30 Under 30 Young Artists Revolutionising the World of Fine Arts
His 'painting' with denim has received international acclaim from both critics and collectors
Hillary Casavant | Art Business News
The most ordinary of fabrics now inspires his extraordinary art
...one of a number of artists fusing the slightly loftier world of art with the often (unjustifiably) denigrated world of craft. Like Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry and Chuck Close before him, Berry is pushing the boundaries of Textiles as a medium, producing photorealistic denim collages depicting everyday scenes.
Fiona McCarthy | Sunday Times Style Magazine
They are absolutely stunning
Louise Minchin | BBC Breakfast | UK
For the British artist Ian Berry, jeans are much more than just a popular garment. Using nothing but innumerable tiny pieces of old jeans, Berry creates impressive portraits and fascinating urban landscapes, capturing almost photo-realistic moments in time.
Through the course of weeks he seeks, collects, cuts, embroiders and shadows his pictures. The Results are amazing. The finished works are fantastically detailed, photo-like pictures with texture, which is impossible to adequately reproduce in a printed image.
Like Hopper, Ian Berry's pictures tell stories of cold, lonely world. They always focus on people, which captivates the observer and draws them in to take a closer look.
Burda
Material Masterpieces
Brenda Emmanus | BBC Arts
At first glance Ian Berry's works look like paintings, but look again, they're made from denim, the fabric used for jeans
DW Euromaxx TV
A Highlight of the Brighton Festival
Vogue
Antes, um aviso: as imagens que acompanham este texto parecem pinturas, mas, na verdade, são reproduções de obras feitas apenas com retalhos de jeans.
Before, a warning: the images that accompany this text look like paintings, but they are actually reproductions of works done only with patchwork of jeans.
FFW Mag | Brazil
No paint, no bleach, no dyes, just scenes awash in the natural blues of the denim.
If its hip its here
No, no son fotografías
No, No they are not photographs
Tongue Magazine
不是顏料，居然是丹寧布！用牛仔褲創造魔法的藝術家 Ian Berry
Not a paint, actually is a denim! Ian Berry, an artist who creates magic with jeans
Fliper Mag | China
El material no es un pretexto para dejar asombrada a la concurrencia, los trabajos se independizan del material y la paleta de tonos azulados refuerza atmósferas de melancolía e intimidad
The material is not a pretext to leave astonished to the concurrence, the works become independent of the material and the palette of bluish tones reinforces atmospheres of melancholy and intimacy.
20minuto | Spain
とてもデニムだけでつくられているとは思えない。
ブラスト、シェービング、ケミカル、ヒゲ、加工方法や色落ちの違いで幾重にも表情を変えるのがデニムジーンズの魅力。そのデニムを画材に使って、唯一無二のアートワークを体現するアーティストがいた。
I can not imagine it is made solely with denim. Blasting, shaving, chemicals, beard, changing attitude due to differences in processing method and discoloration is the charm of denim jeans.and this is what an artist uses alone, who embodies the these effect in an artwork.
TABI LABO | Japan
Even by using a brush it would barely be possible to work any more precisely
TextilWirtschaft
technical mastery
Fubiz
Lo que a primera vista parece una prenda más, para él se convierte en un ejercicio de originalidad y atención al detalle, algo realmente singular. En sus creaciones es habitual encontrar escenas de la vida cotidiana, haciendo testimonio de la realidad del momento
All together, the pieces collate into an established image from afar, bringing together light, color, and many of the elements of classic painting style.
Diana Shi Vice Creators Project
I really hope you can see how fantastic this piece of art you are looking at is, totally made up by denim.
Tilde de Paula | TV4 Nyhetsmorgan | Sweden
Oneofthemost uniqueartists oftheWest
Kyjibtypa, Russia
攝影能夠利用燈光來營造不同的感覺，Ian Berry則利用牛仔布的深淺色效果來營造moody的感覺
Photography can use light to create a different feeling, Ian Berry is the use of denim color effect to create a moody mood
Esquire Hong Kong
The Jean Genie
For artist Ian Berry, denim is the perfect Canvas for his deeply cut reflections on hr fabric of urban life. He makes distinctive, photorealistic pictures from denim.
GQ GB
This is not a painting! These are art made by Ian Berry!
