FROM NOSTALGIA TO KINETICS: ANT HAMLYN'S MAGICAL JOURNEY THROUGH MATERIAL MARVELS
Dive Into The Enchanting Universe Of Ant Hamlyn, Where Flowers And Childhood Memories Collide In A Symphony Of Color And Texture.
From Transparent Display Cases To Panels Bursting With Meticulously Crafted Flowers, Hamlyn's Work Is A Testament To Contrasts – Soft And Hard, Colored And Transparent
Join us as we delve into an overview of his exceptional artistic repertoire, recent exhibitions, and groundbreaking projects.
Ant Hamlyn is a young, funny, and incredibly friendly artist and has become a sensation in the art world, showcasing his talent during November at the prestigious Yusto Giner Gallery with his show " Love, Dead and Velvet " in Madrid.
Grace Ebert wrote a great article about the Show " Love, Death and Velvet" at Yusto Giner Gallery for Colossal Magazine entitled " Deadly Plants Squashed Under Plastic By Artist Ant Hamlyn Question The Paradox Of Preservation".
Grace Ebert
Ant Hamlyn at Colossal Magazine with the Exhibition "Love, Death and Velvet"
His presence at the Korean Busan Art Fair Market marks a significant milestone for emerging artists, solidifying Hamlyn's position as a rising star.
When in London, don't miss the cool vibes of Ant Hamlyn's permanent installation at Bondi Green, part of the Daisy Green Collection, nestled in the Brunel Building, Paddington.
But thats not all !
Ant Hamlyn is Part of our Series fresh new faces in contemporary sculpture! Read more ->
There is also another permanent inflatable installation at the Daisy Green site called 'Paradise Green' in Bishopsgate, London.
MEET ANT HAMLYN:
Ant Hamlyn, born in 1993 in Northampton, UK, has established himself as a dynamic artist based in South West London.
Ant Hamlyn: 'Venus | flowerpress' | 130cm x 100cm x 10cm | hand cut and stitched polyurethane coated fabric, laser cut greencore sheet acrylic, cnc routed birch plywood, household gloss paint, recycled bubblewrap stuffing, stainless steel fixings and 💠'Velvet Forget-Me-Nots, 2023 Hand sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabric, stuffing, laser cut perspex, CNC routed ply, gloss paint, fixings. 75cm x 55cm x 10cm
His artistic endeavors traverse the realms of sculpture, inflatables, and kinetic installations, creating a diverse and captivating body of work.
AS WITH A FLOWER PRESS, WE TAKE A MEMORY AND PRESS IT BEFORE IT DIES.
FORCING IT TO PRESERVE IN TIME. THIS COMBINATION OF MEMORY, NOSTALGIA AND TIME ARE FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THIS SHOW AND MY WIDER WORK.
Ant Hamlyn's artworks beckon viewers into a realm reminiscent of grown-up children's toys, compressed within transparent display cases.
Utilizing digital fabrication and an array of materials like polyurethane, fiber, glossy paint, and plywood, Hamlyn orchestrates crushed still lifes that evoke contrasts and captivate the imagination.
Ant Hamlyn Exhibition " Love, Dead and Velvet" at Gallery Yusto/Giner Madrid Spain | Image courtesy by the artist and Gallery
His playful approach references childlike fun and banal forms in nature, creating a profound dialogue with institutional art.
Despite the intricacy of his larger kinetic installations, the majority of his works are meticulously sewn by hand, establishing a delicate interplay between materiality, scale, and context.
This interplay serves as the foundation for the simultaneous creation of mystery, familiarity, and deception within Hamlyn's art.
THE FLOWER PRESS SERIES:
At the heart of Hamlyn's artistic expression lies the "Flower Press" series, showcased in Spain's Yusto/Giner Gallery.
These hand-sewn fabric flower sculptures transcend the ordinary, preserving ephemeral petals in materials like velvet and PVC.
Ant Hamlyn: 'Pink Daisies' 2023 🌸 . Hand sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabric, stuffing, laser cut perspex, CNC routed ply, gloss paint, fixings. 75cm x 55cm x 10cm -> Punnet (Strawbs) 2023 | Hand sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabric, stuffing, laser cut perspex, CNC routed ply, gloss paint, fixings
Hamlyn's meticulous process involves laying out fabrics, drawing patterns, machine stitching, and finally, hand-stitching each element together before encasing them behind thick acrylic – like real flower presses.
ANT HAMLYN'S ARTISTIC PHILOSOPHY:
In a quote from the artist, Hamlyn compares his creative process to a flower press, capturing memories and preserving them in time.
His works delve into themes of memory, nostalgia, and time, weaving an intricate tapestry that celebrates life's fleeting moments.
Despite the meticulously planned and engineered composition, each piece exudes a natural, timeless quality, frozen in a delicate balance between intimacy and distance.
EXPLORING LIFE'S CONTRADICTIONS:
Hamlyn's art is a vibrant cocktail of contradictions – hard and soft, intimate and distant, happy and sad.
In the face of recent family bereavements, he reflects on mortality, infusing his creations with a poignant awareness of life's impermanence.
Through this body of work, Hamlyn invites viewers to contemplate the complexity of human experience, offering a glimpse into the artist's profound exploration of the essence of existence.
In summary, Ant Hamlyn emerges not only as an artist but as a storyteller, weaving narratives through his inflatable wonders and kinetic marvels.
Follow the young emerging artist, Ant Hamlynon his Instagram account and dive deeper into his surreal world.
Website Ant Hamlyn
Additonally we can't wait to his next show 2024 at Moosey Art Gallery
