Get Your Weekend Art Fix

Wazzup Addictees?

According to the British Council, 'Hiya, mate, fancy a cuppa and a chin-wag?' 'I can't. Sorry, pal. I'm skint – so gutted!' is a phrase you might encounter if you're moving to the UK for study or work. 

According to addictedgallery.com "You Can Only Be So Happy, But You Could Be Dead" is an artwork you will definitely encounter if you love the work of British pop artist Charlie Haydn Taylor, Addicted's newest family member.

Welcome to your sneak peek and this week's Weekend Art Fix A bit about Charlie...

A vibrant undertaking of some of society's most pressing issues, the work of Charlie Haydn Taylor uses the intimacy of home interiors to discuss personal human dilemmas and broader issues ranging from government surveillance to the effect of mental health on individual behaviour.

A modernisation of the classic British pop art of the 1960s, Charlie utilises key themes from well-known artworks to relate to the central idea of each piece; from Damien Hirst's spot paintings as a reference to pharmaceutical use, to Francis Bacon's feature as a comment on the depicted figures struggles with their human condition.

By combining the recognisable interiors with his own bold, block colours, Charlie has created a world where the figures exist in such a way as to comment on the negative progression that has formed in parts of society.

By collaging figures who existed before many of the issues touched upon in the work, Charlie creates a visual paradox commenting on how we, in many ways, have regressed as a society.

"My work isn't necessarily based around personal experiences, but more to do with larger societal issues that largely affect my generation or will have a drastic effect on generations in the future. My collage style allows me to combine a load of various details, whether obvious, or more subtle, that contribute to the message I am trying to portray." – Charlie Haydn Taylor