Deckhead 2.0

As Movember is now well underway, I thought it would be fitting to include this feature. Putting pen to paper like no other, Laith Mcgregor makes the seemingly inadequate artist’s companion appear as highly regarded as the paint brush. Mcgregor creates portraits that tend to focus on the hair of the person, spiralling or bulging out of control in a very unusual and enigmatic way. His work is clever, interesting and fun, combining classic portraits, with distinguishing features and humour. The work is Post-Modern in their appearance, very solemn and well executed, but completed with Bic biros and elongated hair that ensures every person looks Jesus-esque. I saw Mcgregor’s work at the MCA Sydney not long ago and found the intricate detail of his work completely mesmorising; a friend and I had to walk right up close to the canvas just to be able to identify the tiny individual pen marks. It’s clear the guy doesn’t take himself too seriously as well, because alongside his work you could watch a video of him using his handy Bic biro and drawing facial hair on himself to the absurd degree.

I think what really brings Mcgregor’s work to the forefront is his incorporation of patterns and geometric shapes into some of the pieces, it’s this aspect that brings him out of the standard portrait domain and into the contemporary circuit in which classic art has be revived through the inclusion of elements of graphic design and old mediums in new ways.

As far as I know, Laith Mcgregor currently isn’t exhibiting in Australia because he is working in Belgium, but there are plenty examples of his work online to discover.

Alyssa