Paul Stolper is pleased to announce ‘Diamond Dust’ 2024, a group show including works by Peter Blake, Mat Collishaw, Jamie Reid, Linder Sterling and Andy Warhol. Twenty years since we published and exhibited ‘Diamond Dust Portfolio I’, this show revisits our diamond dust works. The inclusion of ‘Shadows II’ highlights the continued impact of Warhol’s use of diamond dust on his contemporaries and younger generations. Diamond dust has diverse interpretations; meteorologists view it as ice crystals falling from a clear sky, industrial cleaners see it as a potent abrasive whereas the textural, gleaming qualities provide a new way for artistic exploration that has become ubiquitous within Pop culture artistic movements.
‘Shadows II’ by Andy Warhol represents a significant departure from his earlier works. Created in 1978, the piece is one of a series of prints launched subsequent to the Dia’s co-founder Heiner Friedrich commission of a set of ‘Shadows’ canvases. Warhol photographed maquettes under dramatic lighting, printing in negative to reference Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. It juxtaposes dark, hazy shadows with a vibrant blue, creating a striking contrast, enhancing the interplay of light and shadow. Collaborating with printer Rupert Jasen Smith, Warhol achieved delicate contrasts in colour and incorporated brush marks on the surface alongside the innovative use of diamond dust that pushed the boundaries of his artistic practice.
Unlike Warhol’s ‘Shadows II’, Sir Peter Blake showcases his mastery of typography and fascination with popular culture in 'I LOVE YOU (WHITE DIAMOND DUST)’. This 15-colour silkscreen print, adorned with diamond dust, embossing, and gold and silver leaf, is a limited edition of 175. Both ‘I LOVE YOU (WHITE DIAMOND DUST)' and 'HOPE (DIAMOND DUST)' feature collaged letters sourced from various materials, skillfully arranged to spell out the timeless phrases. Blake's use of mismatched letters from diverse origins is a hallmark of his collage technique, reflecting his passion for collecting and creating compositions that exude sentiment and warmth. This piece not only exemplifies Blake's artistic versatility but also his ability to infuse iconic messages with his distinctive pop art style. Both ‘ELVIS.’ and ‘KATE.’ further explore Blake’s understanding and portrayal of cultural icons and their significance. The works carefully blend fine art with celebrity stardom in a stylised manner whilst retaining Blake’s Pop Art aesthetic.
Mat Collishaw’s wrap editions from 2018 are a continuation and development from Collishaw’s larger scale wrap paintings, which, designed to look like modernist system paintings, were based on the patterns made by folds in a sheet of paper. Rather than creating depth on a flat surface using paint, the editions, printed onto aluminium, are physically folded and then unfolded again, reminiscent of emptied out drug wrappings, the remnants of indulgence and delusion.
‘Mon Coeur ne bat que pour Morrissey’ by Linder, created in 2003, translates to ‘My Heart Only Beats for Morrissey’, reflecting a personal affinity with and a cultural homage to Morrissey, the iconic lead singer of ‘The Smiths’. By picturing Morrisey up close and from a low angle, Linder captures the deep emotional connection fans have with their idol, and in this case Morrissey’s diamond dusted shirt, forever the focus of fan hysteria. The piece embodies Linder's ability to create rich, multifaceted narratives that explore the dynamics of adoration and identity in pop culture.
Jamie Reid’s 11 ‘Pinned Queen’ unique silkscreen canvases, from 2013, revisit his seminal image of Queen Elizabeth II, and in particular recalls Reid’s single cover design for the Sex Pistols iconic ‘God Save the Queen’, but here cropped in tightly to focus on the Queen’s mouth with a safety pin through her lips. Reid’s design for God Save the Queen continues the strategies he had announced with Anarchy in the UK, taking the symbols of the establishment and turning them on their head: here the Union Jack again and the official Silver Jubilee portrait of the Queen by photographer Peter Grugeon. Reid reintroduces the artwork's critique of authority to a contemporary audience, ensuring that its message of rebellion and resistance remains as powerful today as it was in 1977.
