Maddox Gallery are delighted to present ‘Mythomania’, the latest solo show by renowned artistic duo,
The Connor Brothers.
Opening 24th June 2022 at Westbourne Grove, this exhibition features drawings and canvases from their latest collection, the Regression series. The body of work grew out of art therapy sessions the pair undertook during lockdown. Asked to create sixty second sketches of anything that came to mind, The Connor Brothers produced childlike drawings that felt uniquely spontaneous. The rawness and authenticity that emerged from this exercise intrigued the duo, inspiring them to develop these into a series of paintings.
From fire-breathing dragons and lolloping zombies to rainbow-residing unicorns and seafearing beasts, the fantastical creatures depicted in ‘Mythomania’ sparks the imagination, transporting you to the boundless creative freedom of a childhood mentality. Yet, beneath the playful façade of these impish sketches lie hidden anxieties, compulsions and desires. Stylistically revolutionary and philosophically radical, ‘Mythomania’ situates The Connor Brothers within a rich tradition of artists like Robert Nava and Jordy Kerwick, who all provide an antidote to our increasingly virtual world.
As humankind shifts ever-further towards a collective culture mediated by digital experience, this body of work grounds us in the essential notion that we must return to simpler times. The Connor Brothers teach us that finding the true meaning of life is child’s play.
The Connor Brothers, also known as Mike Snelle and James Golding, are leading contemporary artists renowned for their exploration of the boundary between truth and fiction, and their masterful pairing of vintage beauties with humorous captions. Initially retaining anonymity under a fictional guise, the duo posed as twin brothers, Franklyn and Brendan Connor, that had fled to Brooklyn at age 16 to escape from a California cult called “The Family”. Now more widely known as British artists, Mike Snelle and James Golding, for the past ten years, the duo have channeled artifice in their depiction of reality and have encouraged viewers to laugh, ridicule or open up about how they perceive the world around them. Featuring as part of group and solo shows across the world, the brothers are also dedicated activists, raising awareness through their works of the European refugee crisis, in addition to supporting a number of charities, including mental health charity CALM and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Rebel by The Connor Brothers
Executed with a childlike naivety, Rebel comes from The Connor Brothers’ Regression series – a body of work that grew out of art therapy sessions the pair undertook during lockdown. In Rebel, the monumental canvas is daubed with swathes of beige and green paint. In the centre of the composition, a pterodactyl soars mid-flight. Rendered in a range of primary colours, the dinosaur opens its jaws, as if screeching at its prey below. The word ‘Rebel’ is scrawled to the right of the animal, following The Connor Brothers’ tradition of pairing text with imagery.