmade nature. This characteristic contributes to a uniqueness and personality in each print and a wide variety of approaches, as shown by the artists in this accessible and engaging show. Lynne Blackburn uses a combination of traditional hand pulled screenprinting with digital photography and software to produce her intricate 'mandala' images. Her work explores the memories and history embedded within familiar places and buildings, from the visual traces to subconscious and psychological ones. The artist is interested in how the fabric of a building, and the objects within it, show and mark the passing of time. By recording traces of a personal memory, a sense of a broader social and historical memory is evoked. Swifty is an artist who belongs to the true 90's graphic design story. Although he has fully adopted the digital domain, he still likes to get his hands dirty. From simple hand drawn typefaces to cutting out stencils or lino cutting, he is a firm believer in the crafted look. Swifty will be exhibiting sound installation work, as well as mixed media spray paint and screen prints. By the time David Apps reached his teens the Sex Pistols' DIY artwork by Jamie Reid had captured his imagination and become a massive influence in his life. Having later taken up photography, David re-works his digital imagery, layering it to build up his original & contemporary works. David was commissioned, to coincide with the 2012 Olympics, to create a mural of ‘Butterflies' which still dominates the Stratford East London skyline today. Ian Bailey was a student of the late Seventies who is inspired by Pugin, Strummer, Reid and Orwell. His most recent artwork takes the form of repeat patterns and design which he prints onto various materials and objects such as wallpaper, lampshades, bags and t-shirts, using a combination of hand screen printing and digital printing techniques. This will be a truly eclectic evening made all the more enticing as Forman's Restaurant will be offering guests free food tasting of the best British foods from Forman & Field.