Boshier attended the Royal College of Art where he was a contemporary amongst notable artists involved in the pop art movement such as R.B Kitaj, Allen Jones and David Hockney. It was within his Image in Revolt exhibition at London's Grabowski Gallery with Frank Bowling that Boshier launched his career, introducing icons of American consumer culture with the incorporation of big brand logos within his work. Taking a non-hierarchical approach to the use of popular images has been a long-running theme within Boshier's work, making use of the Pepsi logo in place of the rising sun and other iconic images such as Kellogg's cornflakes logo and iconic striped toothpaste image. The popularity of Boshier's work among music icons such as The Clash and David Bowie have brought his work to a wider audience.
Read MoreBoshier's work has been shown internationally particularly in Europe and the US. In 2017 he added to his extensive exhibiting record with a solo exhibition at the Night Gallery (Los Angeles) as well as exhibiting at Tanya Leighton (Berlin), Tom Solomon Gallery (Los Angeles) and a two-person show at Galerie Albert Baronian (Brussels). Alongside his solo shows Boshier has also appeared in several group exhibitions at the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), Tate Britain and British Museum, Brooklyn Museum and Centre Pompidou.In recent years Boshier was the recipient of the Honorary Fellowship of the RCA (2016), as well as the Guggenheim fellowship and NEA award for the arts, he is also an accomplished teacher and lecturer. He lives and works in Los Angeles.
On the Road 2017
Derek Boshier's On the Road is the inaugural solo exhibition at Gazelli Art House in London, showcasing his latest acrylic on canvas works and premiering two short films.
Boshier's clear references to pop culture are ever present in this show with depictions of his long-standing friend and biggest collector, David Bowie appearing in three paintings: David Bowie and Teresa Cornelys, David Bowie Twice and David Bowie, Jack Kerouac, and David Bowie The pair first met in the late seventies and shortly after their introduction Boshier was to design the album artwork for Bowie's Lodger. Within these paintings Boshier approaches the subject of how a single performer explores many identities through creative self-management, a performing art Bowie excelled at.
Shortly before David Bowie died, he is known to have written messages to his nearest, longstanding friends and collaborators. Included in these heartfelt goodbyes Boshier received praise and acknowledgment for his body of work and contribution to the pop art movement throughout the decades.
'I just had to write and tell you how much I love the book that has just been published. Your work really cascades over the decades and is utterly real and convincing. You really are a master. Cush!!'
– David Bowie
Other works in the exhibition include his 'Otherwise Engaged' series, Pyramidsand Guadeloupe Mountains, which provide a witty social commentary on the digitalization of everyday life and brings to focus the idolization of the digital world.
Text courtesy Gazelli Art House.