Mode 2 biography
Growing up reading comic books and science-fiction literature in the South-London borough of Lewisham, it is no surprise that Mode 2's art is fun and frivolous. He is now widely considered to be one of the forerunners of the British graffiti and street art movement.
During the 1980s he would "rush to empty as many cans of paint as possible in the most beautiful way" that he could. His early work in the graffiti scene earned him the cover of Spraycan Art in 1987. He made a name for himself alongside Scribla, Zaki D, Eskimo and Xerox, also known as the Trailblazers and later formed The Chrome Angelz who exhibited previously unseen works with Lazarides in 2012. Hip-hop was his inspiration and this culture of expression through different artistic platforms is something he holds close to his heart.
Corporal movement and the notion of rhythm is key to understanding Mode 2's artistic supremacy. Dance is not just an accessory to music or advertising, it is an art form in itself and Mode 2 uses it to emit positive energy from his paintings.
As an artist in residence at erotic emporium Coco de Mer, he developed an offshoot style mixing graffiti-based art with more traditional portraiture however he resents attempts to categorise his style.
Social lives are depicted without the intrusion of mobile phones and computers. His figures dance and flirt, bound together by a world of harmonious syncopation. Mode 2 claims that even the tag, the lowest common denominator of writing, records the movement of he or she who executes it, betraying whether or not they had any sense of rhythm or harmony. He tackles themes of love, lust and libidos, all with a style that escapes any posturing or antagonism. Its these universal themes that continue to beguile and fascinate.
Born in Mauritius 1967
Lives and Works in Paris
Selected Solo Shows
2015 Backjumps 20+1 – urbane Kommunikation und Ästhetik, Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien, Berlin
2014 Recollection, The Outsiders, Newcastle upon Tyne
2014 Lasco Project #3, Palais de Tokyo, Paris
2013 Solo Show By Mode 2, Le-Fix Gallery, Copenhagen
2011 Offerings, LC Gallery, Berlin
2009 Reality Fantasy And The Web, The Outsiders, Newcastle
2008 Never Too Late, The Outsiders, London
Selected Group Shows
2013, Escape The Golden Cage, Palais Kinsky, Vienna
2012 Klimt Illustrated, Lazarides Rathbone, London
2012 Flow Festival, Helsinki
2012 4 Pillars: The Essence Of Hip Hop, Underdog Gallery, London
2012 The Chrome Angelz, The Outsiders, London