Introducing Contemporary Collective x Bankside Hotel's spring artist residency featuring Guglielmo Alfarone

Artists in Residence: 19th April - 11th June 2021

Bankside Hotel, Makers Studio, London SE1 9JU

Resuming their physical Artist in Residence programme, Contemporary Collective x Bankside Hotel are thrilled to welcome Guglielmo Alfarone to the Makers’ Studio as the first post-winter lockdown Artist in Residence. From 19th Aril - 11th June 2021, Guglielmo will create a large size composition to emphasise a collective consciousness through portraits. Through this exploration, the artist will attempt to portray the relationship between each subject’s individual story and their collective experience during this challenging and monumental time in history.

Utilising the studio’s large walls, Guglielmo’s goal is to create a large scale artwork on paper, either as a single piece or multiple pieces combined together, building a unique representation of the collective community. In line with the artists’ figurative style and process, Guglielmo plans to draw several portraits on a textured surface using a contrast of light and shadow to create a flow that binds all the subjects together.

Guglielmo will structure his residency into various segments including collecting portraits from photos, assembling them through both digital and physical sketches, and drawing in small portions which he will later consolidate to create the large scale, finished artwork. Focusing on community collaboration and engagement and taking advantage of the studio’s location, Gugliemo will welcome passersby to take part in the project by posing for photos to be used as reference for the smaller, individual drawings.

There will be an exciting range of physical events and opportunities for community members to engage with Guglielmo and learn more about his practice. In addition to taking over the Contemporary Collective Instagram for the duration of his residency to document his time in the studio, Guglielmo will take part in a special life drawing course open to the public. During this exciting day long event, three separate drawing courses led by different artists will take place, each focusing on a different area of life drawing. Guglielmo will be the lead artist for this event, focusing on portrait drawing, and there will be two surprise guest artists who will lead additional sessions. There will also be a ‘Meet the Artist’ evening to celebrate the end of his residency, which will feature a drinks celebration and exhibition of the finished works.

About Guglielmo’s Practice:

“I investigate my own background and my search draws the viewer in, shakes them, screams at them with huge dimensions and demanding subjects. The large-scale calls for rage, with the figures portrayed staring intensely. That is, each subject is deeply engaged with the own history, present but at the same time detached. They are the youth of a disenchanted world, proudly brandishing their own disillusions to a distressed observer.

The young faces depicted embrace several feelings, such as boredom, arrogance, frailness, fear or mere indifference; through these emotions the characters affirm their genuine presence (their Da-Sein) only in the present moment since they have no yesterday and no tomorrow - no drive nor ambition. It could also be said that these young characters spring a terrific lucidity, which make their existence sort of insolent. They are the youth of a disenchanted world, proudly brandishing their own disillusions to a distressed observer.”

View the full collection of Guglielmo's drawings

Residency Partners:

For any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Jenna Sachs: Jenna@artellite.co.uk / 020 3701 7412 / www.DegreeArt.com