Manhattan Madness

Having returned this Easter from a trip to New York, the need to convey the energy and madness of the place was compelling. 

This piece is fundamentally an impression of what I think of when imagining a busy New York street scene, based on several different recordings. Where sky-scraping giants rise above the shoulders of Beaux-Art or Art-Deco buildings, signage and print from advertising leap out at you from every direction, colour and movement and noise compete for your attention - literally brimming with energy.

Beyond the madness and humour injected into this piece, I hope people will also appreciate the aesthetic - I have paid particular attention to the foreground and showcasing how the mediums of paint and collage can work effectively together.

"Being challenged daily and discovering new and exciting ways of pushing boundaries keeps me motivated. My mixed media landscapes have something to say, which I like to express with collage and typography."

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Butler creates this narrative with an expert use of characterisation; the people that occupy his scenes, a stylised representation of society that has often been compared to L.S. Lowry, are complemented and modernised with Butler’s collages.His inclusion of newspaper text, slogans, statements or a single word, adds a depth and intrigue that keeps the audience hooked.This murmur from the artist, a quiet commentary accompanying the scene itself can be likened to the hum of the city, the gentle chatter of a metropolis. With this, Butler brings an essence of the City onto our walls and into our homes.