Piers Wardle
Encyclopedia
Christopher Piers Arthur Wardle (20 April 1960 - 22 December 2009) was a British artist, musician and art factotum. Born in Beckenham, he lived in Southwark, London, UK and died in Clyst Hydon, Devon, UK.
where he illustrated the school magazine, designed stage sets for productions and painted a mural of a crow (inspired by Ted Hughes) on the sixth form common room wall, and Exeter College of Art and Design (1978–79), he went to Oxford's Ruskin School of Drawing
(1979–82), where his friends included the artists William Latham
, Adam Lowe, and Helen Elwes. There too he met the poet Stephen Micalef who was at the other Ruskin College.
He was the great-grandson of the painter Arthur Wardle
. He participated in numerous one man shows and group exhibitions of painting and conceptual art. Initially represented by Purdy Hicks, later Wardle moved to Joshua Compston
's Factual Nonsense Gallery. Wardle also contributed a print to Compston's limited edition book Other Men's Flowers. He subsequently exhibited at, amongst others, the Decima Gallery
and the Courtauld Institute, and for thirty years collaborated with Stephen Micalef, providing piano accompaniment to the latter's poetry. In addition they produced works on paper; Wardle as Micalef's illustrator.
Wardle also worked as a picture editor for the Redstone Diary. Recent more formal activities included 'printing' concrete for Anish Kapoor
, fixing a Marc Quinn
, analysing Caravaggio
's brush work in Rome, and scanning both Tutankhamun
's tomb and Paolo Veronese
's Marriage at Cana, (all of which arranged by Factum Arte).
Biography
After Exeter SchoolExeter School
Exeter School is a selective independent co-educational day school for pupils between the ages of 7 and 18 located in Exeter, Devon, England. In 2010 there were around 180 pupils in the Junior School and 670 in the Senior School...
where he illustrated the school magazine, designed stage sets for productions and painted a mural of a crow (inspired by Ted Hughes) on the sixth form common room wall, and Exeter College of Art and Design (1978–79), he went to Oxford's Ruskin School of Drawing
The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art
The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, known as The Ruskin, is an art school and research institute at the University of Oxford.Working collaboratively across two sites, the school provides undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in the study and production of visual art...
(1979–82), where his friends included the artists William Latham
William Latham
William Latham is a British computer artist, most known as the creator of the Organic Art product as well as for creating album covers and artwork for the dance group The Shamen. Latham is the founder of the company Computer Artworks which released the Organic Art product through Time Warner...
, Adam Lowe, and Helen Elwes. There too he met the poet Stephen Micalef who was at the other Ruskin College.
He was the great-grandson of the painter Arthur Wardle
Arthur Wardle
Arthur Wardle was an English painter.Born in London, aged just sixteen Wardle had a piece displayed at the Royal Academy. His first exhibit was a study of cattle by the River Thames, leading to a lifelong interest in painting animals...
. He participated in numerous one man shows and group exhibitions of painting and conceptual art. Initially represented by Purdy Hicks, later Wardle moved to Joshua Compston
Joshua Compston
Joshua Richard Compston was a London gallerist whose space, Factual Nonsense, was closely associated with the emergence of the Young British Artists . Compston graduated from the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1992...
's Factual Nonsense Gallery. Wardle also contributed a print to Compston's limited edition book Other Men's Flowers. He subsequently exhibited at, amongst others, the Decima Gallery
Decima gallery
Decima Gallery is a London-based arts projects organisation with a reputation for irreverent projects, according to a 2008 article in The London Paper:...
and the Courtauld Institute, and for thirty years collaborated with Stephen Micalef, providing piano accompaniment to the latter's poetry. In addition they produced works on paper; Wardle as Micalef's illustrator.
Anish Kapoor
Anish Kapoor CBE RA is a British sculptor of Indian birth. Born in Mumbai , Kapoor has lived and worked in London since the early 1970s when he moved to study art, first at the Hornsey College of Art and later at the Chelsea School of Art and Design.He represented Britain in the XLIV Venice...
, fixing a Marc Quinn
Marc Quinn
Marc Quinn is a British artist and part of the group known as Britartists or YBAs . He is known for Alison Lapper Pregnant , Self , and Garden .He is one of the Young British...
, analysing Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
's brush work in Rome, and scanning both Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...
's tomb and Paolo Veronese
Paolo Veronese
Paolo Veronese was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and The Feast in the House of Levi...
's Marriage at Cana, (all of which arranged by Factum Arte).
Solo exhibitions
A random selection of either solo shows, or solo collaborations with Steve Micalef.- 1992: 17 July - 8 August, Piers Wardle - Paintings and Installations, at Pomeroy Purdy Gallery, Jacob Street film studios, Mill Street, London, SE1 2BA. (Pomeroy Purdy was the origin of what in 2010 is the Purdy Hicks Gallery, of Bankside, London).
