THE AMERICAN POP EXPRESSIONIST
RICHARD HAMBLETON GODFATHER OF STREET ART
Much of what has been written on Richard Hambleton has focused on the artist’s early “public art.” As a conceptual artist, Hambleton produced work using the urban canvas to evoke public reaction. He was reputed to be an elusive genius. The original Pop Expressionist, Hambleton’s unforgettable images have permeated our collective consciousness for over three decades now. From 1976-1979 Hambleton’s “mass Murder” installation was secretly placed onto streets in over 15 cities, in order to mimic the chalk-body outlines and blood splattered crime scenes of what appeared to be “victims.” Early on, when Hambleton’s works were freshly discovered in major cities, they ignited an anxiety-induced phenomenon as people were unaware of the identity of the artist. Graffiti had long been seen in public spaces. Hambleton, however, was not engaged in random acts, but serious art installations that prompted the general public to observe and accept the fragility of being. The immediate impact of his work gave life to his form of popular expression: a social experiment/ In the early 1980’s, Richard Hambleton began his “Shadowman” series. Each of over 600 dark, ominous, shadowy figures were painted in an unexpected corner, alley, or side street. The powerful blackened “Shadowman” works became legendary guardians in a secret mission to disable the emotional stability of our everyday lives: seen in New York City, London, France and Italy, as well as on the East and West sides of the Berlin Wall. Hambleton has said, “…what makes them exciting is the power of the viewer’s imagination – that split second experience when you see the figures, that matter.” Richard Hambleton was at the flashpoint of the downtown New York art scene; one of the founding contributors of the burgeoning art community. Along with close friends Keith Haring & Jean Michel Basquiat, he created a sensation in the early 9080’s that remains relevant today. Hambleton’s army of shadow silhouettes are potent reminders of the vulnerability and intensity of human life. Hambleton left the USA in the mid-80s, having been personally invited to make his mark in Europe and Asia. He was embraced and celebrated along his travels. Hambleton’s “Shadow” series of night life continued internationally, raising awareness and the critical acclaim of the artist as “The Shadowman.” Back in the U.S., the core circle of artists was changing. Death came early to Warhol, Basquiat and Haring. Each artist had left behind their signature style, while Hambleton survived, eluding death, to continue his path of creativity. In the 1990s, Hambleton conceived to evoke another emotion, this time from work he produced in his studio entitled ‘The Beautiful Paintings’. Contrasting starkly with his earlier work, they were abstract, colourful and beautiful images, with gold and silver leaf. They appeared to represent seascapes, landscapes, or simply escape in general, and his followers were awed by his seemingly fluid transition to the sublime. In the 1990’s, Hambleton conceived to evoke another emotion, this time from work he produced in his studio: ‘The Beautiful Paintings.’ Contrasting about Richard Hambleton has focused on the artist’s early ‘public art’. As a conceptual artist, Hambleton produced work using the urban canvas to evoke public reaction and was reputed to be an elusive genius. The original Pop Expressionist, Hambleton’s unforgettable images have permeated our collective consciousness for over three decades. From 1976 to 1979, Hambleton’s Image Mass Murder installation was s cretly placed onto streets in over 15 cities to mimic the chalk-body outlines and blood-spattered crime scenes ‘victims’. Early on, when Hambleton’s works were freshly discovered in major cities, they ignited an anxiety-induced phenomenon as people were unaware of the identity of the artist, or indeed the project he had initiated. Whilst graffiti had long been seen in public spaces, Hambleton was not eng ged in random ac s, but serious art installations that prompted the g n ral public to observe and accept the fragili y of bei . The immediate impact of his work gave life to his form of popular expression: a social experiment that began in the early 1980s and would eventually become his ‘Shadowman’ series. In total, over 600 dark, ominous, shadowy figures were painted in seemingly random and unassuming corners, alleyways and side streets. The powerful blackened ‘Shadowman’ works, as seen in New York City, L don, France and Italy, s well a on the east and west sides f the Berlin Wall, became l g ndary guardians in a s cret mission to disable the emotional stability of our everyday lives. Hambleton was at the flashpoint of the downtown New York art scene and one of the founding contributors of the burgeoning art community. Along with close friends Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, he created a ensation in the arly 1980s that remains relevant today. Hambleton’s army of shad w silhouettes are potent r minders of the vulnerability and intensity of human life, with the artist commenting: “… hat makes them exciting is the power of the viewer’s imagination – that split second experience when you see the figures that matter.” Hambleton left the USA in the mid-80s, having been personally invited to ake is mark in Europe and Asia. He was embraced and celebrated alo g his travels and, during this time, his ‘Shadow’ series continued internationally, raising awareness and critical acclaim for the artist, who would soon become known as ‘The Shadowman’. Meanwhile, back in the USA, the core circle of artists was changing dramatically, as death came early to Warhol, Basquiat and Haring. Each artist had left behind their signature style, while Hambleton survived, eluding death, to continue his path of cre tivity.
