Weston Frizzell

Weston Frizzell is the collaborative identity of artists Otis Frizzell and Mike Weston.

Individually and in collaboration, while drawing from a broad pool of influences, their work is unashamedly pop . Their work as Weston Frizzell has shaped an art brand that is a distillation of the kiwi psyche in a global context. In nearly two decades of collaboration their output includes screenprints, digital prints, photography, paintings, an award winning wine brand, a hit line of ecobags produced with a major supermarket, music releases, video clips, touring exhibitions and a successful range of licensed merchandise.

Innovative (and sometimes controversial) in the unashamed elevation of business model to the level of artistic endeavour. This “high performance art partnership” has its roots in the street art and pop culture melting pot of Auckland’s K’ Rd in the late 90’s. Their collaboration has applied a production-team approach to producing painted one-off and edition works, an extensive series of hit limited edition screenprints and digital works, and a constantly expanding range of mass marketed merchandise.

By applying sampling, cutup and remix techniques and philosophies to the creative process, Weston Frizzell manipulate appropriated subject matter into slick, accessible and edgy work with tight production values, at times wilfully oblivious to conventional notions of authorship or originality. The philosophy and work is informed by dada, punk , situationism, hip-hop, graffiti art and techno culture.

Weston Frizzell work embodies an informed, and witty approach to juxtaposing art history and contemporary media, often with a political message at the centre. They appropriate from a broad set of cultural sources, reworking and reconfiguring elements to create works that span the boundaries between art, product, design, style and artifact.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS AT ARTIS

2017 Populism, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland