Here are a couple of sneak peaks of details from my next NFT collection: Zodiac PFPs
These illustrations are designed to be used as high resolution profile pictures to present the owners star sign, or else to be collected like trading cards. a
These images continue my interest in combining different forms of symbolic imagery, and pushes forward my interest in colour palettes and graphic design sensibilities.
There will be several of each sign available for collectors, and will be dropping this Friday on Opensea.io/Gustav-sorbet
The first project I’m uploading is a set of illustrations inspired by the songs on Manic Street Preachers landmark fourth album, “Everything Must Go”.
As a teenager the Welsh band Manic Street Preachers were highly influential on my personal development. As with many teens I was enamoured by their complete package; appearance, musical sound, lyrics, album artwork and design… This was a time when one would physically hold the CD booklet whilst listening to the songs, absorbing the photographs, quotes and additional text, when music was not just filling silence in the background but an entire physical experience.
The works in my “Everything Must Go” series have been initiated in the year of the album’s 25th anniversary, and comprises of a suite of illustrations inspired by the lyrics of each song.
Below are selection of sketchbook images which informed the watercolour illustrations in the project.
As can be seen on this site, much of my work has often drawn influence from other artist’s, particularly- for reasons of technique and content- painters, however in the late 2000’s/early 2010’s I developed in interest in Damien Hirst.
Now, I admit to having been a sceptic and somewhat of a Luddite regarding art appreciation, which in many ways reactionary, however I realised that in fact my interactions with Hirst’s work are on exactly the same level as my interaction with many great paintings/ sculptures in that I am viewing the work through a reproduction, either on a page or a screen, it is not the original work but a digital/ ink reproduction of it with which I am familiar.
This acknowledgment compelled me to begin making paintings of the reproductions of contemporary conceptual or installation work by Hirst and Emin, which did not disavow but embraced the source by including lens flare, page numbers/ text, creases etc. But presented very much as a painting, not an attempt to produce a photographic representation by hand.
You can purchase this painting from my eBay store here
“Cleithrophobia” (10x7cm) is a fear of being trapped. When insurmountable stress and anxiety gathers we can often see no way forward or out of a situation and dwelling on the issues at hand creates self perpetuating concentric circles of suffering.
Matt Wells Art 