Special Bassist Brings American Pop Art To Birmingham

The Specials bassist and renowned Pop Artist Horace Panter is set to launch his new exhibition in Birmingham this month (February).

Best known by music fans for hits including Ghost Town and A Message To You Rudy, his passion for creativity, Pop Art and travel has transferred into this new collection.

The exhibition, ‘Across America’ was inspired by his trip a year ago to both LA and Texas, where the big, bold and beautiful became the main focus for this outstanding collection.

Horace, who is based in Warwickshire, said: “For this series of paintings, the majority of the reference came from my trip to America and the photographs I took while I was there.

“I have always been fascinated by the country, from a child playing Cowboys and Indians to the incredible musicians they have produced. It’s where my heroes lived and so when I started touring there with The Specials, it lived up to all my expectations and more”.

“Everything is so much bigger, brighter and bolder over there, even the sky is different. It’s all about the bigger picture – wider roads, the garish signs, the deep blue skies. It’s so different from England. In fact I was talking to an American when I was there and they were amazed at what I was looking at. They said it would take someone from England to see these things that were so normal to them. These are all the reasons why it falls beautifully into the Pop Art world and I just find it so interesting and inspiring,” he added.

Horace has been working alongside the Colley Ison Gallery, which is where the exhibition will be shown, for the past decade. He said he couldn’t wait to see his pieces finally on display, and will also be curating the exhibition and will include works by artists that have inspired him, such as David Hockney and Andy Warhol.

“It’s very rare that I get to see all the paintings in one place because of the process I use for framing and getting prints made. Signed limited edition prints will also be available at the exhibition. 

“I’m very much looking forward to seeing them all together again, and being back in Birmingham with Tim and everyone from Colley Ison Gallery,” he added.

Gallery Director Timothy Ison said: “It is of course always a pleasure to see Horace again and be able to show this wonderful collection.

“It’s going to be a great exhibition and will follow on perfectly from the Andy Warhol show which runs until Saturday 11 February,” he added.

This will be the first time ‘Across America’ will be displayed in the UK, and Horace will be at the Colmore Row Gallery on Saturday 18 February from noon until 3pm for guests.

The exhibition, which is open to all, runs from Wednesday 15 February until Saturday 4 March. 

Prices for original works start from £1,250. For more details visit this link.