Viewing room

Looking For Love

Dave Buonaguidi

Jealous East

20 Feb 2020 — 08 Mar 2020

These days, if you want a casual hook up, you just need to open Tinder, Grindr or Ashley Madison and with a simple swipe to the right you can be in business, but back In the day if you wanted some nookie with a bit of spice, you had to advertise your smutty wares in the back of Pleasure, the famed American adult newspaper of the 60’s and 70’s.

Inspired by a copy of Pleasure that he discovered in a box of photographs and other filthy delights at Brimfield Flea Market in Massachusetts, Dave Buonaguidi explores the concept of pre-internet dating. The exhibition begins on Thursday 20th February with the Private View taking place from 6:30-8:30pm. There will be free Prosecco and a giveaway three colour screen print.

The solo exhibition will be made up of 5 pairs of prints, with each exploring the simplified typographic approach of the original contact ads in his unique and colourful typographic style, combined with a vibrant reimagining and recreation of the images of the individuals posting the ads, using artwork created from original photographs.

Dave Buonaguidi

UK Artist

Dave Buonaguidi worked in advertising for over 30 years, founding St. Luke’s, the worlds first advertising co-operative and labelled as ‘the most frightening company on earth’ by the Harvard Business Review. He has since worked as Creative Director at Channel4, founded the advertising agency Karmarama and Chief Creative Officer of the London office of Crispin Porter and Bogusky.

In 2003 he created the iconic ‘MAKE TEA NOT WAR’ poster for the anti-war march, which now forms part of the Victoria and Albert Museum collection and also hangs in the Trento Museum of Modern Art.

During a year-long hiatus from the advertising world, Buonaguidi set upon learning a new skill and undertook a screenprinting course, which in turn gave him the freedom to finally find an out-put for the many ideas that had been swimming around in his head.

Dave works on found images and materials, experimenting with the practice of screenprinting to push the boundaries of what it is and can be. Past examples include printing with pheromones, sprinkles, printing onto copper plates and just about anything else he can find, showing the investigative approach he takes to his printing practice. His work aims to cause a reaction in the viewer, the juxtaposition of familiar images with overlaying text or a smattering of controversy or the odd swear word to accentuate. Buonaguidi uses the techniques of mass communication and advertising, pairing with found imagery and objects and assertive text that challenges the viewer.