JOHN DOVE & MOLLY WHITE

www.johndove-mollywhite.co.uk

wonderworkshop.co.uk

An artist John Dove from Norwich (1943-) and a textile designer Molly White (1944-) formed an artistic duo in London, 1964. They are known for influencing Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren who are considered to be the exponents of the PUNK MOVEMENT. The pair produced fully printed T-shirts and jackets under the label “WONDER WORKSHOP” in the 60’s. Their products were sold at boutiques such as “Paradise Garage” in London where “Worlds End” stands today and “Ians” in New York. The graphic T-shirt had earned recognition as a fashion item through their productions and became popular in London and abroad. In 1976 they opened a shop “KITSCH-22” and launched their own cult label “MODZART”. Various artists and musicians that symbolize the 70’s loved their T-shirts; Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Mick Jagger, Lou Reed, Sid Vicious and Paul McCartney enjoyed wearing the T-shirts and jackets for their concerts and in their private time. Dove and White’s works have been included in many museum shows including The Victoria and Albert Museum in the U.K, TextielMuseum in Tilburg, Netherlands and many other museums and galleries around the world. After Paul Stolper Gallery in London became their main gallery in 2009, Dove and White have continued to present a body of works, which comprised not only their drawings and collage, but also screen-prints on hand-made rag paper made from recycled T-shirts with original artworks with which they used to print T-shirts in the 60’s and 70’s. Many of contemporary artists in London including Damien Hirst are collectors of their artworks. Dove and White have also reproduced fashion items created in the past. In collaboration with Lewis Leathers, the iconic leopard head jacket worn by Iggy Pop for the back cover of 1973’s Raw Power had been re-editioned and was on display at Trading Museum Comme des Garçons in 2013. Additionally, they’ve worked with the curator Yusuke Koishi for NOAVENUE project in 2016, to reprint the Strawberry Jacket that Paul McCartney wore in 1973.

Exhibition

2016

･ TILBURG, NETHERLAND, “POP ART FABRIC, Warhol to Westwood” TextielMuseum Tilburg,

2015

･ LONDON, U.K Paul Stolper Gallery “Group Show” with Damien Hirst, Peter Saville, and Sir Peter Blake,

･ LONDON, U.K, London Art Fair Stand 44 with Paul Stolper Gallery,

2014

･ ABU DHABI, UAE Modern art contemporary Abu Dhabi Show represented by Paul Stolper Gallery,

･ NEWYORK, USA, IFPDA Print Fair. NewYork Edition represented by Paul Stolper Gallery,

･ HONGKONG “IGGY POP’S JACKET”JOHN DOVE and MOLLY WHITE at COMME des GARÇONS HONGKONG,

･ LONDON,U.K, London Art Fair Stand 44 with Paul Stolper Gallery,

2013

･ NEWYORK, USA, IFPDA Print Fair. NewYork Edition represented by Paul Stolper Gallery. Park Avenue Armony,

･ LONDON, U.K Multipled Paul Stolper 6 Group show, Christie’s South Kensington,

･ TOKYO, JAPAN / PARIS, FRANCE “IGGY POP’S JACKET” JOHN DOVE and MOLLY WHITE at COMME des GARÇONS TRADING MUSEUM,

･ FRANKHURT, GERMANY, GLAM – The performance of style, JOHN DOVE and MOLLY WHITE, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankhurt,

･ PARIS, FRANCE, WORN LEATHERETTE At Colette, Paris. JOHN DOVE and MOLLY WHITE,

･ LONDON, U.K David Bowie Is V&A MUSEUM London,

2012

･ LIVERPOOL, U.K, GLAM - The performance of style, JOHN DOVE and MOLLY WHITE, TATE Liverpool,

･ LONDON, U.K, Christie’s Pop Culture Auction JOHN DOVE and MOLLY WHITE,

･ LOS ANGELES, USA, LA Art Show, Paul Stolper Gallery, LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTRE,

Title: SENSIBILITY AND WONDER

Artist: John Dove & Molly White

Date: Aug 25, 2017 – Nov 9, 2017

Venue: DIESEL ART GALLERY

WEB: www.diesel.co.jp/art

Address: cocoti B1F, 1-23-16, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03-6427-5955

Hours: 11:30 - 21:00

Holidays: Non-Regular Holiday

Curation: YUSUKE KOISHI (KLEINSTEIN CO., LTD.)

Supported:

SHARP

TRNK

Sponsor:

NOVESTA JAPAN OFFICE

NOAVENUE

-- Please can you explain about your activity. In a few words.

We’re Pop Artists who work every day to create new works and new directions - making images and objects that can navigate the rugged landscape of the art-world, traverse the global media and gatecrash the world of fashion. We are said to be pioneers of a convergence culture where all the arts are beginning to overlap and merge. This could be the future - the final destination of our enchanted serendipity.

-- What is the meaning of“SENSIBILITY AND WONDER” title to you, and its concept. Tell us about the story.

SENSIBILITY is the human presence in our approach to the work. WONDER is where the works can have a surprising outcome. Yusuke Koishi, the curator of this exhibition at the DIESEL ART GALLERY in Tokyo, told us he would like to have a title for the show that included the word WONDER as this would relate to our early beginnings in the 60’s and our formation of our first label, WONDER WORKSHOP. (In the 60’s we decided on this title at a time when the diversity of our works was in Painting, Sculpture, Textile printing, Printmaking and Fashion so the word WORKSHOP would encompass these various directions).

-- How do you share the role of creation between two of you during the process of making artworks. Is there any of clear distinction?

