We caught up with David Studwell to discuss his new screen print Liam Gallagher in collaboration with renowned photographer Scarlet Page. Scarlet’s striking photo of the Oasis singer has been transformed into a series of bold limited editions by David, but how did this artistic partnership come about? We discuss this and more with the artist below…
AR: What is the inspiration behind your new Liam Gallagher release?
David: My work focuses on celebrity and harks back to classic bygone eras such as the sixties and seventies as well as the golden age of Hollywood. I decided to switch my gaze from these classics eras to the nineties, which arguably has become a classic decade in its own right; especially in terms of popular music. Also, I’m a bit of an Oasis fan and was at art school when Brit-pop exploded in the UK, so it felt very apt to immortalise the band's lead singer.
AR: Could you describe Liam Gallagher in three words?
David: Brit-pop, nineties cool.
David and Scarlet in front of their new limited edition release 'Liam Gallagher'
AR: The pandemic-induced lockdowns disrupted the routine of many artists. How did your routine alter, and what does a typical day look like for you now?
David: My studio was closed for much of lockdown so creating work became a challenge. I had to be flexible and find other ways of working. Sometimes being restricted bears real fruit and I was able to plan future projects and work in other formats such as digital.
AR: Where do you see your art going in the future?
David: I love selling to individual clients and hearing their feedback but I’m also interested in commercial platforms. I had work selected for a project called ‘Art Without Walls’ this year. The project was put together by the Affordable Art Fair and sponsored by Campari and involved artist's work being shown on billboards all over London. It’s exciting seeing your work in public spaces. This is an area I’d like to focus on more.
AR: If you could give one tip to new art collectors, what would it be?
David: Buy what you like and don’t worry too much about how it will fit in with everything else in your home. If work strikes a chord with you, just buy it and don’t overthink it.
'Liam Gallagher - Copper' is a metallic screenprint
AR: How did this collaboration with photographer Scarlet Page come about?
David: Scarlet Page has been on my radar for a while because we are represented by the same gallery. She is the daughter of legendary guitarist Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame and therefore has a very strong music connection which is right up my street.
AR: Did working with another artist alter your creative process?
David: Working with Scarlet didn’t really alter my creative process. For me it was really about doing justice to the original photograph she took of Liam Gallagher. The interesting thing about the photo is that it looks like it was shot in a studio but was actually taken backstage in 2001 at the Scala in London where Oasis were performing as part of their UK tour. Scarlet told me that there were fag buts and cans of red stripe everywhere - impressive that she created a studio-looking image in a corridor strewn with cigarettes and alcohol!
'Liam Gallagher - Blue' is finished with diamond dust
AR: What was the collaboration process like?
David: Scarlet was very easy to work with and she’s good fun - making the whole process that much more straightforward. She loves the editions and is very happy with how they have turned out.
AR: Tell us more about the co-signing you are planning with Liam for charity.
David: We are hopeful that we can get Liam to co-sign a couple of the prints which we would then auction off for charity. Liam came to an exhibition of mine in North London a few years ago and was taken with my work. I’m sure he will really like the prints and I’ve got a feeling he will like the metallics and diamond dust finishes. It will be interesting to see which one is his favourite - my money is on the copper one!
David's new prints comes in five different colour iterations. Make sure to check out David's work and his new print here.
