Graffiti artist Maser tries his hand at a traditional canvas

’Orbiting on the Periphery’ is a colourful new exhibition from Irish-born street artist Maser, at London’s Lazarides Gallery

(Image credit: Photography courtesy Lazarides Rathbone)

last updated 25 October 2022

Irish-born graffiti artist Maser was given his name by mates at the pub when he was fifteen – and it just stuck.

This accidental moniker is now at the centre of the global public art scene. Last summer, Maser was artist in residence for the Sydney Festival, and he also exhibited last autumn at Palais de Tokyo's celebrated 'Perspective Playgound' exhibition.

Thus far, 'Maser' has been synonymous with his ballsy outdoor murals. For a new exhibition at London's left-field Lazarides gallery, Maser, who has a fine-art education, wanted to 'refine' his painting and 'switch heads', from public installation-maker to traditional painter.

'Any chance to get outdoors and I take it,' he admits, which explains the gemeotric vinyl shapes that he has grafted to the gallery windows – a psychadelic vision to brighten the otherwise muted Fitzrovian street. Steve Lazarides – who owns the gallery, itself already notable for exhibiting works by Banksy – worked collaboratively with Maser and his team, allowing them to paint the walls, ceilings and doors. Indeed, the space looks entirely Maser-ed. The artist explains how the private view felt like a 'house-warming' because he was surrounded by friends and family from Ireland – and because he had just re-decorated. Dark grey walls with gemoetric inserts frame his vibrant, multicoloured canvases.

The works are loosely based around the show's title, 'Orbiting on the Periphery'. Body parts ambiguously sprout from colourful centrepoints, and abstract shapes pile on top of each of with abandon. But, Maser explains, the title represents more than just the works on display. 'I feel like I'm orbiting the periphery a bit. My art is outside the realm of the normal, and maybe I've always felt like that socially, too.

'But I don't want to ram a theme or concept down people's throats,' Maser clarifies. 'When I go to a gallery, I like to find the art on my own. I'll see something and it catches my eye, and then I can make my own mind up about it.' In this way, these new artworks act as a bridge between their more traditional, Georgian gallery setting and Maser's outdoorsy oeuvre.

'Orbiting on the Periphery' doesn't mark a complete about-turn from the public art Maser is renowned for. In fact, when Wallpaper* spoke to him, he was climbing down the scaffolding surrounding a (newly colourful) Walthamstow pub.

As well as creating all of the canvasses inside, and decorating the walls, Maser also embellished the outside windows with colourful, geometric strips of vinyl. Why choose vinyl instead of paint? To ’make the windows easier to clean’, he explains

Maser is best known for his ballsy outdoor murals. But he also has a fine-art education, and wanted to use this new show to ’refine’ his painting and ’switch heads’, from public installation-maker to traditional painter

Now, the space looks entirely Maser-ed. The artist explains how the private view felt like a ’house-warming’ because he was surrounded by friends and family from Ireland – and he had just re-decorated

The works are losely based around the show’s title: ’Orbiting on the Periphery’. ’My art is outside the realm of the normal, and maybe I’ve always felt like that socially, too,’ Maser explains

Body parts ambiguously sprout from colourful centrepoints, and abstract shapes pile on top of each of with abandon

Maser explains, ’When I go to a gallery, I’ll see something and it catches my eye, and then I can make my own mind up about it.’ In this way, these new artworks act as a bridge between their Georgian gallery setting and Maser’s outdoorsy oeuvre

INFORMATION

’Maser: Orbiting on the Periphery’ is on view until 5 May. For more information, visit the Lazarides Gallery’s website

Photography courtesy Lazarides Rathbone

ADDRESS

Lazarides Gallery
11 Rathbone Place
London, W1T 1HR

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Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.