Anthony Lister

London

Australian superstar-in-waiting Anthony Lister currently takes over both spaces of The Outsiders gallery. For his all-new show, Unslung Heroes, Anthony Lister has used his sketchbook featuring portraits of hip hedonistic revellers, drawn at revels he’s attended, for inspiration. The elegant and sophisticated figures in the paintings – also dubbed the ‘Party Life Series’ – may be a contrast to the obnoxiously intoxicated international youth of today. But this is exemplary of the artist’s most consistent theme: “I try to combine the highbrow and lowbrow,” says Lister, “creating analogies which allow the viewer to feel comfortable with subjects that maybe they’ve made snap judgements on before.”

On a surface level the content of Unslung Heroes marks a departure for Lister. The artist’s past trademark has been paintings of super-powered ‘grey paladin’ characters indulging in louche behaviour, more inclined to shoot laser beams from their sexual organs than their eyes or gauntlets. “The super-heroes I always described as ‘mis- guiding role models’. Well, the characters in Unslung Heroes are the products of those bad role models. Also this whole show is about people without super-powers who influence us. Super-heroes are just people in costumes after all.”

Anthony Lister

The Outsiders

November 16th – December 22nd, 2012

The Outsiders London
8 Greek Street
London W1D 4DG
UK

Calendar

The Outsiders Newcastle
77 Quayside
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 3DE
UK

Calendar