Hattie Stewart
Private View, 15 May
NOW Gallery on Greenwich Peninsula announces I Don’t Have Time For This by visionary artist/illustrator Hattie Stewart, as its very first commission that celebrates the best rising talent in the fields of visual arts and illustration. Free to view from 16th May – 25th June, NOW Gallery invites Stewart into the space to explore her own vision as part of its on-going dedication to showcasing one-off experimental art and design.
Commissioned by Kaia Charles, NOW Gallery’s Cultural Curator, this new exhibition of Stewart’s work will allow the viewer the opportunity to engage with it like never before. Fully immersive, I Don’t Have Time For This invites viewers to participate intimately with Stewart’s legendary doodle-bombing illustrations, becoming part of an illustrated fantasy world that results in a short and memorable break from reality.
The crux of the exhibition is a bold, escapist, large scale floor- based artwork that invites the viewer to make time. Recline, look up and cross over into Stewart’s fictional universe. Made up of Stewart’s subversive style references; psychedelic art of the 60’s and the comic absurdity of hybrid post-modern classics like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this large scale installation features a mix of characters, patterns and galaxies, giving the feeling that the artwork is alive. Through densely packed mirrored illustrative detail, the viewer will be able to float in space, lie in a field of flowers and even ‘fly’.
In recent years Stewart’s notoriety has increased due to her personal project titled ‘doodle-bombing’ where she draws over the covers of influential publications such as Interview, Vogue, i:D and Playboy. Part homage and part satire, this ongoing personal project has formed the basis for most of her commercial projects and endeavours, avoiding a more conventional illustrative style. Stewart’s work is bold and experimental in application and sees her breaking boundaries within the field of illustration.
I Don’t Have Time For This marks the debut of NOW Gallery Young Artist programme, which aims to work with artists who have an unusual approach and standout visual aesthetic, to create a unique vision for the gallery space. As part of the on-going regeneration of Greenwich Peninsula, this programme underpins the area’s commitment to fostering creativity to build a sense of place and community, offering a blank canvas that allows those who visit and settle a chance to imagine, create and build; an opportunity to create a new London.
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About Hattie Stewart
Since graduating from Kingston University in 2010, Hattie has created a varied portfolio having worked with creatives such as Roman Coppola and for artists like SZA, Ariana Grande and Kylie Minogue. With a vibrant, tongue in cheek visual identity, she is a self-proclaimed ‘professional doodler’ with a unique and playful illustration style that extends itself fluidly through the worlds of advertising, art and fashion. She has worked with varied clients including but not limited to – MTV, Hunter, House of Holland, Nike, Apple Music, Marc by Marc Jacobs, MAC Cosmetics, Pepsi, and Adidas. She also recently launched her very own Doodlebomb sticker book – allowing others to decorate their lives as she does her own.