Welcome to Ben Cowan's blog Private view invitation to my exhibition this weekend in Stratford, new collections, why it's hard to create a tribe and free gin!
After my most successful art show ever at Art in the Park, Leamington on that crazy hot day in August, Art That Makes You Think will be on the road exhibiting at Discover - Gather - Give Contemporary Art Fair at the majestic Stratford-upon avon town hall this weekend, November 18th-20th.
This is a beautifully curated art festival, which showcases 'the best 40 artists in the Midlands', is one that I have enjoyed for many years. On the grand stage upstairs, I shall be exhibiting my satirical canvasses and prints for your amusement, as well as upcycled naked-bulb lighting for the dark nights ahead.
I would like to extend a private view invitation for you to join us to preview before the public gains access this Friday 18th November 1830-2030hrs; seduced as you will be by free G n' Ts and quality nibbles.
New collections...there is an expanded range of The Boy & The Social Media Mole series, which is based on Charles Mackesy's gorgeous best-selling sketchbook, now satirised (from a place of love), asking the question - What changes in our phone-obsessed world, once we put down that beautiful vision in the book of a nostalgia-filled dreamworld? Can we be more present in nature with friends, when our engagement is mediated through technology?
Also, following the BBC's Disclosure and Goodship Brewdog expose on BREWDOG's toxic working culture and false branding earlier this, I have created my BREWGOD series of canvasses lampooning James Watt's 'Marketing is Eveything' mantra, as described in his own book, Business for Punks. Hand-finished limited editions include: Cool Aid IPA, Marilyn Juice, Lost Forest Lager and Grim NEIPA. See also my blog on fake brands.
Finally, when I am preparing for a show, I often find myself getting melancholic. The artist's muse n'est-ce pas? Yes, well I could probably do without it. It stems I think from taking stock of what has changed since the last show. Have I grown my tribe? Have I had more website, Redbubble, or Instagram/Facebook sales? Have people read my blog on the site, on Medium?
Unfortunately, the answer at the moment is no. I am not sure how much longer I will continue doing what I am doing. They say, 'If you always do what you've always done, you always get what you always got...'
I'm not sure if I am cut out for social media or self-promotion. It's just not how I socialise, or how I roll... If you do like my art, or what I have to say about this crazy, beautiful world. Please do click and subscribe...like and engage...tell me what you are thinking (apart from that you don't have time or energy to read this newsletter, I could do without that :-) I hope to see you at the Stratford art fair and in those comments sections....
If you haven't yet seen my latest (#5) blog from BEN TALKS: Ideas Worth Sharing, titled Rebel With A Cause: from Medecins Sans Frontières to a cause at home you can find here, or hear on Medium. If you are not already a regular subscriber, you can subscribe to the tribe here.
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