If I Were The Devil by Keith Maiden

KEITH MAIDEN

The year was 1965...

On 3rd April, seemingly a day like any other, the air waves crackled into life and thus began a speech by legendary broadcaster Paul Harvey, projecting his predictions for a future so bleak and full of vice that his radio audience, and indeed his peers and colleagues, failed to comprehend the message and it was underappreciated in its time.

The year is now 2016...

It is clear to see that, whilst his monologue had no pretentions to prophecy at the time of broadcast, our world today is sadly not too dissimilar from the one he envisaged over fifty years ago. What was meant as no more no less than a dire warning to his audience against allowing the devil into their hearts and minds, influenced by his observations about society’s trajectory at the time of writing, has since been hailed as a Nostradamus-esque memorandum.

The year is irrelevant...

This is the lesson contained within this exceptional and insightful body of work by figurative artist Keith Maiden. Evil is evil, influence is influence, and the devil has lost none of his powers of persuasion since Harvey’s broadcast in 1965. Social commentary is a key component of Maiden’s subject matter, and we are forced to face the steady decline of mankind through this collection. In this work, Maiden’s provides us with a pictorial depiction of

work influenced directly by Harvey’s transcript, alongside the artist’s own observations about the pervading nature of malevolence in today’s world.

The beauty of Maiden’s brush work and subtle palette render this dystopian viewpoint all the harder to accept.

Following months of research and planning, sketching and painting, we are presented with work that engages its audience on myriad levels. Maiden will readily admit that the creative process was draining; day after day spent digesting and interpreting the cultural wars raging across the globe resulted in a great deal of introspection for the artist. He was consumed by the concept, and driven by his need to provoke a thought revolution.

Maiden knows with full certainty that this collection will divide its audience. Some of us will focus on the form, some might be absorbed by the text, and others might live up to the artist’s expectations and walk away disturbed by the awakening that the pieces stirred within them. Be assured, there is no universal truth at work here, no prescribed response required, the artist would have you think what you like. Just as long as you are thinking…because the moment we cease to think, to analyse, and cease to challenge propaganda and those who would delight in our downfall, we each become the incarnation of the devil in Harvey’s broadcast…and he has won.

NUNEST BIDENHAM | Original Oil on Board | Framed 110 x 80cm | Framed £6950

THE DEVIL I WOULD MAKE THE SYMBOL OF CHRIST A BOTTLE

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I FW EI R E

WAKE UP & SMELL THE CORRUPTION Original Oil on Board Framed 120 x 80cm Framed £6950

ANGEL WITH A DIRTY FACE Original Oil on Board Framed 100 x 80cm Framed £6950

SPEAK NO FACTS | Original Oil on Board | Framed 70 x 50cm | Framed ÂŁ2950

DAVID BECKHAM Original Oil on Board Framed 120 x 180cm Framed ÂŁ9950

I A C A M PA I G N O F W H I S P E R S .

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I FW OI UWLEDR EB ETGHIEN DWE IVTIHL

CAMPAIGN OF WHISPERS Original Oil on Board Framed 70 x 90cm Framed £5950

CRUDE REALITY | Original Oil on Board | Framed 120 x 80cm | Framed ÂŁ6950

HALO TO A NOOSE Original Oil on Board Framed 120 x 180cm Framed ÂŁ7950

NOT ANOTHER MARILYN Original Oil on Board Framed 52 x 90cm Framed £3950

THE DEVIL I WOULD CAUTION AGAINST EXTREMES AND HARD WORK, IN PAT R I OTISM AND IN MORAL C O N D U C T.

