Berlin Wall artist Thierry Noir paints in the key of jazz
- Text by Robin Nierynck
Thierry Noir was the first artist to paint on the Berlin Wall. Born in France, he moved to Berlin in the 1980s, drawn east by its underground music scene. Fuelled by the divided city’s creative energy, Noir began painting his colourful characters that are now iconic.
A year after his first big show in London, Noir is returning with another solo exhibition, Jazz, at the Howard Griffin Gallery. For the first time, he is moving away from his Berlin Wall legacy to explore the harmony between art and music.
Noir’s style draws many parallels with the music that inspired much of his work. The vibrant and clashing colours, in their apparent discordance, evoke the nature of jazz music when they come together in unexpected beauty. With Jazz, Noir returns to the musical influences that brought him to Berlin, from nu wave to hip hop, punk rock and of course jazz, capturing the spirit of the times through art.
The exhibition will feature some of Noir’s work as it moves into other art forms. Every inch of the space will be covered with colour – the walls, floor and ceiling. There will be large scale sculptural works, made in collaboration with artist Chris Tsonias, and custom-made fully playable (and colourful) instruments including violins, guitars and pianos.
Be prepared for a sensory experience, filled with vivid imagery and relentless energy.
Thierry Noir: Jazz runs from 25 June to 26 July at the Howard Griffin Gallery, entry is free.
You might like
The art of paying attention: How Austria’s Alps reward slowing down
Lebensgefühl — With a growing movement of art and music rooted in the area’s mountains, trees and waterfalls, the region is showcasing the importance of the human relationship to nature.
Written by: Sophie Lou Wilson
Grainy, yearning memories of Europe’s ’90s free rave heyday
Never Alone — A new photobook from Cheyenne Clementi and Valentina Morandi presents pictures they made over seven years while touring the continent as part of the Tekno Mobil Squad soundsystem crew. It archives parties, people and a lifestyle largely consigned to the past.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As Hanoi’s nightlife faces raids & repression, its underground scene modulates
Spaces Between the Beats — Tensions between nightlife and authorities have grown in recent times, as police target venues and their patrons with increasingly frequent drug testing and searches. With clubs becoming hostile spaces as a result, Hanoi’s electronic music community is finding new spaces and forms of expression, reports Martin Guttridge-Hewitt.
Written by: Martin Guttridge-Hewitt
American Football: The One With The Feelings
Many moons — The Midwest emo architects transformed a college experiment into a coming-of-age soundtrack. 25 years on, their latest iteration sees them bottle the same magic for the ups and downs of middle life.
Written by: Tracy Kawalik
Inside Parkuir: the art project queering sport, space and our bodies
Lie and play — Founded by Maria Laudes and Guiu Gimeno, it provides a framework for engaging, subverting, and celebrating the small details that make people unique – and queer.
Written by: Molly Lipson
A major Nan Goldin exhibition is coming to London
You Never Did Anything Wrong — Opening at the Hayward Gallery in November, the show will debut a new film from the artist and activist, alongside a slate of recent work.
Written by: Jack Dennison-Thompson
