Three years after he opened our beautiful gallery, CCA Galleries International is delighted to welcome Peter Blake back to Jersey for an exhibition of his latest works.
Highlights from the exhibition include two Union Flag silkscreen editions made in honour of the Queen's birthday, as well as the highly anticipated 'Love' and 'I Love You Very Much' mixed media editions (a first for Blake).
‘I am very patriotic and I love the Union Flag; the sense of history it gives, the union between four great countries that it represents. Over the years I have used printmaking to explore and experiment with the flag in various ways; making large-scale digital prints from Union Flag badges (sewn or enamel) or illustrations that I have collected. The new works are not based on ‘found’ images of the flag. I wanted to use the variety of hand-applied finishes available when you make a silkscreen, to play with the colours and textures of this simple geometric pattern that is so familiar to us. The prints also celebrate The Queen’s 90th birthday.
I am intrigued by lettering, I find different typefaces and fonts fascinating. I studied Roman lettering, typography and typesetting at Gravesend School of Art. This training has influenced my work throughout my career and made me question the gap between fine art and commercial art. I started to use found letters and commercial lettering in the 50s and still do today. ‘Love’ and ‘I Love You Very Much’ are an attempt to make print editions that include ‘real’ elements. Some of the letters are lit up like fairground signs, some are made with wood, I’ve also used wood veneer, diamond dust and embossing, it’s amazing the effects you can achieve in printmaking.”
Peter Blake
