Featured

Painter turns isolation into art

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 02:54 pm

Most people might be bored of the view from their windows, particularly those under lockdown to curb spread of COVID-19. But 37-year-old painter Frank Laws is turning isolation into art. And it turns out people want a copy.

“Originally, because I suddenly found myself out of work, so I had to keep myself busy. And a friend of mine suggested doing some commissions, I often paint tiny, little preliminary sketches for my larger scale works. So yeah, he suggested selling some of those or trying to get people interested. And in the past, I’ve painted views out of windows. So, I thought, why not put the word out to see if people send me photos of their isolation views and I’ll paint their views”, Laws said.

Laws says it has helped him deal with his own isolation, giving him a routine every day. His studio isn’t far from his east London flat, but he has not been traveling there.

Laws says he originally began painting people’s window views back in 2009, when he was working on a project that focused on isolation in big cities.

“There’s a lot of tension outside with people, even like with distancing and stuff that. But there’s also like a bit more of a communal, you know, we’re all sort of going through this together really. And it’s like a moment of that time that we can all remember upon post whatever happens. Not that we know yet, but, you know, it’s like a collective thing that we’ve all gone through together”, the artist added.

The artist is now busy working on a commission from Glasgow. He’s also had requests from New York, Paris and Denmark.

‘‘I’m thinking about up to a hundred probably and then, yeah, propose an exhibition with it. Probably reproduce the images because the originals will be sent back to the people that bought them and try and get an exhibition and possibly make a little additional book out of it, a little publication”, Laws said.

Laws has been overwhelmed with requests since first announcing the project on photo-sharing site Instagram. He doesn’t plan on painting them all, they take around a day each from start to finish.

Now, he hopes to paint about 100 and eventually stage an exhibit. He will call it, “Isolation Views”.

(AP)

Albert Echetah

Recent Posts

South African Group Petitions For Chidimma Adetshina’s Removal FromInternational Miss Universe Pageant Over Identity Fraud Allegations

A group called Progressive Forces in South Africa has launched a petition against MissUniverse Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina, with the aim…

November 5, 2024

Mauritius Reopens Social MediaAccess in Response to PublicPressure

Mauritius on Saturday overruled its decision to prohibit social media until the election onNovember 10th which was caused by a…

November 5, 2024

UAE Crown Prince Arrives in Ethiopia for WorldWithout Hunger Conference

The UAE’s Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed AlNahyan was in Addis Ababa…

November 5, 2024

Zimbabwe’s rich (Mbingas) linked to state looting

Gilbert Machokoto, a former teacher, said that setting up a business in the late 1980s, shortlyafter Zimbabwe's independence, was ‘like…

November 4, 2024

Historic Shift in Botswana as PresidentConcedes to Opposition Victory

Following elections in which the party that had ruled the diamond-rich nation for almost 60years suffered a historic setback. Botswana's…

November 4, 2024

Lightning Strike at Uganda Refugee CampClaims 14 Lives, Including Children

A lightning strike at a refugee camp in Uganda kills 14 people including children with 34 othershospitalized. The incident happened…

November 4, 2024

This website uses cookies.