NOMA BAR
Facing Up, 2013
95(w) x 127(h) cm
Screenprint on 410gsm Somerset Satin with hand torn edge
Edition of 50
PRICE (INCLUDING VAT)
£900.00
Ever since my talented illustrator friend told me that Noma Bar was his favourite illustrative artist a few years back, I’ve followed his work with intrigue and admiration. Preferring to call himself a ‘Visual Communicator’ rather than a graphic designer or an illustrator, Noma Bar is an artist’s artist who is highly regarded by fellow creatives all over the world for his simple, slick visual solutions.
So with this in mind, it’s not surprising I was a little in awe of this visual legend when we first met to talk about the Eyestorm print editions earlier in the year. The first thing that struck me about Noma is that he is so passionate about his work, and this I think is one of the reasons why he’s been so successful. When he talks about his ideas, this is all he’s thinking about as he explains them in detail, living 100% in the moment; in my mind the behaviour of a true artist. Full of impact and always with a limited palette, Noma’s imagery plays with positive and negative space to create several images in one. His primary aim is to reveal the intended, often poignant, message as fast as possible and he does this by bringing his already clean and incomplex forms down to the purest level, to the point of recognition, and this is ultimately where his talent lies.
The three images he’s created for the new Eyestorm editions are brought together by their ‘animal’ connection; however, like the majority of his works, each has an underlying message that goes beyond this first association. With their indicative titles - Facing Up, Evolutionary Thought and Look Out - these large-scale prints encourage us to look beyond what we initially see for the concealed meaning that forms the intention of each one. In Evolutionary Thought, the negative space in the pelican’s mouth creates the outline of the fish that keeps him alive; almost smiling as he consumes, the overall shape here is a pleasing one and causes us to smile right back. Facing Up takes the popular idiom ‘burying your head in the sand’ to a visual level as Noma again uses positive and negative space to create a ‘yin-yang’ style image of an ostrich with it’s head both concealed in and extending out of the ground, possibly illustrating the counteracting emotions experienced when dealing with everyday life decisions.
The cat and dog that intertwine to form Look Out, for me represent an unlikely friendship and an improbable closeness in an ‘opposites attract’ sense. Perhaps for Noma however - as suggested by his naming of the image - it’s about watching out for your enemies. The interpretation, as often in art, lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Although the visual concept in each of these screenprints is ultimately their strongest element, these works wouldn’t have the same impact if the execution in making them wasn’t exceptional, and thanks to the talents of Jess at Jealous Print Studio (who Noma and I worked closely with to create the final outcome we have today), this has been achieved. The vast black area in Evolutionary Thought appears almost like leather, as layers of varnish have been overlaid to create a thick high gloss expanse that contrasts with the matted, slightly shimmering surface of the champagne-toned silver. The same effect has been achieved in the other two pieces, where silver covers the majority of the print; the slick black shapes of the dog and the ostrich sit on the vast sparkling plane that surrounds them. And the sheer scale of these works is really something; if you had the wall space for all three then it would be an understatement to say you were making an impact with your art. Bold, clean and with a clear message, these screenprint editions really are the epitome of what Noma Bar’s work stands for, and we’re proud to be presenting them today.
More