in The Frame #5 - DONK - The Butterflyin The Frame June 2014

“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.” 
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince.

It seemed wholly appropriate that the fifth artist to grace our 'in The Frame' project, our friend DONK, should install a piece of the longest day of the year. His latest artwork very much speaks of the passage of time, and the essence of the captured moment. One gets a sense of the leeching of all that is glorious, as the fleeting brilliance of nature drips away. This artwork engages the viewer with a tangible picture of fading glory; the pigment stained pavement beneath trampled by the passing of people.

The artwork is a fusion of the natural world, and man's urbanisation of that place. The butterfly image was captured by DONK on a visit to the Sensational Butterflies exhibition, East Lawn, Natural History Museum, London (3 April - 14 September 2014).

'Butterfly' will be on show, 'in The Frame' for the same period that the average butterfly beats its wings.

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All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

B.braveArtist - DONK. Installed July 2013

One of the primary pleasures gained from curating our own street gallery is getting time with the artists, and observing that very satisfying post-installation warm glow.

So it was very recently, sharing a beer with DONK, and his erudite assistant Christine, having witnessed one of the artist's seminal pieces - B.brave - being pasted-up under the watchful eye of Shepard Fairey.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.

"I have kind of a love hate relationship with paper"

It's a continual thrill, scanning the shifting horizon of street art, eager to spy whats new and evolving. Recently, it was a pleasure to be able to discuss old world painting, alternate personas, and a sumptuous new body of work, with London artist DONK.

TAG: How important is exploration of the alter ego? Given your works seem to play around with alternate identities, and a theatrical sense of play.

DONK: Well, I am quite interested in the alter ego. It is a great way of freeing up & playing with notions of identity. You are able to concoct visual elements which lead you to a final sensibility. That final Sensibility being very important to my work.

All artwork, text and images © Turnpike Art Group 2022.