Julia Colquitt Roach & Larry Cwik - 'O' Homeless Town of…..

Awaiting the grand opening behind the Globe
 - Cardboard City's next artist

Leaving the creaking floorboards of the Globe Theatre and Albans Shakespearian quotes behind - we move into a new genre; The 'double header' - a trend that we will see us through the rest of our artists and their creative releases from here until the finale of Cardboard City's Social Advent.
Making our way towards Southwark Bridge we find ourselves less than 1 week away from the projects climax and today we open the door on the first of our artistic pairing; Julia Colquitt

Home Sweet Home by Julia Colquitt Roach

Roach. Julia specialises in paint and the drawn image - her work picking up on the biscuit tin qualities so prevalent in commercial advertising, ever present at this time of year and communicating her fascinations with present popular culture, which revel in the 'idioms' of our society. There's a naive allure to her piece; 'Home Sweet Home' as we first respond to its striking imagery and vivid colour ways but this soon gives way to a more poignant message as our eye travels downwards to the homeless people sleeping rough and in stark contrast to the backdrop of cosy homes.

Opening the door on Social Advent no.19

…And here we find ourselves at a natural connection between our two artists of the day because the following has a similar message to convey as his interpretation presents us with an ambiguous sense of realism…
With this in mind we walk briskly on as the weather turns against us - finding a suitable place to release the second artist of the day and welcoming a new name to our intrepid movement… Larry Cwik. As we move along to the Southwark Bridge we're offered a snug little place to release Social Advent no.20.

Social Advent no.20 finds residence on Southwark Bridge 

Larry Cwik: is a fine art photographer and our first cardboard city artist from the U.S, residing in Portland, Oregon where he has created a base from which to travel for his work. This includes notable international projects and collaborations such as his work on; 'The Visitor: 30 Years Photographing Mexico', for which Cwik spent a total of six months in Mexico, walking 900 miles through the streets of dozens of large Mexican cities. If this isn't committing to a cause I don't know what is? It certainly puts our gentle stroll along the Southbank into perspective doesn't Alban! You can find out more about Larry's project here: http://www.larrycwik.com/interviews.html as he converses with the poet; Walt Curtis.

Opening the door on Larry Cwik

This image of a tent on the streets brings all sorts of imagery to mind - though the title suggests its true origins and purpose I can't help sensing other possible interpretations here, perhaps of enthusiastic festival goers or desperate shoppers eager to get the bargains on the first day of the sales..? This honest representation by Larry gives us a reason to debate and question, why, what and who? 

Homeless Camp, Tent 3, Honolulu by Larry Cwik

Looking at Larry's work I can see that he gets inspired by many different subject matters - this might appear subjectless to many but reading through his website you realise that he's an instinctive creator responding to life as it happens around him: "letting his subconscious influence where and when he photographs".

An artist after my own heart. Welcome to London Larry.

We'll be back with Fridge Magnet guru, Alban Low tomorrow for another double release!

SJS