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I FW EI R E

PATRIOTISM IS DEAD | Original Oil on Board | Framed 80 x 60cm | Framed £4500

OIL BE BACK Original Oil on Board Framed 120 x 80cm Framed ÂŁ6950

OPPOSITE Original Oil on Board Framed 80 x 100cm Framed ÂŁ6950

HEAR NO CONTRADICTIONS | Original Oil on Board | Framed 70 x 50cm | Framed £2950

WHY SO SERIOUS? Original Oil on Board Framed 70 x 70cm Framed ÂŁ4950

IF I WERE THE DEVIL Original Oil on Board Framed 70 x 140cm Framed ÂŁ6950

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I FW OI UWLEDR EI ’ TD HJEU SDTE VKIELE PI

ON D O I N G W H AT H E ’ S D O I N G .

POUT AT THE DEVIL | Original Oil on Board | Framed 80 x 60cm | Framed ÂŁ4950

MAN FROM THE SOUTH Original Oil on Board Framed 110 x 80cm Framed ÂŁ6950

THE DEVIL I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET RICH THROUGH GAMBLING.

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I FW EI R E

FAITH Original Oil on Board Framed 70 x 70cm Framed ÂŁ3950

HEAR NO EVIL

TANYA HYDE (SINNER) | Original Oil on Board | Framed 80 x 60cm | Framed £4950

SEE NO EVIL

HELEN BACK (LIAR) | Original Oil on Board | Framed 80 x 60cm | Framed £4950

SPEAK NO EVIL

LUCY FUR (FAKE) | Original Oil on Board | Framed 80 x 60cm | Framed £4950

DEVIL INSIDE | Original Sketch on Paper | 35 x 36cm | £995

SHOUT AT THE DEVIL | Original Sketch on Paper | 46 x 43cm | £1450

DON’T JUDGE ME 4 | Original Sketch on Paper | 64 x 45cm | £1950

GIRL 2 | Original Mixed Media on Paper | 65 x 50cm | ÂŁ1950

DON’T JUDGE ME 5 | Original Sketch on Paper | 64 x 45cm | £1950

DON’T JUDGE ME 6 | Original Sketch on Paper | 64 x 45cm | £1950

i t f r t a t w a i a g t w i r t t o w n y a i c c r u s t u c i c s t d i

if i were the devil... if i were the prince of darkness, i’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. and i’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but i wouldn’t be happy until i had seized the ripest apple on the tree —thee. so i’d set about however necessary to take over the united states. i’d subvert the churches first i’d begin with a campaign of whispers. with the wisdom of a serpent, i would whisper to you as i whispered to eve: ‘do as you please.’ “to the young, i would whisper that ‘the bible is a myth.’ i would convince them that man created god instead of the other way around. i would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ and the old, i would teach to pray, after me, ‘our father, which art in washington…’ “and then i’d get organized. i’d educate authors in how to make luridouliterature exciting, so devil I w ld e th e er w I es. If and uninteresting. ng that anything else would appearflam dull i’d threaten tv to refine you If I were the rage schools e u lin il… co p ev en ci d is e d th to e to neglect narcotics If I wermovies with dirtier versa. to whom i could. s, butpedal d wantvice n wild, intellecti’d kness, I’and ess. kn st let those ru ar Prince of Dar d ju in — ld ns or io w ot ’d le u em ho yo w , te, ew it i’d sell alcohol and ofu kn distinction. engulf the to ladies real estagentlemen yo d i’d tranquilize the until before a third of its iffing dogs an sn , g on ru ti And I’d have d la u ve pop to hasoon have olhouse havei’d hs of iitswere rest withandpills. thed devil that war with every schofamilies four-fift“if ppy until I ha detectors at ha al et ve be m t ha n’ d I’ ld e ad ee ec t I wou d tr e a bu n th ges r. “Withi themselves, churches at war with and at war with doothemselves, ve judnations pest apple on I’d ha seized the ri overflowing, out however I ns ab t so on ri se so p d I’ — So graphy nited — Thee. themselves; until eache Uin its turn consumed. and with promises , ing porno house promotwas take over th om the court fr s he necessary to od rc G u t ic ch e en ev th th ld t d u er an co , bv se of higher Stratings mesmerizing media the fames. if i gn