- The Circle Gallery5-7 High StreetSunninghillSL5 9NQ
- 01344 874 478
- gallery@thecirclegallery.com
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Michiel Folkers started experimenting with graffiti in the late nineties. For years he remained active spraying letters. When he got older, and more mature, graffiti slowly evolved in street art. Working with stencils was a much better technique to get more details done better and faster.
In addition to colouring walls, Michiel began experimenting on canvas. He started by painting a series called anti-heroes. Focussed on B-listed celebrities / famous people from Holland. In popart everyone was painting Jim Morrison or Marilyn Monroe. So I thought it would be more striking to paint unpopular celebrities. It worked, in a way that people started noticing his art, but nobody would hang a B-Listed actor from Holland on his or her wall. The stencilling style was also over its peak in his opinion, and slowly he started experimenting with new different techniques, like collage.
In Holland there are more festivals then bikes. Festivals promoting their party’s often with eye-catching posters, pasted on walls. Interested in the graffiti layered above these posters most of the time, but also fascinated by the aesthetics of these posters, Michiel was always observing these collage-walls. In his eyes these walls could go straight to museums. When he saw work of Raymond Hains and Mimmo Rotella that same year, he was convinced to use collage with street posters as a standard for his new series of artworks. Today he is still using these kinds of street elements in his art. His work is often made up of posters he collects from the murky walls of Amsterdam: Sustainable art, and it gives an edgy and living character to the painting. Street posters are dirty, bleached and scratched most of the time, this always gives the artwork a living character, as if it’s a part of the street. From damaged festival posters to find-my-cat-flyers, everything with a nice colour-palette will be used.
Besides Michiel likes to work with old street posters, he is also using other old material, like damaged brushes, blunt Stanley knives or other older (sometimes) broken tools. By working with older tools the results are also more surprising and the creations are more unique than creating everything by the rules. In addition of using posters Michiel still works with spray-paint and stencilling. Screen-printing is also commonly used technique in his work. Actually I use every technique to make my canvas look like a city wall
Michiel underlines there is further not really a big story behind his work. In my opinion it’s more important the artwork looks nice and appeals to the viewer than it having a deep and intriguing story behind it. But I am always enjoying stories of other artists who are trying to make their artwork sound more important by adding a lot of #blablabla to it. In his opinion it’s funny to listen to, but it will never make it a masterpiece.
Michiel works in his studio in the centre of Amsterdam. In 2017 he started to work more often in different cities across the world, to use foreign posters in his art. His plan for the near future is to visit as much countries as possible, to capture the different street vibes on canvas.
Excellent service. The circle gallery had a limited edition piece that was pretty much sold out Nationally that I managed to track down. Item dispatched quickly and arrived well wrapped. Very happy with my purchase and would return as a customer.
The journey of finding suitable artwork can take time and Circle Gallery have shown to have the patience, tact and experience to assist with sourcing artwork to meet your needs. I have purchased a number of frames and multiple pieces of artwork. All first class, thank you.
I just visited the gallery to enquire about stretching canvas services. Rob was extremely helpful and I didn't feel like it was my first visit to the gallery. He gave me genuine advice on how to stretch the canvas my self as i could not afford the service charges and even offered to lend his tools if I needed them for a day. Rare are such humans these days. Thank you so much Rob and Circle Art Gallery.
Rob at Circle gallery put some magic into a canvas we wanted framed. Really great advise, followed by fantastic workmanship, topped off by the perfect result!!! Rob also repaired an old frame that incurred some damage over time, now looks perfect. Thank you team Circle Gallery!!
Superb job framing my grandfathers collection of pipes. I followed Robs recommendation on frame and mounting card and he did not let me down with a great colour choice and 1st class finish.
I have been getting my pictures framed at the Circle Gallery (and formerly David Pitfield Framing) for decades. My home is full of their work! They always take the time to suggest great frame/mount combinations that make whatever I want framed look amazing. Their standard of workmanship is excellent and the customer service is faultless. Can’t wait to see them open for business again.
Circle Gallery found me the most perfect equestrian picture which I've had hanging on my wall for the last 12 months and gives me great joy. I've also had 2 pictures framed and have been delighted with the results. Nothing is too much trouble for the team and their service is excellent. Wishing the gallery best wishes and hope that you're able to reopen in the not too distant future.
Love these people, they really care about art/framing and know what they're talking about. Highly recommend.
Wonderful service from this small, delightful gallery. A pleasure to work with such nice people who do great work.
Great service and had an old picture beautifully framed. Would recommend
Always good service and brilliant framing work.
Very good
I have thought for a long time about having my grandfather’s WW1 and my father’s WW2 medals framed alongside their photos and I have been dithering somewhat as I was worried that I wouldn’t be happy with the finished result. I basically needed something very old framed in a way that would fit into an uncluttered all white modern home. I had a really good feeling as soon as I walked into The Circle Gallery that I had found the right place. I had a general idea about what I was looking for and Katie who helped me was not only patient but came up with a good idea I hadn’t thought about. These medals mean a huge amount to me and when I saw the finished result today I could have cried as they look absolutely amazing and far far better than I could ever have hoped for. Fantastic service cannot recommended highly enough.
This gallery does wonderful framing and we have had three or four of our pictures framed here now. What sets them apart is the superb customer service and the time spent with the customer choosing the right frame. I would thoroughly recommend Louisa and all at Circle Art gallery.
Had a superb custom frame made for a client of ours, fantastic advice, service and quality product from the team there. It's also a really lovely little shop with loads of great gifts.
Great customer service and really good work :-)
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