Legendary British light artist Chris Levine opens his solo exhibition Who are wE_+ at the Fine Art Society, London, on the 25th of April. Following his sell out iy_project at Eden Project, a spectacular immersive light and sound installation in collaboration with Edenlab, and and “From Selfie to Self-Expression” at the Saatchi Gallery, Levine has turned his attention again to some of the world’s most photographed faces.

When his iconic Lightness of Being, a lenticular light box of Her Majesty The Queen, was selected to open the National Portrait Gallery’s retrospective “The Queen: Art and Image”, this pioneer in the field of light art shot to fame. He has since repeatedly created seminal portraits including She’s Light of Kate Moss and Compassion of The Dalai Lama. This fresh set of 21st century icons is no exception. Most remarkable are their differences, as if he has isolated that specific, singular element which makes them individuals. The smooth, dewy glow of British supermodel Naomi Campbell sets off the hard earned gritty realism of bearded explorer and author Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

CHRIS LEVINE Naomi Campbell, 2017 Archival Inkjet Print 16 1/2 x 11 3/4 in. (42 x 29.7 cm) Edition of 25 + 4 ap Image courtesy the artist and The Fine Art Society

“Chris’s fascination with light in both a physical and spiritual sense is the common thread of his artistic practice. His portraits, whether of a monarch or a super model, present his subjects as equal, yet unique beings. Like a religious icon, when we look at his portraits, we see both the icon presented to us and a reflection of ourselves mirrored in them. We can see the light and energy that Chris believes constitute and connect us.” Sara Terzi, Associate Director Fine Art Society.

Levine uses a range of new media in his practice and is a pioneer in his use of new technological developments. Several pieces are lenticular prints, a medium which gives the illusion of three dimensions. Many photographs are taken of the subject from different angles using a track. These images are then combined to form one image and a lenticular lens is placed over the surface allowing the viewer to see the different images when viewed from different angles. Back lighting, and in some cases dichroic glass, a type of two-tone glass, enhance the striking visual effect. Levine employs this technology to explore Einstein’s notion that all matter is simply condensed energy. He says,

‘Increasingly the direction and enquiry of my work is leading me to the ultimate realisation that we are beings of energy. The question of who we are is a mystery I feel is beyond our bandwidth of perception. My objective in creating a portrait is to get closer to the soul and in so doing express the Truth of who we really are.’ – Chris Levine, 2017

Chris Levine studied at Chelsea College of Art and Central St Martins. In 2012 his work featured in The Queen: Art and Image at the National Portrait Gallery, London, and was also included in Out of Focus at the Saatchi Gallery. His exhibition Hypervisual 1.2 (1999) completed a tour of 12 countries with the British Council. He has work in the Science Museum, London; has staged light performances with MoMA, New York; and has worked with a wide range of collaborators, including Antony and the Johnsons, Philip Treacy, Massive Attack, Grace Jones and the Eden Project.

If you wish Art Consultant, Nico Kos who wrote this exhibition review, to take you to the exhibition just contact her by email: nkos@artbastion.com or for a list of available works please send an EMAIL HERE

Exhibition is at

The Fine Art Society Ltd.
148 New Bond St | London W1S 2JT
Tel +44 207 318 1895
www.thefineartsociety.com

Nico Kos Earle can be contacted on nkos@artbastion.com