The T-shirt belongs to everyone – part of a universal

"The T-shirt belongs to everyone – part of a universal language – more personal than a Pop poster, more poignant
than a song – from itʼs humble beginnings in the novelty genre through the Pop and the Literary to the Illusionary
and the Surreal” - John Dove and Molly White, 2011.
In the late 60's, John Dove and Molly White made a career in fashion that instigated the fusion and convergence of
music, fashion, art and graphics. Their art was forged on the same silkscreen machines that artists were making prints
on; they were inventing print technology not to make small editions to be framed, but to make editions in the thousands
for people to wear on the street, at the time their ʻprintsʼ were made for t-shirts not canvas or paper.
They wanted their work to be democratic and affordable and therefore have the potential to reach a global audience.
Dove had already understood and investigated the concept of the unlimited multiple, having fabricated his ʻLiberty
Souvenirʼ edition for Tommy Robertsʼ shop Mr Freedom, and his unlimited ʻFlying Ducksʼ multiple, 1970, which was
included in the International exhibition of Multiple Art called “3 to Infinity” at The Whitechapel Gallery, London.
This convergence culture allowed them to find an alternative outlet for their visual language, a popular art that was
not confined purely to routes laid out by the art establishment. In 1968 John & Molly built a screen printing unit and
a sculpture workshop in London, Molly successfully designing fabrics and John concentrating on his own drawings.
America, Pop Art, Dada, Surrealism and Rockʻn Roll were a huge influence, and meant that Dove and White could
offer American glamour both through their use of visual subject matter but also through their innovative printing
techniques using diamante, gold inks and glitter.
In 1972, the fuse that would ignite punk rock on both sides of the Atlantic had been lit, musically on ʻRaw Powerʼ by
the Stooges, and visually by Dove and Whiteʼs legendary leatherette jacket as worn by Iggy Pop on the back cover,
with an image of a snarling growling leopard head.
If bands such as the New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers, Blondie, and The Sex Pistols defined
Punk music, Dove and White were visual counterparts. A stripe in garish colours became a punk and post-punk defining
design. In 1976 they opened a shop, KITSCH-22ʼ, and by 1977 their own label Modzart, which launched their ʻFaceʼ
and ʻRebelʼ series, the latter the fashion equivalent of their favourite Top 10, not songs but revered heroes. Paul Stolper
Molly and I have always been fiercely independent, always placing much emphasis on innovation and the use of new
materials and techniques. Earliest designs in 1968/69 were explorations in Trompe l’oeil, the most well known were
drawings of tattoos on translucent body stockings and a photograph of top model Pat Boothe's breasts printed on flesh
coloured T-shirts. We also created full colour photographic screen prints on fabric in 1968. Our prints on black T-shirts
in 1970 are said to be the earliest.
The Observer (1983): John Dove and Molly White have been designing and handprinting T-shirts since the late Sixties
when they were among the first people to start exporting them to America. Originators of the Seventies glitter T-shirt and
the Punk black-on-dayglo Tiger stripe designs, they now produce 1000 T-shirts a week.
We have worked together for over forty years. Screen-printing is a good medium for two people to come together.
Throughout the process of making the artwork and film positives for screens, the print evolves through mutually decided
changes that will guide or divert the print along an inevitable course. When the image reaches the table we are free of
the processing and the invention starts all over again. The spark of creativity could come from either of us. We are the
soul of the piece. We are the work. During the last two years, we have made enlargements of some of our T-shirts and
textiles as works of art. We have developed our prints on paper that have been shown in the UK, LA, New York and Miami.
Also produced screen printed T-shirts for shows at the V&A (David Bowie Is), Tate Liverpool (Glam - The Performance
Of Style) and The Paul Stolper Gallery (Face to Face) where our collection was purchased by world's leading artist,
Damien Hirst. In April, Rei Kawakubo invited us to collaborate on the Comme des Garcons Autumn/ Winter collection
and an exhibition case is to be installed with our work at The Trading Museum in Tokyo to feature the iconic Iggy Pop
"Raw Power" jacket designed in the 70's. John Dove
INSIDEOUT
Denis James and Frances Yvette White, in the year 2000, set up the vintage London label 'FDS' (For Design Sake).
