Fun exhibitions to see this week, Andy Warhol and Quentin Jones………

This week’s culture picks chosen just for the arty farty types, beginning with the Soho Quentin Jones exhibition opening on 19th of November, ‘The Fractured And The Feline.’ Then moving away from London, up north, exhibition number two is ‘Transmitting Warhol’ at Tate Liverpool. Both offer something similar in the sense of mixed media material. The art factory theme is prevalent in both, originally introduced by Warhol.

Jones is a photographer, animator, painter and filmmaker who studied at Central St Martins. Loved by Chanel, Quentin has high-profile commissions in the fashion and publishing worlds including that of Louis Vuitton. Her distinctive illustrative style will be presented as a collision of photo montage video hosted by the Vinyl Factory on Brewer St in Soho.

We first discovered Jones after she produced a series of fashion films for high end brands in the industry. Her technique is similar to Warhol’s but more advanced thanks to technology. It’s interesting to notice how Warhol’s silk print methods and legacy stills extends right into the digital age. Quentin’s combo of photo montage and mixed media is perhaps a modern day interpretation of Warhols work. Whilst Quentin focuses on surreal portraiture, Warhol’s pieces are darker and voyeuristic.

Back in Liverpool the New York Socialite Edie Sedgwick’s doe eyed glare speaks volumes of hardship and self pity, yet there’s no sound from the film. The exhibition shows Warhol’s journey from print right through to editorial finally arriving at television.

His avant-garde clips tell us more about the medium and way in which he ‘transmitted’ his work, than the characters themselves. The curators of the exhibition have made use of it’s small space, perhaps dedicating too much to a video room that shows clips of his ‘factory’ with a Velvet Underground soundtrack.

Most notable pieces are owned by the Tate with a few donated by collectors – a favourite being his Chelsea Girls movie poster….

Other work we haven’t seen before was his selection of LP covers, the ‘JFK nightmare’ and his dance diagram. It’s a short and sweet exhibition that appeals to the mass market as Warhol’s work is so famous.

If you want to see Marilyn, Campbell Soup and Brillo Soap Pads then buy a Virgin Train Ticket and venture up North. Andy Warhol ironically received more than the 15 minutes of fame of which he claimed everyone in the future would have. For a modern take on factory art work visit Soho to experience Quentin Jones, ‘The Fractured And The Feline.’