By Toti O’Brien
In 1987, David Gamble art took a pivotal turn. He received the most memorable assignment of his glamorous photojournalistic career. Specifically, he had to photograph Andy Warhol’s house shortly after the artist had passed.
Fred Hughes wished to document Warhol’s collection of artifacts. He did this to gain the interest of European collectors before an upcoming auction. Consequently, Gamble’s work took on a new life.
The Warhol Series
Ten years later, galleries exhibited these pictures at the Groucho Club. Immediately, they caused a sensation. In particular, a shot of the medicine cabinet in Warhol’s bathroom stunned viewers. Rows of anti-aging lotions and pills filled the shelves. Eloquently, the image showed the fragility hidden beyond publicity and fame.
However, that shock of revelation wasn’t the only surprise. Gamble had superimposed the empty rooms with silk-screen constructs of their owner. The effect was eerie and mesmerizing. It seemed as if Andy’s ghost had returned to eternally inhabit his home.
Gamble recalls: “It was the first time that I was called into a space where somebody had lived, but was not living any more.”
Exploring the Darkness
The Andy Warhol House series is not a spare episode. Indeed, the ability to explore life’s darkest areas is a defining feature of David Gamble art.
All of his work deals with complex, deep, and layered matters. Themes like death, madness, and fear are not shunned. Instead, they intertwine with other motifs. Ultimately, he addresses the whole spectrum of the human condition.
While his photojournalism seizes a moment, his painting stretches it. He believes painting is an extremely personal commitment. Gamble intends for painting to listen to echoes and build multiple narratives.
Influences and Critique
Pop Art served as a constant inspiration to Gamble. Additionally, he references Dada and Surrealism. However, influence does not imply blindly following others.
For example, his Memories of Arles series criticizes Balthus’ sexually charged portraits. Similarly, his Muse series confronts and subverts Manet’s nudes. Through these works, he questions issues of manipulation and control.
The “Silence” Exhibition
Most recently, Gamble’s exhibition Silence addresses sexual abuse. The show explores the scream that victims repress. Sadly, this repressed energy often transmutes into self-destruction.
One oil pastel shows an elongated, angsty neck topped by an open mouth. To create this, Gamble visited a place of darkness and pain. He admits that the return journey was difficult.
Why go there? Just as he questioned death in Warhol’s home, he feels unable to resist empathy. Therefore, he takes the unavoidable step of witnessing. In many cases, David Gamble art means giving silence a voice.
