Fifteen years ago, Temper first released his ground-breaking collection The Good Die Young to the art world, generating unprecedented acclaim for artwork that touched the heart of all who viewed it. Fifteen years later, he has marked this anniversary by making available a further fifteen original artworks that continue the concept of commemorative portraiture to celebrate the lives of people taken too soon. This collection of fifteen signed limited editions was launched in February 2017, and is available to buy online and in your local gallery. From the depths of loss and adversity, Temper channelled personal bereavement into a collection of work to which everyone could relate, by marking the passing of cultural icons who touched generations. Lost for the words to exorcise his grief, he painted through the pain and now supports a charitable trust that uses art therapy to help children process and recover from bereavement, recognising that, for him, The Good Die Young was exactly that. Never could he have foreseen that it would later be picked up by a commercial art gallery and achieve global reach, both because it pioneered a new concept of fine art and because the raw emotion within the compositions was universally relatable. As he says: “It changed everything.” Proud of his roots, he is quick to credit the city of Wolverhampton’s motto “Out of darkness cometh light” – a phrase that he has tattooed on his arm – as one that he carries within him to this day as a mantra. Whilst celebrity portraiture is now a firm fixture on many artists’ CVs, the concept of amalgamating fine art and graffiti in a body of commemorative work had never been seen before The Good Die Young . All the more credible for its authenticity, unabashed sincerity and lack of contrivance, it was the most natural way for Temper to heal himself and bring some purpose back into his days. Whilst TIME:LESS may well be the final chapter in this concept, it serves as a sensitive homage to The Good Die Young , and shows Temper in an epoch of change and evolution, no more a bystander in his own life but the master of it. Age, experience and hindsight have gifted him with a sense of acceptance that is driving fresh creative output and heralds the dawn of a new age in his career. For this drive, he has another city motto to cite, this one for Birmingham which is simply “Forward”, and we in turn look forward to being taken along on that journey.
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Allboxedcanvaseditionsof50 2,9,10,11,12,13,14,15 Framedsize32"x45"
5,6,7,8Framedsize37"x45" 1,3,4Framedsize45"x37" Framed£995
FINE ART COLLECTOR SPRING 2017 51
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