Contemporary British artist and printmaker David Studwell brings the glamour, attitude and visual charge of mid-century celebrity culture into sharp contemporary focus. A graduate of Central Saint Martins School of Art, Studwell has spent more than two decades refining a distinctive silkscreen practice that draws on the spirit of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the legacy of Pop Art and the enduring power of the photographic image.
His work explores the complex mythology of fame. Screen tests, private moments and police mugshots of familiar stars become bold, highly stylised works in vivid colour, exposing the tension between public image and private vulnerability. Whether defiant, reflective or caught at a moment of uncertainty, Studwell’s subjects are removed from the polished surfaces of celebrity and presented as human figures shaped by pressure, scrutiny and expectation.
The influence of Andy Warhol and the Pop Art movement is evident, but Studwell’s work has its own visual language. His prints combine classic Hollywood glamour with crisp graphic design, high-fashion sensibility and a technically demanding level of precision. Razor-sharp diamond dust is often incorporated into the work, adding texture, light and a heightened sense of spectacle.
Technology also plays an important role in his process. Studwell uses contemporary digital tools to revisit photographic material from earlier decades, building sophisticated layers before translating the final image into screen print.
A significant example of this approach is Elton John, Home Run – Dodger Stadium 1975, a six-colour screen print created in collaboration with Sir Elton John and renowned photographer Terry O’Neill. Reworking O’Neill’s celebrated photograph of Elton John at the height of his fame, the work was produced with diamond dust and later became the subject of a charity auction in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
We are please to announce that Studwell will be exhibiting at Flux Exhibition – London 3rd-8th September.
Are you self-taught, or did you undertake formal artistic training?
I trained at Central Saint Martins in London.
How would you define your visual language or conceptual approach?
Much of my subject matter is ‘celebrities’. I’m drawn to the bygone eras of the 60’s the 70’s and the golden age of Hollywood. It’s during these times that the word ‘celebrity’ held a different meaning. These stars of yesteryear were somehow more enigmatic and less accessible unlike the stars of today who flood our consciousness via smartphones and computers.
Can you describe your creative process from conception to completion?
Firstly-I search for an appropriate image-this might come directly from a photographer or agency. I then strip the image back to it’s bare bones before adding colour and texture-this is done on a computer. Once I have a working template, I go into the studio and create the screen print, often using multiple layers of colour-at the end I often add razor sharp diamond dust to the piece.
Does narrative, symbolism, or storytelling play a role within your work?
Yes-there is a narrative to my work-I’m drawn to bygone eras like the 50’s and the 60’s and the golden age of Hollywood-in particular the film stars of those times. When I create new work-my aim is to echo the glamour, the history and the style of those times-Hence why I often incorporate diamond dust into my work-it’s a nod to the glamour and decadence of those bygone eras.
Which artists have most influenced you historically or contemporarily and why?
Andy Warhol, Roy Lichenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, to name a few. They have all influenced me in different ways. Warhols use of colour and repetition-how he turned the bland into ‘art’ eg. the soup cans. Warhol was a master at manipulating imagery and challenged the public to ask questions about the meaning of art in modern society.
What personal, cultural, or environmental influences shape your practice?
The culture of celebrity plays a role-the culture of celebrity is ever changing. For example the word ‘celebrity’ holds a very different meaning today than what it did in the 50’s or 60’s. During these decades celebrities were more enigmatic, less invasive, more of a rarity; unlike today when their potency had become diluted from over-exposure.
Where is your studio based, and how does the space inform your creativity
My studio is in Peckham Rye. It is solely a screen printing space and is light and airy.
Do you have any rituals or rhythms that anchor your studio practice?
When I’m in the studio my aim is to be focussed and work within a certain time frame. If I’m doing a commission there is an element of experimentation but I also work within certain parameters.
What bodies of work or projects are you currently developing?
I’m working on a number of projects at the moment. Some involve working with brand new materials and others are of a more traditional nature.
Where can collectors encounter or acquire your work?
I’m with a number of galleries in the UK including; Box Galleries, Dalloz Contemporary and Zebra One Gallery among others. I’m also with some overseas galleries.
You can view my entire portfolio of work at www.davidstudwellgallery.co.uk
Instagram: @davidstudwellgallery
Facebook: @davidstudwellgallery