Customising original' Old-School 'vintage t-shirts (Nike, Puma, Disney, Adidas) with spontaneous over-printing using
Tape stripes, Splattered paint, scribbles, also using foil and rubber with their silkscreen printed deconstructed techniques.
Collaborations with Nike & Dr Martens followed.
In 2004 Frances & Denis launched the label INSIDEOUT, dedicated to the digital printing techniques of Monochromatic
trompe l'oeil. As the collections developed they moved away from Silkscreen printing, and the customisation ethos.
Exploring new printing concepts and technique's which had not been fully utilised in the fashion industry. Frances and Denis
created printed pieces reminiscent of early London Glamour and Punk art. Also Op imagery and 1950s prom dresses, 1970s
denim skirts and dungarees, badges, punk inspired loose knit mohair sweaters, deconstructed shirts, jeweled necklaces,
distressed cable knitwear, decaying t-shirts, laddered chiffon, sequin fabrics. Finding inspiration from these vintage elements
and all their imperfections, always with a surreal twist.
In April this year, Denis and Frances invited parents, John and Molly to collaborate and produce a new collection of printed
T-shirts and collages together for the first time. The exhibition of Dove and White's collages was arranged together with a
launch of the new collection of printed T-shirts and collages from the collaboration with INSIDEOUT. The Tshirt design work
and collages are drawn from a collaborative archive of sketchbooks and pictures.
Frances was raised in a creative atmosphere of Dove and White's life in the studio and surrounded by the designers and
celebrities within their circle of friends. She began as a student in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art, London. When design
student Denis James met Frances whilst studying fashion and textiles at Central Saint Martins, the new partnership in
fashion/art began. By 2003 Frances and Denis were exploring the screen printing process and the new technologies in their
own studio and finding International success with their Trompe l`oeil designs.
Frances began her career as a painter and illustrator so has a spontaneous approach to her collage work where the images
are drawn from her own photographs of varied objects, fabrics and all kinds of materials collected from the history of the
world of fashion and art. She finds inspiration in vintage fashion and the imperfections and signs of wear and tear embedded
in the history of the garment. Frances has sensitivity to the materials she uses and creates the image through a series of
painterly gestures made from her photographs. On the other hand, Denis was trained as a fashion designer but he is also is
a good draftsman, he recognises the directions Frances creates in the collages and helps to shape them into the structures
of the garments. He draws his ideas and inspiration from his international travels. Producing ideas that give more integrity
and global importance to the pieces they create together.
John and Molly work from ideas that they discuss and plan with meticulous detail. They draw on various techniques and
styles already within their palette - the final work is more like a celebration of the initial idea where the image gradually
gathers pace and form.
Our recent print images on paper are hybrids that have evolved from many years of printing T-shirts where we retain all
the character of that journey having returned to that careful nurturing to develop every nuance and facet of the print. Weʼll
still be inclined to revive more from our back catalogue to rework those images that we never had the time to fully embrace.
Altogether, these 4 individual levels of artistry and expertise have succeeded in laying down a criteria that allows the images
to come together in many surprising and different ways - one image being mutually developed from the shaping of the other,
always expanding, evolving.
EXHIBITION
Escaliers (Stairs)
John Dove & Molly White
LIBERTY (Red), LIBERTY (White), LIBERTY (Blue), 2011
Screenprint with Aqueous adhesive and metallic foil on Colorado canvas on lamp black board. 70 x 70 cm
Signed and numbered by the artist, verso.
Edition 1 of 12
1500 € each or 3500 € the set of three (frame included).
1er Etage Caisse (Register), de gauche à droite (left to right)
John Dove & Molly White
PARADOX No.10, 1980
PARADOX No.13, 1980
PARADOX No.8, 1980
PARADOX No.4, 1980
Screen print on Hand-made Rag Paper, made from recycled T-Shirts. 100 x 100 cm
Signed, titled and numbered. Series of unique prints.
950 € each (frame included).
Galerie, de gauche à droite (left to right)
John Dove & Molly White
IF YOU LOVE ME LET ME KNOW, 2013
Unique collage, signed.
