Tinsel Edwards

Statement

Tinsel Edwards lives and works in East London.  Born in Leamington Spa, at the age of 19 she moved to London to pursue a career in art. Since graduating from Goldsmiths College, Tinsel has exhibited frequently both nationally and internationally, including curating a large scale exhibition which toured to Hamburg. 

Tinsel’s provocative paintings are bright, bold, colourful compositions roughly overlaid with text.  The slogans and anecdotes are an ongoing personal narrative, offering an often challenging but humorous commentary on everyday life.

“My work is a mix of observations, questions, and statements.  Musings on life which can be personal or political, and a love of the materials and processes I use to make my art.”

Previous exhibitions include Steal from work in Bristol, Pure Evil gallery London, Banksy’s Santa’s Ghetto, Jena Kunstverein, Rote Flora Hamburg, Printclub Secret Blisters, Stella Dore London and Dublin, Artport Berlin,and Light Sentence Munich.

In May this year Tinsel will be taking part in a big international group show in Poznan, Poland –  ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ a touring exhibition which will start out at the Arsenal Gallery.

Tinsel and fellow artist Twinkle Troughton are currently working toward a large joint exhibition to be held in 2010: ‘It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times’.  In preparation for their show, last November they dressed up as traffic wardens and gave away nearly 1000 free screenprints disguised as parking tickets.  The event caused quite a stir in the press and was covered by Pop magazine, Amelia’s, Dazed and Confused and even El Pais newspaper in Spain!

Private collectors of Tinsel’s work include artists Banksy and Bill Woodrow.  After buying a painting Banksy invited Tinsel to exhibit her work at his infamous ‘Santa’s Ghetto’ show

CV
EDUCATION
Ba Hons, Fine Art, Goldsmiths College 1998 - 2001
Art Foundation course, Warwickshire College 1997 – 1998

FORTHCOMING EXHIBITIONS
May 2010 The Pursuit of Happiness, Arsenal Gallery, Poznan, Poland
July 2010 The Pursuit of Happiness, Elblag, Poland

PAST EXHIBITIONS
SOLO SHOWS:

March 2010           ‘It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times’ 
Tinsel and Twinkle joint show, Egg Space, Liverpool

May 2009              ‘It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times’ 
Tinsel and Twinkle joint show, Steal from Work, Long Arm Gallery, Bristol                                                                                                       
August 2008 ‘A Year of Private Views’ Artport, Kolonie Wedding, Berlin

June 2008  ‘A Year of Private Views’ The Pure Evil Gallery, London

October 2006 ‘This is modern art’ This Way Up Gallery, Dragon Bar, London

July 2006 ‘An Urban Myth’ The Fairies exhibition, Tomtom Gallery, London

August 2006 ‘I hope there’s free drink tonight’ Beyond the Valley, London

March 2005 ‘Tinsel and Twinkle joint show. The Rhythm Factory, London      

June 2004 ‘I Could’ve Done that’ Isonerv, London      

June 2003 The Factory, London                

December 2002 Hotel Pelirocco, Brighton

SELECTED GROUP SHOWS:

2010: The Parlour, Clerkenwell, London

2009:Printclub Pop Up Shop, Brick Lane, London
‘Tate the Biscuit’, Shoreditch Town Hall, London
Whos Jack group show Camden, London
‘Being Human’, The Tank Room, Elephant & Castle,
‘Rosetta Stone’, Jena Kunsverein, Germany
‘Secret Blisters’ MC Motors, Printclub London

2008: Stella Dore group show, Stella Dore, London
‘The Great Cake Escape Tearooms’, Kemistry Gallery
Stella Dore group show, Sebastian Guiness Gallery,
Dublin
‘East meets West’, Whos Jack group exhibition, La               
Viande Gallery, London

2007: ‘AlterNATIVITY’ Studio 57, 91, Brick Lane, London
‘Breakpads’ The Garej, Cardiff
Stella Dore launch, The Truman Brewery, London
‘Punk, a directory of Modern Subversive Culture’
Galerie LeCocon/Rote Flora, Hamburg and Ada street
gallery,  London  
‘Light Sentence’ Augsberg, Germany

2006: Banksys ‘Santas Ghetto’ Oxford Street, London W1
‘A-Mart’ Art Supermarket, Ale and Porter Arts,
Bradford on Avon

2005: ‘Snowfold’ Fold Gallery, Cumbria
Multiplex Open Studios, The Old Hackney Cinema,
Shoreditch, London
‘All Washed Up’ Cardiff
‘Service Not Included’ ADI Gallery, Shoreditch,
London
‘Somewhere to go Show’ Trinity School, Leamington
Spa (organised by MOOT gallery)

2004:  ‘Icons and Superheroes’ Oxford House, Bethnal Green,
London

2003: Deptford X Deptford, London

2002: ‘Observable occurances’ V.T.O Gallery, London

2000: The Foyer Gallery, Kingston

1999:  Chinawhite, London, in association with art/literary
tour ‘Art-throb’  
‘Art in a lunch box’ in assoc. with Blueprint magazine.
Gatliffe Depot. Chelsea Bridge