AOTM ( TYRRELL WINSTON )
After landing the cover of the Art Brussels magazine and selling out his booth, Tyrrell Winston is focused and on track to make waves at his first international solo exhibit back at the Stems Gallery in Brussels later this year.
In NYC, Winston can be found often sweeping cigarette butts into a pale outside of local bars, a task you’d normally expect to see a barback or public cleaner perform. He uses the old cigarettes to masterfully create pieces of art that can now be found in major private collections.
His works are steeped in narrative and history allowing viewers to dive deep into the characters and places tied to the found objects he uses. Winston travels around to basketball courts all over Brooklyn in search of deflated basketballs and torn-up nets. He brings with him a step ladder and bags of fresh nets to replace the ones he takes down. He then uses those nets to create large woven sculptures. His works leave you to wonder how many hours on the court would someone have to play to wear down those nets. Who owned those beat up basketballs that lay crunched up by the wire fence? And the lipstick on those cigarettes, who was that girl or guy for that matter that just had step out for a drag.
I met up with Tyrrell at his studio in Bushwick to catch up and take a few pictures. Leaned up against a wall by the studio entrance were 4 huge metal backboards that he’d found recently in the Marcy Projects that were being thrown out. I mean, the Marcy Projects… Jay Z and Biggie probably balled out on those boards. For now the boards remain untouched until he figures out exactly what he wants to do with them.
His mission for the day was to find a cinder block for a project so I went along with him on the journey. We walked by a bunch of construction sites piled with blocks, but taking is not his thing it’s all about finding.
We walked about 2 miles then found a cinder block by an airconditioning unit. It was exactly what he wanted, but now he had to lug it back to the studio.
He carried it like a boombox on his shoulder as he told me about his ambitions to create larger works and someday have a bigger studio. He’s taking his career in steps and choosing carefully who he decides to bring into his inner circle after many bouts with people who’ve tried to take advantage of him.
2018 is shaping up to be a big year for Tyrrell with attention growing for his work, sales coming through with major collectors and most importantly his recent marriage. He didn't invite us to the wedding which I'm a little bummed about, I would've crushed those wedding pics, but if you want to make the trip to Brussels this September you'll be able to catch his show!