Omar Zingaro Bhatia

Wine & Cigars

2012-01-24T17:55:00.000-08:00

Starting on the second of February, I have an intimate exhibition on at the Inverarity One to One wine and cigar retailer. A finer bottle of wine or sweeter cigar couldn't hope to be procured in Glasgow other than through these doors. This haven of vices is to be found in the basement of 185a Bath Street, underneath the Glasgow Art Club (or across from Saint Judes the cocktail bar). Expect some new paintings that are uncharacteristically ZINGARO.

Obama the Teenager

2012-01-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure why I always imagined the teenage Obama to have a mustache (I've looked it up, he didn't). I think he would have looked rather fetching.

Teenage Obama, 20x30cm, acrylics & conte, 2012AD. £70

Cortez

2012-01-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

Samuel Cortez was one of Fidel Castro's doubles and was part of the leader's infamous group of secret agents, spies and security personnel who worked around the clock to ensure that Castro was kept alive. He needed them, in his 47 years of power, there were no less than 638 assassination attempts - Some of these were carried out by hard-line Cuban Exiles, but the vast majority were the (botched) work of the CIA. Doesn't say much for them really does it? This sketch is a prize for musician Lewis Watson who was the 200th person to 'like' THIS page.

Dressing Up

2012-01-22T19:06:00.000-08:00

When we were kids the chances are that we enjoyed dressing up. For some of us, this desire never left. It sounds like a cliché to say that our clothes can reflect the person that we feel ourselves to be....and that's because it is. Having said that, I believe it to be true. The photographs you are about to see are what I would call constructed identities. The garments that feature are all from my personal collection and I have worn them at some point, though not necessarily in these rather lurid combinations - In that sense, they are unarguably authentic. Identity fascinates me...but not to the extent where it becomes little more than abject narcissism - I just wanted to have a little fun. Perhaps I am trying to subvert my self-indulgent state of being a little by indulging you with these photos. I sincerely hope that you get some enjoyment from them, whether it be fleeting amusement or of a deeply dubious nature.

The Sultan.

The Diceman

The Spinster - Makeup & styling by Marina Maclean.

The Native.

The Vulgarian.

The Matador.

The Artist.

All photos by Zul Bhatia (my father).

See his Flickr Photostream HERE.

Zul's Facebook Page (he loves it!)

James

2012-01-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

James Connolly, 8"x12", acrylics and conte chalks, 2012AD. SOLD

James Connolly was an Irish Socialist and Republican who was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh in 1868. From the start, James struggled to make enough money to survive and as a result he decided to enlist in the British Army. These days had a profound effect on his political leanings and a hatred was born in him (for the British Army) that would endure to his last breath. Just before he was due to be posted in India, he deserted the army and the life he had come to loathe. After becoming involved in Scottish Socialist politics, James and his family moved to Dublin where he was to become Secretary of the Dublin Socialist Club. Connolly became increasingly significant in the fight for Irish Independence and was instrumental in the Easter Rising. Connolly was seriously injured during the fighting which took place in that Dublin Spring of 1916. He was said to be very close to death already but the British Army went ahead with his planned execution along with the other rebels. However, unlike the other prisoners - because he was too weak to stand - James was tied to a chair and shot. It was the conviction of his beliefs, not to mention the brutal nature of his death, that have helped the name James Connolly be a name that we have not forgotten.

"They will all forget that I am an Irishman." ~ J. C

The Perishing

2012-01-11T19:05:00.000-08:00

The Perishing of an Envious Thought , 8"x8", acrylics, 2011AD. SOLD

The Apparition of Colin

2012-01-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

I recently came across this pen and pencil sketch entitled The Apparition of Colin. In it we see the ghost of a lost lover appearing to Colin in a bar. The final painting had a different name and looked nothing like this. I very rarely do initial sketches, preferring to work directly onto the canvas, so this is somewhat of a rarity.

Early Man

2012-01-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

Upon the passing of my dear grandmother Winnona, I discovered that she had kept every single drawing and painting that I had ever given her. My mother, similarly, has a vast archive of my childhood artworks. It occurred to me that if one is interested in where an artist ends up, we should also naturally be curious to see where he began. For what is an ending without a beginning? Following, are a small selection of pictures that I made as a boy. It's funny but I think I can even see a little of my current style in them. You may be able to deduce that I was obsessed with birds, particularly birds of prey.

A school project about the neanderthals.

The previously unheard of 'Palm Mastodon' and a mother and baby dinosaur/dog.

An Owl-themed feast for the eyes.

For my Nona.

Forgotten coastal vista.

Morbidity came at an early age.

African Crowned Eagles. (one on the nest and one with its Colobus Monkey carrion)

A pair of African Fish Eagles.

My favourite bird of prey of all time, the enigmatic Lammergeier.

۞ Ω ▲☨

2011-12-14T04:59:00.000-08:00

Written, directed, filmed & edited by OMARINA

Music by Louise Mcvey & cracks in the concrete

SEASONAL SALES-DRIVE

2011-12-07T02:11:00.000-08:00

In this year of 2011 Anno Domini, I call upon you dear reader to turn your back upon the crass surface-culture of our Western Civilization. If, like me, you give material things at this time of year, then why not buy something for those you adore which actually means something? A thing which has not been pumped out on the factory line by means of the grey, soulless, profit-driven grind of mass production. From me you can get something of which there is only one, a thing that wont become obsolete, tiresome, lose its value or break. Arise!

