Sketch Installs New Instagram-driven Interactive Installation
Thy Art presents ‘Everything and Nothing’ by international artist James Burke
On show: 13 February - 31 August 2020
The most Instagrammed location in London, Sketch will be exhibiting a brand new art installation just in time for Valentines Day this year. Everything and Nothing by James Burke was discovered for Sketch by art-tech startup Thy Art: turning public spaces into art galleries and enabling anyone to have access to buy artwork by UK-based emerging and established contemporary artists. The company was founded with a clear mission to make art more accessible.
About Everything and Nothing
An exploration into the highs and lows of our relationship with social media, interactive artwork Everything and Nothing questions the effects of our new-found addiction to the brief euphoria that we experience on a daily basis via online gratification. The piece uses social media as a key component of the performance. Each time an image of the work gets a ‘like’ on Instagram, a puff of air inflates the balloon, until it eventually bursts under the pressure. The purpose of the artwork is to encourage the viewer to question if our sense of value and worth have become intrinsically linked to other people’s validations in endless machine-driven feedback loops.
James Burke is a Shoreditch-based visual artist, creative director and entrepreneur from London. Burke is also the founder of Acrylicize; an award-winning studio of artists, designers and craftsmen, Acrylicize is a multidisciplinary creative studio – based in both London and Seattle - creating bespoke artworks and installations for spaces all over the world.
Kabalan Gaspard, founder of Thy Art states: “When we first encountered ‘Everything & Nothing’ and learned of James Burke’s concept of the work, we knew the artwork would be perfect for Sketch, London. The Mayfair restaurant and bar has been a London haven for boundary-pushing and thought-provoking artwork for the past 20 years. It has recently distinguished itself by its social media presence, becoming the most Instagrammed location in London in 2018. Everything & Nothing explores the feedback loop of social media and lends an interactive, playful dimension to Sketch's profile.”
Artist James Burke says: “I'm delighted that ‘Everything & Nothing’ will take residency at Sketch. I admire their commitment to the arts and their continued support of artists. This piece is very much a conversation between artwork and viewer and requires real-time interaction to complete the circle. My hope is that guests at Sketch will take something from the experience and consider the wider implications of our relationship with social media and digital platforms.”
About Thy Art
Thy Art was founded in 2019 with support from Artist Coach Martha May Ronson (@marthamay). Thy Art partners with various locations around London, turning public spaces into art galleries and enabling anyone access to buy artwork by UK-based emerging and established contemporary artists via the Thy Art platform thyart.co. The work will be on display at Sketch, London from 13 February - 31 August 2020. Check-in by scanning the Thy Art QR code upon visiting. For further information please contact team@thyart.co.
On display at: Sketch London, 9 Conduit St, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG, M-F 7am-2am, S-S 8am-12am
