Thursday 5th February

CHEER UP YOU ROTTERS Bortusk Leer & Five Four 5 - 16 February 2009 Private View: Thursday 5 February, 6-9pm The Brick Lane Gallery | 196 Brick Lane | London | E1 6SA | 0207 729 9721 http://www.thebricklanegallery.com/STREET-ART-CHEER-UP-YOU-ROTTERS.html Artists BORTUSK LEER and FIVE FOUR are united for the first time by Brick Lane Gallery to fill the space with the cheeky day-glo madness of their street-art inspired works and chaotic colourful lifestyles for what promises to be a lively antidote to a particularly monotonous and gloomy February.

The fruit of forbidden love between a Lion Tamer and a Candy floss seller BORTUSK LEER was forced to find his own way in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia. Though his early years are shrouded in mystery (some say circus some say tractor barn) by his teens, Leer could be found joyfully daubing the walls of his homeland with fantastical-childlike characters, psychedelic vermin and inhuman collage. Art comedy was born and Leer never looked back, particularly when being chased by the secret police with big-headed pictures of Lenin streaming out behind him always sporting the trademark Top Hat and Cane he had won wrestling a Turk on the quay of Messina.(1) BORTUSK LEER presents in the show new additions to his works by way of monster-sculptures, made from various materials including wool, toys and drift wood, as well as a collection of new paintings, inspired by all things colourful and fun and an animation. Future projects include standing on the spare plinth in Trafalgar square on his hands whilst juggling 4 monkeys wearing fez hats with his feet and an animated TV show.

FIVE FOUR uses fluorescent acrylic paints, inks and sprays to create paintings which take on a sculptural form through the textured and 3D aspect of his work. Inspired by signage, toilet graffiti and advertising, FIVE FOUR avoids the clichés of street art by using titles and words as the unique source of his work. With a tongue in cheek approach to language, his works express a certain feeling of rebellion - The title is the picture, he says and these titles are always social comments reflecting our time. From small paintings on canvas - little curiosities which he used to paste directly into the street - to larger scale works and printed imagery highlighted in light boxes, FIVE FOUR opens the discussion about the way in which our society plays with visuals codes. His work demonstrates a technical process which starts with the preparation of the canvas - often covered with found paper such as maps - to then apply textured 3D letters made of paint, offering unconditional messages about the difficulties of living in our society. (1) Text by BORTUSK LEER

The Brick Lane Gallery 196 Brick Lane | London | E1 6SA | 0207 729 9721 info@thebricklanegallery.com Open Daily 12 - 6pm http://www.thebricklanegallery.com/STREET-ART-CHEER-UP-YOU-ROTTERS.html