Oliver Beer Recomposition (Soho Wave), 2021

Oliver Beer’s Recomposition (Soho Wave) (2021) combines references to his studio in Soho, London and to the famous woodblock print Great Wave by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849). To create his ‘two- dimensional sculptures’, Beer slices through objects with surgical precision, embedding the pieces in resin so that only their cut edges remain visible, set perfectly flush with the painted gesso surface. These objects are unravelled, losing all volume and functionality, and their elements re-unified within the pictorial plane. The curved form of the wave is created using an array of objects belonging to the artist and his grandmother – whom he called Oma – including chess pieces, dominoes and books. Together, the chosen items form an unconventional double portrait, with a particular emphasis on music.