Paul Robinson, better known by his alias of LUAP, (born September 1982 in Grimsby, England) is a Contemporary Artist based in London. He is known for his depiction of The Pink Bear which he uses as a muse within his artworks.[4] His work spans the creative fields of photography, painting, sculpture and performance art.
LUAP | |
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| Born | September 1982 Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | University for the Creative Arts |
| Known for | The Pink Bear, Contemporary Art, Street Art, Performance Art |
| Notable work | The Unconscious Therapy,[1] Art in the Age of Now',[2] Love Life Mural [3] |
| Website | www |
Pink Bear
editA common feature with his work. He describes the Pink Bear as the reincarnation of an old childhood memory.[5] Accessed as part of a treatment of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The bear acts as "symbol of positive reinforcement and discovery" [5]
LUAP describes the use of the bear as being "a path of personal redemption".[6] Describing its use as a mechanism for his own personal fight with depression. The bears origin has its roots in an old childhood memory of a polaroid photograph showing the artist as a child with a pink bear.[7]
Creative Practice
editPhotography
editLUAP's art is based on photography. Each shot with the pink bear staged amidst a specific landscape or environment.[8] Paintings are then made from the original photographic source. The bear acting as a muse throughout each of the images.[9] Many of the subjects have a focus on mental health, the environment as well as being a commentary of societal issues.[4]
One of the notable aspects of LUAP's photography is in that they are often taken within extreme conditions. All using the Pink Bear as a muse, he travels the world in order to position the Bear amidst these backdrops.[10]
Painting
editLUAP is known for his large scale canvases made using oils and acrylic. Each painting begins with a focus on background. This itself is a remnant of a childhood memory which references the wallpaper in home where he grew up.[11] Once complete the artwork will be painted on top using a combination of realism and abstract mark making techniques. Each painting will generally take months to complete.[12][13]
Sculpture
editIn June 2024 LUAP unveiled a major sculptural installation in Hamburg, Germany. Depicting a giant pink bear head it was 4 metres high and created as part of the Altonale Festival. This was part of a collaboration with the University of Europe for Applied Sciences[14] It acted as both an art piece during the festival and also as an exhibition space. Another notable aspect of the work was that it was made using 2500kg of recycled plastics. It was created using state of the art 3D printing technology at a specialist facility in Avila, Spain.[15]
Muralism
editLUAP has created notable murals in London and his home town of Grimsby. Depicting the Pink Bear the piece in Grimsby featured the bear on Cleethorpes beach eating an ice-cream.[16][17]
Exhibitions
editUnder the name of LUAP, Robinson has exhibited across the UK and Internationally. Notable exhibitions include 'The Unconscious Therapy' on New Bond Street;[18] 'Art in the Age of Now' at Fulham Town Hall[2] and 'Unleash the Love' at Fortnum & Mason.[13]
External links
editOfficial websites:
- LUAP Website - Official LUAP Webpage
- LUAP Instagram – Official LUAP Instagram page
- LUAP Facebook – Official LUAP Facebook page
References
edit- ^ "The Unconscious Therapy an Exhibition by LUAP". Inspiring City. October 12, 2021.
- ^ a b "Fulham Town Hall is reopening as an arts space".
- ^ "Luap Paints Pink Bear Mural in Shoreditch". July 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "Paul Robinson tackles mental health and existential anxieties in his striking Pink Bear artworks". Creative Boom. 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ a b "Town and County June 2023 by Town and County / Aspire Magazines - Issuu". issuu.com. Archived from the original on 2024-03-11.
- ^ "Style Magazine di dicembre: il senso dello straordinario". Style (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "A Pink Bear in Mongolia: How Paul Robinson hit the steppes with a colorful character: Digital Photography Review".
- ^ LUAP (2024-02-28). "Finding Balance: A 'Pink Bear' Journey Through Mongolia's Light and Landscape By Paul Robinson, known in the art world as LUAP". MONGOLIA IN THE UK BLOGS. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ Gray, Jeremy (2023-12-27). "How Artist LUAP Healed Through His 'The Pink Bear' Photos". PetaPixel. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "Artists Who Work Under Extreme Conditions - TheArtGorgeous". TheArtGorgeous - Media group with a fresh and entertaining perspective on the art world, making it accessible and fun for everyone. 2022-07-26. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "Paul Robinson (LUAP) – C-A-K-E". 2019-08-21. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "The Unconscious Therapy: An Exhibition by LUAP - October 2021, 95 New Bond Street London W1 - The Art Collector". www.theartcollector.org. 2021-10-04. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04.
- ^ a b "Unleash the Love". www.fortnumandmason.com. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Press ▶ The Pink Bear Pavilion at the altonale in Hamburg 2024". UE. 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "The Pink Bear Pavilion Launches in Hamburg". Inspiring City. 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "Giant pink teddy mural unveiled in Cleethorpes". BBC News. 2024-08-31. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "Hope Mural from LUAP appears in Shoreditch". Inspiring City. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ "GREAT PORTLAND ESTATES: NEW ART EXHIBITION AT 95 NEW BOND STREET". The Mayfair Musings. 2021-09-29. Retrieved 2024-10-25.