ADVERT I SEMENT FEATURE
BEHIND THE MASK Home to an artistic renegade, the Heath Kane Studio and Gallery is hiding in plain sight
ccupying an unassuming corner in the market town of Saffron Walden, the Heath Kane Studio and Gallery is something of a
triptych obstructs images of prominent political figures with bright pink and blue face coverings, and his recent commission for Penguin Classics includes Napoleon the Pig ; an army general in a pig mask designed for the cover of George Orwell’s classic, Animal Farm . The works call into question the ever-present discrepancy between representation and reality, their blatancy an attempt to delineate the two among falsehoods, propaganda and fake news. The main gallery space showcases a selection of Heath’s works, including pieces from his Portraits of Heroes collection – a series of paintings combining traditional aristocratic portraiture with colourful masks – along with various iterations of one of his most notorious pieces, Rich Enough to be Batman , depicting Queen Elizabeth II in a superhero mask. Downstairs in the studio, Heath can be found working on his newest collections and commissions, combining oil paints and acrylic to achieve striking compositions. Heath Kane Studio and Gallery is located at 17 Church Street in Saffron Walden, and is open 10am-6pm from Monday to Friday, weekends by appointment only. Further information can be found on the website: heathkane.co.uk
hidden gem. It’s the personal studio and gallery space of artist Heath Kane. Born in Australia, his work has garnered much attention since he created his first piece back in 2014. Many of Heath’s creations have featured in galleries across the globe – including the Saatchi Gallery in London – and his work was also chosen to appear on the cover of Wired magazine in 2017. With a background in commercial design, Heath creates strong, subversive imagery, featuring significant social and political themes. The artworks often present as humorous, but this initial impression invites further contemplation, attracting an audience who may have otherwise overlooked the pieces – encouraging them to consider the themes in more detail. The surface-level symbolism offers an effective disguise for the deeper, universally resonant undertones present throughout Heath’s work, touching on themes of wealth disparity, rampant consumerism and the rise of popularist global leaders. Many of Heath’s creations include masks of some kind. His Masks of Fear
IMAGES The Heath Kane Studio in Saffron Walden (above) features strong, subversive artwork (below)
56 JULY 2021 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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