Works and prices can be viewed easily HERE.

Browse the OMARINA online shop HERE.

Contact me at zingaromar@gmail.com if interested in anything.

EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Gibrolto

2011-12-07T02:10:00.000-08:00

Gibrolto, 12x18cm, pencil, 2001AD. £70

Banded

2011-12-07T01:27:00.000-08:00

To be worn round the arm of a jacket, this hand sewn Zingaro piece is available if you should be so bold as to ask for it. I've worn it myself - feels good.

♥

2011-12-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

Cargo Collective

2011-12-06T03:17:00.000-08:00

For any young whippersnappers out there who are studying and want fast access to what is essentially an image bank of some of my best work...look no further. Omitting out all titles, dimensions, prices and accompanying texts..etc that are a feature of this blog - my Cargo Collective allows you to look at images for an endeavor that academics call 'visual research'.

Click on the image to view my page.

If you'd like your own page click HERE. They don't just accept any schmuck though, you need to apply.

B.F

2011-12-05T20:41:00.001-08:00

"The guy that all the men wanted to be and the girls wanted to be with."

Brian Freemantle, 8x12cm, pencil, 1980-2011AD. £40

Boots of Burden

2011-11-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

Although I claim to be a die-hard anti-consumerist, I have one true hypocrisy, one severe weakness, one despicable vice - Shoes & boots. I am going to share my collection with you. Every pair has a special place in my patent leather heart.

Native American-Made Childrens Moccasin. Owned since I was 4yrs old. Enemy of the cowboy boot.

Toddler Cowboy Boots. Owned since I was 4yrs old. Enemy of the Moccasin.

Velveteen Corduroy Slippers. Very very well used.

Nail-Bottom Dress-Shoes. Vintage, over 40yrs old. Picked up in a junk-shop.

Clomper Shoes. I removed the buckles in a fit of distaste.

Polished Patent-Leather Bordello-Creepers. Worn for work as a doorman at the theatre.

Long-Shoes. Clearly fashioned while at Art School.

Suede Brogues. American made, bought in Transylvania. They weigh a ton.

High-Top Winkle-Pickers (Hippy-Kickers). Oh so very Art School. All show, no comfort.

Round-Head Chelsea Boots. Had to cut top open after drunken injury that resulted in massive ankle swelling.

Dealer Boots. Worn exclusively with black denim.

Snakeskin Italos. Fell in love with the shoeshop girl, then the shoes. Florence, 2007.

Rough-Rider Boots. Hiked up the snow-covered Carpathian Mountains in these, sadly they didn't survive.

Army Boots. Almost lost to artist Rich Cormack who took an extreme liking to them.

Soft-Leather Cowboy Boots. My fist pair of adult cowboy boots. Kept for sentimentality's sake. Rest in Peace.

New Mexican Rancher Boots. Re-soled in adoration two times.

Texan Oilman Boots. Have traveled thousands of miles with me, my absolute favourites.

Outback Cowboy Boots. Dingo Brand, savagely hard Cuban heels for that tough Aussie terrain.

Vintage Motorcycle Boots. Huge, heavy and top-quality. I feel like an outlaw in them. c1970's.

a ZINGARO COLLECTION | 2011

OMARINA {dot} COM

2011-11-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

For those of you who haven't yet seen the fruits of OMARINA, click the first picture...

...and for those kool-catz who are aware of it but want to be reminded of the glorious exclusives we have in our store, click this one:

The Cult of Omarina - a Film by O/Z/B + M/M - COMING SOON.
New Clothing Micro-Collection also............COMING SOON!

Z8619

2011-11-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

Z8619, 4x4ft, acrylics & barbed wire, 2011AD.

Postcard 1

by Miklós Radnóti

translated by Michael R. Burch

Out of Bulgaria, the great wild roar of the artillery thunders,

resounds on the mountain ridges, rebounds, then ebbs into silence

while here men, beasts, wagons and imagination all steadily increase;

the road whinnies and bucks, neighing; the maned sky gallops;

and you are eternally with me, love, amid all the chaos,

glowing within my conscience — incandescent, intense.
Somewhere within me, dear, you abide forever —

still, motionless, silent, like an angel stunned to complacence by death

or an insect inhabiting the heart of a rotting tree.

As part of the Document 9 International Human Rights Film Festival I created this large-scale painting which I then wrapped in barbed wire. It was in response to the research I have been carrying out into the suffering of the Romani People at the hands of the Nazis and their affiliates. I presented the painting next to the above poem by Radnóti. Though he was not actually of Romani extraction himself - but rather a Hungarian Jew - I feel that his writing is some of the most poignant to come form those dark days of WW2 - His last poems were discovered in a little notebook in his pocket when his body was exhumed from a mass-grave. Read some of his translated verse and about this most remarkable man HERE.

