Sadie’s Holly Woodlawn large-scale painting Holly Woodlawn Posing II
Ketchum Pleon London’s reception area, turned into an art gallery in 2009 to inspire creativity of its employees and support the local artistic community, proudly unveils “Transformers” this week: an exhibition of powerful portraits by award-winning artist Sadie Lee. If you are in London tonight, come over for the “meet the artist” event hosted by Ketchum Pleon London this Thursday, 30 August at 6.00pm UK time at 35-41 Folgate Street, London, E1 6BX!
The exhibition is part of an ongoing Art@Ketchum Pleon programme that already showcased a number of famed British artists, including works by some of the U.K.’s leading linocut artists, such as Paul Catherall, Bodymap’s David Holah, John Lee Bird (artist), Gail Mallatratt (printer), Andy Whale (photographer), Monica Curtin (photographer), Tom Frost (illustrator) and others.
Sadie Lee is a figurative painter making realistic images of real people. Her work first came to wider public attention in 1992 when her painting Erect – a self-portrait with a partner – was selected for exhibition in the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, London. In 1996 she won the prestigious BP Travel Award, enabling her to travel to Exotic World Burlesque Museum in California’s Mojave Desert where she met and painted a number of former Burlesque Stars from the 1940’s – 1960’s, now elderly and retired, in costumes from their former days.
The Ketchum Pleon London show features paintings from Lee’s two series of work: “And then He was a She – Paintings of Holly Woodlawn” and “Pin Ups”. (Sadie’s Holly Woodlawn large-scale painting Holly Woodlawn Posing II is provided). Ketchum Pleon London has the honour of hosting the London premiere of the “Pin Ups” show.
Holly Woodlawn is a legendary Warhol Superstar drag queen and star of the Warhol films “Trash” and “Women in Revolt.” Holly is, perhaps, best known as the character in the first verse of Lou Reed’s iconic hit “Walk on the Wild Side”. After its initial premiere in Salford, the paintings travelled to the Novas Gallery, Liverpool, The Drill Hall, London and was shown in Berlin at the Schwules Museum in 2010.
“Pin Ups” is a collection of portraits that pays homage to underground icons, including the legendary performance artist David Hoyle; revered actress Rita Tushingham; promoter and photographer Stav Bee; figurative painter Matthew Stradling; artists’ model Frank Sweet and professional pin up Anderrida Shurville.
