The Headlines Collection
The Headlines Collection was a short collection painted in 2011 capturing some of the years more dramatic events painted over the newspaper pages that reported them.
The introductory piece of the collection is a transitional piece between The Humanity Collection and the Headlines Collection; titled 'A thought of Scandal,' announcing the temporary end to The Humanity Collection with the lead character hanging up their wings and laying down on the sofa to rest; further to this it introduces the latest collection as the lead character sleeps, dreaming of the pictures hung above them highlighting the scandal in the world. The oil painting is completed with genuine clippings from the last issue of the News of The World which recently announced it would no longer print due to revelations of incomprehensible actions, decisions and scandal from within the media and the newspaper itself.
Detailed in the text of the News of the World articles include "stop that power," "no more joy of text," "good call, we gave cash for mobiles," "time people made a stance and stopped buying newspapers," "morons," and part of the News of the Worlds written apology... next to a picture of an arse which featured in the paper. Also detailed is a clipping with the date of the final paper and a picture of the Duchess of Cambridge better known as Kate Middleton to give an essence of the time line in history for viewers of this picture in future.
The introductory piece of the collection is a transitional piece between The Humanity Collection and the Headlines Collection; titled 'A thought of Scandal,' announcing the temporary end to The Humanity Collection with the lead character hanging up their wings and laying down on the sofa to rest; further to this it introduces the latest collection as the lead character sleeps, dreaming of the pictures hung above them highlighting the scandal in the world. The oil painting is completed with genuine clippings from the last issue of the News of The World which recently announced it would no longer print due to revelations of incomprehensible actions, decisions and scandal from within the media and the newspaper itself.
Detailed in the text of the News of the World articles include "stop that power," "no more joy of text," "good call, we gave cash for mobiles," "time people made a stance and stopped buying newspapers," "morons," and part of the News of the Worlds written apology... next to a picture of an arse which featured in the paper. Also detailed is a clipping with the date of the final paper and a picture of the Duchess of Cambridge better known as Kate Middleton to give an essence of the time line in history for viewers of this picture in future.
The Second piece in The Headlines Collection (below) is titled The Murdoch Irony. The canvas was covered with the last front page, as well as other articles from The News of the World before the painting was completed in oil. The image depicts Rupert Murdoch standing before the British press, the same press that he substantially owns and influences with his various media companies with his hand raised as he speaks out in relation to the revelations that part of his media empire, largely the News of the World newspaper has been involved in mass phone tapping much to the outrage of the public which saw The News of the World cease to print.
The third painting is once again on a canvas covered with articles from the last edition of the ‘News of the World’ which includes images from historic front pages such as the at the time Tory deputy chairman Jeffrey Archer being embroiled in an alleged prostitution scandal in 1986; The beginning of the Gulf War in 1991, Prince Harry being exposed in a video using racist language in 2009, and MSP Tommy Sheridan being named and shamed for having a string of affairs behind his wife’s unsuspecting back in 2011.
The painting itself focuses on the publics inability to trust and rely on people in positions that should in fact require and offer great trust to the public. The foreground shows a young girl laying in the bushes but still alive who has been missing and now found by her distraught mother who crouches over her. Lurking in the background is a policeman, looking on and un-assisting the mother, allowing a preying reporter to interfere. The reporter who is further symbolised by the vulture in the tree has been tipped of by the corrupt Policeman for information in exchange for cash to get amongst other things the location of the girl to get in close to the situation, hoping for gory details of a disturbing fate to a young innocents life for the sole purpose to unleash a devastating article to make headlines. As this goes on, to the left is a Politician who has turned his back and a blind eye to this sordid affair.
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This isn’t a statement against all Politicians, Policeman and Reporters but it’s a statement that if so many people in these nature of positions are so corrupt and untrustworthy within society how are the public meant to trust any of them.
The sad fact is that the people who are in positions high enough to make a difference and a change to this shady shocking behaviour seem to be the worst offenders, so how can society ever change for the better. We live in a society driven by the media which focus’ on and almost encourages and provokes wrong doing to make a headline.