We each have a different strategy to how we would start up an idea. One of us has a more objective outlook where the work can follow a well-defined course and the other has a more intuitive line of action. These different attitudes sometimes clash but often generate a rhythm in the work that allows us to reach our final destination in constant flow.

-- What do you think about the current situation that the most of ideas originated by yourself, such as animal print and screen print to T-shirts are now in trends and still being used?

We think this is typical of those works that have reached the final destination. Especially our most successful idea in 1969; was making T-shirts with black cloth and inventing inks to screenprint them. This was the first time in the world. We also invented printed denim jeans.

*Note : The very first idea of “printing on clothing” was released by John Dove and Molly White in 1968. http://wonderworkshop.co.uk

-- How did you shift your activity from fashion to art ? Why?

In the mid-60’s we moved from Art to Fashion and by 1969 had moved Fashion into Art after the release of “Painless Tattoo”. The preoccupation of production in a global Fashion context is time-consuming and exhausting. In the 21st Century we decided to return to the Art studio. When we met with Paul Stolper in 2009 and he invited us to join his gallery rostra, we had found the perfect gallery for our work. Paul has a beautiful gallery in a magnificent location and is the most important gallery for prints in the UK. He also ventures into multiple artworks, a direction we have been most interested in returning to.

-- What do you remember about the time of 60s-70s, during the period of Iggy Pop, David Bowie,and Sid Vicious, icons of glam and punk movement ?

From 1968-78 was the most prolific time in our studio where the outside world merged with the creative world we lived and worked in. Music in the UK and USA was moving away from Beatlemania and back to Rock’N’Roll roots. Reggae and Soul music was changing too. Screen-printed T-shirts and other garments projected the images of our drawings, photographs and screen-printing onto the body. Our task in hand was to make those images flattering on the body. We guessed this was basically the function of the Fashion designer. "Wild Thing, You make my heart sing - you make everything groovy”.

-- What is the most important artwork you made in your career ? What is the work that reminds you of something - a very strong impression ?

The most important artwork in our career is the piece of sculpture we are making now. One of the most popular works from the past is the FACE collection from 1976 - the way we cropped and printed the images were more important as works of art. The printed T-shirt came a close second. Prior to that, it was the early printed textiles (“Centrum") as drapes, sculptures as multiples ("Flying Ducks"), the huge food sculptures ("Giant Jello") and the "Liberty Souvenir" sculpture for Mr Freedom. There was an illustration in NOVA magazine, where John had been commissioned to draw a celebration of Marlon Brando’s donation of his entire movie earnings to UNICEF. The image was the first time John had used the concept of gigantism in a drawing and had used collage techniques. Also the first time he had been able to experiment with the portrait of a celebrity. Note : “Mr Freedom” was the very first store that introduced Pop and Street Fashion in 60s, located at 430 Kings Road, where Vivienne Westwood’s “Worlds End” stays now.

-- What is your inspiration source ? (A few words)

Life.

-- Please tell us the name of artists, movies, musics(bands or etc) you got influence from ?.

The paintings of Edvard Munch, The paintings by Robert Delauney. The collages, photographs and sculptures of the Dadaists. The paintings by Jackson Pollock. The prints, photographs and sculptures of Andy Warhol, The prints, drawings, collages, combines and sculptures of Robert Rauschenberg, The prints, books and paintings by Ed Ruscha, The drawings and sculptures by Colin Self. The prints and sculptures of Damien Hirst. The paintings and sculptures by Jeff Koons. The prints, photographs and paintings by Richard Prince, The prints and paintings by Richard Hamilton. A book by Dick Jewell called “Found Photos", The movie “8 1/2" by Federico Fellini. The movie "Blade Runner" by Ridley Scott, etc, etc, etc. All the music of the 20th Century from the Delta Blues artists of the 40’s and 50’s to Rock’N’Roll of the 50’s to UK Beat and Garage Punk of the 60’s to Punk Rock of the 70’s to Electro of the 80’s to Electronic Disco of the 90’s to the Pop genres of the 21st Century. Now we like "Christine and the Queens”. This week we returned to the old songs by Tracy Chapman like “All That You Have is Your Soul"

-- What do you do in holidays ?

Fly to TOBAGO, swim and walk in the sun in Englishman’s Bay and listen to Pan music at Buccoo Beach. Liming with the locals, drinking Carib beer, listening to Reggae at The Sunshine Cafe and going to Sunday School on Sunday evening.

-- How was your trip to Japan this time ?

Our trip to Japan in August was wonderful. We thank Yusuke Koishi and Miki Koishi at KLEINSTEIN and a special thanks to the team at DIESEL for making our Tokyo trip so enjoyable and uplifting. Everyone had worked hard to make the exhibition a success and it was a great surprise that our work was so well received with those record attendances.

--How was your autograph session with your fans and talking visitors?

Of course, meeting fans we never knew we had, was delightful and we were happy to oblige everyone with their signatory and photo requests. The signing day was most enjoyable - always the greatest in meeting the people!

--Tell us about your up-coming project or idea.

We have several project ideas that we hope to take forward next year (there are 22 projects in the sketchbook). The most likely is an exhibition in London of the recent painted neons and the Big T sculptures (we hope to make a further 12 pieces by next year). We’ve also been in discussion with friends and journalists about the idea of holding a small exhibition of our anti-nuclear drawings, collages and prints in japan since this area of work has become more prominent given the current developments in the political arena.

--Please tell some messages for visitors of this exhibition ?

We hope the visitors to our exhibition will be enthralled, entertained and inspired by our works.