Through the lens of the Old Masters, painter Hamish Blakely explores the snare of social media in his provocative new collection of original works, iMasterpiece. His signature focus on the sensuality of the female form sees him fuse classic masterpieces with materialistic symbols and instantly-recognisable cultural icons.
From Johannes Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ to Banksy and Mickey Mouse, the figurative artist marries two different eras to expose a third: social media. An Instagrammer himself, Hamish explores modern society’s dependency on likes and follows whilst asking his audience to view the frivolity of this widespread phenomenon through the weight of old master works. Hamish says: ‘From our days at school, to negotiating office politics and now online, social media - more than ever - demands that we had better be popular and get followers if we want to feel relevant.Who are we trying to impress? It does not seem to matter.This is about quantity not quality. Numbers are what matter, and if your friend or work colleague is outgunning you with a bigger online following then you had better question your place in modern society. How did successful people manage 50 years ago, before they were able to tweet their greatness? How could you ever be attractive without winning selfie pout queen on Instagram? How did Shakespeare expound his literary prowess without an emoji at the bottom of the page? Yet manage, they did. Of course, there are plenty of benefits to using social media; you just have to know why you are using it.The exposure for businesses, charities, causes and just keeping in touch have all been enhanced by the speed and ease of social media, which now make emails and websites appear almost obsolete by comparison.Thankfully, these still have their own attributes before we consign them to the quill and carrier pigeon vault. I have enjoyed some of the advantages of Instagram myself. Still do and am quite happy to continue as long as it does not
divert me from doing what really matters.There’s the rub. People get drawn in, hypnotised and addicted.That cannot be good, especially when you are young, that particular age when appearances and glibness are a match made in heaven for Facebook and Instagram. Setting such store in what thousands of strangers think of you is not an advert for healthy self- esteem.’ While narcissism and self-obsession are cause for continued debate, Hamish does not criticise the selfie craze. His subjects are unabashedly beautiful, their mythical bodies realised in sumptuous tones and masterful brushwork. Hamish further explains: ‘It is not all bad news. Silliness and frivolity are just what the doctor ordered, and being profound all the time would be very tiring. Balance is the answer; substance and shallowness in varying quantities – deep discussion and small talk, both will always have their place. So, as we unveil my latest collection, I champion this spirit of open mindedness, enjoying the marriage of cultures as I shoehorn the absurdity of modern culture in with the majesty of old master works, following that classic tradition in contemporary art – sublimating the banal with significance. ‘It is my great pleasure and privilege, while amassing these new paintings, to study those geniuses such as Waterhouse, Velasquez and Bouguereau and explore how I paint while analysing, in unfettered wonder, the painting giants whom all modern figurative painters owe a debt to. Consciously and unconsciously, they are still teaching us.’
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