I thought it immoral to put up Z8619 for sale so instead I am going to donate it to the Anne Frank Trust.

NEVER AGAIN 卐

Sting of the Loss

2011-11-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

On Saturday the 29th of October I attended the champagne-soaked-glitz-bomb known as the Scottish Style Awards. It was decadently good fun as I sat at my table next to artist Ailsa MacKenzie, Sons & Daughters singer Adele Bethel and designer Gareth Pugh. I was a nominee in the Most Stylish Male category - I didn't win.

Photo: Swordfish Photography.

05/10/11

2011-10-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

On the 5th of November Motörhead are playing Glasgow. I really wan't to be there. If you have, or hear of anybody who has two tickets to sell, contact me.

Thanks - zingaromar@gmail.com

Icarus | Garry Maclennan

2011-10-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Not long ago I was part of a shoot which was the brain-child of photographer Garry Maclennan. I was greased up, near naked and pressed up against a beautiful young girl with my face painted blue...it was all in the name of art my friends. Come and see the fruits of our glistening loins this Sunday at the Brunswick Hotel. Show kicks off at 8pm. If you can't do that, it will be on until December. All work, naturally, is for sale. If interested, get Garry at - garry.maclennan@gmail.com

Styled by Marina of OMARINA fame.
Beautiful Young Girl | Emily Butcher

Hair | David Farquhar

A couple of Garry's splendid creations.

The main man Garry, model Emily & myself.

L'horreur!

2011-10-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Over the last month or so I have been working on a hammer-horror style short-film with my friend and collaborator Marina Maclean, again as part of our OMARINA company. It is to be debuted in what are known in contemporary culture as Club Visuals. You can find a link to the details for the event HERE. A different edit with a song by our comrades, Louise Mcvey & Cracks in The Concrete is to appear on here soon. Adieu!

Displayers

2011-10-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

In the window of the Kraft Architecture Gallery is a display put on by OMARINA, my ongoing design/art crossover project with Marina Maclean. There you will find a delectable array of OMARINA related products. The window is to be found at 280 High Street, Glasgow (on the way up to the Necropolis). Though closing soon, some of the products can be found in our online shop HERE.

Photo by Jolene Crawford of Precious East.

The Phantasms of Semblance

2011-10-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

Sheppardinger - 8"x11", collage, 2011AD. SOLD

Cosmopolitana - 9""x12", collage, 2011AD. £75

Inland Empire - 8"x10", collage, 2011AD. £70

I must, I Simply Must - 8"x11", collage, 2011AD. £50

Woodcutters Summit - 8"x1", collage, 2011AD. £70

Avast...This Noise! - 8"x10", collage, 2011AD. £50

Main Drag - 8"x12", collage, 2011AD. £70

Yatzumoto - 7"x10", collage, 2011AD. SOLD

Drums from the Deep - 7"x11", collage, 2011AD. £50

*Some books were harmed in the making of this art.

Document 9

2011-10-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

As part of the International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival (known as Document 9) which is happening very soon in Glasgow, I will be presenting two new works. The Artworks were created in response to my research into the suffering of the Romany people at the hands of the Nazis.

Along with my work, there will be pieces by a host of excellent artists, film-makers and photographers either living in or interested in the fringe-society. Come along on the 17th at 7pm to The Old Hairdressers (across from Stereo) for a [free] drink, a gander and perhaps a conversation. If you are one of my international readers and can't make it along, not to worry, I'll share the work with you on here soon.

A glimpse of the opening night.

José

2011-10-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

Jose Marti, acrylics on board, 7"x10", 2011. PRIVATE COLLECTION

Que no me entierren en lo oscuro

A morir como un traidor

Yo soy bueno y como bueno

May they not bury me in darkness

to die like a traitor

I am good and as a good man

I will die facing the sun

Futuristic History

2011-10-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I discovered a memory-stick in the musty pocket of a canvas satchel that I used to carry about with me. When I plugged it into the computer I realized that it contained the files with which I got my post cards printed for my degree show. In another folder was the file for my first business card. I must admit, it pleased me to see them again. I felt like I had made some sort of minor discovery, at least in respect to my own life. The thing must have been in there undisturbed for no more than three years but it got me to thinking about the artifacts of the future. Surely archaeologists will be digging up digital materials will they not? iPods will one day be displayed in the greatest museums to be gawped at in wonder by cyborgs and holograms.

Degree Show Postcard, 2009AD.

Another design.

The Offer

2011-09-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

There are in this world of ours, sadly, parasites who seek to mooch off of the talent and kudos of us artists (or hosts if you will). They do it by making you feel special, like they hold your destiny in their perfumed hands. Promising fame and fortune they expect you to take all of the risk and front all of the capital. These sons of bitches will take you for every nickle and they'll sleep like babies in their night-time sheets. But these people are not con-artists my friends, oh no, they are legitimate businessmen and women operating in some of the most wealthy neighborhoods of our cultural capitals and in the full confines of our laws.

