THE RETURN OF THE LONDON POLICE
The London Police, which consists of two talented artists, Chaz Barrisson and Bob Gibson, has been contributing to the street art movement and creating pop culture oriented art since 1998. While their earlier years consisted of traveling and making art throughout the streets, The London Police have since then gained popularity worldwide. Beginning in 2009, The London Police started to gravitate toward canvas work and solo exhibitions rather than decorating the streets.
The London Police’s newest exhibition is titled The Return of The London Police. The Return of The London Police features art that is heavily influenced by the artists’ favorite movie stars and movies. The London Police wish to bring their audience a nostalgic show of paintings and illustrations that capture the mood and aesthetic of LA’s film industry during the 80’s and 90’s. The paintings feature a mix of many different styles ranging from cartoons to realism. By mixing more realistic looking styles of art with bubbly, cartoon like images, The London Police are able to bring their favorite characters alive in a new way that is unique to the artists’ view.
While The London Police use multiple styles within their pieces, they also utilize a contrasting color scheme of black and white mixed with bright colors. The use of thick black outlines are abundant throughout their work, which would normally create a clear break or separation between the different styles used in the work, but in this case it actually unites the different styles. The thick outlines can be seen next to realistic looking people or a realistic backdrop, but by using thin black lines in the parts that contain realism, the styles are able to coexist in a harmonious environment. The ability to take different styles and color schemes and blend them together into a cohesive work of art is one of the many reasons why The London Police’s work is so intriguing.
There is much to analyze about the illustrations done by The London Police, but their main concern is for their viewers to simply enjoy the art and be entertained. One can enjoy The Return of The London Police at the Corey Helford Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles from June 29 to August 3.
