Maddox Arts

Press Release

Madeleine Farley: Endangered

Preview: 28^th October 2010, 6:00-8:30

Opens: 29^th October – 11^th November 2010

Maddox Arts is delighted to present a new series of silkscreen prints by artist and film director, Madeleine Farley. Endangered traces Farley’s most recent adventure across the jungles of West Africa where she documented the epic journey of three orphaned gorillas; transported from Howletts Wild Animal Park in Kent to the jungles of Gabon in Africa. In collaboration with The Aspinall Foundation, the artist also directed Gorilla School, a 13 x 30 minute series filmed for Animal Planet and the Discovery Chanel. The exhibition includes the You Tube hit recorded by Farley, which captures an emotional reunion between Damian Aspinall and a male gorilla after five years of being separated in the wilderness. 

Fifteen silkscreen prints follow the progress of three endangered gorillas as they are released from the protection of Howletts Wild Animal Park to a new life of liberation in the wild. The use of silkscreen prints allowed Farley to incorporate visual effects that could not be achieved by still photographs. As the artist states: ‘Capturing a good stills photograph of the gorillas became far more of a challenge to me than filming them. There’s very little colour in the forest and I realized that all my photos started to look the same.  I wanted to make my images stand out, which is why I decided to make screen prints.’ 

Donald M. Sheridan who printed Warhol’s work for eight years was commissioned by the artist to produce printed editions for the show. The Warholian effect attained in her prints combines different ideologies that far from portraying a sentimental journey, manages to uncover a profound message about this threatened species. Merging both bold colours and diamond dust results in a more intimate depiction of scenes between animal and environment. The incorporation of diamond dust allows the spectator to perceive textural effects, which vary depending on the viewer’s position in respect to the image. The contrast between light and shadow imbues the images with an immediacy; avoiding ecological clichés that have become synonymous with wildlife photography. 

In an endeavour to rebuild the gorilla population and raise awareness to these threatened species Farley also presents us with a four minute film revealing a touching reunion between Damian Aspinall and Kwibi, a male gorilla that faced the challenge of surviving in the forest after being relocated from its birthplace at Howletts Wild Animal Park. Since posting on You Tube the clip has already attracted more than 1,250,000 views, demonstrating the level of public support for the cause. Presented in a contemporary visual language, Madeleine Farley’s prints and films illustrate a pressing environmental issue, reminding us of the dangers faced by the eco-structure of the forest if gorillas were to be extinguished. 

Madeleine Farley is an artist and film director. Her feature documentary Trollywood, about homelessness in Hollywood won several awards and was nominated by BIFA for best documentary. Farley has had solo photographic exhibitions in London, New York and Los Angeles.  The artist is currently working on a book about her project. 

For further information or images please contact: maria@maddoxarts.com