The sad fact is that the people who are in positions high enough to make a difference and a change to this shady shocking behaviour seem to be the worst offenders, so how can society ever change for the better. We live in a society driven by the media which focus’ on and almost encourages and provokes wrong doing to make a headline.
'Her Troubles Made and Broke Her,' is an oil painting on canvas painted over the Sunday Times front page headlines dated the 24th of July 2011 announcing the death of talented singer, song writer and deeply troubled individual Amy Winehouse the day before.
The oil painting is of Amy, smiling in a ballerina outfit aged just 5, still innocent and full of potential. Amy is a ghostly white, with a depressed hint of blue to capture the mood of Amy throughout much of her struggled adult life. At her feet are cigarettes, an empty bottle of vodka and a syringe, this isn't a derogatory statement towards Amy Winehouse, it is in fact an important aspect of Amy's impending future, these items would not only be Amy's downfall spiralling her to death at the tender age of just 27 but ironically they are also the items that gave Amy her inspiration to most of, if not all her songs about her troubled life that made her an award winning artist. Perhaps without her troubles she never would have been the star she became but the price she paid was with her life. |
The 5th oil painting in the collection is titled 'The London Riots 2011: Mindless Violence.' In light of the riots sparked after the shooting and death of Mark Duggan by Officers of the Metropolitan Police Service on the 4th of August 2011 in what started as a justified peaceful protest soon turned into nothing but a disgraceful inexcusable reason for sheer mindless thuggery, violence and criminal activity from a collection of low life individuals. Any analysis of politics, unemployment, education and opportunity or lack of it in the current downturn in the economic climate is far from any reasoning for anyone, no matter what age, gender or race to wreck havoc on innocents homes, possessions and even in some incidents the cost of life. It beggars disbelieve to decent respectable citizens on what makes a person act in such a disgusting manner.
The painting itself, obviously depicts and makes an account of the London riots which actually spread outwith London throughout other citys in England, not for any reason other than scum are jumping on this despicable bandwagon. The canvas is layered with a copy of The Sun Newspaper dated Wednesday the 10th of August 2011 and the articles therein about the stories of the London riots. The scene to the left of the painting depicts mindless violence with a street on flames, riot police move into action whilst dark shadowed figures silhouetted by the flames in hooded jumpers fight, loot and vandalize. To the foreground on the left is a young boy in a blue hoodie holding a gun highlighting the problem of youth gun crime and to his left is two young youths carrying a stolen television; to his immediate right is a car and building on flames whilst rioters damage the car and rampage. Further to the right is another two youths, the one on the right holds his arm in the air with is fingers saluting a "Fuck You" to the World.
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In the bottom right hand corner is an injured pedestrian to whom a passer by crouches down not to aid but infact to steal out his backpack. The main image of the right hand side of the painting is of the moment Monika Konczyk, a member of the public who was forced to evacuate her burning home by leaping out of the window due to the events.
It’s a sorry state that not so Great Britain found itself in, especially in the city that was due to hold the Olympic games the following year. The country was let down by a minority of disgusting inhumane human beings.
The last painting in the 2011 collection captured a more inspiring view of the British public as they came together in shock and respect of the death of former Welsh international footballer and at the time current manager Gary Speed who unexpectedly took his own life at the age of just 42 leaving a young family and wife without a husband and father.
The painting itself shows the scene outside Newcastle United Football Clubs stadium St James' Park as the news broke where fans of various clubs and nations came to pay their respect to one of the most professional and admired gentleman to grace the sport of football; laying scarfs and shirts from former clubs Newcastle and Leeds amongst others. The collection was an experimental and short series to capture some pieces of history for future generations to come. Although no doubt future generations will turn to the internet and other hi tech media, art and painting is an important way to capture and dramatise events as done so in the past and the artist Martin Kelly may return to the collection with future years. |