(de)constructed Artist Spotlight: Paul Stephenson
(de)constructed:
PAUL STEPHENSON
In the back corners of the second room of the gallery hang three painted portraits. The treatment these images are given creates the initial appearance of having glass in front of them, but upon closer inspection the viewer finds that the light has been physically printed onto the works. Artist Paul Stephenson’s process brings into question themes of ownership and collaboration.
Stephenson's practice involves taking original 200-year-old oil paintings and unique photographs bought at auction. Then, working directly on the original artworks, Stephenson prints his own photographs onto the surface. Stephenson sees this as a forced collaboration between himself and the work's first author (now co-author). As a result, the work raises questions about ownership, authorship, and transgression. Inspired by a background in painting graffiti, the finished pieces are built from combining two or more images, forging historical and contemporary stories to create a new narrative.
Paul Stephenson lives and works in London. He is currently studying at Goldsmiths University in London, MFA Fine Art. His practice is centered on working directly onto existing ‘original’ works of art by other artists. Stephenson does not consider these ‘objects trouvé’. He is represented by StolenSpace Gallery on Brick Lane, London where he has shown work in 9 group shows since 2012. StolenSpace hosted his first solo show Forced Collaboration in 2016 and his second Fireworks in November 2019. In 2017 his work was included in the museum group show RE:PORTRAIT curated by Tristram Aver at Nottingham Museum alongside the work of Glenn Brown, Anthony Micallef and Julie Cockburn.
(de)constructed will be on view at Candela Gallery through February 19, 2022.