SNIK: EPHEMERAL

The beautifully-printed 256-page book features numerous works by internationally- acclaimed artists SNIK (Nik Ellis and Laura Perrett), featuring art created before and during lockdown, for exhibitions that took place in the south and north of England respectively.

EPHEMERAL PART I, held in London's Crypt gallery in 2019, filled the dark, cavernous space with fleeting glimpses of life captured in a tangible impermanence. The portraits, based on photographed models in a modern take on pre-raphaelite style, were created using painstakingly hand-cut, multi-layered stencils, sprayed onto paper, wood, metal and framed over light boxes.

The sell-out show's popularity resulted in the creation of what would become EPHEMERAL PART II, a literally ‘natural’ progression of the series that saw foilage spill across and over the subjects, overwhelmed and overrun by time’s passing.

The exhibition itself was opened during lockdown, housed in an undisclosed, dilapidated warehouse space in the north of England, without a single person invited. In a reference to the arts being put on hold during the pandemic, promotional videos and photographs (featured in this book) are the only evidence of the show taking place. The show was once again a sell-out success, all sales taken remotely via SNIK’s website.

SNIK: EPHEMERAL showcases not only the entire collection of artwork at both exhibitions, but gives an additional behind-the-scenes look into the creation and production of the shows, from conception to finished product, featuring interviews with the artists and their exhibition team and photographs of all stages of the pro- duction process.

The books themselves have been produced under the scrutiny of the artists them- selves, and accordingly each edition is printed with extremely high production val- ues.

In addition to the first edition hardback, 175 copies feature an accompanying signed screen print, while 50 particularly special copies add a hand-painted cover along with the included print.