October 11th 2012

As art fair week kicks off in London, we’re very excited to be launching two brand new print editions by Jacky Tsai, based on his iconic Alexander McQueen floral skull image. Angie talks more about the publishing of the prints, which are available exclusively through Eyestorm from today.

We’ve been buzzing around like bees here at Eyestorm recently while getting ready for some major happenings that are all due to take place this week. So let me introduce you to the first - which I’ve been itching to talk about properly since we first started discussing the project back in the summer - the release of two stunning new print publications by young Chinese artist Jacky Tsai. Based on the iconic floral skull the artist created for late British fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s Menswear collection, which has become an idolised symbol in the fashion world, Eyestorm has published two screenprint editions that see the recognisable skull developed into a limited print edition on paper for the first and last time. Jacky has been in the studio on a weekly basis for the past month, and the results, if we do say so ourselves, are pretty breath-taking. One of the most pleasurable parts of my job is getting involved in making the art and I have to say this has been one of the most rewarding experiences to date. Having talked about what Jacky wanted to do and discussed colours and scale, we had an idea of what we thought the print would look like, but nothing could prepare us for the final result with these editions. Everyone from the printers to Jacky to my colleagues at Eyestorm has been impressed with how they’ve come out, and I’m so excited about getting them on the wall at Multiplied tomorrow for all to see.

We decided to make two separate editions because on the one hand we wanted to keep Jacky’s work affordable and accessible, and on the other we wanted to create something fabulous that would become a real collector’s piece in years to come. Jacky has come a long way since we first started showing his work 18 months ago and with the cross-over to the fashion world as well (following his collaboration with McQueen he set up his own label, Jacky Tsai), we expect these prints to become quite sought-after with collectors and fans of Jacky’s work. So let’s introduce the prints. Soul Harvest is a 5-colour screenprint made with gold metallic ink that shimmers subtly in the light behind the vibrant blue foliage of the skull. Something the few that have seen this print so far have commented on is how intense the blue is; it’s almost so tasty you could eat it. In an edition of 50, Soul Harvest is available at the starting price of £350 +VAT (£420 incl. VAT) - a steal we think for such an eye-catching piece of this scale.

If you prefer something a bit more exclusive and a touch more fabulous however, then Golden Harvest is the one for you. Printed in an edition of just 10, Jacky has worked with experienced and very talented printer Matthew Rich to create a unique ‘hologram’ effect for this print. Real 24 carat gold leaf has been used instead of the gold ink, and Jacky has introduced some red detail into elements of the skull, making butterflies look as if they could just fly away from the surface of the paper. This piece is truly beautiful.

Creative Director