‘Bring Me To Life' (Harry Potter) - The Original - SOLD
- The sheer brilliance of Harry Potter could see it fall within both my ‘Storyteller’ and ‘Lost in Hollywood’ collections, as can many other subjects as many start off in print. For me however, due to the incredible art of Storytelling by J.K Rowling, I have positioned this as a ‘Storyteller’ piece.
As I am celebrating and acknowledging a decade of creating art with meaning, I have spent a good time reflecting on past pieces, from 2014 and 2015 especially when so much of my work was deemed quite niche due to the complexity of the concept and meaning. Many were so obscure you may not have known of the story that it was born from. That was probably a good thing when I was commissioned at that time to create a piece on ‘50 Shades of Grey!’ It was a great period as so many were collector or gallery requests to simply take on a favourite book and interpret it how I saw fit. As an artist in my formative years and one that lacked confidence and direction, I was always humbled by this show of faith in me as a storyteller tasked with looking after their investment as well as a subject that often involved a deeply personal link.
A good number of these were based on Harry Potter, they included The Room of Requirement and Hogwarts and would often involve that choice between darkness and light. So, for 2024 I wanted to embrace this and go back to my roots as such whilst also hopefully demonstrating my progression from a technical perspective. It’s always a tricky one when you list out the subjects that you are going to be releasing as when collectors see a title, their minds start racing and that can be challenging when you know that you have taken something on that is not blatant and instead using the very essence of the story but in a way that means it can relate to many others who may not even know or care that it has links to the title. So, I am always very transparent with that. ‘Draco Dormiens’ and ‘Anything’s Possible’ are two very successful pieces that I have created in the past and both scream Harry Potter without needing to tackle the narrative. For ‘Bring Me To Life’ I wanted to make it all about the meaning.
What you see here is an image and its narrative inspired from a much earlier piece called ‘The Struggle Within’ which focused on the Mirror of Erised and the choices we make with the battle between dark and light. In addition to this I have also embraced the success of past pieces ‘Fight or Flight’ and ‘Lithium’ that each involved a cloaked figure that, along with the meaning, dominated the artwork, making the fairy tale simply become a subtle link. It was the cloaked figure that drew me in with my initial thinking for ‘Bring Me To Life’ as it creates so much intrigue and ability for people to relate for so many reasons. There was a clear link as I could then focus in on the Cloak of Invisibility.
However, I wanted more from this piece. If I had simply put a stationary cloaked figure stood in front of the mirror, it would have looked great but ultimately static. I wanted to push it and myself further and show the point where the reaction happened from when the figure looked into the mirror. That way there is more drama and emotion and a stronger link to the underlying narrative. You must push yourself as an artist and storyteller. So, what you see is almost ghostlike in appearance, it is haunting and creates a response. The cloak of Invisibility and the Mirror of Erised work in unison here through the meaning that drives this piece. What I have done is to depict someone who lacks confidence, self-belief, self-worth and direction and through wearing their cloak they feel or want to feel invisible to others. Sad but true.
Now here is where you take control, what do you see, or need to see? The mirror is meant to show you your deepest, most inner desires, but what do you see? Are we looking at the figure reacting in a positive or negative manner from what they are shown? That’s not for me to dictate. I have simply handed this over to become your artwork, your interpretation, your reason for connecting. Whichever you decide, the next step is the same – the figure has a decision to make, which way do they turn? You can see from the exploding glass shards that there is a reaction, a connection. What we do know is that the truth is there, like it or not. How can you see into my eyes like open doors? Because eyes are like mirrors or doors into one’s soul.
If you look through the exploding glass you will see that the forest awaits, hinting that regardless of which direction you choose to embark on, you are going on a journey. Personally, I absolutely adore this detail, see how the red detail links to the tiny red sections on the stained-glass windows? Look at the scrawled messaging on the walls and the floors if you please. It’s sad, so sad but still ultimately positive. The figure is at that point, looking for answers, for hope, whilst acknowledging where they are at that moment in their life. ‘Searching to find a love upon a higher level’ contrasts with ‘finding nothing but questions and devils’ suggests that they are truly lost and wanting to be found. ‘You are the life among the dead, bring me to life, save me from the nothing I’ve become’. Heart-breaking isn’t it, and sadly all too common. However, no one is ever truly alone, there is always hope and good souls to guide you.
