Author: Charlotte Bearn

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA | Image
Brighton based artist Bonnie and Clyde has been exploring the American West Coast in her cool and colourful new collection. She has generously shared her travel snaps and taken the time to explain the fascinating journey she underwent to create her latest print ‘FIVE’ aka ‘I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA’.

The print is a striking photomontage of 5 buildings in coastal LA, “I used photography, paint, inks, pencils, digital print, Japanese paper and wood to make the original which I then turned into a limited edition print with screen-print and glazes and hand-finished glazed collage elements,” Bonnie and Clyde explained.

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA | Image

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA | Image

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA | Image

The original picture is composed of several individual elements carefully balanced to create the LA scene.  Bonnie and Clyde painted each quintessential building then scanned them and reworked them in the computer, adding the backdrop and various elements. “Next I deconstructed the piece and printed all the bits individually, painted the areas of colour and collaged the piece together, painting as I went along.”  Layers and layers of collaged painted elements combine to create a skilful and seamless landscape. 

One of the buildings in the print is the Chiat/Day building in Venice California. Known now as the ‘Binoculars Building’, the iconic building is a commercial office built for the advertising agency Chiat/Day as its West Coast corporate headquarters. The massive sculpture of binoculars that functions as the entrance was made by American Pop artist Claus Oldenburg. It was designed by LA “Deconstructivist Postmodern architect Frank Gehry, who I’m a fan of,” Bonnie and Clyde revealed, “I was given an amazing book which featured this building when I was just starting out on my creative journey so to see it in the flesh was a big deal and I just had to make a piece featuring it.” 

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA | Image

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA | Image

Bonnie and Clyde: I Thought I Wanted to be an Architect but Really I Just Want to Live in a Postmodern House in LA | Image

As the prints title suggests, Bonnie and Clyde is seriously interested in the LA architecture, “the architecture of the area is really interesting as there is a height limit and the structures are low due to earthquakes. There’s an abundance of modernist and postmodern buildings and it’s a creative hub. The wide streets and low buildings give the area an air of space and freedom and the basic structures, bad electricity infrastructure make it feel more down to earth and relaxed.” 

The other buildings depicted in ‘FIVE’ can be found dotted around the Venice and Santa Monica area, along with the palm trees and signs Bonnie and Clyde has incorporated. The backdrop of hills is visible from the beach around Santa Monica Pier. “The car was taken from a trip to Rhodes a number of years ago, the Ozone Avenue sign a reference to the 5 lanes of LA traffic,” she explained. The day-glo palm trees are her joyful emblem of this unique modern metropolis. The print, which embodies LA cool, is her personal memento of a thrilling American adventure.  

NEW RELEASES

NYC - Let's Go Get Lost -... £395

Dave Buonaguidi

72.5 x 100cm

Limited edition of 75

Set Your Sails - Blue & Gold by Donk
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Set Your Sails - Blue & Gold £150

Donk

60 x 70cm

Limited edition of 30

Sunday Morning is a Feeling - Variant 1 by Phoebe Boddy
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Armour by Will Blood
Arrives by christmas
Armour £170

Will Blood

50 x 50cm

Timed edition of 305

Electric Blue £650

Nathalie Kingdon

76 x 76cm

Limited edition of 30

Care Bears - 4 Print Set £300 £175

Louise McNaught

21 x 30cm

Limited edition of 100

Always Remember The Things That Brought Us... £195

Adam Bridgland

42 x 59.4cm

Limited edition of 50

Small Steps £250

Joe Webb

55 x 75cm

Limited edition of 70

Jasmine Garden £150

Hannah Adamaszek

42 x 60cm

Limited edition of 20

Home Plate by RYCA
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Home Plate £50

RYCA

27 x 27cm

Limited edition of 30

White Dove by Dan David
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
White Dove £220

Dan David

10 x 10cm

Limited edition of 30

Space Vader - Yellow by The Thomas Brothers
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Space Vader - Yellow £95

The Thomas Brothers

40 x 40cm

Limited edition of 25

Mickey (Orange Stripe) by Carl Stimpson
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Mickey (Orange Stripe) £100

Carl Stimpson

35 x 35cm

Limited edition of 20

Pacman by Haus of Lucy
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Pacman £65

Haus of Lucy

20.32 x 20.32cm

Limited edition of 30

Paloma by Maria Rivans
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Paloma £80

Maria Rivans

25.5 x 34cm

Limited edition of 75

Light Through Trees by Billy Childish
Exclusive
Light Through Trees £300 £225

Billy Childish

56 x 42cm

Limited edition of 50

Cat Pyramids - Gold by Memori Prints
Exclusive
Cat Pyramids - Gold £65

Memori Prints

29.7 x 42cm

Limited edition of 38

A Light Melody from £225

Emma Reynolds

Various sizes

Sunny Sunbirds £230

Charlotte Farmer

42 x 59.4cm

Limited edition of 100

The Strip - Mini by Bonnie and Clyde
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
The Strip - Mini £200 £150

Bonnie and Clyde

42 x 30cm

Limited edition of 60

Yesterday Never Seems To End by Rob Draper
Exclusive
Yesterday Never Seems To End £100

Rob Draper

42 x 59.4cm

Limited edition of 25

Meet Me In Matisse's Garden by Benjamin Thomas Taylor
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Meet Me In Matisse's Garden £195

Benjamin Thomas Taylor

50 x 70cm

Limited edition of 25

I'm in the Bush - Canvas Edition by Babak Ganjei
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
I'm in the Bush - Canvas Edition £350 £250

Babak Ganjei

50 x 70cm

Limited edition of 15

Eastbound Again £145

Gerry Buxton

40 x 60cm

Limited edition of 75

Wonders of the Natural World - Box Set of four prints by Magnus Gjoen
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Wonders of the Natural World - Box... £250 £125

Magnus Gjoen

20 x 20cm

Limited edition of 250

Nike Air Mag Plate by Haus of Lucy
Exclusive
Arrives by christmas
Nike Air Mag Plate £65

Haus of Lucy

20.32 x 20.32cm

Limited edition of 30

Autumn Leaves £295

Rob Wass

70 x 70cm

Limited edition of 10

Like a Prayer £250

Magnus Gjoen

26 x 36cm

Limited edition of 30

Mother Love from £350

Victoria Topping

Various sizes