9am – 5pm Monday – Sunday

Winner of the Quay OPEN 2021, Paul Woods aka Paradox Paul, presents his first major solo exhibition.

New creative collaborations with artists:

Violet Mareck | Steve Prangnell | Susie Prangnell | Martin Swan | Mark Cosby | Mark Dickson | Keith Allso

“Since the first lockdown in 2020 I’ve been making things in my alternative High Street gift shop that few High Street shoppers want, either because they serve no practical purpose or because they are too weird to give as gifts. I know they are “weird” because that is the most common word used by disconcerted passers-by and the curious few who venture inside (followed closely by W.T.F? and Oh my God!)

I’ve made about 500 “trash-art” items so far, out of random toys and ornaments I pick up at local charity shops. Since I realised that people take a neatly packaged item – no matter what it is – far more seriously than random art on a shelf, I also enjoy making the boxes, as well as posters and other satirical merchandising.

Though purposefully looking mass-produced, each artwork with its box is a unique one-off which won’t be made again. Much of which I’m looking forward to showing in the white-walled West Gallery space at Quay Arts. Disclaimer: I’ve been told my art divides opinion like Marmite, so you might just hate it! (I still haven’t decided for myself whether this is mostly Trash or mostly Art.)”

Paradox Paul

#Trash-Art #Creative-Recycling #Hyper-Consumerism #AlternativeBusinessModel #Post-Modernism #Surrealism #Satire #Isolation #LockDown