Recently I was approached with the most amazing request from a Chef - Ronke Arogundade who was opening a cafe in Brighton 'Dough Lover' which she described as a Cafe from the Future.
After a very short time during our first initial conversation it was apparent that Ronke was a visionary and she had debilitated as to what she wanted her Cafe to say in terms of philosophy and human expression.
She had carefully directed the textiles and fittings and now it was time for visuals. Her instinct had answered to have images of the Sun Ra Arkestra and she found me on the web. From our conversation I created a layout from her wall dimensions and things evolved quickly from there.
Portrait of Atakatune - Sun Ra Arkestra photographed in 2013 at The Barbican in an Oak Box Frame with an Ivorine Title Plaque
Marshall Allen - Sun Ra Arkestra photographed in 2013 at the Barbican Centre
We had a lot to say to each other and the White Peacock image became an addition due to the significance of the symbolic meaning of White Peacocks - of enlightenment,and incorruptibility . When I suggested to image transfer a motif of the birds feathers onto the frame we both knew it had to be done.
Image transfer of the feather motif
'Knowledge Without Love is Lifeless' 50 inches by 60 inches Giclee in an Image Transfer Box with an Ivorine Title Plaque
James Stewart & Cecil Brooks - Sun Ra Arkestra photographed at Islington Town Hall 2015
'The Tone Scientists'
'I Roam The Cosmos'
'Whose Myth Are You?' - Photocollage
Developing the Installation further Ronke discussed her other musical influences and instead of just petering out with the same material we wanted to create a 'snug' feel to the room as the viewer travelled through. Two names came up. That of Gil Scott Heron and Mark E Smith.
For the smallest panel of the Installation Two Contact Sheets were printed with Lyrics to significant songs by the Artists. These being 'Hexen Definitive'
Gil Scott Heron with Lyrics to 'B' Movie
Ronke also wanted to have reference to her childhood in West London included and so the next panel became an overview of my Notting Hill Carnival work.
7x Black Box Frames w/ Giclee prints and Ivorine Title Plaques
The final panel has direct reference to Brighton itself and one of it's most famous residents Nick Cave. Ronke had met Nick on several occasions and my portraits of Nick and Kylie and an additional Studio session I shot with Nick were comissioned for the wall.
This became the most technically intricate installation work I had ever attempted.
Work Bench for Image Transfers to the frames
Two of the frames have image transfers of a picture I took of the Ceiling of the Taj Mahal
Nick & Kylie Box Construction
Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' Nine Giclee Prints mounted on Black Velvet in an Image Transfer Box Frame with a Distressed Mirror and Ivorine Name Plaque
Nick Cave Panel
The Red Velvet needed to be 'Casino' Red
Nick Cave 'HQ Session' 3x Giclee Prints mounted on Red Velvet in an Image Transfer Box Frame with Distressed Mirror and Ivorine Title Plaque
Two samples of the image transfer frames.
The main Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue frame is an image transfer of Rose Thorns
My heartfelt gratitude to Ronke for such a wonderful commission. This is a permanent installation.
