Huddersfield-born artist Ian Berry has unveiled a classic new piece paying tribute to stars famous for wearing denim – in denim.
Ian, 37, from Netherton, has immortalised famous people past and present in a stunning new denim artwork that is part of his latest exhibition in Sweden.
Over the last few months Ian has been asking his social media followers to nominate their ‘denim legends.’
The former Newsome High and Greenhead College student has included everyone from Bob Marley to Marilyn Monroe, Madonna to Steve McQueen, Jimi Hendrix to Brigid Bardot and Elvis Presley to Clint Eastwood in his Denim Legends artwork.
However, the artwork isn’t finished yet and visitors to Ian’s Material World exhibition at Textil Museet in Borås, Sweden’s national textile museum, can still suggest legends they would like to see added.
READ MORE: The story of another of Ian Berry’s fantastic artworks – a tribute to Italian hero Garibaldi
The temporary installation will grow and evolve over the period of the show, which runs until May 1 2022. Visitors can watch videos of the denim legends being created and also watch clips of the stars doing what made them famous.
Eventually a final line-up of legends will be chosen and the finished artwork will go on to a German museum, highlighting Ian’s international appeal.
Malena Karlsson, curator at the Textile Museum of Sweden, said: Ian Berry’s work is important on so many levels. There’s the ‘wow’ factor of the craft and the way in which his work forms yet another dimension in art.”
Ian was previously named as one of the leading 30 artists under 30 in the world and is in demand across the globe.
Ian, who now lives in East London, has been kept busy despite the global pandemic.
He said: “Somehow most of the shows I was due to have during Covid went ahead, which may seem great, but they were all overseas so I had to contend with quarantines, Covid regulations and shipping issues as well as – dare I say it – Brexit!
“The latter for me is a nightmare. This was the fifth of six shows I have had overseas since the start of lockdown and that would be challenging enough without all this.”
Ian has never had a show in his hometown and, ironically, the only show cancelled during Covid times is one that was due to be held at Huddersfield Art Gallery.
The show had to be cancelled when the town centre gallery closed down pending the creation of the Cultural Heart in the Piazza area as part of the £250 million Huddersfield Blueprint.
So will the Huddersfield show be rescheduled? “There’s no plans at the moment,” said Ian.
Huddersfield is very much where Ian’s heart is, however, and the town is never far from his thoughts – wherever he is in the world.
Speaking from Sweden, Ian said: “Borås is so similar to Huddersfield in so many ways, not least as it’s known as the rainiest place in Sweden!
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“I think the day before I went there Huddersfield was named third most rainy place in the UK. Given the first two were in Scotland and Wales, we are number one in England!
“While the rain in Borås may not be good for people walking on the streets it did mean fast-flowing rivers and a booming textile industry and that helped make Borås the centre of the Swedish industrial revolution.
“They really celebrate the history well with this museum and I really think Kirklees should pay a visit as they develop their Cultural Heart.”
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