We’re pleased to announce that a majestic new artwork has prowled its way through the doors of the gallery this week. The latest in his coveted ‘East Meet West’ series, Easy Tiger by Gavin Mitchell is available now, exclusively at Enter Gallery.
In today’s blog, we’re taking a closer look at this beautiful piece, and revealing a little more about the man behind the artwork…
East Meets West
To create his East Meets West series, Mitchell sources iconic motifs and vintage western images, and then juxtaposes them against the ethereal geisha landscape.
In the past, we’ve seen the artist introduce his geishas to everything from space hoppers and boom boxes to pornographic magazines, greasy take-away food, and skateboards.
In Easy Tiger, Mitchell’s geisha is engrossed in an edition of the Tiger Annual. Published weekly between 1956 and 1986, the annual was intended for, ‘all boys that love sport and adventure,’ – something that most geisha could only dream of.
The Year of the Tiger
Of course, the tiger itself, depicted here in gold leaf, carries much significance. According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2022 is the Year of the Tiger. Mitchell tells us, “The tiger is said to be the sign of new beginnings, so here’s hoping!”
The tiger is also seen as ‘king of the beasts’, an animal said to represent strength, bravery and fearlessness.
Visual layers
Mitchell boasts an eclectic artistic background that combines fine art, photography and collage. We chatted to him to discover how his East Meets West collection was born. He reveals:
“The human and material landscape is where I draw my inspiration. Captured through my lens or found through digging deep, the environment I live in and the world I travel through provides a limitless source of references that enthuse, intrigue and excite.”
“My own photography or ‘found’ materials provide me with the origins from which my artwork is created, whether that’s trawling through car boot sales, junk shops and antiques fairs, anything that catches my eye.”
“My East Meets West collection started when I found a vintage Japanese postcard featuring mysterious images of geishas. Rather coincidentally, I also found a vintage Playboy magazine at the very same car boot sale. The idea of an East Meets West culture clash began there.”
Easy Tiger by Gavin Mitchell is available in two different sizes, exclusively at Enter Gallery.
