Artist Morgan Howell rocking up in London's Soho
23 January 2023 - Press releaseArtist Morgan Howell today announces a new exhibition in London's Soho - paying tribute to the world's most rock 'n' roll neighbourhood.
Hugely-acclaimed British pop artist Morgan, who hand paints extraordinary, giant 3-D interpretations of 45RPM vinyl singles, will hang his SuperSizeArt work from January 25th 2023 in Soho's historic William Blake House, birthplace of one of Britain's greatest artists and writers.
Morgan has produced a spectacular collection of song paintings, an illustrated musical chronicle of Soho throughout the ages - a number of which have yet to be shown publicly in the capital.
The paintings represent some of the most important moments in the pantheon of modern music - all conceived, born, or brought up and nurtured in Soho, where Blake pounded the streets for almost the entirety of his life which spanned from 1757 until 1827.
Throughout the last century, the area's nightclubs, watering holes, private members' clubs, coffee houses, recording studios and live venues - large and small - have somehow served to create some of the most powerful and vital cultural and musical moments which still resonate today.
Soho has been home to Karl Marx, Mozart, Liszt, John Logie Baird, Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, British rock 'n' roll and a refuge for oppressed French Huguenots.
The show, which runs until April 27 comes on the back of a record-breaking three month exhibition in Manchester's ABC Buildings.
Morgan said: "I'm delighted to announce my new Soho Rocks collection of paintings, an illustrated musical chronicle of London's Soho throughout the ages.
"Soho has sparked some of the most important artistic earthquakes whose tremors have been felt in every corner of the globe and I'm very excited to be documenting that and once again exhibiting in the beating heart of the area.
"For centuries, and still to this day, it has been a magnet for bohemia and the world's creative thinkers, drawn to its freedom, its characters, their decadence and hard-living - and its danger. William Blake is the definition of a genius and for my work to be placed in these hallowed halls is a dream.
"Blake's birth and life in Soho seems to have been some sort of catalyst and helped inspire the area over the following centuries to become the most creative square mile on earth.
"My new collection of paintings represent some of the most important moments in the pantheon of modern music - all associated with Soho. To say this small slither of London punches above its weight would an understatement- and its influence needs to be documented. That's why I've painted the songs of Soho."
Morgan has previously exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, curated by Grayson Perry and a committee of fellow Royal Academians, at the South By South West festival in Austin, Texas, and also at the Q Awards, one of the most hedonistic dates on the rock calendar.
Morgan's work has been bought by collectors including musicians Neil Diamond, Blur's Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon, composer Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Ozzy Osbourne, The Kinks, actor Jude Law, The Smiths' Johnny Marr, Ian Brown of The Stone Roses and film director Edgar Wright.
Morgan's painting of The Beatles' Capitol Records release of Yesterday was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 2018. His pieces are hand-painted 3D objects on canvas and paper with a 27" vinyl disc measuring 82cm square in its bespoke box frame.
In 2020, he produced a spectacular book of his paintings called Morgan Howell At 45RPM, which featured forewords by Sir Peter Blake and Andrew Marr and written contributions from Lord Lloyd Webber, Johnny Marr, Dermot O'Leary, Sir David Jason and many others.
The Soho Rocks exhibition runs from January 25th 2023 - April 27th 2023 at 8, Marshall Street, Soho, London W1F 7EH. To book a private viewing appointment please contact dominicmohan@dominicmohanmedia.com
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