May Hands, the ego wrappin’
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- May Hands, Gucci, (Blue and Orange), 2013. Wooden stretcher, polythene, Gucci bag, sponges, shredded screen prints, Gucci tissue paper and plastic tape. Courtesy of the artist and T293.
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- May Hands, No. 5 Rectangle Painting, 2013. Stretcher, Plastic bag, Cellophane, chopped feather duster and paper. Courtesy of the artist and T293.
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- May Hands, Chanel, (Blue), 2013. Wooden stretcher, Chanel plastic packaging, polythene, cellophane and Chanel objects, 30 cm x 40 cm. Courtesy of the artist and T293.
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- May Hands, No. 7 Rectangle Painting, 2013. Stretcher, polythene bag, sponges and cellophane. Courtesy of the artist and T293.
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- May Hands, GUCCI (Transfer to New Bond Street), 2013. Stretcher, Gucci protective dress bag, polythene, shredded papers, plastic tape. Courtesy of the artist T293.
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- May Hands, Pink and blue scrim, 2013. Wooden stretcher, scrim, polythene, ink and acrylic. 49 cm x 70 cm. Courtesy of the artist and T293.
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- May Hands, Untitled, 2013. Wooden stretcher, muslin, deflated beach balls and sponges on plaster cast plinths. Courtesy of the artist and T293.
A respectable gallerist has recently pointed out to us May Hands, a young British artist working in Brighton and London. Since we highly appreciate the eye of this gallerist, a former curator, we googled with the highest expectations the name of the artist, a former student of the Camberwell College of Arts. In effect, we have not been disappointed.
Her visual language made of contrasted colors and transparencies that may recall Karla Black, pleased the sight like a soft whisper, nice and welcoming. But of course it is not this element that prompts the viewer to think. At first, what has probably struck his attention is the series of works that use a certain kind of mass luxury fashion products packaging. Gucci, Etro, Chanel.
It may seem quite naïve being so young and choosing to handle such a risky thing like some giants logos, also if we consider the unpredictable relations that many of the potential collectors could have with this kind of materials. But as soon as you start to imagine someone opening the packaging of a Chanel bag in a living room where a beautiful artwork made of the same paper, logos and ribbons is hanging on the wall, it is when you actually step into Hands’ poetical frame. Who has never noticed the extremely curated packaging around these sometimes absurdly expensive objects? Who has never glimpsed, behind this extraordinary accuracy, the end of a ritual, also known as the “selling ceremony”? At this point the naïve packed stretcher has turned into something more delicate and emotional. From this perspective, her other works will look different too.
Hence enjoy the May Hands’ blog on Tumblr (here), considering that some of her works will probably appear later 2014 at the MiArt fair, in Milan, and then in a group show in Rome. Her first solo show is expected for 2015.
January 30, 2014
