Curator's Choice - Zavier Ellis


Every month project curator Zavier Ellis recommends three pieces from the PROJECT PAPYROPHILIA inventory: 

Zavier, was it a tough choice?

That is a big understatement considering I am a huge fan of all of these artists, work with them all, represent some of them and have most of them in my collection!

Who did you go for and why these artists?

I’ve gone solely on instinctive personal impact and I’ve chosen Richard Moon, Alex Gene Morrison and Dominic Shepherd.

OK, tell me a bit about each selection starting with Richard Moon:

This is the second scissor drawing I’ve seen by Richard and both of them really intrigue me. Richard has wonderful technique and fascinating subject matter. There is always inevitably something uncanny in his work—an ongoing interest of mine—and this scissor piece typifies it for me. Its beguiling and bewildering, and for however long I look at it, I find it continually perplexing.

And your second choice – Alex Gene Morrison:

Well this piece has it all. For me Alex is at his best when he unleashes his store of archetypal imagery and his raw, discordant, punk energy. It makes me think of street symbolism, gang tattoos, graffiti, zombies, cults, demonology, 80’s Day-Glo and acid house all at once—what’s not to like!? (And has he just (re)invented the smiley face of our times?)

And finally – Dominic Shepherd:

Dominic is an incredible painter in oil on canvas and watercolour on paper at miniature or monumental scale. In fact when he’s on song he’s masterly and is also very unique. We all know figurative / Romantic / folk art is rightfully finding its place in the mainstream but Dominic has been ploughing this deep furrow for his entire 25 year career, even in the days of detached YBA high production. This one is beautiful, solemn, celebratory and iconic.