«Same Strokes, Different Folks» at Wit Art Gallery features a duo show by French artist David Bruce and australian artist Saxon Quinn, marking their first collaborative showcase. The exhibition explores the commonalities in their artistic references, drawing heavily from pop culture, sports, and iconography. Despite their different styles, both artists treat characters with a unique flair, creating a dialogue between their works.

Saxon Quinn:

Same Strokes, Different Folks was created after a trip through Europe, where Saxon found a lot of inspiration from the art, history, and culture. The pieces in this series carry influences from mythological statues and the brushwork of artists like Karel Appel, Asger Jorn, Cy Twombly, Guillaume Cornelis van Beverloo, and Serge Vandercam.

You’ll also see symbols like the Nike swoosh, basketballs, and shoes, which connect to his upbringing in the Australian countryside. Growing up, brands and material wealth were often out of reach, and these elements represent that part of my story while also commenting on the bigger picture of identity and culture.

This body of work brings together personal memories and global influences, mixing high art with everyday symbols to explore how these worlds overlap and shape our experiences.

«Quinn is a kindred spirit of the CoBrA artists of the 1940s and 1950s who challenged the cool conceptualism of the art world by tapping into the primal energy and colour found in the drawings of children. Their refreshing freedom and wisdom can be found in the ghostly traces of paint and graphite of Quinn’s rough-hewn canvases, and inscribed on his ceramic figures that give a cheeky wink to the marble mythology of ancient empires – MAD magazine monuments that mark our movement through the artist’s painted world.
Accumulating on the patina of both these mediums is a palimpsest of intuitive scores and scrawls that we can read and riff with at random. And released in between these different records and notes is a voice that resonates clearly and without apology, speaking volumes»

David Bruce:

He is one of the second generation of graffiti artists. His foray into the world of street art began in 1993, initially focusing on tagging. By 1995, Bruce had expanded his repertoire, painting trains in the Paris metro, producing works that included entire carriages, covering their entire surface. Although these are ‘spontaneous’ works done quickly like a sport, as the time until the train starts is very limited, this is reflected in his artistic production through the depiction of sports balls.

His graffiti style carries over into studio works, where he combines acrylics and oils with his signature spray cans. Together, they create a flat, yet colourful and fun style. The characteristics of his work are manifested through precise lines and effective simplicity, allowing him to brilliantly combine both figurative and abstract elements. In addition, Bruce is known for his multiple collaborations with artist Mina, with whom he creates graffiti works that are unique, vibrant and humorous, addressing a wide range of contemporary cultural issues.

Since 2022, David has been artist in residence at Nike, while simultaneously exhibiting in various cities across Europe.