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Magda Archer: It’s a Magda Archer Christmas

Past exhibition
2 - 22 December 2021 Karsten Schubert London
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Overview
Magda Archer, It’s a Magda Archer Christmas

Karsten Schubert London is pleased to present It’s a Magda Archer Christmas, a solo exhibition of new and recent paintings by Magda Archer. Drawing on a personal archive of found images sourced from books, comics, ephemera and memory, Archer paints rainbow-bright compositions that depict a roll call of cartoonish characters accentuated by punchy slogans. Rendered in her trademark retro–inspired typography, the wry humour behind the text varies from ‘random thoughts’ to more savage observations which, combined with her exuberant painting style, fluctuate between lighthearted kitsch and sharp satire. 

 

Archer originally studied and worked as a commercial illustrator, which is evident in her confident palette, graphic style and facility to balance typography and image for maximum visual effect. The successful cohesion of distinctly reproducible paintings with their friction between slogan and sentiment, has gained her a popular following among the art and fashion world alike. She has collaborated with renowned international fashion houses Marc Jacobs (2019–2021), Jenny Packham (2017) and Comme des Garçons (2012). These collaborations are part of a broader, democratic ‘art for all’ approach to making and showing art that has lead Archer to participate in a variety of projects outside of the traditional gallery space including: releasing multiples, affordable print editions and displaying posters across the UK as part of a major public arts programme. 

 

For It’s a Magda Archer Christmas, her first solo exhibition in London, Archer will present a group of paintings reflecting a range of themes from pandemic anxiety to the pressures of social media and consumer culture. Through these works Archer echoes her interest in Pop Art, particularly the authentic nostalgia in the paintings of Peter Blake and the epic cartoon strip drama of Roy Lichtenstein’s paintings. In Life Is Beautiful (2020), Is It Over Yet? (2019) and I Miss My Bougie Life (2020) in particular, Archer shows that she is unafraid to make paintings that amplify elements typified as cute, polite, sweet and feminine – the very tropes that previously marginalised women artists. Bringing these to the fore in the form of candy-coloured, spirited cartoon animals, she redefines their Disney-esque associations by way of a defiant attitude and daring wit, projecting their pop culture value back at her audience through a reimagining of their context.

 

The exhibition is accompanied by a text by Bren O'Callaghan available in a limited edition, signed posterzine. Click here to purchase online. 

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Installation Views
  • Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

    Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

  • Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

    Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

  • Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

    Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

  • Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

    Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

  • Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

    Installation view, Karsten Schubert London, 2022

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Works
  • Magda Archer You're Still Screwing Me Over, 2020 Acrylic on canvas 101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
    Magda Archer
    You're Still Screwing Me Over, 2020
    Acrylic on canvas
    101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
  • Magda Archer Super Lethargy!, 2020 Acrylic on canvas 101.5 x 101.5 cm | 40 x 40 in
    Magda Archer
    Super Lethargy!, 2020
    Acrylic on canvas
    101.5 x 101.5 cm | 40 x 40 in
  • Magda Archer I Miss My Bougie Life, 2020 Acrylic on canvas 101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
    Magda Archer
    I Miss My Bougie Life, 2020
    Acrylic on canvas
    101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
  • Magda Archer Is It Over Yet?, 2019 Acrylic on canvas 91.5 x 60.5 cm | 36 1/8 x 23 7/8 in
    Magda Archer
    Is It Over Yet?, 2019
    Acrylic on canvas
    91.5 x 60.5 cm | 36 1/8 x 23 7/8 in
  • Magda Archer It's Been So Shit Forever, 2019 Acrylic on canvas 101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
    Magda Archer
    It's Been So Shit Forever, 2019
    Acrylic on canvas
    101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
  • Magda Archer I Love My Tablets!, 2019 Acrylic on canvas 101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
    Magda Archer
    I Love My Tablets!, 2019
    Acrylic on canvas
    101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
  • Magda Archer I Like a Pig to Walk Free and Not as a Chop, 2020 Acrylic on canvas 91.5 x 91.5 cm. | 36 1/8 x 36 1/8 in
    Magda Archer
    I Like a Pig to Walk Free and Not as a Chop, 2020
    Acrylic on canvas
    91.5 x 91.5 cm. | 36 1/8 x 36 1/8 in
  • Magda Archer I Just Want It to Be How It Was in the 1980s, 2019 Acrylic on canvas 101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
    Magda Archer
    I Just Want It to Be How It Was in the 1980s, 2019
    Acrylic on canvas
    101.5 x 76 cm | 40 x 29 7/8 in
  • Magda Archer When Artists Say..., 2021 Acrylic paint on paper 29.5 x 42 cm | 11 5/8 x 16 1/2 in
    Magda Archer
    When Artists Say..., 2021
    Acrylic paint on paper
    29.5 x 42 cm | 11 5/8 x 16 1/2 in
  • Magda Archer Life Is Beautiful, 2020 Acrylic paint on paper 42 x 29.5 cm | 16 1/2 x 11 5/8 in
    Magda Archer
    Life Is Beautiful, 2020
    Acrylic paint on paper
    42 x 29.5 cm | 16 1/2 x 11 5/8 in
  • Magda Archer You got it, 2020 Acrylic paint on paper 29.7 x 21 cm | 11 3/4 x 8 1/4 in
    Magda Archer
    You got it, 2020
    Acrylic paint on paper
    29.7 x 21 cm | 11 3/4 x 8 1/4 in
  • Magda Archer Don't hate me, cos you ain't me, 2018 Acrylic paint on paper 29.7 x 42 cm | 11 3/4 x 16 1/2 in
    Magda Archer
    Don't hate me, cos you ain't me, 2018
    Acrylic paint on paper
    29.7 x 42 cm | 11 3/4 x 16 1/2 in
  • Magda Archer Aimlessly Scrolling Never Took Me Anywhere Nice, 2021 Acrylic paint on paper 29.5 x 42 cm | 11 5/8 x 16 1/2 in
    Magda Archer
    Aimlessly Scrolling Never Took Me Anywhere Nice, 2021
    Acrylic paint on paper
    29.5 x 42 cm | 11 5/8 x 16 1/2 in
  • Magda Archer Inject My Face, 2020 Screenprint in 6 colours and glitter overlay on Somerset satin tub sized 410 gsm paper with cut edges 75 x 59 cm | 29 1/2 x 23 1/4 in
    Magda Archer
    Inject My Face, 2020
    Screenprint in 6 colours and glitter overlay on Somerset satin tub sized 410 gsm paper with cut edges
    75 x 59 cm | 29 1/2 x 23 1/4 in
  • Magda Archer I Love My Tablets, 2020 Screenprint in eight colours and glitter overlay on Somerset satin tub sized 410 gsm paper with cut edges 75 x 59 cm | 29 1/2 x 23 1/4 in
    Magda Archer
    I Love My Tablets, 2020
    Screenprint in eight colours and glitter overlay on Somerset satin tub sized 410 gsm paper with cut edges
    75 x 59 cm | 29 1/2 x 23 1/4 in
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Publications
  • Magda Archer

    Magda Archer

    It's a Magda Archer Christmas 2021 Softcover Posterzine pages
    Dimensions: 29.7 x 21 cm
    Read more
News
  • Magda Archer: West End Gallery HOP!

    Magda Archer: West End Gallery HOP!

    Read more

Related artist

  • Magda Archer

    Magda Archer

Back to Past exhibitions

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London W1F 0LP, UK

tel: +44 (0)20 7734 9002

info@karstenschubert.com

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