Tim es Squ a re ,NYC 1980 In 1980, 800 life-sized diazo prints of the artist respectably attired in Napoleonic pose, with a crazed sparkle in his eyes, like a stranger intruding on a sidewalk tete-a-tete with his menacing stare, were placed by Hambleton on urban walls in ten cities. From Street Art by Allen Schwartzman, 1985 im s uar , YC 1980. In 1980, 80 life-sized di ri i t - respectably attired in Napoleonic pose, with a crazed sparkle in his eyes, like a stranger intruding on a sidewalk tête-à-tête with his menacing stare - were placed by Hambleton on urban walls in ten cities. From Street Art by Allen Schwartzman, 1985
starkly with his earlier work, abstract, colourful images of beauty, with gold and silver leaf, appeared to represent seascapes, landscapes, or simply escape in general. His followers were awed by Hambleton’s seemingly fluid transition to the sublime. Hambleton does not believe that social recognition is what defines a great artist, and therefore, despite and in spite of the fame that befell many of his peers, he ignored it. He wanted his art to be interprested with reaction. He was submerged in making important, lasting art, not in the critic’s opinion of him personally. Hambleton today remains of the only surviving members of that early cutting-edge downtown art movement. He continues to live and create in the neighborhood to which he has laid claim for over 30 years. Hambleton did not believe that social recognition is what defines a great artist; therefore, both despite and in spite of the fame that befell many of his peers, he ignored it. He wanted any interpretation of his art to be guided by instinctive reaction. His impetus was to create important and lasting ar , not to cultivate followers or sway any critic’s opinion of him. Hambleton has been widely exhibited, both in solo and group shows. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (The Mauermuseum – Mauer Haus am Checkpoint Charlie) and The Zellermayer Galerie in Berlin, The Andy Warhol Museum, Austin Museum of Art (now called the Contemporary Austin), Milwaukee A t Museum, New Museum of Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum, The Queens Museum, and Harvard University. Hambleton’s work was featured in ArtForum Art in America , The International Herald Tribune , The New York Times , Architectural Digest and LIFE magazine, and he was twice chosen to exhibit at the Venice Biennale (in 1984 and 1988). Richard Hambleton has had many exhibitions, both solo and group. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Check Point Charlie Museum and The Zellermeyer in Berlin, TheAndy Warhol Museum, Austin Museum of Art, Milwaukee Art Museum, New Museum of Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum, The Queens Museum, and Harvard University. He was chosen for the Venice Biennale, twice. Hambleton has been featured in ArtForm, Art in America, The International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, Architectural Digest, LIFE magazine and will be chronicled in the forthcoming book from Taschen – Trespass: A History of Uncomissioned Public Art. His latest series of shows – “Richard Hamblerton – Retrospective” – will travel across four continents, curated by Andy Valmorbida and Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, in collaboration with Giorgio Armani.
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