Heartfelt work in Horrorshow

When: On until 17th November 2013

Where: ink_d gallery, 96 North Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1YE

£: Free

What is it?

For the first solo show in his new home town of Brighton, Eelus has decided to step away from the child friendly, rainbow like images he’s had so much success with over the last couple of years and return to his darker roots.

Horrorshow will feature a brand new body of work made from hand-cut paper that focuses entirely on his number one love of horror imagery from the silver-screen, pulp comics and classic literature.

Eelus’s romance with horror started when he was around 8 years old, and like many other romances it began in the dark, in secret and in silence.  It was all down to a rare and puzzling artefact that had recently entered his family house.  An object of such unspeakable mystery and excitement it just had to be his.  He lay awake for hours, waiting for the dead of night before taking it from its hiding place, sliding it into the VHS player and pressing play.

The light from the TV fell across the tattered and ancient looking label attached to the cassette, strange words in faded blue biro, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre + The Exorcist.  Sitting alone in the dark, headphones over his ears, the calm and deathly silence of the room couldn’t be further from the horrific cacophony that was raging in his ears.  His mind alive and gorging itself on the bloody banquet contained within that small square screen.

He watched both films back to back before creeping back to bed in a daze.  He vowed there and then to give his beating heart over to the world of horror, and this show is a love letter to the stories and characters that have captured his imagination over the last 26 years.

Wigan born Eelus entered the world of street art after moving to London in 2000.  He was almost instantly snatched up by master printmakers Pictures On Walls after street legend Eine noticed his work on the grimy walls of East London.

Just over a decade later his focus has shifted from the streets to studio based work, and the introduction of paper-cut pieces to his portfolio has opened his mind to new ways of exploring his ideas as well as opening his work to a wider audience.  He has painted and exhibited alongside some of the scenes best contemporary masters including Shephard Fairey, Banksy, Eine, D-Face, Nick Walker, and Faile as well having a number of successful sell-out shows both in the UK and USA.

More info: eelus.com and www.ink-d.co.uk