Tonight is the opening night of an exhibition on the Isle of Wight (just over the water from Callum James Books HQ) of a series of drawings by Howard Hardiman called Mythology. Howard first came to the attention of Front Free Endpaper through the graphic novel The Lengths which tells a love story among London's rent boys, with all the characters drawn as dog-headed men, and based on interviews with real sexworkers.
For some time now, through ill-health, Howard has been based on the island and these meticulous drawings are, on one level a meditative exercise, making thousands of tiny and repetitive marks provides as an escape from otherwise constant pain. On another level, that same turning inwards that is a result of such meticulous work is reflected in the subject matter which links universal myths to the artist's own world.
The exhibition is at The Brading Roman Villa and runs until 31st January 2016.