I get one of these 'fantastic opportunities' in my inbox at least once a month - In the past I just simply ignored them but this one seemed genuinely promising. After digging around on their site for a while I soon came to learn that they expected me to pay in excess of three thousand dollars for their 'representation' which they had so kindly extended to me. Affronted, insulted and a little bit drunk I decided to reply:

P.S I sound like a complete reactionary bastard but I feel strongly about this topic. These cretins are nothing more than culture-pimps. There comes a time when the whistle must be blown.

R

2011-09-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

"I know you have come to kill me. Shoot, you are only going to kill a man."

- The Butcher of La Cabaña

F. F. G

2011-09-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Florentino Fernández Goya, 15"x18", acrylics on box-canvas, 2011. £300

Florentino Fernández Goya was the younger brother of Francisco Goya. He was tried, charged and hanged for the murder of an Algerian prostitute in a Cadiz bordello. Don't bother trying to learn more of him in texts, he was lost in the mists of history.

A.A.F

2011-09-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow at the Hillhead Bookclub there is an Affordable Art Fair to which I will be bringing a bunch of smaller paintings to for you to peruse. Come on down, see some art, and have a party ring on us.
Click HERE for a map.

The Band

2011-09-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

Photo by Marina Maclean

Book of Faces

2011-09-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

Occasionally I post ideas and competition giveaways via my facebook page so I would be pleased if you would gave it a 'like'. It may be worthwhile! Click on the image below for the link.

Originals in London

2011-08-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

Photo by Joanna Quinn - UO, Covent Garden, London.

For those of you who live in the London area and have never seen an original Omar Zingaro Bhatia, you are in luck. Seeing a painting for real is pretty darn different to looking at them on this blog. I would encourage you to head on down to the Urban Outfitters store in Covent Garden and see for yourselves and if you can get a photo that is better than this one, I'd be very much obliged. There are ten original Bhatia's in there. Hot damn!

For a map of where the store is, click HERE.

Urban Outfitters - 42-56 Earlham St, London, UK.

H.A.M.C

2011-08-25T15:44:00.001-07:00

This arrived in the post today. All will become clear in time. MESA 81!

BLANK INSIDE

2011-08-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I was treated to a visit from one of the fellows from a new creative platform known indubitably as BLANK INSIDE. The young caller documented his visit via fly-on-the-wall journalistic photography.

Have a look at the pictures HERE.

Find BLANK INSIDE on facebook HERE.

The Midwayers

2011-08-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

Flavia

2011-08-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

Flavia - Paleface, 19"x23", acrylics, 2011AD, unframed. £250

Believe it, she is indeed a woman. If I'm not mistaken she is the first female I have painted in over five years. There's a little story behind the name Flavia which I will share with you. While studying Latin at school there was a character in the book we had to read called Flavia and I thought that it was such a great name that I promised myself that if I ever had a daughter, that's what I would call her. Years later I discovered that Flavia is the name of one of the largest fully-automated coffee machine companies in the UK- Kind of killed the romance for me. While staring at this painting trying to come up with a name I suddenly thought that if I couldn't name my daughter Flavia it would at least be fitting for a painting. I sort of think of them (the paintings) as my children anyway.

Sneezer

2011-08-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Julius ~ Sneezer, 16"x22", watercolour on paper, unframed. £150

For the Fallen

2011-08-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

For the Fallen, 17"x20", watercolours on paper, unframed. £200

When I was young I remember learning that we, as the human race, cut down over one acre of rainforest every second. That is a fact that I will never really be able to comprehend. Seems ironic that this is a work on paper.

Constantin

2011-08-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

Constantin, 17"x22", charcoal & acrylics, 2011 Studio 209. £200

Born in San Leon, Texas, Constantin ran with the gang from the age of 21. Of course, in those days he was just a 'prospect' but by the age of 26 he was a full fledged Bandido.

Bhang

2011-08-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Boom, 5"x12", acrylics, 2011. *SOLD*

Retreat to Advance

2011-08-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

Marina Maclean and I (collectively known as OMARINA) have been away on our holidays, Marina to a hilltop villa in Italy and I to a remote island retreat in the Hebrides. With none of the modern trappings of the digital age to keep us distracted, we passed the nights reading or merely thinking. I read Turgenev, and Marina, Voltaire.

Upon returning to Glasgow and having one of our 'brain-storms', we came to the enthusiastic agreement that it is time to bring OMARINA to you by launching our blog which we have been working on in secret.

Expect things to happen. Join us on facebook HERE.

Two Men

2011-08-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

Islanders and City Types, watercolour & acrylics, A4, £100.

Today, I finished off four paintings and produced another completely new one entitled simply, Boom. The work above was started on the Isle of Jura and depicts a 'City Type' and an 'Islander'. See if you can guess which is which.

The Zingaro Train has left the station and aint nothin gonna derail this suckah!!! Expect to see a torrent of new work. Adieu!

No.209

2011-08-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

Greetings friends and perusers. The last week or so I have dedicated in turning the new studio into a place that I would want to hang out in and, heaven forbid, even do a bit of work. On a serious note though, Zingaro Executions is about to shift up a gear. This pipeline that ambitious people ramble about, there are some good things in it. But more of that later! I will invite you all soon for a studio-warming-evening-of-wine.

