The Venice Suite by Sir Peter Blake (2009) is a portfolio of 20 limited edition silkscreen prints on 400gsm Somerset tub sized paper in an edition of 75. The Venice Suite was inspired by Blake’s trip to Venice for the Biennale of 2007. Each piece in the portfolio is a jewel of his trademark collage style. Blake combines traditional images of the city on the lagoon with visual excerpts from vintage childrens’ books, photographs, postcards, as well as details from works of the old masters. This visual witticism is teamed with a palette of turquoise, gold and the grey of the stones of Venice to create a surreal fairytale vision of the city. Blake juxtaposes the baroque grandeur of the architectural icons of Venice with giant penguins, wartime bombers, Edwardian rowers and icebergs to name a few. The end result is a portfolio of works that are playful, imaginative, beautiful, immensely varied and representative of Sir Peter Blake’s unique vision.
Artist Biography
Sir Peter Blake
Born in 1932 Sir Peter Blake is well known as the Godfather of British Pop Art he produces spectacular original prints, his work crosses all generational divides, and inspires great respect through the art world. Knighted in 2002, an honorary doctor of the Royal College of Art his work is represented in major collections throughout the world, Sir Peter Blake truly is a grandee of British Art.
Sir Peter Blake's work reflects his fascination with all streams of popular culture, and the beauty to be found in everyday objects and surroundings. Many of his works feature found printed materials such as photographs, comic strips or advertising texts, combined with bold geometric patterns and the use of primary colours. The works perfectly capture the effervescent and optimistic ethos of the sixties, but are also strikingly fresh and contemporary. Blake is renowned for his connection with the music industry, having produced iconic album covers for the Beatles, Paul Weller, The Who, and Oasis.