- 1999: 3–10 May: Nine Planets in alignment, by Micalef, Piers Wardle and Michael Daykin, for the Attaché Gallery. Launched at the Pride of Spitalfields, Heneage Street, E.C. on May 3;
- 2005: March: Piers Wardle & Stephen Micalef at Guy Hilton Gallery, Commercial Street, London. Organized by Guy Hilton;
- 2005: May: Piers & Micalef - Are You Thinking What We're Thinking? at Upstairs Gallery, Clerkenwell, London. Organised by Alex Chappel & Fiona Watson to coincide with United Kingdom general election, 2005United Kingdom general election, 2005The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
;
- 2008: May: Piers & Micalef - Banksy versus Barksy at Decima GalleryDecima galleryDecima Gallery is a London-based arts projects organisation with a reputation for irreverent projects, according to a 2008 article in The London Paper:...
, Hackney Wick, London. Organised by Decima.
Group exhibitions
A random selection of group exhibitions in which Piers participated:- 1981: ACME;
- 1982: Museum of Modern Art, Oxford (MOMO);
- 1990: Eastbourne Clark Gallery, Florida;
- 1991-92: John Moores' exhibition in Liverpool. He described the work sent there as ' think Mitchelson-Morley '.
- sometime at Bernhard Baron gallery;
- 1993: March: Es la Manera! (Potential Ideals c1845-2000+) (Translated as: Is The Way) at Factual Nonsense, Shoreditch, London. Organized by Joshua CompstonJoshua CompstonJoshua Richard Compston was a London gallerist whose space, Factual Nonsense, was closely associated with the emergence of the Young British Artists . Compston graduated from the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1992...
. - 1993: June: S.S. Excess - from Mary Magdalen to John the Baptist at Factual Nonsense, Shoreditch, London. Organized by Joshua Compston.
- 1993: November: Hardcore at Factual Nonsense, Shoreditch, London. Organized by Joshua CompstonJoshua CompstonJoshua Richard Compston was a London gallerist whose space, Factual Nonsense, was closely associated with the emergence of the Young British Artists . Compston graduated from the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1992...
. Alongside artists Gary HumeGary HumeGary Stewart Hume is an English artist. His work is strongly identified with the YBA artists who came to prominence in the early-1990s. In 1996, Hume was nominated for the Turner Prize, but lost out to Douglas Gordon. Hume was elected a Royal Academician in 2001.-Life and work:Hume was born in...
, Andrew Capstick, Fiona RaeFiona RaeFiona Rae is a British artist. Her work is firmly identified with the Young British Artists who rose to prominence in the 1990s....
, David Taborn, Darren CoffieldDarren CoffieldDarren Coffield is a British painter.-Biography:Coffield studied at Goldsmiths College, Camberwell School of Art and the Slade School of Art in London, where he received his Bachelors in 1993 in Fine Arts. In the early 1990s, Coffield worked with Joshua Compston on the formation of Factual...
, Rebecca Bower, Dan Asher & David J. Smith. - 1995: July: The Hanging Picnic, at Hoxton SquareHoxton SquareHoxton Square is a garden square situated in Hoxton in the London Borough of Hackney, in London's East End. Formerly home to industrial premises, since the 1990s it has become the heart of the Hoxton arts and media scene, as well as being a hub of the thriving local entertainment district...
, Shoreditch, London. Organized by Joshua Compston. - 1998: April: Was Jesus a Homosexual? at Decima GalleryDecima galleryDecima Gallery is a London-based arts projects organisation with a reputation for irreverent projects, according to a 2008 article in The London Paper:...
, SE1, London. - 1998: The Windy Nook Chip Shop at the Waygood Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. Organised by Derrick Welsh & Decima as part of Visual Arts North East 98 (VANE98).
- 1999: September The Time Has Come as part of the Articultural Show, South Bank, London. Organised by Gavin TurkGavin TurkGavin Turk is a British artist and one of the Young British Artists . He often uses his own image in life-size sculptures of famous people.-Life and work:...
. - 2000: March: n01se, Kettle's Yard, Cambridge. Organized by artist Adam Lowe and historian of science Simon Schaffer.
- 2008: February: The Famous, the Infamous and the Really Quite Good. at Decima Gallery, Hackney Wick, London.
- 2008: Summer: The Cowboy Art Fair at Decima GalleryDecima galleryDecima Gallery is a London-based arts projects organisation with a reputation for irreverent projects, according to a 2008 article in The London Paper:...
, Hackney Wick, London. Organised by Geraldine Ryan. - 2008: August: The Art Olympics at Decima GalleryDecima galleryDecima Gallery is a London-based arts projects organisation with a reputation for irreverent projects, according to a 2008 article in The London Paper:...
, Hackney Wick, London. - 2009: October: Britain's Rubbish at Molecular Studio, Berlin, Germany. Organised by Decima & Molecular Studio.
- 2009: December: What Happens After the Ball? at Decima Clark West, Piccadilly, London. Organised by Decima, Nomad Galleries and Jackie Clark. Wardle exhibited two pieces in this show - one piece by 'Piers & Micalef' and one piece by Piers Wardle.
External
- Spitalfields Life tribute.
- Wardle working in Egypt in 2009.
- Tribute by S. Micalef.