The Conqueror

2011-07-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been too busy conquering mountains. I'm back now though.

Rejection

2011-07-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

L'Homme du Train

2011-07-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

'Man on Train Pretending to Read Book', 12"x14", acrylics, 2011. SOLD

Self Portrait as Indian

2011-07-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

'Self Portrait as Indian', 9"x15", charcoal & acrylics, 2011. SOLD

Воланд ~ Woland

2011-07-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

17"x24", 'Woland', acrylics & conte pencils, 2011. £500

"Please excuse me," he said, speaking correctly, but with a foreign accent, "for presuming to speak to you without an introduction." - Professor Woland from The Master and Magarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

After recently finishing the superb Bulgakov novel, Master and Margarita, I felt compelled to do a portrait of one of his most charismatic characters, Woland (A.K.A Satan). I also scanned the novel and made a mock-up cover.

Lamentations

2011-06-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

A little meditation on purpose-built structures designed to house the rogues, scene-bangers, madmen and social dissidents of our society. These buildings are known commonly as Art Schools, not to be confused with Asylums.

Forgiveness

2011-06-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Serbia, 5"x7", pen on board, 2011. SOLD

Whipoorwill

2011-06-27T18:18:00.001-07:00

I wrote this little sketch for a story about 4 years ago and it had remained lost until recently when I found it folded up in an old sketchbook.

Absence

2011-06-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me well will know where I really am.

A Man's Wallet

2011-06-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

There is something strangely intimate about seeing a man's wallet. For some it's an empty vessel, while for others, it is the sole source of his power. Here are three of mine, make of them what you will.

Death Letter

2011-06-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

'Society of The Dark Hand', 13"x18", pen & paint on old print, 2011. £300

Zappa

2011-06-12T22:26:00.000-07:00

'Zappa', 7"x10", biro on board, 2011. PRIVATE COLLECTION

A Mother Grand

2011-06-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

Winona Cotten. At peace.

The Postcard Lives

2011-06-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

1803

2011-06-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

Of Africa, 9"x12", acrylics, 2011AD, £250

"Am I Not a Man and a Brother?"

The Hirst Dossier - Teaser

2011-06-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

M.K.W

2011-06-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

'Kenneth - Brooklynite', 16"x21", conte & acrylics, 2011AD. £400

The Polytitans

2011-06-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

The Polytitans, 13"x17", watercolours & pen on cardboard. £250

The Polytitans was painted on the back of a piece of cardboard which was used in a failed bid to hitch-hike to a place called Mociu in Transylvania in 2008. If you were to open the frame up and look on the back of the painting, there you'd see the name of the place crudely scrawled in biro. It would be three years before I'd finally manage to get there.

Jack ~ Malcontent

2011-05-31T20:35:00.000-07:00

'Jack - malcontent', 10"x12", acrylics & conte. £200

The Art World: a Tragedy

2011-05-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

“Only one in a hundred of you will ever make it as a career artist.” ~ Tutor

The ‘black hole’ was what we were told to prepare for in a series of art school talks entitled, rather optimistically, as Professional Practice Lectures. A toxic blend of arrogance, minor success and naivety meant that I did not heed the warning and instead, shrugged it off as the bitter cynicism of a failed career artist, forced to teach in a Dundonian institution. A year elapsed and, relatively speaking, I had gained considerable ground in the art world. Promoted to the lower rungs of success, I imagined that my further ascent would be steady and swift as long as I continued to put in as much effort in as I had been doing. A piece in an exhibition at the Talbot Rice gallery in June 2010 was to be my undoing, at least publicly, and I found myself suddenly swimming against the current. A new generation of graduates had entered the arena and the sons of bitches were stealing my glory.

I was standing in my parent’s garden one evening while burning the rubbish when I suddenly had an uncontrollable urge to scream. My geographic location kept my reason in check and I eventually came to my senses. A couple of weeks later I was describing this to a friend and we came to the conclusion that it would make a good art project, particularly in the medium of film. Convinced, I meditated upon the idea further.

After writing a treatment I enlisted the help of my brother as cameraman and editor though most of the actual decisions in terms of cinematography and the edit were made by me. For music, I found a guy named Silvio (Nyctalgia) who was making music in his bedroom in Switzerland which seemed to fit perfectly. He was happy to let me use his track ‘Mira...’ as long as he got to see the finished piece. As for equipment and transport, my father lent us the camera and my mother was designated driver. And so it went ahead, shot on location at Clyde Murieshiel National Park and my bedroom.

Though I am playing a version of myself in The Art World: A Tragedy, I think it is important to note that it could be almost any art school graduate in this professional 'climate'. This life, often imagined to be liberating and romantic, can be at times rather more frustrating, lonely and well...crushing. Autonomy my friend is a huge responsibility indeed.

Lost to the doldrums of an unrecognised genius, we follow the story of a struggling artist confronting his frustrations in a desolate place where nobody can hear or see him.You, on the other hand, can.

I Remain,

Omar Zingaro Bhatia ~ Fantasist of the Divided Self

Metal & Leather

2011-05-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Belts of various qualities and materials. The most valued, to me at least,

being the one with the circular buckle, purchased by my mother in Copenhagen, c1975.