Music drove this piece; it took it to a higher level. It battered me throughout, it haunts me now, I’m trying to type through tears. ‘Last Resort – Reimagined by Falling in Reverse is the song. In addition, ‘Bring me to life’ by Evanescence adds to the emotion within the image and its narrative.
I love how close darkness resides to light and the battles that play out between good and evil, it resonates, and runs amok through my art. Life is all about decision making right? So, you’ve seen what you wanted to see or feared you would see. What now? Which way? Look left and you’ll see the beauty of guidance and direction from those who you have loved and learned from. Look right and you see those who haunt you, who stalk you, those who ‘lie’ in wait for you, who prey on your vulnerability. Fuckers! You’re stronger than you think, braver than you realise, and despite what you may think, you are never, ever on your own!
Choose life, please x
Commissions
When workload allows Mark embraces client commissions and has enjoyed amazing success to date. If you have been inspired by the work that you have seen and have a specific idea or simply a seed then please do get in touch.
Commission EnquiriesRelated Items
‘Dressed To Kill’ (James Bond) - The Original - SOLD
- To say I have quite a few collectors who are avid James Bond fans is an understatement! So here you go, it’s ‘Dressed to Kill’ and I hope that it leaves you both shaken AND stirred!
I like to mix things up, and that is not just subject matter but also on the style of my work. Art with meaning without a doubt and some are so intensely driven by multi layered narratives, complex concepts, and hidden messaging. However, sometimes it is great to simply go crazy on impact and technical aspects to create a piece that can simply be enjoyed and embraced for its subject matter, and this is what I have done here!
In 2023 I set about planning what would go into my Spring / Summer collection for 2024 and a James Bond London scene was pencilled in from the start. I am so proud of my work to date on Britain’s favourite secret agent and the mix of imagery, from subtle scenes that showcase the interaction between machine and landscape through to pieces laden with movie props that take an eternity to seek out.
My initial thinking for this piece was to make it more London than Bond and that would have been successful and that has not been dismissed. However, as this collection evolved, it became clear that it has an intense quality and genuine depth (and darkness) to it and for me, I always strive to curate a body of work that works beautifully as one as well as individually. So, the decision was to create something with genuine class and have big impact yet be subtle and pulled back, not to be overcrowded. Therefore, the role of London would become a beautiful backdrop on the horizon rather than dominating.
I investigated iconic scenes from our capital that featured within the movies and toyed with the idea of using the MI6 building as the base. However, what you see here is the splendid architecture of Somerset House that creates the structure for the scene, with a combination of Bond’s headquarters and the Houses of Parliament and the stunning dome of St Pauls. Somerset House is perfect as was featured in both ‘Goldeneye’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ and it allowed me to overlay some subtle details for you lot to seek out, some are so subtle I struggle to remember what they are, so if you don’t know then the chances are that we are in the same boat! I have managed to get every Bond movie poster overlaid with the background of the scene so good luck with that!
As dramatic and varied as the movies are, the overriding quality is class, utter class, be it through the Aston Martin or the evening wear. I set about creating a piece that resonated style and one that could simply be enjoyed as the very best of Bond. So, the emphasis was switched from a complex narrative to one of technical precision where I challenged myself to produce an incredibly complicated image by means of the production aspect to create a unified quality rather than a mishmash of characters that you often see. It had to look believable.
There are many examples of pieces that features the iconic Bonds over the years, each with their own style and done with varying degrees of success. Each to their own and all. My goal was to take the 6 James Bond characters (I wasn’t fussed with the other one that barely anyone can remember his name) and get them in front of you. For those who have followed my work for a while will no doubt know that I love any opportunity to get an iconic car into the scene and this was always on the list. Is there a more iconic and beautiful car? Everyone has their favourite Bond and car, for me personally it was Connery and the DB5 as it brings me back to my childhood. The earlier films are the ones that always resonate with me. I’ll be honest, I am still to find time to watch the latest movie and am still crushed from someone telling me that he dies! Who knew?!
As an artist I feel that you need to challenge yourself, to keep building and showing progression in your ability. It was incredibly satisfying to create something that was so technically difficult and to see how it sits in print. I can’t wait to hear what my collectors think to ‘Dressed to Kill’, hopefully this is the ultimate piece for the true James Bond fan. I’ll drink to that, although I’ll take a Malibu over a Martini!
