* STUART MCALPINE MILLER (SCOTTISH b. 1964), SPLIT PERSONALITY

limited edition digital print on paper, signed in silver ink and numbered 43/100, from the Revelations : A Portrait of Magic Series mounted, framed and under glass image size 81cm x 63cm, overall size 101cm x 82cm Note: certificate of authenticity is included with this lot. Note 2: Scottish artist Stuart regularly hits the headlines with his Pop Art paintings. Fusing cartoons with themes of idealism and consumerism, his multilayered artworks blend the past with the present through layers of figurative imagery, text and symbols. His release, Revelations: A Portrait of Magic, depicts the central characters of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Stuart's McAlpine Miller’s spectral style has been described as ‘supernatural realism’ by the BBC and Radio 2 art critic Estelle Lovatt, who also praised its 4D aesthetic, adding that he has “one of the most creative minds in art today”. Using subtle tones of paint, he creates the illusion of transparency. The overall effect is similar to looking through a glass bottle, distorting the image and presenting a different version of the same subject. In turn, a far-fetched reality is created, highlighting the unrealistic expectations of today’s society. A graduate of the prestigious Glasgow School of Art, Stuart is an admirer of Old Masters such as Caravaggio and Hieronymus Bosch but is particularly inspired by one of the leading exponents of Pop Art, Andy Warhol. Stuart says: “Warhol’s views on mass consumerism and the way he translated these into his art is something I really relate to. I hope my art does something similar and stands the test of time.” Inspired by JK Rowling's Harry Potter novels, Stuart’s Revelations: A Portrait of Magic collection has captured best-loved characters including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. Stuart says: “The art of illusion and magic reveals itself through the unified bond of the three central characters. As we continue to work in unison, we open the doors to an unimagined future, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. A new era lies ahead, as yet unrecognised but already awaiting our arrival.” In 2011, Stuart was chosen as artist-in-residence by the world-famous Savoy hotel after its major refurbishment. During his time there, he produced the collection A Time For Reflection: The Savoy Suite, which offered a unique insight into the hotel's patron, including Alfred Hitchcock, Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin. This popular release for Castle Fine Art was followed by Lost Lives/Split Personalities, which depicted some of history's most famous musicians including David Bowie, Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury and George Michael. Music took on a new meaning for Stuart when he began playing the piano seriously. Stuart says: “Music has for me, like many others, greatly influenced my own approach to my art, and the potential it creates within. The emotion that music can reveal allows the listener to transport themselves to a time, a place and a feeling. Art can do the same. We just have to open our minds.” The piano and art took on a new significance for Stuart when he was commissioned by Paul McCartney to paint the piano which he used on his 2004 European Tour. Stuart’s talents also saw him work on several advertising campaigns including Renault, McVities and Virgin; he also painted a triptych of The Alternative Last Supper used as backdrop for the main dining scene in Stephen Berkoff’s 1998 film Decadence. Stuart McAlpine Miller has commissions and collectors around the world, and has exhibited internationally, including Connaught Brown, the Catto Gallery, Kings Road Gallery, Rebecca Hossack Gallery and Duncan Miller in London; Ruth O'Hara and Hoerle-Guggenheim in New York and the SOTA Gallery, Hong Kong, as well as through the Castle Fine Art network of galleries in the UK.