Light years: the man who invented Soho
Few mediums are as seductive as neon. From vintage Las Vegas to the installation work of Tim Noble and Sue Webster and Tracey Emin, it is as much a part of the visual texture of pop culture and contemporary art as the silkscreen. London artist Chris Bracey has been the go-to man for all things neon for nearly 40 years, and is showing a selection of work – both new and from his archive – at Circus of Soho, 47 Beak Street, London W1 until the end of January 2013. Bracey is London’s most prolific neon visionary. He has worked on pieces for Stanley Kubrick, David LaChapelle, Martin Creed, Agent Provocateur, Mulberry, Selfridges, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. He created a new visual language in London’s Soho, both real and cinematic, from his Girls Girls Girls sign at the Pink Pussycat Club in the 1970s to the set pieces for Neil Jordan’s Mona Lisa. godsownjunkyard.co.uk
Chris Bracey's work frequently features recycled elements. His neon work appears in Tim Burton's Batman and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as well as Superman IV, Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut and the forthcoming Brad Pitt zombie epic World War Z.
"This is my graphic interpretation of the sensation of lust, it has a pulsating neon heart. I could've sold this a thousand times but I did a limited edition of three. "
"I am a royalist and I think that toasting the queen is a given, god bless her. I feel this piece has a royally rock 'n' roll feel, it reflects the modern royals of today."
"This piece is representational of my relationship with rock 'n' roll. After a lifetime of using rock 'n' roll to inspire my work, visually this is how I feel inside when I hear something great and the hair stands on end on the back of my neck."
"In every close relationship between two lovers there always comes a time when the love turns to anger, the two are closely entwined, the love returns when anger subsides. "