CHILDISH, Billy

Billy Childish (William Hamper) Wood cut ‘Man and Girl’ (4)

Description

Billy Childish (William Hamper) wood cut ‘Man and Girl‘ signed ‘Hamper’. One of 10 copies printed on Japanese Ho-Sho paper by Childish in 2004. The woodcut was made in 1988, possibly when he had been made a father as the woman is lactating in the image. As published in ‘I have Cheated my Own Hart’ , published by Aquarium, 2004. Fine condition.

Image size 25.5 x 17 cm (10 x 6.5 inches)

Sheet size 39.5 x 28 cm (15 x 11 inches)

Item details

Billy Hamper and Traci Emin.

Billy Hamper and Tracy Emin were drawn together by their childhood experiences and art. Both having suffered sexual abuse at a young age; parents living apart; both had difficulties at school, Hamper with Dyslexia and Tracey with not engaging. Their relationship, which was often difficult, lasted from 1982-1985 having met at a party whilst Emin was at Medway Art College.

Quotes from ‘The Medway Scene’ Urban Fox Press.

Billy Childish : ‘We did help each other on the wood blocks. I helped her draw up her big blocks and she helped me cut our mine.’

Bill Lewis Interview ‘ So Tracey was the driving force on the local art scene back then’ ‘ In a sense yes , because she was a strong personality and she did stuff. The Readings she arranged were useful. I met a lot of people at them’

Quotes from ‘As told to Ted Kessler’

Bill Lewis ‘What is indisputable is that Emin was a great muse for Childish, first in the many paintings, book covers and record sleeve artwork he produced of them together, continuing to echo through songs contained on the 150-odd albums he’s released since their meeting, as well as a subject within dozens of poetry collections and autobiographical novels. And that Childish was also the defining influence on Emin’s future art. He was her first love.’

Tracey Emin ‘He used me as like a muse for years, even while we weren’t together any more. Billy loved the way that I looked and the way that I was. Whether he was painting or drawing me, it wasn’t like he just thought I looked nice; he liked the energy as well.’

Provenance: Purchased form a Japanese collector who purchased these from the Aquarium Gallery London.

The wood cuts that we have for sale were purchased from a Japanese collector who decided to break up the set titled ‘ I have cheated my Own Heart-a set of wood cuts by Billy Childish’. Produced by ‘The Aquarium’ (L-13) in a limited edition of 10 numbered sets for Valentine’s Day 2004.

The set details:

‘ I have Cheated My Own Heart’ a set of woodcuts by Billy Childish printed by The Aquarium. Limited edition of 10 numbered Sets. The woodcuts printed by Childish on Japanese Ho-Sho paper. Ink mixed with Billy’s spit and rolled onto woodblock rubbed or ball of spoon or press under foot’ …

This was Number One.

Contents were housed in a cloth covered archival box 9×4 x 54 x 5cm) and were the following:

Hand made book: (13 pages, numbered, signed by Childish. 29.5 x 21cm)

Photograph (16 x 21xxm)

Silk Screen print (Numbered and signed. 45 x 32cm)

Eleven wood cuts. Which are:

(1) Boots (Woodcut on Newspaper, signed dated ’04. 10 x 15cm)

(2) Gallow Heart (Numbered, signed, dated 93/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(3)Girl with Flower (Numbered, signed, dated 86/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(4) Man and Girl (Numbered, signed, dated 88/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(5) Girl (Numbered, signed, dated 86/04 39.5 x 28cm

(6) Girl and Man beside Bed (Numbered, signed, dated 88/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(7) Man Crying with Girl (Numbered, signed, dated 82/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(8) Girl Changing Clothes (Numbered, signed, dated 86/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(9) Man and Girl (Numbered, signed, dated 84/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(10) On The Bed (Numbered, signed, dated 85/04 39.5 x 28cm)

(11) Girl and Man with Gallow (Numbered, signed, dated 86/04 39.5 x 28cm)