81 x 58 cm (cadre 85 x 71,5 cm)
3100 € (frame included)
Aussi disponible :
Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 77 x 56 cm
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
500 €
CITY LIGHTS, 1982
Unique collage, signed.
41,5 x 31,5 cm (cadre 67 x 56,5 cm)
3800 € (frame included)
SMILE, 2013
Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 57 x 45,5 cm (cadre 67,5 x 56 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 45
350 € (ou 530 € avec cadre)
DRAMATIC ART, 1986
Unique collage, signed.
57 x 44,5 cm (cadre 69 x 57 cm)
2500 € (frame included)
TIME TO CRY, 1985
Unique collage, signed.
36 x 32 cm (cadre 61,5 x 57 cm)
2500 € (frame included)
TOO HOT, 1979
Unique collage, signed
35 x 30 cm (cadre 60,5 x 55 cm)
4500 € (frame included)
NO ROMANCE VEST, 2013
Screen and Giclee Print on Hand-made Rag Paper, made from recycled T-shirts.
77 x 56 cm (cadre 93 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 25
600 € (ou 705 € avec cadre)
IF YOU LOVE ME LET ME KNOW VEST, 2013
Screen and Giclee Print on Hand-made Rag Paper, made from recycled T-shirts.
77 x 56 cm (cadre 93 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 25
600 € (ou 705 € avec cadre)
GOD AS GOLD VEST, 2013
Screen and Giclee Print on Hand-made Rag Paper, made from recycled T-shirts.
77 x 56 cm (cadre 93 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 25
600 € (ou 705 € avec cadre)
ZOIC ANDROID IN VOGUE, 1999-2010
Unique collage series on screen Print
97 x 63 cm (cadre 110 x 74 cm)
Signed, Titled, Edition of 45
1400 € (frame included)
ZOIC ANDROID IN HOLLYWOOD, 1999-2010
Unique collage series on screen Print
95 x 64 cm (cadre 108 x 76 cm)
Signed, Titled, Edition of 45
1400 € (frame included)
John Dove & Molly White
WILD SAVAGE BEAUTIFUL, 2013
Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 84 x 59 cm (cadre 94 x 71,5 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
500 € (ou 650 € avec cadre)
Frances White & Denis J Murphy (INSIDEOUT)
SNEAKER, 2013
Original Montage Artwork, 53 x 47 cm
650 € (frame included, edition of 10)
Aussi disponible : Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 37,5 x 44,5 cm (cadre 54 x 60,5 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
260 €
HI HEEL SNEAKER, 2013
Original Montage Artwork, 56 x 46 cm
900 € (frame included, edition of 10)
Aussi disponible : Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 41 x 44,5 cm (cadre 57 x 60,5 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
260 €
John Dove & Molly White
SMILE T-shirt, 2013
Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 84 x 59 cm (cadre 94 x 71,5 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
500 € (ou 650 € avec cadre)
Frances White & Denis J Murphy (INSIDEOUT)
MOLLY DENIM, 2013
Original Montage Artwork, 88 x 62 cm
1500 € (frame included, edition of 10)
Aussi disponible : Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 84 x 59 cm (cadre 96,5 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
340 €
John Dove & Molly White
BREASTS T-shirt, 2013
Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 84 x 59 cm (cadre 96,5 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
500 € (ou 650 € avec cadre)
Frances White & Denis J Murphy (INSIDEOUT)
WORN LEATHERETTE, 2013
Original Montage Artwork, 88 x 62 cm
1500 € (frame included, edition of 10)
Aussi disponible : Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 84 x 59 cm (cadre 96,5 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
340 €
GIRL PROVOCATEUR, 2013
Original Montage Artwork, 88 x 62 cm
1500 € (frame included, edition of 10)
Aussi disponible : Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 84 x 59 cm (cadre 96,5 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
340 €
SPEAK YOUR MIND, 2013
Original Montage Artwork, 88 x 62 cm
1500 € (frame included, edition of 10)
Aussi disponible : Giclee Print on acid free textured fine art paper, 84 x 59 cm (cadre 96,5 x 72 cm)
Signed, titled and numbered. Limited edition of 50
340 €
INSIDEOUT T-shirt 220-230 €
213 rue Saint-Honoré 75001 Paris galerie T.01.55.35.33.97 Email [email protected] www.colette.fr