EXHIBITION: JOE MACHINE 'UNSEEN ANIMAL' 02/11/11

AMUTi23 Presents
Joe Machine
'Unseen Animal'
Print Launch & Exhibition
3rd of November - 13th of November 2011
The AMUTi 12x12x12 Gallery , 87 Dalston Lane, E8 2NG
PRIVATE VIEW: 2nd of November, 6.30pm - 9.30pm

"The Through my work I am trying to express how fear determines human behaviour. Creativity is my way of understanding the human shadow. Painting is an attempt to undermine and strengthen myself, to see through the falseness of the ego."- Joe Machine 2011

Born in Chatham, Kent, Joe Machine is an English artist, poet and writer and was one of the founding members of the Stuckists art group. His early life was marked by petty crime with him being sent to Approved School in 1988, the same year that he started painting, for the theft of scrap material. He has spent time on the dole, running the family amusement arcade in Leysdown, breeding Rottweiler dogs and working as a bouncer in South London night clubs. He has had no formal art training and describes creativity as the way out of the background in which he felt trapped.

Pushed to create by an impulsive need to address his past and to illustrate the environment in which he grew up Machines early paintings and writing reflect his attitude in this period. He worked fast, drew mainly on negative experiences and was obsessed with depicting the ugliness of violence and sex. These new works are far more detailed and considered and show a maturity of style while the subject matter remains just as challenging and edgy.

Unseen Animal is Machines first solo show and will consist of 12 new prints and other original artwork including paintings and scratchboards. All the artwork is for sale and prices range from £65 - £3500.

Joe Machine paints at home during the evenings and early hours of the morning.

"Looking at the uncomfortable is something we should all do. If there is no ability to reflect, you're up shit creek as a human being and any self gratifying act is possible. It's good to be liked for the right reasons, but this is just form. Intent is what matters, nothing else."- Joe Machine, 2011

For interviews and more information contact Laurence Johns (E: info@amuti23.com)