ates. I’d su i’d ithave e schoolhoufanning mpai then from th gin w h a ca gress. And in on a C of of s first — I’d be se om u d wis bstitute from the ho to srefine With the encourage were the devil i would schools intellects, but ould suyoung I of whispers. er to you as churche I w n sp hi ow w eify is d ld H d ou an ’ n, e. io as ent, I w lig le p rp re r u se fo those run o as yo neglect towhidiscipline —psy just wild, until before chologylet : ‘Demotions priests and spered to Eve whisper would lure I s, ld rl e. ou gi nc w d ie I , sc an boys and metal detectors e young haveh.’to ld you knew “Tit,o thyou’d have drug sniffing misusingdogs I wou il pastors into le is a myt were the dev I od If G . d ey te on that ‘The Bib ea m cr h rc an u m ch an at d r th of Easte prisons overflowing, at every schoolhouse door. “within anad mdecade i’d bols have convince them her w ay around. I ake the sym I’ e ot Christmas a of l is bo d m instead of th ba sy d thesoon an— at what’s pornography g th i’d have judges promoting i could eg e d il I’d takeevict god from the nfi ev co d would ‘square.’ were the I is f “I od . le go tt s t’ bo , and give to , and wha ray, ho have ach to p courthouse,good then from schoolhouse, and then those w ld tethe killed the houses of ou om w fr I , hadfrom d ol art in And the anted until I ch w hi w ho , w er nd e th os s. th r Fa own churches e, ‘Ouhis ambitiou A congress. and i cewould psychology for after min ntive of thesubstitute then I’d get nd in t e “A ge ’ th t n’ n… t? I could Washingto ors in be th u au yo as o te d g ca t in u ha ed wlure gambl pastors into misreligion, andorgadeify science. i would priests , nized. I’d to promote andcau ure exciting tion whole states e lurid literat ould ak w I m r ? to ea ch p w ri t ho ld ap to ge wou ay if in w se k, el using boys and girls, and church money. i were the devil i’d make the ee or th ng w hi rd yt es and ha so that an threaten em d tr I’ . ld ex t ng ou ti ns w es ai I . er ag ct nt u ni nd u d co an al mor dull symbols of easter an egg and the symbol of, inchristmas ae isbottle. “if i were and vice riag Patriotism tier movies ung that mar whom TV with dir yo to e s th ic ce ot in rc more conv edal na those the devil i’d vetake and toTngV isthose who wanted at swingi rsa. I’d pfrom ed, thgive to ladieswho have, on l hi ho as the -f co is d al ol ll u see on I’d . yo I could. I’d se t on ha ti w nc ti ss at is re th of d fun, until i had killed theenincentive ambitious. and what do you bet? i uld und I the “If of thus I co and gentlem you st with pills. ay to be. And re re w e lu th ld u ze es ili co ili I fam andas thee way to get rich? tranqu couldn’t get whole states tovepromote u in public, yogambling il I’d soon ha which urches diseases for were the dev ch h , it es w lv d se be em to th in ords, if h w it r w s he ar that w re. In ot in patriotism, i would caution against extremes hard work, in moral cu and nation and , no es is lv e se ght er em th th ch d just keep ri I’ ea il il at war with ev nt d u ; e es th l lv . Pau I were marriage oingold-fashioned, with themse the conduct. i would convince young that that with t he’s dis at war nsumed. And doing on wha co on as w rn tu ve .” ha ay d d in its I’ s od ng go rati what youHar vey, on tv is the way to be. and swinging is more fun, that see higher e promises of ia fanning th ed m g in iz mesmer thus i could undress you in public, and i could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. in other words, if i were the devil i’d just keep right on doing on what he’s doing. paul harvey, good day.”

The images contained within this literature are an artistic representation of the collection.

To best experience our art, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. Š Washington Green 2015. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no part can be reproduced without prior permission.