International Business Times | India
An Impressive Exhibition
It's amazing how each work has been created in layers, giving them so much depth. The attention to detail is immense, even the sides of the paintings covered in denim.
We have shared some incredible artists with you before. But we’ve never seen anyone like Ian Berry.
Inspire More
The press has dubbed him a 'Jeanius'
El Pais | Spain
cuts them up like Edward Scissorhands, glues the pieces together, and makes them into breathtaking works of art.
Real Clear Life
זה לא ציור שמן, זה קולאז' עשוי ג'ינס
It is not an oil painting, it's a collage made from denim
Haaretz | Israel
transformed old jeans into fantastic works of art.
Playboy
“A crowd stopper”
The most wow-producing piece was Ian Berry’s lifesized tapestry of a New York news stand made from hundreds of carefully cut pieces of denim in different blue tones. Each individual magazine cover was stunning; the whole artwork was a masterpiece by anyone’s standards.
Doug MacCash
The Times Picayune
Denim is by no means a traditional medium for creating wonderfully detailed artwork, but Ian Berry uses old pieces of clothing to make incredible portraits. Ian Berry makes his work from many shades of painstakingly cut denim jeans, all layered up and blended together using the wash in the denim to create portraits and often melancholic scenes.
From a distance, the viewer is often tricked into thinking it is a painting or even a blue toned photograph and not until closer inspection do they see the depth of the work and the texture of the denim, leading to quite a surprise.
Feel | Italy
O truque de Ian Berry é escolher as lavagens certas para criar diferenciações de cores, sombras e até texturas.
Ian Berry's trick is to choose the right washes to create color, shadow and even textures.
GQ | Brazil
Even at touching distance, many viewers don’t realise that they are looking at many layers, and shades, ofdenim jeans.
Textile Artist
For Ian Berry, blue jeans aren’t just something he wears — they’re his way of looking at the world. The Yorkshire native works solely using the blue stuff, cutting and gluing denim scraps to create stunning pictures of everyday scenes. Up close, these mind-blowing creations are made up of intricate textures where rips, frays and whiskers along with carefully assembled indigo tones and gradient fades create a stunning illusion of depth, light, and ultimately, photorealism.
Samuel Trotman | WGSN
Takes Textile Art to a new territory
San Francisco Chronicle
Go on and take another look at the above piece. No its not an illusion, its actually made from old pairs of freaking jeans
Yume Magazine | Australia
The Man with Denim Hands
Cecilia Musmeci | DSECTION
The monumental, realistic denim jean works of Ian Berry were so numerous and wonderful that we are not able to get enough.
He has already built a huge oeuvre at his young age and they are even more beautiful than you see here printed.
Dorothy Swinkles | Textiel Plus Magazine
known for his work constructing incredible scenes purely out of used denim and jeans. His work is painstakingly cut, stitched, and pasted together.
Juxtapoz
Upon first glance, these pieces look like a flat image. It’s not until you look at them closeup and in person that you can see the layers upon layers of jeans. Ian does not use bleach or dye. He takes the jeans as they come and realise on a keen artistic eye to piece the jeans together.
Ripley's Believe it or Not
It's impressive stuff, and gives you yet another reason not to throw out those old clothes
Guardian | UK
He has no become so well known for his photorealisic pictures in denim that people leave bags of their old jeans outside his house
Observer | UK
Ian Berry has made a name for himself by transforming cast off jeans into original works of art
Elle Decoration
I challenge anyone to see this show and not to be able to find a hint of something that takes you back to a memory of a space or time that belonged just to you.
Chuckie Vision
Ian Berry creates monochromatic compositions depicting urban scenes that are carefully constructed out of varying shades of denim fabrics. On closer inspection the characteristics of the denim material slowly emerge and the hours of labor are revealed.
These surprisingly detailed works are cut, stitched, and glued together creating large scale urbanscapes that represent society and popular culture in a democratic way.
Jane Kenoyer
Hi Fructose
누 구보다 데님의 속성과 아름다움을 잘 아는 그이지만, 아티스트로서 다른소재에 대한 호기심은 없는지 궁금해졌다. “데님은 무한한 영감을 주는 대상일뿐더러, 아직 데님으로 표현하지 못한 것이 많아요. 데님은 제가 세상과 소통하는 가장 완벽한 방법입니다.” 글 유주희 기자
He knows the nature and beauty of denim more than anyone, but as an artist I wondered if there was any curiosity about the material. "Denim is an infinitely inspiring object
There are many things I have not expressed in denim yet. Denim is the most perfect way to communicate with the world.