Tie pins and cuff links from left to right:

A. 40's, gold, deco in style with chain attachment.

B. 70's, fine quality, gold with mother of pearl detail.

C. Modern, gold-plated with blue pearlescent face.

D. Oriental style, gold plated and imbossed with bird / foliage motif.

E. Military, gold, of the French Foreign Legion.

F. Contemporary, Swarovski Crystal.

G. Edwardian, copper and mother of pearl, gold-gilt.

Lupus of Ukraine

2011-05-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

'Lupus of Ukraine', 12"x14", acrylics, 2011AD. SOLD

Little Cat Lost.

2011-05-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

15 years ago, while living in Tanzania, something truly remarkable happened and I am going to share it with you, my esteemed readers. The whole event remains to this day to be one of my most cherished and evocative memories.

One day our family received news that some kids were trying to sell a leopard cub at the gate to our house. Now, since my father worked in conservation, he was more than a little concerned and upon meeting them managed to convince them that they had broken the law. Since the wrong-doing was indeed true and he was, in a sense, an official he had no choice but to confiscate the animal. Before leaving they told us that they had originally found two kittens up in the mountains behind our house but that one had died on the way down. The little animal was taken into our care and we quickly realised in fact that he was not a leopard at all; He was in fact a Serval Cat.

At first we didn't know whether he was going to make it or not but we eventually managed to succeed in feeding him milk through a syringe and around two days later he began to show more signs of life. The following photographs chart his recovery and subsequent growth into a healty young Serval.

The day that he was rescued.

This was the initial point where we didn't know if he'd make it.

Moving up in the world and onto the bottle.

His friend and mine, Poley the Teddy.

His sleeping companion. I think he missed his brother.

One of his favourite places of rest (my dad's crotch).

You can clearly see his little blue eyes here.

Getting up to mischief.

When he was a little older, he was taken by some Swedish friends, who named him Sylvester, to be released at Tony Fitzjohn's place. He was part of the Born Free foundation and was a real 'Out of Africa' type. I remember him being brilliantly eccentric and I was immediatley fond of and captivated by him. His huge ranch was up on the borderline with Kenya and was known as Mkomazi Game Reserve, since given National Park status. About a year since we had first rescued Sylvester we finally managed to visit him in his new home and saw him when he was semi-wild. We heard later that he still liked to hang around Tony's but that his visits were becoming less and less frequent. Then one day he simply vanished into the winderness and he never came back. He was truly free.

The only photo we got of Sylvester in the wild. I will remember him always.

UPDATE:

I found another picture of a full grown Sylvester being held by Tony Fitzjohn who re-habilitated him to the wild. Tony must be the single most charismatic person I have ever met. He is a real living legend and I do not use the word 'legend' lightly. Read about this extraordinary man HERE.

Billy ~ Lighthouse Keeper

2011-05-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

I painted Billy a while back and displayed him in a ropey old gold frame that I came across in a charity shop. As good as he looked, I thought he deserved better. So, I got him re-framed in this glorious antique gold-gilt one which was salvaged from a West End street by Marina Maclean. Billy and I are thankful. Here he is in all his resplendence.

'Billy ~ Lighthouse Keeper', acrylics & chalks, 20"x23", £600 *SOLD*

F I G M E N T S / A PREVIEW.

2011-05-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

On the 7th of April 2011AD the preview night for my first big solo show - F I G M E N T S took place and...well...I guess I'll just let the photos do the talking. Many thanks to The Skinny who organised the event.

Photographer Tommy Ga-Ken Wan & blogger Matthias Mcgregor

Artists Yoann Reininger & Jamie Fitzpatrick

The Art World: A Tragedy, my first film, coming soon to this blog.

Jamie 'photobombing' a family portrait.

The Family.

Chatting with David Hay, Advocate.

The ever lovely Russell Phipps & Katy Clark.

Marina and my first collaborative piece of art, 'The Birth of Omarina'.

Actor & Actress couple Stephen Sheriff & Laura McMonagle.

Jude Santiago Garcia's first ever outing with mum Karen.

The Moment I asked Marina to come up and speak.

This brilliant Flamenco duo formed for one night.

The Enigmatic Daniel Dumnov.

Tim Ghost, 1/3 of Sink.

The bizarre Hurdy Gurdy Man.

The Art Suit which I sported for the opening.

Fashion Designer Natalie Morris.

The well rehearsed speech.

Duke 'Bleedin Hands' Franz

2011-05-09T19:53:00.000-07:00

Duke 'Bleedin Hands' Franz, 14"x14", acrylics. £300

Introducing Duke 'Bleedin Hands' Franz, jazz-trumpet virtuoso, alcoholic and womanizer. Born of Baptist parents in the year 1914 in Hooker Hole, Louisiana. In his youth he was said to have been a disappointment to his teachers who claimed that he showed great promise but a reckless propensity for arson. He earned the name 'Bleedin Hands' due to his short, savage and ultimately doomed career in featherweight boxing. He died penniless at 38 in the impoverished Parisian suburb of Clichy-Sous-Bois.

*****

2011-05-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Thing, comprising of three found objects.

