Alex Roberts Artist

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Office Session III - Office Party

40 Chelsea MAFA students, past and present, plus a few outsiders to make it interesting!

Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Be Inspired Contemporary Art Auction

Be Inspired Contemporary Art Auction is in aid of

The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts

Wanderings 04 2013

An opportunity to bid for one of Roberts's, original works on paper, went live this afternoon, via Paddle8. Get bidding!

Works involved in the collection will be auctioned online by Paddle8 from 17th September to 1st October. The auction includes a selection of art from artists such as Marc Quinn, Gavin Turk, Idris Khan, Tracey Emin and Xavier Mascaro. Online bidding ends on 1st October, culminating in a live auction on Wednesday 1st October at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

The aim is to raise funds to expand the charity's work with children in hospice care. For more information about the charity please click here.

Monday, 15 September 2014

Reflections on Taste - the publication is out there!

ISBN 978-1-908339-12-6

Introduction
A collective of Chelsea's Fine Art and Textile Design postgraduate came together to present their own observations and questions of taste after Bourdieu. Led by UAL academics, Dave Beech* and Malcom Quinn*, the reading group for 'Taste After Bourdieu' was inspired by Own Jones' writing on the demonization of the working class and 'Chav' culture, and Jukka Gronow's examination of taste and fashion, informed by Immanuel Kant and Georg Kimmel.

Through a visual, tactile and interactive confession booth, the group sought to provoke the subtle and sometimes obvious denials, ironies and conflicts of private versus public tastes. Because we elicit ourselves in relation to those around us, a question of ego becomes pertinent: how can you, as an individual, foster a taste that is unique, not perverted by conformation to the standards of others? Whilst this may seem like a leading question, it merely points to the networks we enact, and the ways in which we position ourselves within them. To what extent does desire for a beneficial position, one that garners acceptance or validation or sorts, skew our behaviours? Are we made to play the role of fearful subject, telling the cultural emperor how magnificent their new clothe are?

In the worlds of Fine Art and Design, such questions of positioning and mediation can be related to the commercially viable product. As makers of things, the question arises: can taste transcend behaviour? There is a difficult ground to be broken, and a pertinent question remains: is the extent to which identity and expression are bound to systems of commodification, a bad thing?

The Confessional Booth and the publication is a culmination of the groups' thoughts, questions and observations.

*Dave Beech is a Chelsea College of Art and Design Senior Lecturer - BA Fine Art
*Malcolm Quinn is Associate Dean of Research and Director of Graduate School Camerwell, Chelsea, Wimbledon Graduate School.

To read more, or for further information about the collective publication, please contact Alex directly.

Monday, 4 August 2014

July 2014 - experimental installations

Suspended polyesters, organza silk, and silk fabrics with ladies leather shoes.

'Unpicking my practice continues, as my work is stretched, and the challenges advance at Chelsea.' AR Watch this space... undoubtedly, more to follow!

Sunday, 13 July 2014

Collaborationem - works in situ.

Positive reactions, useful feedback
"I was particularly impressed by two of the installations...
I was very taken with the image of “the messenger” juxtaposed by a personal reflection in the mirror.
...to see oneself as the messenger was a powerful expression of “self,”...
The fish said that I was “passionate” which I hope is true...".

The Messenger & You 2014 60cm x 50cm x 2
Acrylic mirror, oil on linen, fortune telling fish, candles, votive candle stands.