"Matisse at Christmas" (A new exhibition at Chateau Joffe)

Matisse at Christmas An art exhibition by Harry Pye and Jasper Joffe about the mystery of great art. "Matisse at Christmas" runs from December 8 to 21. The PV is on Thursday 6th December "I'm for truth no matter who tells it." - Malcolm X “To miraculously hold together contradictions and incompatibility is a good definition of art.” Frank Auerbach Harry Pye and Jasper Joffe are both artists/curators who have been friends for more than ten years. Together they’ve worked on such projects as The Free Art Fair, The Rebel magazine, and 100 Mothers. Ekow Eshun visited Joffe et Pye’s show last year and on BBC Radio 4 's Saturday Review said of their work: "Intense feelings about love, loneliness and fear, anxiety, desire, hope and ambition all come into play in these paintings. Very powerful I thought. What could have been fey, arch or game playing was actually very warm."

(ABOVE: Collage of Paul Hedge by Harry Pye 2012)

(ABOVE: Rumainian Blouse painted by Jasper Joffe 2012) Matisse at Christmas is no joke, although some of the work in it might make you smile. Matisse at Christmas is not just a transcription project but then again - Jasper and Harry feel they've learned a lot by making work for this show. The show includes art made by Jasper and Harry that was earnestly inspired by the great Henri Matisse. They have tried to make work with the same freshness, beauty, and skill as Matisse but they have added their own signatures and trademarks. Can you just make more work of an artist you like? Does anyone know what they’re looking at? Do you believe in Matisse at Christmas?

(ABOVE: Wall of Harry)

(ABOVE: Wall of Jasper) Matisse at Christmas December 8 to 21 (PV Thursday 6 December) Chateau Joffe Shoreditch London 7C Plough Yard London EC2A 3LP Tube: Liverpool Street T: 079571 36066 open Friday to Sunday 12 to 4pm and by appointment harrypye.com www.jasperjoffe.com www.jasperandharry.blogspot.co.uk