Elizabeth Blackpop Tudor CollectionIf you like your fine art deconstructed, just a little bit distressed and reimagined as abstract contemporary patterns – well, you’re in exactly the right place.  Blackpop, the creation of Maxine Hall, produces gorgeous contemporary wallpapers and fabrics inspired by “the rich tapestry of the past”.

The latest collection, in collaboration with the National Gallery, is ‘The Tudor Collection – Deconstructed’ and was created using images taken as part of the National Portrait Gallery’s Making Art in Tudor Britain research project.

Mary_Blackpop_National_Portrait_Gallery 560

The design above is called ‘Mary’ and, like the rest of the range, is available as both a wallpaper and a rich velvet fabric.  Speaking just for myself, they had me at the turquoise,red/orange and gold colour palette, but the faded, distressed finish along with the intriguing pattern are the icing and the cherries on this rather wonderful cake.

Mary_Wallpaper Blackpop 560

The fusion of past, present and future is remarkable.  The designs bring to mind beautifully faded frescoes in Italy and Greece, but there’s nothing remotely fusty or antique about the vibrancy of the colours and the energy of the patterns.

Maxine has the following to say of the inspiration behind her time-travelling designs:

“I like the quote by Eadweard Muybridge, it goes something like this:

“When we walk we leave one step in the past and stride the other towards the future, the gap in between is in the present.”

And so my designs rework a hybrid of ideas but in my heart and in my head I’m interested in creating patterns for the moment and classic wallpapers and fabrics for the future”.

Contemporary_wallpapers_designed_in_a_collaboration_between_Blackpop_and_the_National_Portrait_Gallery_London_2e22be90-4b60-4582-8849-e43d0e5e1dc4

 

Designer_fabrics_in_a_collaboration_between_Blackpop_and_the_National_Portrait_Gallery_LondonThe above images are of the design ‘Elizabeth, and below is the tawny gold and opulent ‘Henry’:

HenryHenry Luxe_Velvet_Fabric_from_BlackpopOf the Tudor Collection – Deconstructed project, Maxine says:

“Working with the team at the National Portrait Gallery and these amazing paintings has been a complete privilege. Being able to examine and reimagine over 20 works to create abstract, contemporary patterns has been a creatives dream.

The richness and depth of the colour palette alone gives these new designs an edge and a stand out wow factor that I am very excited to call our second collection”.

“Wow” is definitely the word.  Find more details and buy online at blackpop.co.uk

Comments are closed.