The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2021 - Issue 30

biteartistreview Johnny Morant Visual and contemporary figurative artist Johnny Morant’s astro- nautic visionary and blending of subjects are both compelling and fascinating. Born in Hong Kong, he moved to the UK and grew up in South West England. After attending art school in Bristol and Bournemouth, he moved to London where his new surround- ings had a strong impact on his work. His oil paintings explore the deconstructive analysis of traditional themes as well as mankind’s capacity to meet challenges and face up to our future. In the Massacre of the Innocents, the artist applies algorithms and pixelation to assist in the reinterpretation of Peter Paul Rubens’ 17th-century masterpiece. In place of the graphic depictions of slain women and children, Morant incorporates suggestive swatch- es of compounded flesh made possible by ‘algorithm censorship’. The most gratuitous violence is replaced by a strategic pixelation while still preserving a degree of the painting’s original impact. Another Peter Paul Rubens painting, The Tiger Hunt plays on sug- gestion rather than precise depiction. The fragmentation allows the work to be digested at the viewer’s pace and reconstructed with a choice of narratives. Based on Sir Edwin Landseer’s 19th-century Queen Victoria oil sketch of a nobleman on a horse, Morant re- imagines the rider as an astronaut of the Apollo era whose shying stead suggests humility and hints to the numerous people whose hard work enabled them to achieve such heroic status. The oil on canvas Grounded explores a disconnection from our surroundings and the impact we have on our planet. “The astro- naut coming into contact with this unexpected luscious environ- ment may have just rediscovered a land thriving in our absence or perhaps a new ecosystem ripe for human exploitation.” Other astronaut-themed creations include Allegory of Hubris, The Bigger Picture, Origins, Lunar Rover, On the Shoulders of Giants, Shifting Perceptions and The Anthropocene. Johnny Morant has had four solo exhibitions at the Roundtree Tryon Gallery in London and his work is featured in collections including Smith & Williamson, Standard Chartered Bank, Pru- dential Plc and Old Mutual Plc. He has participated in group ex- hibitions at the Eclectic Gallery, Dogtooth Gallery, Ad Lib Gallery and Russell Gallery, and with the Royal Society of British Artists and The Society of Botanical Artists. www.johnnymorant.com Carina Wagenaar Born in the Netherlands, Dutch artist Carina Wagenaar grew up with the art of her grandfather and painter Hendrik Pieterse around her. After graduating from the AmsterdamUni- versity of the Arts in textile design and art history, she worked for the clothing brand Oilily and Bad Boys. Her interest in art, fashion and design was shaped by this period. The me- dallion works of art were created af- ter 2014, in which she researched her form where several areas of interest could coincide. In 2015, Carina was nominated by Van GoghMuseum in Amsterdam for her work Letters to Théo inspired by the painting The Bedroom by Vincent van Gogh. The following year, she ex- hibited her work during the Salone del Mobile week in Milan, followed by New York, Paris and London with Paul Smith and went on to exhibit in Florence, Milan, Dubai, Antwerp and many places in the Netherlands the year after. In 2020, she was named ‘Most Innovative Objet D’Art Interior Decor Artist’ by the Build Architec- ture Awards. Found within her large medallions are wall jewels with a three-dimen- sional story behind semi-convex acrylic glass inspired by history, heritage and culture. These modern cameos are created by using existing objects from recycled materials. In- tricate pieces like Lift Off with gold and copper leaves resembles a coat of arms enclosed in a precious case. Piece of Cake is an oval shield with several small objects embedded onto it with engravings that are interest- ingly intriguing and detailed. My favourite is Scarab, a bug-like body in black and gold surrounded by golden wings with beadings on each side and sculptured golden legs. At the top of the body is a silver pearl- like stone and at the bottom, a golden circle decorated with gold beads and a silver mesh on the backdrop of a starry background. Spread the Word LOVE in red appears to have an insect theme too with its eyes closed and the antennas in a heart-like arch. Look- ing closer, there seems to be a statue of a man in the centre of the piece. Eclectic Gallery artists can be found at their gallery on 16 Newman St, London W1T 1PB. https://eclecticgallery.co.uk Images courtesy of Eclectic Gallery