Jasper Joffe
Encyclopedia
Jasper Joffe is a British contemporary artist and novelist.
in 1975 and moved to England
when he was eight. He is the brother of artist Chantal Joffe
. He studied Fine Art
at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford
. He completed an MA
in painting at The Royal College of Art
in London
and received a scholarship
to the British School at Rome
, where he spent nine months. He has had solo exhibitions in London, Rome and Milan. He is the author of "Water" published by Telegram Books in 2006.
In 2004, Joffe exhibited at Rosy Wilde
gallery in East London. In 2007 he organised the Free Art Fair
in central London. It was an art exhibition where all the art works that were in the exhibition were given away at the end of the exhibition. Other artists who exhibited at the Free Art Fair
included Harry Pye
, Bruce McLean
, and Bob and Roberta Smith. The event was intended to contrast the Free Art Fair
with another art fair that was occurring at the same time (October 2007), known as the Frieze Art Fair
. In the opinion of many artists and people interested in art, the latter fair had commercialism as its primary purpose, not the display of works of art. By all accounts, the timing and execution of the Free Art Fair was indeed effective. The giveaway of the works of art received live coverage on BBC News 24, and a queue formed overnight. The Free Art Fair returned in 2008 with 50 artists participating and a program of performance art organised by Lee Campbell and Frog Morris. A catalogue included an interview with Lewis Hyde author of "The Gift". Artists giving work away included Gavin Turk
, Marta Marce, Martin Sexton, Stephen Farthing
, and Stella Vine
.
Joffe painted 24 paintings in 24 hours at the Chisenhale Gallery in 1999, each canvas was 12 feet by 6 feet. In 2000 he repeated the feat in Milan at Laura Pecci Gallery, although this time the paintings were a variety of sizes. In 2003 he did 72 paintings in 72 hours at Brno House of Arts in the Czech Republic. The canvases this time being the same sizes at Goya painted between 1789 and 1815. He aimed with these shows to challenge the convention of painting being a slow process in the studio, and by working under extreme pressure produce original paintings.
Joffe's exhibition "Beauty Show" at the V22 Gallery in London (January-February 2008) caused controversy due to its featuring a pastel painting of Heinrich Himmler
, which was bought by Charles Saatchi
.
In 2009 Joffe, having left his gallery and been left by his girlfriend, sold all his possessions and paintings in "The Sale of a Lifetime" at Idea Generation Galllery in London.
Joffe is also the founder and regular contributor to the contemporary art and cultural reviews site worldwidereview which allows people from around the world open access to read and write criticism. He is a tutor at City and Guilds of London Art School
He is based in London.
, and Joffe for the motion and against the motion Norman Rosenthal
, Richard Wentworth, Matthew Slotover
. Joffe claims that his criticisms of Frieze Art Fair
led to his work being banned from the fair in 2010. Matthew Slotover
, director of Frieze Art Fair
had taken part in the debate on art fairs.
Life and work
Jasper Joffe was born in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1975 and moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
when he was eight. He is the brother of artist Chantal Joffe
Chantal Joffe
Chantal Joffe is an English artist based in London. Her often large-scale paintings generally depict women and children. In 2006 she received the prestigious Charles Wollaston Award from the Royal Academy.-Life and education:...
. He studied Fine Art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. He completed an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in painting at The Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and received a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to the British School at Rome
British School at Rome
The British School at Rome was established in 1901 and granted a Royal Charter in 1912 as an educational institute in the fields of archaeology, literature, music, and history of Rome and Italy of every period, and for the study of the fine arts and architecture...
, where he spent nine months. He has had solo exhibitions in London, Rome and Milan. He is the author of "Water" published by Telegram Books in 2006.
In 2004, Joffe exhibited at Rosy Wilde
Rosy Wilde
The Rosy Wilde gallery was an artist-run project space, established in 2003 by British artist Stella Vine in a former butcher's shop in east London to showcase work by emerging artists. Vine was not making money and was expecting bailiffs, when a painting by her of Diana, Princess of Wales, was...
gallery in East London. In 2007 he organised the Free Art Fair
Free Art Fair
- The Free Art Fair:The Free Art Fair is an exhibition of contemporary art works and performance art that took place in London in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Each fair culminated with all the art works being given away at the end...
in central London. It was an art exhibition where all the art works that were in the exhibition were given away at the end of the exhibition. Other artists who exhibited at the Free Art Fair
Free Art Fair
- The Free Art Fair:The Free Art Fair is an exhibition of contemporary art works and performance art that took place in London in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Each fair culminated with all the art works being given away at the end...
included Harry Pye
Harry Pye
Harry Pye is an artist, writer and event organiser. He was born in London in 1973. He completed a foundation course at Camberwell School of Art in 1991. He then studied printmaking at Winchester School of Art from 1992 to 1995. In his second year he stopped painting and printmaking and began...
, Bruce McLean
Bruce McLean
Bruce McLean is a Scottish performance artist and painter.McLean was born in Glasgow and studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1961 to 1963, and at St Martin's School of Art, London,from 1963 to 1966...