-
- Released: 2024
- Collection: Decadence
- Edition Size: 1 of 1 Original
- Specification: Embellished canvas, custom frame with diamond dusted inlay, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 58” x 36"
- Framed Size (Approx): 64” x 41"
-
- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 14 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.
‘Get Out of the Water’ (Jaws) - The Original
£4,850.00
- This bloody film still haunts me! Hopefully I’m not alone, that would just be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?
2016 saw me create a collection all on iconic movies, I chose to call it ‘Lost in Hollywood’ after a System of a Down track. Who knew?! I had no idea that it would be so well received and create the platform to really build and evolve as an artist when I embarked on my journey as an independent artist in 2018. 4 more collections followed and countless other pieces that sit within the ‘LIH brand, and we have barely scratched the surface. Speaking of surfaces….
Within that 2016 collection was a piece entitled ‘You’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat’ – a dramatic and unique interpretation on the Spielberg classic ‘JAWS’! What this piece also did was first introduce the statement that ‘greed breeds monsters’ – a concept that has continued to feature within my work as my experience grew. My take on JAWS looked at who was really the monster and intruder, was this a case of a man-made monster? That piece was so successful for many a reason, but I know you lot loves the sense of depth and vibrancy that masked the sinister nature of it and its concept.
So, when planning this Spring / Summer collection and looking back to past collections there was one piece that I had never done a follow up to and that was JAWS, this was probably down to a genuine fear of the robotic bitch and what lies beneath in open water. I have created several pieces that are seascapes, depicting The Goonies and Pirates of the Caribbean among others so this was a particular pull for me. The initial thinking was to create a similar composition to my 2019 ‘Lost Boys’ piece ‘Thou Shalt Not Fall’ where you saw details on the beach of Amity Island and then the iconic Orca boat moored just offshore. I made a start and then felt a pull, not on my leg luckily, although that is often George the Bulldog! Something didn’t feel right, and it became clear. I wanted to play on the unease that comes from being isolated in the ocean and that fear of not knowing what lies beneath, the more you think about it and if you let it run riot within your mind can become claustrophobic, well so they say ;)
So that plan was sunk, and I embarked on a different direction where this sense of isolation and vulnerability could shine (how funny, I’m typing so quickly I just typed the word ‘shit’ and now ‘shot’ trying to write ‘shit’. I’ve been here too long! ‘Get Out of The Water’ is such a striking image and shows the contrast between an ageing and battered ‘Orca’ boat bobbing up and down within a vast expanse of sea. It was actually the boat that went in much later on as I wanted to focus on the seascape and the sky above to create the atmosphere. Have you seen it yet?! Red light spells danger, right?
Danger can come at you from every direction in such a remote environment and that screams here! Look closely… Once the background was complete, I was absolutely buzzing and without doubt this piece involved the most amount of test prints to get the colours right and to ensure that you could see enough but not too much! When the boat was in place it just took the image to a whole never level, getting the size ratio bang on was critical. It was then time for the subtle details, and I mean really subtle. Going back to earlier when I mentioned that I have asked the question as to who the real monster is and who is killing who, look closely at the cracking oil drum that tarnishes the ocean ‘KINTNER’ – the liquid that flows out into the water links back to the 2016 piece, as do the fish, or what is left of them. Now I know you guys love to seek out the meaning and reasoning why I place a particular detail – well if you get the bird reference then I will be really impressed!
-
- Released: 2024
- Collection: Decadence
- Edition Size: 1 of 1 Original
- Specification: Embellished Canvas with custom frame, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 48” x 36"
- Framed Size (Approx): 54” x 41"
-
- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 14 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.
 - The Original - SOLD&media=https://markdaviesbritishartist.co.uk/cdn/shop/files/BMTL-Hero_600x.jpg?v=1714900247){kind=link}
‘It’s Showtime!’ (Beetlejuice) - The Original
£4,850.00
- How the hell has it taken me ten years to take on Beetlejuice?! What a brilliantly bonkers film! Well good things come to those who wait I guess and what with the sequel coming this year that looks incredible, the timing is perfect. It does seem that the movie often gets overlooked but when those memories come back, it very quickly reminds you just how you were fascinated by the plot, the setting, and the brilliant, brilliant characters! It certainly has a cult following.