Home and Living | South Korea
The Master of Denim
Complex Magazine
Óleo sobre tela saiu de moda. O inglês Ian Berry, aka Denimu, faz denim sobre denim. Essa é a característica principal das obras do artista que trabalha somente com jeans, cortando e fazendo mosaico com os pedacinhos. A partir das diversas camadas surgem imagens cheias de detalhes e profundidade.
Cat Magazine | Brazil
Faboulous
Charlene White | ITV London
Son truc: transformer des scènes en apparence banales en pièces d’exception. Ce qui l’intéresse dans le denim, ce n’est pas tellement la matière en tant que telle, mais plutôt ce qu’elle traduit et incarne.
Marie Claire | Belgium
Top five Must see Exhibtions in London
Fad Magazine
something that will look as cool on your wall as the components did on your person
Cool Material
В Лондоне проходит выставкам британского художника Яна Берри, на которой он демонстрирует свои произведения искусства, каждое из которых было выполнено из джинсовой ткани. Событие уже привлекло к себе внимание сотен посетителей, которые пришли в галерею Catto, чтобы насладиться необычными художествами.
In London held an exhibition of British artist Ian Berry, in which he demonstrates his art works, each of which was made of denim. The event has already attracted the attention of hundreds of visitors who come to the Catto Gallery to enjoy the unusual artistry.
Metro | Russia
one of Europe’s most progressive artists
Passionaire | Sweden
Ian Berry’s remarkable indigo coloured art is painstakingly created from many small pieces of denim, individually selected by shade, then cut, stitched and glued in multiple layers. From urban scenes to life portraits, even at touching distance the intricate works give the appearance of blue-toned photographs or oil paintings.
Ian’s open-plan live-work apartment at Spratt’s is almost entirely devoted to his craft, with salvaged denim carefully catalogued and hung by colour. Much of the floor of Ian’s home is covered with scraps and lengths. He even sleeps amongst his materials, in a denim teepee.
My Warehouse Home
Not many things leave us speechless, but we do find ourselves without the right words to describe the work of Ian Berry.
To call it denim art just doesn’t do it justice. Sounds too crafty, too much like old ladies’ hobby of quilt-making. Although he does create pieces of visual art by using recycled denim clothing, the pieces are far from any semblance of patchwork.
Coolhunter
A brush and canvas make a perfect pair for producing beautiful art, but creatives like UK-based Ian Berry love to think outside of the box.
My Modern Met
Berry’s work as it will delight and move you
I had never truly seen his work up close until this private view. I am completely blown away at the intricacy of his talent and his commitment to his craft as it is clear that these collages have his blood, sweat and tears woven into the denim he uses to create this art.
I love jeans
iconic masterpieces
Ian's work breaks down the often tense reception of contemporary art and speaks through the denim to tear down language and societal walls. He creates constructing tangible fine art that spans an audience of generations.
Leigh Morrow Calhoun | Front Row Monthy | USA
It's a special the way Ian makes his art. As the picture the two-dimensional look, but who gets the chance to see the work live, sees that any form, shade or color difference of countless pieces of denim is made.
De Telegraaf | Holland
De getalenteerde Ian Berry, maakt ongelooflijk gedetailleerde portretten en landschappen van afgedankte spijkerbroeken. Alle onderdelen van de jeans, ook de riemlusjes, labels, zomen, naden en zakken worden gebruikt. Met de verschillende stofwassingen bouwt hij subtiele kleurnuances op. Heel geraffineerd en bijzonder indrukwekkend.
ALIE DIJK | Handwerken Zonder Grenzen | Holland
Difficult as it may be for first-time observers to believe, he creates these elaborate and realistic masterpieces using nothing but scraps of recycled jeans, scissors and glue. Aside from his astonishing technique and prowess for rendering in this unconventional medium, Ian steeps his work in emotion and psychological exploration.
Fine Print
Portraits that look like they have
been made with a palette knife
Wertical
He has won himself a legion of admirers in high places
Time Out London
True Works of Art
National Geographic | Brazil
Ian Berry captures urban landscapes and portraits with tremendous detail and depth. The work is inspired, and in any medium it would be celebrated but as it happens these are created out of old blue jeans.
