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He Went in His Sleep . mixed media construction . 270 x 80 cm (approximate)

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2Escape from Hair y Man . mixed media on panel . 122 x 132 cm

‘Torn Anima’ is the inaugural solo exhibition by Samuel

Bassett at Millennium.

One realises after being confronted, then coming to

terms with this torrent of an exhibition that we are

witnessing a map of an active mind, untangled (perhaps

slightly) and placed first around the suppor t of the

work itself and cumulatively around a space.

A large number of these images are based on

memory, not of matters of obviously profound depth or

weight, but of day-to-day events, however insignificant

they might seem. These paintings are a document or

diar y, a confused narrativez` of daily life and the ar tist’s

placement within it. Through ‘play’ this juxtaposition of

collected figures, text and landscapes, thrown together

create a new open ended dialogue.

“The thought process is amazing, so fast it goes”

Bassett says, his work is about tr ying to keep up. The

imagery grows organically as it is constructed. Bassett

explains “I tr y visualising thought process, how we talk

to ourselves, (easy to see how an imbalance can play

havoc with our mind). I make two faced, opinionated

tu r ncoa t s t y l e images d i sp l ay ing per sona l i t i e s

(indicated also by using high contrast colours and

materials). The elements conflict, I love making things

fight, I love to apply as much as I can in ways I was told

I should not do (education). Things do go wrong, but

that’s great! I like what chance provides us with

when using unmeasured techniques. I aim to find a

coherent centre spot, or repetitive sound. By placing

all my thoughts, collected imagery and conversations

down, it allows me to play much like a gir l with her dolls

house or a boy with his bucket of toy soldiers and Lego.

I have a saw, nails, brushes, paint and some time…”

Bassett uses recorded muffled and sometimes

misunderstood random conversation as a seed from

which the work germinates, by visualising these

dialogues on the surface of the piece. He never sets

on one painting in isolation, he claims that would “feel

as though his body was running on one ar ter y”. By

working over many pieces they are constantly adapt-

ing in an organic and unmeasured process as fresh

thoughts, approaches or ideas develop. Processes

tested on one painting are often applied onto other

pieces using all the space available – as the studio

becomes almost one surface. The process is visceral

and reflects fur ther the cochophony and contamination

of our internal and external existence.

This rich tapestr y inspires both lucid and opaque

readings, where comedy and disturbance often become

bedfellows. This could be viewed as the conscious

meeting the subconscious, or the primal shaking hands

(or swapping punches) with our more modern perhaps

genteel side.

Joseph Clarke . 2012.3

‘Torn Anima’ is the inaugural solo exhibition by Samuel Bassett at Millennium.

One realises after being confronted, then coming to terms with this torrent of an exhibition that we are witnessing a map of an active mind, untangled (perhaps slightly) and placed first around the suppor t of the work itself and cumulatively around a space.

A large number of these images are based on memory, not of matters of obviously profound depth or weight, but of day-to-day events, however insignificant they might seem. These paintings are a document or diar y, a confused narratives of daily life and the ar tist’s placement within it. Through ‘play’ this juxtaposition of collected figures, text and landscapes, thrown together create a new open ended dialogue.

“The thought process is amazing, so fast it goes” Bassett says, his work is about tr ying to keep up. The imagery grows organically as it is constructed. Bassett explains “I tr y visualising thought process, how we talk to ourselves, (easy to see how an imbalance can play havoc with our mind). I make two faced, opinionated turncoat style images displaying personalities (indicated also by using high contrast colours and materials). The elements conflict, I love making things fight, I love to apply as much as I can in ways I was told I should not do (education). Things do go wrong, but that’s great! I like what chance provides us with when using unmeasured techniques. I aim to find a coherent centre spot, or repetitive sound. By placing all my thoughts, collected imagery and conversations down, it allows me to play much like a gir l with her dolls house or a boy with his bucket of toy soldiers and Lego. I have a saw, nails, brushes, paint and some time…”

Bassett uses recorded muffled and sometimes misunderstood random conversation as a seed from which the work germinates, by visualising these dialogues on the surface of the piece. He never sets on one painting in isolation, he claims that would “feel as though his body was running on one ar ter y”. By working over many pieces they are constantly adapting in an organic and unmeasured process as fresh thoughts, approaches or ideas develop. Processes tested on one painting are often applied onto other pieces using all the space available, as the studio becomes almost one surface. The process is visceral and reflects fur ther the cacophony and contamination of our internal and external existence.

