ANDREW KING is a unique British artist and singer who produces astounding symbolist paintings and interprets traditional English folk songs in fresh and experimental manner.
According to a 1998 statement of intent, the main issues King wants to address in his art, be it visual or musical, are: "The quality of the spirit of place; the celebration of one's native cultural heritage; the concept of faith; and the balancing act of love and lust."
His latest album "The Amfortas Wound" includes extensive liner notes about the regional and historical sources of the songs, revealing a deep desire to convey the complexity of the chosen material. This is matched emotionally by the passion and pathos of his voice, which is the center of the recordings, being only slightly augmented by drones or percussion. Andrew King's interpretations demand active, attentive listeners willing to be immersed in a world of old myths & tales, both sacred and profane, arcane and murderous.
Official BIO:
ANDREW KING'S initial creative work was in the visual arts, studying at Caerleon and Lampeter, he subsequently exhibited both nationally and internationally. After many years of experimentation, he began his mature work with the first of his Emblematic paintings in 1991. In 1994 he started making documentary recordings of vernacular and traditional songs, music, and customs. He moved to London in 1995 to further this work and the illustrative compositions that he was doing for a number of the Post-Industrial/Neofolk bands of the time (CURRENT 93, SOL INVICTUS, L'ORCHESTRE NOIR, ERNTE etc), and to complement this made his first attempts at his own mangled versions of traditional song the following year.
Since then he has created a number of sporadically issued albums and carefully chosen compilation appearances, the main ones being:
MAIN RELEASES
• 1998: The Bitter Harvest (Epiphany: CD)
• 2002: "The Raven Banner" (on Sol Lucet Omnibus, a tribute to Sol Invictus, Cynfeirdd: CD)
• 2003: The Amfortas Wound (Athanor: CD)
• 2004: The Harbinger of the Decaying Mind (Old Europa Cafe: 10")
• 2005: Changes / Andrew King [untitled] (Terra Fria: split CD)
As well as his work with KKNIFELADDER, he has also had the privilege of working with Les Sentiers Conflictuels, Andrew Liles, Leisur::hive, Brown Sierra, and Tony Wakeford. He is currently providing backing loops, touch-pad percussion and vocals for SOL INVICTUS in a live context.
With regards to his work within the traditional music context, he is resident singer at Londons Musical Traditions Club and was employed by the British Library between 2001-2005, for most of that time as an archivist and cataloguer of British traditional culture.
FORTHCOMING RELEASES
• Deus Ignotus (traditional and medieval pieces)
• Night and Hell and I (settings of A. E. Housman)
• London 1888... (Les Sentiers Conflictuels album based on the Ripper murders with spoken word by King)
• A Mythological Prospect of the Citie of Londinium (split album with Sol Invictus & Rose Rovine e Amanti)
• Thalassocracy (collaborative album with Brown Sierra)
Online art gallery:
www.fluxeuropa.com/
andrewking.htm
Find MP3s here:
www.myspace.com/
AndrewStewartKing
WALDTEUFEL
Using a sonic palette that ranges from acapella chants and folk songs to percussive outbursts and metallic hymns, Waldteufel explore music in its most archaic and primal state, trying to uncover the spirit beyond all appearances.
www.waldteufel.net
MAIN RELEASES
• Berghoch am Walde 7" (Ultra!)
Art Edition of 60 copies w/ handmade covers. Released to coincide with
the 10th Anniversary of the release of the first Waldteufel single, as
well as with the 25th Anniversary of Hermann Wirth's death on February
16th of 2006. Only available from us.
• Heimliches Deutschland 2xLP set
• Heimliches Deutschland CD
• Eine Gottes Spur 10" (Eis & Licht)
• Rauhnacht CD (Terra Fria)
Released 11/2005. Ltd. edition of 500.
