Paris / New York / Toronto
Paris : 📍2 Pl. Farhat Hached, 75013 Paris
Taglialatella Gallery is particularly pleased to present "people", the first Parisian solo show by the contemporary artist duo shelby and sandy.
The inspiration of the Californian brothers shelby and sandy is rooted in the cultural references of their childhood. Their aesthetic, sometimes whimsical, integrates elements of minimalism, surrealism and classical animation.
Like them, the Los Angeles studio vibrates with a creative energy that is at once joyful, nostalgic, innovative and ultra-perfectionist.
They work on a variety of media, creating their own frames, colors and varnishes, to achieve flawless lines and flat, matte colors.
Whether on canvas, wood or fabric, shelby and sandy are inspired by childhood favorites, cult movies and iconic athletes.
Shelby describes their creative process as follows: "We work on a piece until every color is right, every line is perfect, and we are both completely satisfied. Each painting is a 50/50 collaboration.
For their previous exhibition at Taglialatella New York in September 2022, the two artists chose to focus on the theme of "animals."
Captivated by the idea of exploring diverse themes they choose for their first exhibition in Paris to focus on the theme of "people".
"Given the current climate of growing hostility and division, we aspire to infuse our artwork with a sense of pleasure and contentment. We imagine that our paintings of united individuals will inspire a sense of cheerfulness and solidarity," they confide to announce the color!
This exhibition makes particular sense for the founder of the Parisian gallery Nadège Buffe who has been following the duo for several years and has already had the opportunity to present their work twice at Drouot in January and September 2022 as part of the "district 13" exhibition.
Indeed, the gallery is committed to an artistic expression that would lead as much as possible to re-enchantment. In the face of cynicism and chaos, an awareness inspired by beauty and wonder would transform the imagination and federate more sensitivity and respect between individuals and privilege the gentleness towards our environment.
shelby and sandy's approach is rooted in their childhood and shared experiences. Their main objective is to evoke feelings of joy and happiness in the viewer.
Although their art can be categorized as Pop Art or Neo Pop Art, they prefer to emphasize that they use this term to refer to "popular art", rather than to refer to a specific movement or genre. They are indeed working to create popular art, accessible to people of all ages.
shelby and sandy were born in 1983 and 1992 in Irvine, California. They live and work in Los Angeles.
Both brothers grew up in an environment that fostered creativity and expression in an eclectic and imaginative setting, encouraged by a mother who was an artist and generous with art supplies that contributed to both brothers' creative growth.
The elder Shelby left their hometown of Irvine to attend the University of Southern California (USC), where he studied political science and film while continuing to paint in his spare time. Years later, Sandy did the same, enrolling at the same university to earn a degree in fine arts, specializing in painting and design. Being in the same city at the time, the two brothers began spending a lot of time together. Sandy would share his design concepts, while Shelby would show him her latest paintings. These discussions sparked a common interest in collaborating and working together creatively until this collaboration, guided by the same high standards, became official. The rest is history!
Over the years, the artists have carefully selected their color database, gathering a collection of about 100 most frequently used colors. "We like to think of our colors like a box of Crayola crayons. Our goal is for the shade of red in one of our paints to be the same as in another piece. By using a consistent palette of vibrant hues, we maintain a sense of cohesion in our work, which allows us to effectively communicate the overall feeling we want to convey - happiness."
Both artists are constantly expanding their horizons by continually exploring new textures, varnishes and mediums. Currently, shelby and sandy are excited about a thinner gloss varnish, as it beautifully enhances the thick, textured brush strokes present in their paintings. When the two brothers first started working together in earnest in the early 2000s, only a small circle of celebrities and discerning collectors coveted their work. It only took a few posts on Instagram for the duo to gain recognition on the international art scene, which soon translated into sales to prestigious private collections.
Outside of California and the East Coast, shelby and sandy have been exhibited in Hong Kong and South Korea.
Most recently, their supercharged paintings were the talk of the town at the Taglialatella Galleries booth at the Scope Art Show at Art Basel Miami 2021 and 2022. It is therefore a joy for the Parisian gallery to offer this very first solo exhibition exclusively in Paris!
