A Little Bit Of Filth & Glitter…Liverpool Based Artist Ben Youdan
Have you ever met someone who is a walking, talking contradiction? Someone, say, who is quiet and softly spoken but clearly has a fabulously dirty mind? Someone who looks like butter wouldn’t melt but wants to share his dark thoughts with you in the form of paint and glitter and sequins and feathers? Step forward Ben Youdan, artist and proprietor of Evil shop.
Based downstairs in the old Central Hall on Renshaw Street in a little unit, Ben is a working artist, selling his one off pieces direct to you, the good people of Liverpool.
In his own words: “The name and the concept were inspired by two things. Vivienne Westwood’s “Sex” shop on the Kings Road in London and Keith Harring’s “Pop” Shop in New York. The idea was to be able to sell handmade unique works of art and printed/customised clothing that is affordable for all. It is unique in Liverpool in so far as there is nowhere else an artist sells their work directly. All work in the shop is for sale and commissions are taken starting at £100.”“My work is inspired by the dark side of popular culture and the manipulation of imagery and information in the media. I am fascinated by bringing together opposites. Murderers and celebrities, religious iconography and pornography in attempt to question the validity of the information. I have always been fascinated with the idea of creating an image that is superficially beguiling and beautiful but when the detail is considered it reveals a sinister seedy undercurrent. Our lives are saturated with imagery and information in a way that has never happened before and this is simultaneously liberating and overwhelming. My work is a handmade product of the digital age.”
And that’s what is fascinating about Ben’s work. It’s over the top, super queer and fabulous, and really really clever. The majority of the pieces for sale in the shop are large portraits of famous people, comprising tiny images of the same famous person, brought together to make the overall image. The work is meticulous.
When I visited the shop this month, Ben was working on a Kate Bush portrait and waxing lyrical about going to see her live shows in September. There is a Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Leigh Bowery and lots of Jesus. Bejeesus, in fact.
One of the most high profile pieces that Ben has produced is of the inimitable April Ashley. April, born in Liverpool, is famous for being a model and hostess and the ninth person in the world to undergo gender reassignment surgery. She’s kind of amazing- look her up. Her portrait hangs in the Museum of Liverpool.
Ben also does some great t-shirts and clothing along the same themes. To reduce it to a series of hashtags for those with a short attention span, it’d be #glam #punk #queer #trash #art
It’s seriously good stuff, affordable and individual. Check it out while you can still afford him…
