Artist PREFAB-77 to showcase first solo show in Scotland

Glasgow’s SWG3 arts venue has announced the debut solo show by globally-renowned artist PREFAB-77.

Scotland’s leading multi-disciplinary arts venuewill showcase a heady mix of the street artist’s influences and obsessions at the latest exhibition in their Yard Life Gallery.

Revered UK artist PREFAB77 is also known as Peter Manning. The exhibition, titled A Slice of Life, which will open on 26 March 2022, is a culmination of Peter’s vast range of influences and obsessions; from pop culture to religion and politics.

This exhibition marks PREFAB77’s first solo Scottish show, and will see the Newcastle-based artist unveil a series of allegorical portraits. Foreshadowing, anti-establishment and visually beautiful, the forthcoming exhibition uses a luxurious mixture of print, acrylic, spray paint, wheatpaste and varnish on a range of reclaimed wood, creating a modern fable of gangs, goddesses and groupies.

Peter said: ‘My work is a constant battle between visuals, meaning, relevance, style, subject, aesthetic, perception, narrative, substance, originality, theft, construction, destruction, influence, rock, rebellion, fake, real, nihilism, optimism and above all the desire to avoid boredom.’

Excelsior by PREFAB-77

Peter, who is renowned for large-scale street murals as well as print and cut art, began creating after early training as a printmaker and designer for the British Army. ​​PREFAB77 was born later in the 90s as Peter began exploring youth culture, how it was manufactured and eventually the way it was resold to kids.

Living in the small Manhattan neighbourhood of Nolita during the 90s, Peter fell in love with the layers of tags and posters that, over the years, created what he believed to be a ‘neglected, urgent, idiosyncratic and incidental beauty.’ It was Peter’s obsession with this layered form of art, and narratives, that now forms his current works.

Marianne Vosloo, Arts Programmer for SWG3, said: ‘We are thrilled to announce A Slice of Life by PREFAB77 at Yard Life Gallery. It is even more exciting that this will be the very first solo show from him in Scotland. From the Manhattan street art scene, to fashion and a love of allegories, art, and history – visitors should expect a range of interwoven themes and influences, all wound up in Peter’s inimitable style.’

A Slice of Life will open on Saturday 26 March noon-6pm and then Wednesdays to Saturdays noon-6pm until 22nd April. Yard Life Gallery occupies one of SWG3’s archways on Eastvale Place.

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