Maggs Counterculture and Strange Attractor present ‘Unstable’. New and old artwork from Battle Of The Eyes(Savage Pencil and Eyeball), Joel Biroco, Julian House and Cathy Ward, at Maggs Gallery; 50 Hays Mews. London W1J 5QJ

Tuesday 8th May – Friday 8th June 2012, Monday to Friday 10.30–17.00. carl@maggs.com, 0207 493 7160PV, Friday 4th May 18.00–20.00. RSVP: carl@maggs.com

UNSTABLEBattle Of The Eyes, Joel Biroco, Julian House and Cathy Ward

Maggs Bros Ltd

Cathy

Ward

–Gloriend,incised

inkon

Gesso,36

x30

cm.,(2008)

UNSTABLEThese five artists, showing for the first time together in the stables andhayloft of Maggs Gallery, are a protean bunch; if they were celestial bodiesthey would probably have an ‘unstable periodic orbit’. Their work, likethose heavenly entities, is prone to chaos, dissonance and beauty.

They are visual artists, but they are also polymaths, at times some of themhave worked as illustrators, musicians and even occultists. Most areprofessional artists in that they make a living from what they do, yet theirart isn't what would generally be considered commercial.

Their work has an uncanny charge to it and is ‘proper’ fine art but theirconsiderable combined influence is greatest in the secular world of booksand magazines, and on record covers, T shirts and posters. They are both‘not gallery’ and ‘gallery’ artists, ‘counterculture’ and ‘high culture’. Theyare what they are, and that's why they are here.

Battle Of The Eyes is a gallery-based collaboration between veteranillustrators Eyeball (Chris Long) and Savage Pencil (Edwin Pouncey).Independently, their drawings and illustrations have appeared innumerous magazines and books, and on album covers by The Fall,Sonic Youth and others.

Joel Biroco is an artist, writer and magician. He is the author of a book onthe I Ching and for some years edited the occult journal ‘Kaos’. Some ofthe paintings on display were created under the influence of Goeticdemons. Joel considers them to be 'demonic artifacts first, paintingssecond'. His work ‘Chaos’ was featured on the rear cover of StrangeAttractor Journal Four.

Julian House is a graphic designer and musician inspired by collage andmusique concrète. His work can be found on records by Primal Scream,Stereolab and Broadcast, amongst others, and on the cover of StrangeAttractor Journal Four. He co-runs the Ghost Box record label andproduces music as The Focus Group.

Cathy Ward has exhibited in a wide range of media at galleries across theUK and US. Her work has also appeared in books and magazines includingStrange Attractor Journal One and albums by The Fall, Sunn 0))), Siouxsieand The Banshees and others.

Battle Of The Eyes – Portal to the Ancestors I & II , charcoal on lining paper (2012) �Preparatory drawings.

Limited edition prints will be available

� Joel Biroco – Chaos, watercolour and india ink (2001)Painted under the influence of Goetic demons.

Julian House – Cult of The Peacock Angel, digital collage (2011) �Recent print variations on this work and other printed

ephemera and artwork will be shown.

� Strange Attractor Press will be in attendance with books and journalsfor sale. Maggs Counterculture will have a room full of books, posters,photographs and ephemera viewable by arrangement.

Cathy Ward – Hummer, incised ink on Gesso, 36 x 26 cm., (2006) �Drawings, prints, artist’s books, paintings

(with some on ‘ancient mirrors’) will be exhibited.

Maggs Bros Ltd

Cathy Ward – Tryptych, incised ink on gesso, 36x60cm (2009) �Commissioned by Stephen O 'Malley for SUNN 0)))'sseventh album ‘Monoliths and Dimensions’, (2009).