A Parallel Planets piece by Pepe Serapio
Parallel Planets presents Ash White
in The Ecstasy Of
Story by Jofer Serapio
Mentioned: inside jokes, drippy paint, and Melancholia
* * *
For Ash White, humor is important. Well, subconsciously, at least. Often in his work, there seems to be an inside joke that makes patrons feel like they know the artist inside and out, as if they grew up with Ash in Kent, UK. It fosters a feeling of familiarity, despite it more universal than inclusive. Yet it doesn't take long for that inside joke to evolve, to turn into something much more intriguing and thought-provoking.
Ash does a lot of things, that much is obvious. From digital manipulations to collages, there seems to be no limit when it comes to this man's artistic hunger. But like most artists, his work, varied as they may be, lives through patterns. His visual narratives are linked by his experimental approach. His fantastical creations bond world to world, space to space, no matter how different they all seem. That's classic Ash White.
Being creative at an early age, Ash found himself frequently messing around with drawings and paintings. It was at pre-school when he found collage—scissors, magazines, and glue luring him to the craft. It was one of the early processes that stuck with him, opening up a faster route for creative expression, especially after he started using Photoshop. Collage was both a tool and a way for Ash to explore techniques in the digital medium.
"I’ve been called the ‘drippy paint guy’ a few times but I’m not sure if that could be attributed to a trademark," Ash shares with Parallel Planets. "The ‘drippy paint’ is a symbol of perceived reality and conformity that clings to us, something ever present but seemingly escapable." He references the film "Melancholia" by Lars von Trier, specifically the first 15 or so minutes, all in slow motion and accompanied by Richard Wagner's prelude to "Tristan und Isolde." Simply stunning, and highly recommended.
Ash is currently neck deep in projects: aside from running a small independent record label called DØPPLGNGR, he is also working on his first collection for his own fashion label, White & Co, which has its sights set for a 2015 launch. Ash is definitely destined for great things, and that's no joke.
"Love more, fear less. Float more, steer less."
—Ash White
