‘WHO IS VIRGIL?’ BY FREDDIE PEACOCK

By Olisa Jr.

In a recent group exhibition hosted by a non-profit organisation, 4BYSIX, British artist Freddie Peacock created his latest piece, entitled, “WHO IS VIRGIL?”, intricately choosing to create a commemorative painting of the late icon, Virgil Abloh, while embodying Freddie’s orthodox style, and explores the life and career of Virgil through both blatant and hidden references within the painting. In conjunction with the release of the painting and the money raised at its auction for the 4BYSIX charity, Freddie will release a limited supply of “WHO IS VIRGIL?” ‘Paint splatter’ items that were worn during different stages of the painting process for the piece. The Limited edition items will be available via his website, with all proceeds being donated to Virgil’s “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund. GUAP caught up with Freddie to share a few words on his recent piece, and more.

What influenced your decision in selecting which pieces and parts of Virgil’s creative output was referenced in the painting?

Freddie: I think with Virgil you’d have to acknowledge the sheer mass of creative produce he created, but also how he documented it from day-to-day, which made you feel like you were in the office with him along the way, from the shows to social media, or simply every photo he shared. Those designs are just a selection of some of my favourite things he’s done. The varsity then his DJ influences, and then the MET Gala outfit. I felt it was our last look at one of his most iconic outfits before his passing, rest his soul.

For such an intimate piece of work, and especially, to who it’s being captured, do you feel as though it matters to you who ends up having the piece in their possession?

Freddie: From the start, I was always waiting for the right time to do the piece of Virgil. I feel like whoever gets it, I hope they understand his legacy, and his influence on the culture. I also feel like the people who are in the bidding war would also have some sort of connection to him, in some way or another, and is also able to understand the different reference. That said, it would always still remain personal to me regardless of where it ends up.

How are you translating that same essence of experimental creation and cross-pollination of different forms of creative expression in your own work?

Freddie: I’m not even a painter, which I think most people don’t even know. In college right now, I’m studying jewellery, footwear, and fashion accessory design. So, for me, I want to be able to do so many things and touch multiple fields as I can, across countries and meet so many people. You mentioned the distressing of the paintings, and things like that are what I want to be able to explore in my work. Definitely in the near future, there will be an extra layer of creative output to my work. In addition, on the same thought, I’d painted the piece in 25 different tracksuits, so each has different colours of the painting at different stages of them. All the money raised from that would be going to Virgil’s scholarship fund, and charities across London.

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