Sixe Parades First UK Solo Show at Somerset House

May 06, 2014

Spanish graffiti artist, Sixe Parades is paying homage to all aspects of Andean culture with his current residency which will climax with 'Futurismo Ancestral: An Offering to Peru', 21 -26 May 2014 in the underground galleries of Somerset House, London

Hype is building for Barcelona born graffiti artist Sixe Parades’ residency at Somerset House in London which will climax with his first solo UK show, ‘Futurismo Ancestral: An Offering to Peru’, on 21 -26 May 2014.

For one week only the underground spaces of the South Wing will be bursting with twenty-five large scale works and other creations by Sixe Parades, all presented exclusively here for the first time. The last time his work appeared in London was in 2008 when he was one of 6 select, international artists invited by the Tate Modern to paint their riverside façade.

Sixe Parades has been spending periods of time in Peru since 2009, engaging with local artists and traditions and has been inspired by all aspects of Peruvian and Andean culture. Textiles have much history and value within this, so tapestries, totems and knotted quipu cords, produced in collaboration with the creative community in South America, are set to stamp their mark on subterranean London against a backdrop of neoclassical Portland stonework. Expect bold colour and primordial, geometric patterns with a folk art influence, interpreted in signature bright, surrealist style.

Tapestry (back) from Dimensiones series © Sixe Paredes

Peruvian food, film and music are also being celebrated alongside weaving, ceramics, masks and fluoro chica posters, with a series of events over the May Bank holiday weekend. These are to include story readings in Spanish and English, a practical puppet workshop, a live performance by the Royal Holloway Andean Band and a DJ set of Latin American sounds hosted by NTS radio with the artist himself taking to the decks.

The show is being produced by Approved by Pablo, or A(by)P who describe themselves as ‘a new model for the gallery world that harness the energy and excitement of the ephemeral exhibition moment’. A model that allows artists to take greater control of the presentation of their own work resulting in art as event, encounter and adventure.