Hot Off the Press
It’s been a busy year so far and what’s clear, in this brief moment of reflection, is that I’ve come a long way since Grecian Porn first made its way into the seven toilet cubicles at Hixter Bankside.
Publications
January saw the publication of the first Hix Magazine, featuring my first official advert, wonderfully positioned on the inside sleeves.
At the same time the Riverside Journals ran a small article on my practice and my inspirations, which you can view here:
http://www.redbrookmedia.com/magazine/tom-maryniak/
Out with the old ways
In March I made what might be considered my last truly hand printed wallpaper and the first one to sit on a coloured background.
It resides within the beautiful Georgian walls of the Academy Club, Soho.
April therefore saw a manufacturing revolution, from lino blocks and heavy books to screen-printing all of the designs.
New Possibilities
Since the revolution there’s been a lot of room for experiments in coloured backgrounds, multi layered designs and an acquired freedom to play with new patterns and ideas.
This development in printing technique has allowed me to create the most technical design to date; a bespoke, three layered and two-coloured image for The Lighthouse in Kent, which I finally slapped up last week.
After several months at the drawing board and a further few weeks working out colour and pattern technicalities, it finally made it and I must say I’m very happy with the result.
Exhibitions and Future prospects
Recently I returned to another of Marks Hix’s restaurants, The Tramshed, to install C’est La Vie, my latest design that featured in the exhibition ‘Let Them Eat Steak’ (8th May – 3rd July.)
The Cock & Bull gallery sits below this, the most iconic of his restaurants and the opening was a resounding success; all credit being due to the endless supply of meat and champagne (I tend not to expect more than a lukewarm cup of Blossom Hill at these things.)
As for the wallpaper itself, the team at the gallery have since commissioned me to permanently install it upstairs in close proximity to artworks by Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas and the Chapman brothers.
So I can only say I’m very excited about future developments, should they continue to accelerate as they have done over this past year.