FORTHCOMING RELEASES
• SANGUIS (Beta-Lactam Ring Records)
• Collaborations with SONNE HAGAL and VOXUS IMP are being undertaken, as well as a special project for the Austrian Ahnstern (Steinklang) label. |
The artist Andrew King is a terrible anachronism. In a time when the intrinsic value of art is measured either by its purely decorative aspects or its shock valure, when celebrated contemorary artists sometimes haven't even as much as touched their own works (except maybe to attach a price-tag), when art and the inflated price it fetches have beome incomprehensible not only to the 'the man in the street' but quite obviously also to the academic world as well (just go on a guided tour in any muceum of contemporary art and witness the studied guides' futile attempts at identifying content where there is just surface within the works of 21st century artists), Andrew King believes in craftsmanship, creating his very personal iconography, that however individual is deeply rooted in tradition, foremost that of the British Isles, but to a large extent simultaneously in the universal great conversation of Pre-Modern Western Culture, whilst at the same time being an exact albeit coded primer to the artist's innermost ideas and ideals.
There is a sense of truth and authenticity even in his most elegant and fantastic creations that will stand up favourably against most items at the Tate Modern.
You will be hard pressed to detect irony, vanity, 'clever concepts' or 'in-jokes' or indeed any of the best loved traits of modern art(ists) in this man's work. His reference points are not the universally recognized icons of hip consumer culture, but age-old archetypes, pagan gods, the psychogeography of Britain, folk legends (he is possibly the most stunning young interpreter of the oral tradition of vernacular culture in the UK) and themes from scripture and astrology.
Just how elitist is his art? Whilst it can be appreciated all over the world, by an audience that will not close its eyes when confronted with what is irrevocably lost and one artist's attempt at keeping the spirit alive, many of his works will probably be at least difficult to decipher for people who do not feel a close affinity with European culture. Those who do will find an ideal home in Andrew's landscapes, solace even in his most energetic, almost threatening compositions. Rest assured, though, there is a 'meaning' to his work, even, if that in itself is an unhip thing to admit!
When asked about other artists to compare him with, one inevitably has to revert to pre-modern times, the closest would possibly be the illuminated artists of the 18th century (think William Blake) who, at odds with their own time, looked to the same age-old source of artistic inspiration, though in their time their reference points might just have been more easily understood that in today's enlightened and globally connected society- wherein Andrew's work seems unintelligible and obscure to even the lovers of outsider art.
Andrew King is the true fringe artist of today, even more outside than the 'cult' 'don't-show-this-to-your-parents' artists whose work is idolized by those grown-up children who also collect serial-killer art.
His work is shocking only in his sincerity, his complete 'out-of-our-time' quality, his obsessional devotion to legend and lore. An obsession that is mirrored in the music he creates, which like his emblematic paintings is aimed towards the same goal of interpreting themes that were once universally recognizable in his readily identifiable style: to date there have been two full-length CDs released as well as a vinyl mini album of his work plus contributions to mostly traditionally themed anthologies.
Whilst in contemporary music we witness a steady revival of folk and traditional values (witness the current American folk revival) and people seeing ever more clearly through the shallowness and pretense of much of modern sound, the art world, might just be a little late in waking up to see the emperor's new clothes for what they really are (a shark is a shark is a shark).
Andrew is, however, by no means anti-modern, the world he is concerned with is beyond fashion and fads, his art speaks of matters far removed from what is modern vs. traditional. Admiring his stunning visual creations or hearing his amazing renditions of once popular folk songs is like receiving an e-mail straight from Albion.
Where his contemporaries indulge in a cult of ego/celebrity, Mr. King might just be the most sincere and 'unpretentious' of painters. And he doesn't hide behind a political agenda either, even though you will find meta-political commentary in his paintings, just have a look at the two Judiths and their commentary (published in On magazine). However it is certainly neither propaganda nor agitation he favours, if their is one message that his work literally breathes, it's the admonition not to abandon the values of our ancestors.
**The critic Claus Laufenburg is an even worse European anachronism- a collector of forgotten books, a lover of analogue music and aficionado of underground art; an interest he also shares with his 4-year old son. |
