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Mitch Griffiths 5 Things to Know Mitch Griffiths 5 Things to Know

Mitch Griffiths

5 Things to Know
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Painting in oils in a glossy, realistic style, contemporary British artist Mitch Griffiths produces troubling modern portraits that address issues of identity and inclusion, obsolescence and conflict.  

Below, discover 5 Things to Know about Mitch Griffiths.  

If you are interested in adding to your collection speak to an art consultant today - info@halcyongallery.com

 
 
2. He takes inspiration from Old Masters
Mitch Griffiths
Inebriated Nation , 2005-2006
Oil on canvas
196 x 135 cm

2. He takes inspiration from Old Masters

His use of oil paint incorporates techniques used by some of the most celebrated artists in history such as Leonardo da Vinci, Velázquez and Caravaggio. Beyond his use of the medium, Griffiths has also studied the paintings of the Old Masters and adopted artistic devices, motifs and methods of arranging compositions from the great painters of the past.

Griffiths draws inspiration from a wide range of artists. As he explains, ‘the number of artists that I’ve been inspired by, I’d have to say that it would be countless’. However, particularly strong affinities exist between his paintings and the work of Caravaggio, whose pioneering dramatic effects, intense light contrasts and representation of unidealised, real people changed the course of art history.

Griffiths draws from these deeply-rooted artistic traditions and visual ideas to comment on contemporary culture and the challenges of our time; he uses the past to address the present.

3. His artwork is full of symbolism
Mitch Griffiths
Mythical Media , 2022
Oil on canvas
100 x 80 cm

3. His artwork is full of symbolism

Like so many traditional paintings, much of the power of Griffiths’ work derives from symbolism. Griffiths employs traditional iconography used throughout the history of art, symbols of pop culture and even a playful combination of the two. His paintings include the representation of skulls, signifying mortality, and Beats by Dre headphones, containing all the associations of blocking out the world with noise cancelling technology. However, some of his most powerful motifs subvert traditional symbols, for example on the head of one of his protagonists he replaced a crown with a drone. 

Another potent symbol that appears in many of his works is a blue bird, a reference to Twitter (now rebranded as ‘X’). However, fluttering around the canvas in the medium of oil painting, they evoke the white dove that appears in so much religious art as a symbol of the holy spirit. This motif seems to imply the extent to which we have dedicated ourselves to social media, a sort of 21st century religion.

4. He incorporates references to contemporary culture
Mitch Griffiths
An Islands Aegis, 2011
Oil on canvas
100 x 80 cm

4. He incorporates references to contemporary culture

Griffiths’ work is a blend of contemporary issues and the long tradition of allegorical painting in Western art. Using the style of the Old Masters, he incorporates motifs to depict contemporary tensions around social media, politics and cultural discourse. These include the British and American flags which raise questions around the notion of patriotism, and hazmat suits which are pertinent in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.

Although at first glance his compositions appear as Old Master paintings, the inclusion of distinctly contemporary clothing and other items like phones, fast food and drones, bring them into the present day. Griffiths views his work as a means of social commentary, asking questions about contemporary culture without passing judgement.

5. His latest body of work is the most ambitious of his career, vast in scale and captivatingly dramatic
2022 - 'Immortal' by Mitch Griffiths at 海角社区

5. His latest body of work is the most ambitious of his career, vast in scale and captivatingly dramatic

In 2022, Immortal, an exhibition of Griffiths’ never before seen paintings, was shown at 海角社区 on New Bond St. Over six years in the making, it exhibited a number of monumental figure paintings such as Like a Pack of Gods (2019-2022). These theatrical works convey a frozen drama of characters arranged in an alternate reality; a ‘digital mythology’ which captures the strangeness of modern times. With lifesize figures, full of intricate details and complex storytelling, these works are his most ambitious to date, immersing the viewer in the composition and blurring the lines between the real and the fake.

 

If you are interested in adding Mitch Griffiths to your collection speak to one of our art consultants today - email us info@halcyongallery.com

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