Clan Destiny

2011-05-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

Yoann Reininger & myself at work.

Recently I did something which I had never done before. Myself and my French painter friend Yoann Reininger made a painting simultaneously. First we drew on a rough chalk outline of a head and then flipped the wooden board upside down and began to paint away. The interesting thing about painting upside down is that you lose your orientation and tend to rely less on an instinctual knowledge of human physiognomy.

After an hour or so of cursing and vigilantly watching each others moves we flipped it round the right way which then meant that we then had to paint on top of each others work. There were certain aspects of each others painting that we didn't like and we both tried, pathetically, to subtly negotiate a clandestine resolution. It became a bit of a tug'o'war. In a sense, quite a familiar experience. Those of you with siblings will probably have had to share a bed at some point and the politics were that you had 'your side' and they had theirs? This felt exactly the same, and I must say there was more than a little bickering. Despite the tensions of two grown men painting on a bedroom floor, we got it finished. Both of us sat on the couch afterward smoking and smirking while admiring our finished piece. I later elected to call him Yoann in memorium of our joint creation.

'Yoann the Boxer', 20"x23", acrylics and chalk on board, 2011AD. SOLD

Van Damme

2011-04-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

Jean-Claude Van Damme, 15"x15", Acrylics on board. SOLD

The Art Suit

2011-03-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

I had known fashion designer Marina Maclean for around a year when the idea of the Art Suit first became a twinkle in our eyes. The time came along for me to be putting together the F I G M E N T S show and we talked once again about the idea of a collaboration and decided that it could be done in the month or so that we had left until the big opening.

Both of us felt that we had carved out an identity in our own respective fields but that we were still unsettled about certain aspects of the fashion and art worlds. Rather than merely grumbling, we set about creating a third identity which resulted in an au couture label which we call OMARINA. Drawing aesthetic cues from the fashions of the Gabor Gypsies, Hassidic Jews, Teddy Boys, Victorian Dandies, Cowboys and other various 18th-21st century fashion oddities, we began to draw up the pattern and design for the suit you see before you.

Provided that the gentleman who sold us the Tweed did not have email, the whole transaction was carried out in the old-world tradition of the correspondance. The lining is 100% silk and has a repeat-pattern of my artwork entitled 'How Many Owls?' printed upon it and was executed by the people at the Centre for Advanced Textiles. The original collage had been found at the Nature Reserve where my dad works and was intended to be a game for children to see how many owls they could spot amoungst the myriad of field guide cut-out illustrated birds. Go on, have a go.

The original collage, 'How Many Owls?' c.1948

Provenance ~Stornoway / Made in Glasgow, 2011AD.

Omar & Marina are OMARINA

Autographs ~ $1

F I G M E N T S

2011-03-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

It is time readers. Almost a year since I won The Skinny Prize at the Royal Scottish Academy's New Contemporaries exhibition and more than 8 months since I have exhibited publicly, I am dragging myself and my artworks blinking into the halogen-lit arena of the art gallery. For 20 days in April I will be presenting entirley new works in entirely new mediums. The show is facilitated and organised by The Skinny magazine as part of the prize and I am proud to have been working initmatley with them. My exhibition entitled F I G M E N T S will be broken down into 4 seperate yet cohesive parts:

1 - A selection of new, unglimpsed paintings.

2 - The premier of a short film produced collaboratively with my brother about the archetypal tortured artist, languishing in the doldrums of a genius unrecognised.

3 - Hanging on one of the gallery walls will be, for the first time, the photo-essay which I called On the Road in Transylvania.

4 - Merging the crooked worlds of Art and Fashion, I have for the last couple of months been working with fashion designer and tailor extraordinaire Marina Maclean to create what we have called the Art Suit. Together we form OMARINA COUTURE and I am very excited to share the spoils of our finely tailored production.

The Briggait Centre.

I would be honoured if you could visit and if you want to have a chat, I should be hanging around (probably hungover) on the weekends. For a map of how to find The Briggait, please CLICK HERE (the map marker will say wasps artist studios, 141 Bridgegate, Glasgow).

I look forward to seducing you.

UPDATE ~ CLOSED SUNDAY.

St. Josephs

2011-02-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

For the last six years, up in the woods on the outskirts of my village there has lain an abandoned building. Built in 1796, it had originally been a private Tudor-style residence known as Garthland House which was home to the Adam Family (believe it or not). In the 1930's it had become a training college for missionaries before they went off to the far corners of the earth to 'spread the word'. Finally in 1985 it was converted into St Josephs Nursing Home until its closure in 2004 due to poor standards of care. I hadn't visited it it since about 2001 and decided it was time to investigate. Nothing could prepare me for the ruination that it had succumbed to. Besides the very haunting atmosphere, there was a great feeling of sadness about the place. The amount of people who lived and died in this building over its 208 years of habitation must be staggering. Inevitably, local lore tells tales of horsemen and priests roaming the corridors and grounds by night. Books were said to have fallen from shelves and inexplicable banging sounds came from the floorboards and walls. If you visit, you may appreciate the palpable, supernatural fear (possibly unfounded) that surrounds the place.The following is a short photo-essay documenting its current state of decay.

