Picture

Artist Statement  
Gisella Stapleton is a Peruvian artist based in London.
She feels inspired by women and their strength as well as their roots and all the social and cultural manifestations that represent the Latin American continent. As a Latina woman in London, she is part of a movement that seeks to empower immigrant women through art, traditional dance, etc. Gisella has just started a new mural project in the streets of London.

"Since 2000 I have taken many courses in Painting, History of art, Drawing, etc. while studying in the University. I graduated from Valladolid, Salamanca and UNED Universities in Education, and Psychology. I have been living in London since 2011 where I took a course in Painting and Drawing in The University of the Arts London (UAL).
​I have had a passion for painting since childhood, where I was exposed to the arts through many family members. Music and crafts were always part of my life in Peru as a pastime and as a way of expression. My mother painted recreationally and she taught me how to use her materials. From there I experimented and continued to develop my skills independently
My work is particularly influenced by my experiences in Perú, I feel very connected with my background, the people from my country, Andean communities, folklore, colours…etc. I also have a big admiration of empowered women that have done or are still doing an amazing job in the world.  I feel captivated with body language and emotions that I try to express with a blend of intense colours to bring the canvas to life.
Colours are feelings and emotions, I think they express something by themselves without any shape and form. I feel they can tell me a whole story when I put them together.
I have exhibited in many galleries mainly in Spain and England since 2007 when I joined the artistic collective "Haciendoloquesepuede" in Valladolid, Spain, an initiative of young artists to spread the art in the city. 
​More recently I was selected for the group exhibition "Battersea Art Station" that took place at Battersea Arts Center in September 2015.
In November the same year I took residency in the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch to complete paintings for the commissioned musician themed kaleidoscope exhibition (solo exhibition). After the exhibition the paintings were procured for permanent display in the hotel foyer.
 In June of 2016 I exhibited my work at Acklam Village as part of the Open Art Festival of Kensington and Fulham.
 I also took part of an Exhibition-Residency at COYA Mayfair, where I did live painting and have been commissioned a few paintings. (1 December - 1 September).
 On March 2017 I took part of a project called HERSTORY in San Diego, California. HERSTORY is an art show (contemporary dance, original live music and painting) inspired by the stories of four contemporary female heroes from the streets of Chicago, to the Peruvian Amazon, to the seas surrounding Syria, these women embody a strength, bravery and resilience worth noting.
 In April 2017 I took part of the group exhibition "Yo Mujer" at Ronda Barcelona Gallery, Barcelona Spain.
 I’m a born experimenter and love constantly testing new mediums and techniques in my work. I also like trying different styles as I consider this is the best way of learning."


Collective projects that I am taking part in 2017-2018:
 
ABOUT WOMEN-YO MUJER https://youtu.be/deLB_gmxdM8
This project proposes a new reading oriented to the reflection between art, gender and multiculturalism. We want to focus on the multiple ways of being, feeling and perceiving the woman at the present time, under the look and sensibility of artists and creatives from around the world with the respective connotations of their cultural and social differences. The project has travelled already through several cities in Spain, Colombia and Holland.
 
HERSTORY, Dance-live music-Art Performance 
Inspired by the stories of four contemporary female heroes, Herstory takes the audience through a series of rhythms, images and sensations, blending a fusion of different styles to offer a powerful show. From the streets of Chicago (Ameena Matthews), to the Peruvian Amazon (Ruth Buendia), to the seas surrounding Syria (Sarah Ezzat Mardini), these women embody a strength, bravery and resilience worth noting. My work was concentrated in Ruth Buendia, the Ashaninka Peruvian activist that lead a campaign to oppose large-scale dams that would displace indigenous communities and endanger the environment. She was awarded the 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize. The artwork was exhibited at the show and a video of the process projected together with the dance and music performance.  https://youtu.be/N2jLP7jYzdo
 
Exhibitions:
Group, Artist Open House-Dulwich Festival, May 2018
Live painting mural, Jakhu Launching, London, 11 of November
Solo, “Inti” Coya, Mayfair, 118 Picadilly, London, Residency December 2016 - September 2017
Group, “Urban Art Fair”, Brixton, 8 & 9 of July
Group, “About Women-Yo mujer” Ronda Barcelona Gallery, Barcelona. 6-24 of April 2017
Group, “Herstory” Mosaic, San Diego, California. 1st show 11th of March 2017
Solo, "About beauties and Fauves" Acklam Village, Portobello Road, London June-July 2016
Group, “Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again” Open Art Spaces group exhibition, Earl’s Court Project Rooms, London, June-July 2016
Solo, “KALEIDOSCOPE” The Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, London. November-December 2015
Parallax Art Fair. 22-25 October 2015 at Chelsea Hall Town, London.
Solo, Open Art Spaces of Kensington and Fulham, October, Faron Sutaria Notting Hill Gate. London 2015
Group, Open Art Spaces of Kensington and Fulham, Austin Forum, London October 2015
Group, “Battersea Art Station”, Battersea Arts Centre, London. September 2015
Solo, Open Art Spaces of Kensington and Fulham, my studio in Fulham. September 2014.
Group, “Vuelapluma, Poetry and painting” Traveling exhibition, several venues, Valladolid, Spain. 2014
Group, “summer Art Ehibition”, Cultivate Vyner street, London. 2013
Group, Swiss Cottage Gallery Exhibition. Hampstead, London. 2013
Group, “A point of view”, Vibe Gallery, London. 2013
Group, “Art in Mind”, The Brick Lane Gallery, London. 2013
Solo, “People”, Sildavia Art-Bar. Spain. 2011
Group, “Theater and Art Street Festival” Spain, 2011
Group, “Haciendoloquesepuede”, Bailarín Vicente Ezcudero Cultural Centre Spain. 2009
Group, “Haciendoloquesepuede”, Zone Sur Cultural Centre, Spain. 2008
Group, “Haciendoloquesepuede”, Babel Art-Bar. Spain.2008
Group, “I Art Exhibition for the Promotion of Equality”, University of Valladolid. Spain, 2007
Group, Students Art Exhibition, Zone Sur Cultural Centre,Valladolid, Spain. 2004
Group, Students Art Exhibition IPNM University. Perú. 2002


      
 



​