This rich tapestr y inspires both lucid and opaque readings, where comedy and disturbance often become bedfellows. This could be viewed as the conscious meeting the subconscious, or the primal shaking hands (or swapping punches) with our more modern perhaps genteel side.

4Night Fishing Gwidden . mixed media on panel . 45 x 45 cm

Man Dreaming of Pregnancy . mixed media on panel . 48 x 48 cm5

Dir ty Smiler . mixed media on panel . 62 x 43 cm

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Loyal Dave . mixed media on panel . 62 x 43 cm7

Boy in Dress Melted . mixed media on panel . 25 x 25 cm8

By Far John . mixed media on panel . 26 x 25 cm

9Three in a Dress . mixed media on panel . 22 x 23 cm Was Sick on His Chest . mixed media on panel . 25 x 25 cm

Riding Dads Head to School with Pez . mixed media on panel . 122 x 122 cm

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Eaten in Bed . mixed media on panel . 122 x 122 cm

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Leth Construction . mixed media construction . 50 x 50 cm14

Busy Little Milkmen . mixed media construction . 38 x 48 cm15

16

There’s a Pug on my Shoulder . mixed media . 32 x 46 cm

17

Jesus Had Tits . mixed media on board . 34 x 23 cm Toby Transexual Goat & Flowers . mixed media on board . 34 x 23 cm

LIFE Publication . mixed media two faced construction . 72 x 40 cm

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Together . mixed media on two faced construction . 54 x 29 cm

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She’s Looking at Porn . mixed media on panel . 22 x 23 cm He Ate my Head . mixed media on panel . 25 x 25 cm20

Together in You . mixed media on panel . 25 x 25 cm Lets Talk Who’s Died . mixed media on panel . 27 x 27 cm21

My Favourites . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

Dirty Feet . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

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I Like . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

Food From Tescos . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

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Finished Her . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

On Your Breath . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

Farty . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

Are We Ill . watercolour on paper . 30 x 21 cm

She Bit I Peed . mixed media on panel . 48 x 49 cm

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Man on Plate in Throat . mixed media on panel . 45 x 45 cm

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All I Want... . mixed media on panel . 103 x 104 cm26

27Bliss is Here . mixed media construction . 154 x 20 cm

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8 9 10

12131415

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1 . Father in my Belly . mixed media on card . 20 x 18 cm

2 . With You . mixed media on card . 19 x 14 cm

3 . Three Were Sick . mixed media on card . 19 x 14 cm

4 . Spoon Face . mixed media on board . 32 x 24 cm

5 . Little Voices . mixed media on card . 14 x 10 cm

6 . Signal Strong . mixed media on card . 16 x 14 cm

7 . Carbis Bay . mixed media on card . 14 x 15 cm

8 . Lady Friend . mixed media on photograph . 11 x 18 cm

9 . Low Priest . mixed media on card . 15 x 14 cm

10 . Fish Wife Fish Man . mixed media on card . 14 x 28 cm

11 . Drink from You . mixed media on card . 18 x 14 cm

12 . Fear Gods . mixed media on card . 20 x 20 cm

13 . Blog . mixed media on board . 23 x 15 cm

14 . Dead . mixed media on board . 23 x 15 cm

15 . Torn . mixed media on board . 23 x 15 cm

16 . In Vest . mixed media on card . 20 x 28 cm

17 . Hangover . mixed media on card . 19 x 22 cm

18 . Sex with You . mixed media on card . 15 x 14 cm

19 . Fallen . mixed media on card . 21 x 19 cm

20 . Void . mixed media construction . 24 x 14 cm

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Pregnant with Tom . mixed media on panel . 96 x 65 cm

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Lost in Bed and Smoke Ring . mixed media on panel . 97 x 80 cm31

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Holding up the Idiot . mixed media on panel . 42 x 32 cm

McDonalds ere No . mixed media construction . 136 x 12 x 12 cm

All works 2011 - 2012

“Thank you to my wife, family, fr iends and galler y for

helping and suppor ting me to construct this work!”

Samuel Bassett, 2012.

Published by Millennium to coincide with the exhibition ‘Torn Anima’ by Samuel Bassett

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form

or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers

Publication produced by Impact Printing Services (www.impactprintingservices.co.uk)

Interview Film by Alban Roinard and Joseph Clarke

ISBN 978-1-905772-51-3

S t r e e t - a n - P o lS t . I v e s C o r n w a l l0 1 7 3 6 7 9 3 1 2 1m a i l @ m i l l e n n i u m g a l l e r y. c o . u kw w w . m i l l e n n i u m g a l l e r y. c o . u k

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