Jersey-born artist, one part Rubbish Man of Soho, Le Gun magazine editor and up-and-coming thespian Robert Greene tells me about the latest developments of his life in the nation?s capital.
Can you tell me about your forthcoming exhibition
?Gin & Curiosities??
Yes I can. It?s a new solo exhibition that will be on display at The Notting Hill Arts Club influenced by Brit artist Sir Peter Blake. It will include a mish-mash of paintings, drawings, posters, typography and curiosities that I?ve collected over the years. There will be more paintings featuring my fascination with facial hair and SillyJokes.co.uk are providing sponsorship.
What?s the new Le Gun magazine about and what have the collective been up to lately?
The new Le Gun Magazine should be out at the end of June. This is the fourth edition and the theme for it is based on Aleister Crowley?s words ?Do What Thou Whilst?. We have contributions from established illustrators and writers such as Andrzej Klimowski, Sir Peter Blake, Richard Milward and Michael Smith. Since taking over an abandoned shoe shop in Hackney and turning it into our own little curiosity shop we recently completed a mural for London newspaper Metro at Space Studios, another mural for Cargo nightclub plus the design for the after party of the D&AD design awards at The Royal festival Hall. We also have a t-shirt commission from Duffer of St George in the pipeline and our first ever exhibition in Jersey in conjunction with Branchage ? Jersey International Film Festival.
I saw the Babyshambles video you were in last year, have you featured in any other music videos or films lately?
I?m really glad you asked me that. Yes I have. I?m appearing in Nick Cave?s latest video for his new single ?More News from Nowhere?, which was filmed in Soho?s Revue Bar. I spent a day surrounded by scantily clad pole dancers and the likes of Will Self, Beth Orton and Peaches Geldof made cameo appearances too. I?m also making a brief appearance in the new John Maybury film ?The Edge of Love? starring Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller.
What are the Rubbishmen of Soho?
The Rubbishmen of Soho are a double act of myself Bertrand, and my partner in Victorian Punk Revivalism crime, Garcia. Together we are a unique blend of comedy and music. I like to describe it as an organic project. It started with a series of podcasts (available to download on iTunes), which were soon picked up by Resonance FM and were broadcasted across the airwaves of London with another series airing soon. We then got snapped up to make an appearance on Michael Smith?s recent BBC TV documentary ?Citizen Smith? about Englishness, which included us performing a version of ?Jerusalem?. As well as all this we publish a series of pamphlets of Victorian Punk Propaganda and we may be producing a book entitled ?The Rubbishmen?s Book of Useless Information and General Detritus?.
Robert?s exhibition ?Gin & Curiosities? will be on display at The Notting Hill Arts Club from Friday 4th July until 4th September. If you?d like to keep up with Robert?s activities in London you can find out more at his new blog where he?d be happy for anyone to leave comments? http://robertrubbish.blogspot.com/
