The Beatles: A Harmonious Journey Through Time
In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary art, few icons resonate as profoundly as the legendary British band, The Beatles. The recent release of their final single, "Now and Then," has not only reignited our love for their music but has also opened a window into the enduring connection between John Lennon and Paul McCartney—a connection that continues to inspire artists like Ben Riley.
Born in 1981, Ben Riley is an accomplished British artist based in Staffordshire. Music played a significant role in his journey to becoming a professional artist. Unlike their digital counterparts, the vinyl records utilized in Riley's practice are a nature of their own. Appealing to the eye, the ear, and the touch, his completely vinyl portraits, broken down to fragments and dust, allow viewers to feel and visualize the vitality of pressed music, which is so quickly being lost in the digital age.
"I feel as an artist it is my duty to connect the viewer with the icon, to feel the mind, body, and soul – allowing the music to make the icon, rather than the icon making the music," says Riley.
Riley's art is warm, rugged, and elegantly simple, much like the original vinyl records he repurposes to create portraits imbued with the history and liveliness of music. Icons of music are recreated from the music form that made them. Each piece of vinyl is emotionally charged, some reflective, and dazzling in different angles and lights, while others are reserved and soft. Because of this, each portrait gives many different impressions to the eye, enrapturing a nostalgic moment in time. According to Riley, vinyl is the only medium that allows his portraits to sing.
The Beatles' journey from "Love Me Do" to "Now and Then" is a testament to the enduring power of their creative bond. While the new single might be seen by some as a marketing strategy, its long and winding path reveals a deeper narrative—a love letter from John to Paul. This story of friendship, rivalry, and collaboration resonates with artists like Ben Riley, who draw inspiration from the Beatles' music to create their own masterpieces.
Lennon and McCartney's artistic partnership can be likened to a passionate love affair. While it may not have been romantic, it was intense, tender, and tumultuous. Their paths converged in 1957 when they were teenagers, both gifted, charismatic, and bearing their own emotional scars. McCartney had recently lost his mother to cancer, while Lennon had experienced a tumultuous childhood. Music, however, became the unifying force that bound them together.
As they began to write songs together, a private world blossomed, one that would soon become the ethos of the Beatles. This microculture they nurtured left an indelible mark on our culture, instilling in us their curiosity, wild imagination, and belief in the possibilities of love, even in the face of life's complexities.
Since 2002, Ben Riley has been able to deliver his art professionally to an international audience focusing on iconic and stimulating portraiture worldwide, gaining notoriety in the capture of mood, soul, and character of a subject. With an accolade of celebrity and professional collectors, Riley's works have been featured in media, television, and press worldwide.
Riley's art, much like the Beatles' music, continues to inspire because it speaks to the profound, unspoken emotions within us. In a world where open dialogue is encouraged, their music still resonates because it allows us to connect with our innermost feelings. Technology, for a brief moment, transports us back to the dream state of the Beatles' era, and Ben Riley's unique art captures the essence of music, history, and iconic figures, reminding us that the past, present, and future are eternally intertwined.