, and Bob and Roberta Smith. The event was intended to contrast the Free Art Fair
Free Art Fair
- The Free Art Fair:The Free Art Fair is an exhibition of contemporary art works and performance art that took place in London in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Each fair culminated with all the art works being given away at the end...
with another art fair that was occurring at the same time (October 2007), known as the Frieze Art Fair
Frieze Art Fair
Frieze Art Fair is an international contemporary art fair that takes place every October in London's Regent's Park. The fair is staged by Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the publishers of frieze magazine...
. In the opinion of many artists and people interested in art, the latter fair had commercialism as its primary purpose, not the display of works of art. By all accounts, the timing and execution of the Free Art Fair was indeed effective. The giveaway of the works of art received live coverage on BBC News 24, and a queue formed overnight. The Free Art Fair returned in 2008 with 50 artists participating and a program of performance art organised by Lee Campbell and Frog Morris. A catalogue included an interview with Lewis Hyde author of "The Gift". Artists giving work away included Gavin Turk
Gavin Turk
Gavin Turk is a British artist and one of the Young British Artists . He often uses his own image in life-size sculptures of famous people.-Life and work:...
, Marta Marce, Martin Sexton, Stephen Farthing
Stephen Farthing
Stephen Farthing RA is a prominent English painter.- Education :Stephen Farthing grew up in London and after resisting the temptation to join the Royal Navy, earned a bachelor’s degree from the St. Martin’s School of Art in 1973 and a Masters degree in painting from the Royal College of Art,...
, and Stella Vine
Stella Vine
Stella Vine is an English artist, who lives and works in London. Her work is figurative painting with subject matter drawn from either her personal life of family, friends and school, or rock stars, royalty and celebrities.After a difficult relationship with her stepfather, she left home and in...
.
Joffe painted 24 paintings in 24 hours at the Chisenhale Gallery in 1999, each canvas was 12 feet by 6 feet. In 2000 he repeated the feat in Milan at Laura Pecci Gallery, although this time the paintings were a variety of sizes. In 2003 he did 72 paintings in 72 hours at Brno House of Arts in the Czech Republic. The canvases this time being the same sizes at Goya painted between 1789 and 1815. He aimed with these shows to challenge the convention of painting being a slow process in the studio, and by working under extreme pressure produce original paintings.
Joffe's exhibition "Beauty Show" at the V22 Gallery in London (January-February 2008) caused controversy due to its featuring a pastel painting of Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
, which was bought by Charles Saatchi
Charles Saatchi
Charles Saatchi is the co-founder with his brother Maurice of the global advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, and led that business - the world's largest advertising agency in the 1980s - until they were forced out in 1995. In the same year the Saatchi brothers formed a new agency called M&C...
.
In 2009 Joffe, having left his gallery and been left by his girlfriend, sold all his possessions and paintings in "The Sale of a Lifetime" at Idea Generation Galllery in London.
Joffe is also the founder and regular contributor to the contemporary art and cultural reviews site worldwidereview which allows people from around the world open access to read and write criticism. He is a tutor at City and Guilds of London Art School
City and Guilds of London Art School
The City and Guilds of London Art School is an art college in London, England, United Kingdom. It is one of the country's longest established art colleges, and offers courses ranging from Foundation, through B.A. degree, Postgraduate Diploma and M.A...
He is based in London.
Art Fair
In 2010 Joffe debated whether "art fairs are about money" with Louisa Buck, Matthew CollingsMatthew Collings
-Life and career:In one of his books on art, Collings states that, in his early teenage years, he ran away to Canada. This act was preceded by a period of hanging around in a house in Oakley Street, Chelsea, whose residents included members of various rock bands including Mighty Baby and Family...
, and Joffe for the motion and against the motion Norman Rosenthal
Norman Rosenthal
Sir Norman Rosenthal is a British curator. He was Exhibitions Secretary at the Royal Academy from 1977 until 2008. His encyclopedic programme of exhibitions which stretched from Egyptian antiquities to recent art production, included the exhibition of Charles Saatchi's collection of contemporary...
, Richard Wentworth, Matthew Slotover
Matthew Slotover
Matthew Slotover , is an English publisher and entrepreneur. He is co-publisher of Frieze and co-director of Frieze Art Fair with his business partner Amanda Sharp.-Life and career:...
. Joffe claims that his criticisms of Frieze Art Fair
Frieze Art Fair
Frieze Art Fair is an international contemporary art fair that takes place every October in London's Regent's Park. The fair is staged by Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the publishers of frieze magazine...
led to his work being banned from the fair in 2010. Matthew Slotover
Matthew Slotover
Matthew Slotover , is an English publisher and entrepreneur. He is co-publisher of Frieze and co-director of Frieze Art Fair with his business partner Amanda Sharp.-Life and career:...
, director of Frieze Art Fair
Frieze Art Fair
Frieze Art Fair is an international contemporary art fair that takes place every October in London's Regent's Park. The fair is staged by Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the publishers of frieze magazine...
had taken part in the debate on art fairs.