GILLES CLEMENT GALLERY

ASPENCROW

 

Edgar Askelovic was born in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1987. His artwork as a hyperrealistic interpretive sculptor, is carried out under the pseudonym ASPENCROW. Having studied at the Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania he continued his art practice at Birmingham City University, School of Art in the United Kingdom receiving a BA in Fine Art in 2013. This change he coins as “moving forward, both encompassing the move to England and a movement within my art process”. The transfer to England was a pivotal point in both his personal and artistic education as he remarks that once in Birmingham he gained “freedom in thinking and action as an artist”. ASPENCROW is known for his life-sized sculptures, but his practice is deeply rooted in his initial interest in painting realism. His artwork emerges as a translation of painterly practices into sculptural forms with an ability to delve deeply into 3-dimensional objects. In the artist’s own words “I understood that I could display anything in painting anything – from abstraction to realism”. His hyperrealistic sculptures are made of mixed media and combine materials such as silicone, polyurethane resin and fiberglass. His choice of subjects are often well-known figures and he likens his process to sculpting their portrait. ASPENCROW creates each piece from conception to final product, and therefore displays strong technical skills in the manipulation of a variety of materials and scales. Inspired as a student by “fresh and cheeky” artists such as Banksy, we see a prominent inspiration to push boundaries. ASPENCROW is known for his controversial sculptures Begging Queen, ICON, MILF, and Diamond Dog among others.