Released in 1988, it was so wonderfully 80’s, every damned thing about it! I guess that era has stayed so popular for these type of comedy horror movies because of the special effects, great back then but they haven’t aged well – yet because of that it just adds to the warmth that you feel towards it nowadays when such effects are way too over the top and maybe too real. The same applies to Ghostbusters, back in 1984 the way that we saw Slimer, and the terror dogs was so much more fun than what we see in modern instalments like a possessed bin bag or pizza.
It was really interesting to revisit Beetlejuice after so many years, it stirred up so many memories. What it did remind me of was that back then as a ten-year-old little cutie that it was actually scary. Not in terms of the effects because they weren’t bad at all, it was the subject of death. It troubled me when the couple crashed through the bridge and drowned and came back as ghosts, realising that they had perished. Ignoring that though, how incredible is Michael Keaton as an actor, I had no idea that it was the same guy who played Batman so brilliantly. I guess back then (sounding old now!) there was no internet to expand on what you had just watched – you simply enjoyed it for who the actors were playing and nothing more. It was all about the movie and nothing else could get in the way. Pure cinema, pure fascination.
I’m counting how many times I mention Beetlejuice here in case the mouldy faced lunatic bursts in, but I think it’s only if you say it three times in a row, go on I dare you! That reminds me of that dare at school when you were challenged to say a name into the mirror – I’m pretty sure I did it, but nothing happened apart from shitting myself – good that the mirror was in the downstairs toilet! Anyway, back to the movie, it’s showtime!
The very nature of the film’s narrative and aesthetics are perfect for me, dark, quirky, random, and vivid. As part of this collection I had previously worked on a piece based on The Shining ‘REDRUM’ and for that piece I set about depicting the movie in a ‘Storyteller’ way where it is all about the detail and not the characters, Jack was shown only as a shadow and reflection in the mirror and the twins just had to feature but otherwise It was all about the devil well and truly being in the detail. This was to be in line with a past piece called ‘Smile’ where the detail was enough, but the character involvement transformed it. I did contemplate it for Beetlejuice, but the brilliance of the characters was too good to leave out!
I have tried to capture the wonderful qualities of the movie within my interpretation, I have spent so much time adjusting the colour balance so that the piece is dark but vivid but not overpowering or too intense to hang in your living space. Production probably despise me, but I love it, it’s important and you lot are worth it! I was toying with the idea of creating a scene within the loft but feared it may end up being too dark visually, another thought was to set it by the bridge but that clearly still troubles me! The graveyard was a great setting and so different to what you would typically see, devoid of unease but still creepy. Decision made.
The truth is, there are so many amazing settings and references within the film that I had to try and integrate them into my own take on the movie and I quickly realised that this was going to be so successful. I wanted it to be full to bursting but not too busy, pulling big details back to give a better focus and order. It was a solid example of how confident I have been in my decision making. The intensity that I was working at was full on, yet it was combined with such a strong sense of calm. This was the feeling from start to finish with this collection. From a personal level, I needed complete and utter focus, and the end results are really quite something, another example of so much positivity coming from a challenging time.
So, ignoring the main man, who is your favourite ghost in the film? Harry the Hunter? Charred Man?! It’s great how each have clearly died a horrific death yet are so likeable, I feel like I need to give Charred Man a hug, but he would surely disintegrate or leave a blackened mess on my new top. Karma, I hear you cry? Payback from all of you who have been covered from my burnt frames! Whoopsie! Fuck it! I shall never change! Although I better be careful, or I will end up starring in Beetlejuice 3! Anyway, back to the piece! I have a good feeling about this one, you just don’t see artworks in this way depicting the movie so I hope I have done it justice, I love it personally and I can’t wait to hear your reaction. Oh, and if you haven’t seen it, check out the insane frame on the original! I’m still finding bits of that moss where the sun don’t shine!
-
- Released: 2024
- Collection: Decadence
- Edition Size: 1 of 1 Original
- Specification: Embellished canvas with custom frame, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 48” x 36"
- Framed Size (Approx): 54” x 41"
-
- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 14 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.