Vibrant Optical Illusion Artworks by Local Artist Rob Lee on the streets of Sheffield, 2020

Posted by Donna on 21st November, 2020
Filed under: From the Street

The BUILDHOLLYWOOD family of JACK, JACK ARTS and DIABOLICAL are continuing to spotlight artists for their ongoing Your Space Or Mine project which gives artists and creatives a platform on the street.

After the success of their own Community is Kindness messaging when lockdown first hit, they have collaborated with a host of talented artists on a local and national scale, to inspire the public in different ways, including Bethan Woollvin in Sheffield.

The messaging and artist collaborations are evermore important as we navigate a second national lockdown together, and they are delighted to be championing local artist Rob Lee for their latest collaboration in Sheffield.

SHOREHAM STREET

Rob Lee is an award winning, multi-disciplinary artist working primarily on large scale, site-specific, geometric art. In both private and commercial commissions, his work uses pattern, repetition and abstraction to explore the concepts of perceived reality and illusion, and the complex relationship between technology and nature.

CHARLES STREET

For his latest collaboration with the BUILDHOLLYWOOD agency family, Rob turns his sights to the streets of his own community, and installs a new body of optical artworks on Jack Art’s poster sites across Sheffield.

The mesmerising, hypnotic designs aim to provide a welcome distraction to the passing public. Two site specific-large scale rainbow striped pieces takeover Shoreham Street and Charles Street engrossing passing viewers who are absorbed in the endless waves, whilst two additional text based, mind-bending works are displayed on more of Jack Art’s poster sites across the city.

Of the chosen phrase included in the trippy text-based works, ‘HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY’

‘In a world where dishonesty is rife, misinformation prevails, and integrity has seemingly all but disappeared, this common expression has never been so relevant. I created these posters to remind us all of this truth.’ Rob

Art critic Adrian Burnham writes about the collaboration in his latest blog for Jack Arts, within his essay he explores the use of optical art in the current climate, discussing that ‘OA’ is ’perhaps a style of visual art that produces perceptual ambiguity, illusion and contradictions, and is particularly fitting to the times we’re living through now. If the ground isn’t literally shifting beneath our feet a half-glimpse at the news, wary trips to the shops or any attempt to plan something concrete in coming weeks, perhaps months, induces a debilitating dizziness at the uncertainty of it all.’

‘Our ongoing Your Space Or Mine initiative has always been a big part of what we do, and during the recent pandemic the project has become more important than ever, with our positive messages and artist collaborations resonating with communities across the world. It has been a pleasure to work with Rob on our latest collaboration in Sheffield and bring his mesmerising, eye-catching artworks on to the streets. Now more than ever it is important to be championing our creative communities and ensure we are keeping our streets positive and engaging places during uncertain times. By presenting this exciting body of work on our street-level sites we hope to ensure the display is available and accessible to a wider audience, and will provide inspiration and vibrance to the community of Shefield through the weeks ahead.’ Miranda Banfield, Marketing Manager at Jack Arts

You can find the paste ups all over the city – Shoreham street, Charles street, Broadfield road, Fitzwilliam street, Myrtle road, Netherthorpe road, Sheaf street, Broad street, Arundal gate underpass, Broad lane carpark, Neepsend lane, bowden street and meadow street.