Art-iculate: Simeon Farrar's Of Rainbows and Halos

Last weekend I went down to the heart of London’s Carnaby district to view the fantastic new art installation by esteemed designer and established painter Simeon Farrar. Having caused quite the stir with his LFW stand back in September, Farrar displayed a rainbow paint splattered shed with an endearing cloud covered roof to embody the theme for his SS12 collection, Great British Weather.

Best known for his iconic portraits of Kate Mouse (of course based on supermodel Kate Moss), which get updated each season (this time with a Ziggy Stardust vibe), Farrar puts his other creative streak to good use, decorating his garments with his trademark iconoclastic prints.

In this new exhibition entitled Of Rainbows and Halos, Farrar take his magical shed into a kooky basement, where it is placed alongside dozens of works which utilise a variety of media; from screen printed t-shirts and paintings to lino prints on paper and what appear to be resin casts of bottles.

One of the most versatile and colourful artists I’ve had the pleasure to meet, Farrar continues his exploration of the dire British summer with panache and fervour, giving fans and shoppers alike the opportunity to explore his perspective.

With new works being added to the exhibition during its duration and old ones taken away, Farrar builds up a rapport with his visitors, keeping them engaged and leaving them wanting more – a canny move which has led to a near sell-out show.

An innovative use of an awkward space, Farrar’s wit and creativity come to the fore and this really is a musty-see exhibition.

Of Rainbows and Halos is showing at The Basement Gallery, 10 Newburgh Street until tomorrow!!

LFW Diary SS12: Simeon Farrar

Inspired by the 'Great British summertime in all it's pathetic glory', one of my favourites from the SS12 LFW exhibition has to be Simeon Farrar, who installed a cute and colourful beach hut in the Embankment Galleries of Somerset House. With a keen eye for screen-printing, fine artist Farrar has taken the dreary British summer as his theme using seasonal phrases such as 'raining cats and dogs' as inspiration for his whimsical and pop-esque prints. Updating both classic and iconic prints such as the Kate (Moss) Mouse, Farrar has given his iconic portraits a punk update. Collaborating with umbrella manufacturer Fulton for the inaugural time guests to the hut got to walk away with a sleek limited edition piece, depicting illustrated cats and dogs - super cute!