Asmartartz Photography: Jakob

This post is to showcase an artists talent.

At the Elton Lewis Art Gallery based at the University of Surrey there is currently an exhibition running. It is for an artist called Jakob Belbin. I have been to it twice now. Both times I have had the small intimate gallery to myself so I could truly take my time to wander round and absorb the art.

There is something about Jakob's art that clicked with me immediately.
He has images that resonate with me, and reflect images from my own past, and have evoked memories of when I felt free-er, and my inner rebel was much more outer rebel and I ran the streets or climbed trees with my fellow protesters.
But also there was something about the unrefined joy that he uses, there are no bars, or limits. I struggle a lot with this at the moment. I spend more time than I should worrying that if I create a certain kind of image or artwork I will offend someone or upset someone's sensibilities. I have inadvertently created a censored cage around myself, but seeing Jakob's work reminded me of the excitement of wanting to create something with passion.
I loved the way that he didn't keep inside the lines and his ideas spiralled off the canvas and out of the frame on some of them. I like the soundtrack that he chose to accompany his artwork as it also evoked a sense of freedom, and chords in it again triggered memories and emotions and senses of my past when we would go clubbing.
When we were younger and go to CoolTan, an underground club in the heart of Brixton, where there were speakers that reached the ceilings, and there were wall paintings hanging painted in UV paint, of beautiful and fantastical images, that glowed so bright under the UV lights that they hurt your eyes when you were close. Hordes of people in colourful clothes just happy in the space, and upstairs was the little cafe that served tea and chocolate brownies that you could eat on the squishy sofas before going back to dance, before emerging from the day glo secret world into the new daylight at 6.00 the next morning.
Or more recently in Camden at the Electric Ballroom before it changed. Rockers, and cyber goths moving under the lights and letting the music fill you, dancing with your best friends and then racing to get the last train of the night. Getting dressed up in my favourite rock boots and rock clothing, dabbing on the facepaint and dancing like a loony.
Anyway I digress .... you can see how sounds and images can evoke such strong memories!

At the end of the gallery were two larger pieces. They were 3 dimensional and are built up in layers. I stood there looking at them individually taking them in. I could see the car, and the figure, the silver and the blue on the two canvases. it wasn't until my 2nd visit that I looked again but this time from a distance that I suddenly realised that the two pieces were one piece telling a story. It is a violent story but just beautiful at the same time.
I had not heard of Jakob before, or seen his work, and don't know where he exhibits the rest of the time either. But I think as he is already working on new pieces this might not be the last time I get to see his work.
If you want to know more about him, check out his site or read his Blog.
I have just looked again and he has new images already up, and strangely they are of pigeons!! It is like he knows me!!!
The exhibition at the Lewis Elton Gallery is on until 4th September, so if you are in Guildford check it out.