An English man’s home is his castle and brick by brick artist Frank Laws has constructed paintings that reveal the intimacies and idiosyncracies of our urban residential environment.

While the cavernous hanger of Westfield and the mass monument to elitism of the Olympic stadium, destinations for a temporary populace, may dominate the re-developments of East London, what of the areas more permanent residents? East London was one of the first parts of the capital to benefit from the clearing of slums and the building of social housing and it is these edifaces that Laws has chosen to chronicle. Housing estates that often feel like lonely island populations are celebrated for their solidness, their security and their sense of unknowingness.

Laws divides his time between London and Paris where he is Louis Vuitton’s in-house artist and in ink, watercolour and acrylic, he poses the question who are the people within these walls with their Union Jacks and drying clothes,  do we care enough to notice them and are they like us?

London Bits is at One Dot Orange Gallery, Tavistock Place until 24 August
To see Laws’ process in action in a series of studio shots, log on to http://franklaws.tumblr.com/

orangedotgallery.co.uk

Tags: Frank laws, London Bits, One Dot Orange Gallery