Berry is much more than a gimmick artist and he has amassed a worldwide following because his work is fascinating and is masterfully executed. That being said, a part of what makes the art so remarkable is the depth that he is able to achieve from the material, and the shock value to the viewer that such ornate art can come from such a common material.
E. Scott Bailey | Beautiful Bizarre
A must-see show by Ian Berry
It's an art exhibition, even to the most skeptical eyes.
It might be hard to believe it when you hear about it because the pieces are made from such an ordinary element: jeans.
This isn't design or painting. It is hundreds and hundreds of pieces of denim in dozens of colours; cut, glued and overlaid – creating astonishing effects of shades and depth.
RTP CASA DAS ARTES | Portugal
Rather than throw out any pair he can no longer squeeze into, Ian Berry takes his old jeans and cleverly weaves various different shades and patterns into layered pictures that encompass everything from portraits to bar room scenes.
Huffington Post UK
Creating the work is a painstaking process. Still, his investment of time and energy seems to be paying off. He held his latest exhibition just before Christmas and even before the doors had opened every single work had been sold.
Sarah Freeman | Yorkshire Post
He's a jean-ius! Artist's amazing pictures of London life made from DENIM he finds in charity shops
Daily Mail | UK
Dapper Italian Fiat heir, Lapo Elkann claims his favourite possession is a portrait made of denim by Ian Berry
DuJour | USA
It's Insane!
I’m a big fan of his work for some years and I’m always impressed how he create those true master pieces
Long John
Dat Ian Berry net als Picasso door een blauwe fase gaat is een understatement. Zijn schilderijen zijn werkelijk vijftig tinten indigo, maar in tegenstelling tot Picasso is Berry's toewijding voor de kleur langduriger.
Ian Berry as Picasso by a blue phase is an understatement. His paintings are truly fifty shades of indigo, but in contrast to Picasso's Berry's dedication to the color last longer.
Knack | Belgium
Incredible
Juxtapoz
Instead of using paint, artist Ian Berry creates incredibly detailed art with denim. His work revolves around melancholic urban scenes, usually depicting the lonely and less glamorous side of living in the city
Bored Panda
מעבר להדגמת מיומנותו המהוקצעת, יצירותיו מזקקות את מהות ההוויה האורבנית באופן מצמרר. באמצעות "פלטת" בדי הדנים, ברי מתאר סצינות אורבניות יום־יומיות במכבסות, בפאבים ובתוך הבית, לרוב עם דמות נשית מלנכולית, שלוכדות את הבדידות של החיים העירוניים. כמו החזות החלקה והמתעתעת של עבודותיו, שעשויות למעשה מקולאז' של בד זול, כך גם החיים האורבניים הרבה פחות זוהרים ממה שנגלה על פני השטח.
Beyond demonstrating the polished skill, his works distilled the essence of the urban experience chillingly. Using the "plate" denim cloth, Berry describes everyday urban scenes in laundries, pubs and inside the house, usually with a female figure melancholy that captures the loneliness of urban life. Such as much deceptive appearance of his works, which may in fact be collage of cheap fabric, so much urban life less glamorous than meets the surface.
Haaretz | Israel
Picasso's Blue period lasted four years. Contemporary British Atist Ian Berry's is permanent - and that is a good thing.
Sportswear International
I don't know how well this comes across on the TV, but these are really layered. They must be so time consuming.
Charlie Stayt | BBC Breakfast | UK
His works recreate the reality in the form of collages, fabulously rich in detail; the shades are made up of different denim, and the depth that emerges is incredible.
Denimize | Italy
We at ELLE are very proud to have one of our front covers in his New York News Stand installation
Elle Sweden
I'm Very impressed with his pieces and his technique
Blue jeans is his material and his work is now selling all over the world. The story about Ian Berry is a classic success story. Ian makes pictures of jeans fabric. He cuts and glues with a kind of collage technique with layers on layers. The motives is taken from his own experience. Places he has visited or lived at which he have taken photos of.
Göran Hellström | Art Critic, KonstVärlden | Sweden
cada año se tiran a la basura toneladas de ellos y Ian Berry ha encontrado la solución perfecta para darles una segunda vida: convertirlos en arte
Every year they throw away tons of them and Ian Berry has found the perfect solution to give them a second life: to turn them into art
Domestika