The figure of St Joseph himself can be seen on the chapel wall.

There was something human about the curtains, I didn't like them.

Note the buckled carpet.

The boiler room.

Discarded sanitary products, still in their packages.

The name 'Tosh' was inscribed on a number of trees.

Eiree lone shovel in the wilderness of the walled garden.

Scattered around were various parts of zimmer frames and wheelchairs.

Gate to nowhere.

1796 - 2011 Rot In Pieces

Youthful Wisdom.

2011-02-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

'Daffy Duck on Drugs', felt-tip & pencil on paper, 1997.

I found this drawing the other day in the family filing cabinet which I did when I was around 10. I wish that I had heeded this sage advice while at university.

The Vendor of Raval

2011-02-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

Babukar was originally from the Wolof tribe of Senegal.

Economic desperation and the desire to provide for his family meant that he found himself aboard a ship for Spain. He was to face dread in the Euro-Zone of a broken-promised land.

The Violinist

2011-02-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

Florin was the finest violinist in his village and he knew it. His style was so wild and primal that the tutors at the Royal Academy upon hearing him playing in Budapest decided to teach him utilising an obscure, unconventional and almost forgotten 19th Century educational methodology that concentrated on preserving his natural aptitude for improvisation, an essential precondition of virtuosity. As a result, he was the origin of all masculine envy and all feminine lust; Not just in his own community, but beyond, into the very heart of a savage Europe he would conquer with his 'Orkestrar', the legendary Rajko Zenekar.

Florin Codoba ~ Violinist. Biro on board. 2011

'Florin ~ Violinist'. Watercolour, Conte & Biro on Board. 2011. SOLD

Freaks

2011-02-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

I don't usually go in for this sort of decadent promotion but since I am in it and a confirmed narcissist, I shall make this small exception. The video was shot in the seedy underbelly of Glasgow and was the vision of photographer Brian Sweeney and graphic designer Emlyn Firth.

The Jacket-Traders

2011-01-31T19:19:00.000-08:00

While at art school I belonged to a musical brotherhood known collectively as Fauves (French for savages). We were not rich men - as bohemians (more or less) money meant little to us. Our wealth and social standing, instead, was based upon the commodity, and that commodity was the humble jacket. There was much squabbling, conniving, thievery, begging and bargaining over the 6 jackets you see below this short introductory passage.

There were times when all five of were fashioning a jacket belonging to the other and times when somehow, through either stupidity, robbery or bad business sense, we were left jacketless. I will never forget the days when we were The Jacket-Traders of Dundee.

Kern Jamieson, Aberdeenshire, 2010, Jacket No. 1

Ma & Jipsey James, Edinburgh, 2010, Jacket No. 2

Jipsey James, Rich and I, Broughty Ferry 2010, Jacket No. 3 (far right)

Rich, Jipsey James, Fitz and I, Dundee, rare photo of Jacket No. 4 (centre)

Jipsey James' battered American Jacket No. 5 (now in my custody)

Sleeve detail.

My oldest Jacket (No. 6), acquired circa 2002 (off to China with Rich)

In the care of Rich - This jacket was found in a friends closet after disappearing for over a year. Both arms had been torn off and Rich made a loving repair job which he used shamelessly as collateral for the right to his eternal possession of the garment. I let him take it with him to China on the condition that he left me Jipsey James Jacket No. 5 (see above).

Ricardo

2011-01-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

"If we start this fire, we'll burn this whole crazy world to ashes." [translated from the Spanish] ~ The late Ricardo Hernandez Suarez, Lothario and self confessed practitioner of The Dark Triad. Once again, I will post him to whoever gets in touch the quickest via email.

'Ricardo' 13x8cm, biro and watercolor on board, Jan 2011AD. SOLD

Pencil Marx

2011-01-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

Private commission, London, 2011.

"A spider conducts operations that resemble those of a weaver, and a bee puts to shame many an architect in the construction of her cells. But what distinguishes the worst architect from the best of bees is this, that the architect raises his structure in imagination before he erects it in reality." ~ K. Marx, Capital

Eduardo

2011-01-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a character whom I created and named Eduardo over two years ago while at art school. My memory fails me as to what I prescribed as his occupation but I'm going to say proffesional bus driver and Spaniard.

Eduardo, 15"x20", acrylics, 2011. £200

2011

2010-12-28T18:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Poley (the bear) and I wish you the best of times in 2011. Also, we want you to know that we appreciate your interest in our lives and legacies beyond what you might imagine. May this be the year where we all extract a little gold from the fangs of fate.

Tom

2010-12-14T21:13:00.000-08:00

Folks, meet Tom. I will send him to anybody, anywhere in the world who would have an appreciation for him, he's awful lonesome you see. The first one who emails me their address will be his new guardian, I just can't put up with his incessant silence.

Fan Mail

2010-12-09T16:19:00.000-08:00

The eagle-eyed reader may notice that some of these were posted before I was even born. Would I be sad enough to painstakingly source old stamps, envelopes and furthermore, fake the postmarks? My friends, I think we both know the answer. However, there's a lesson in there somewhere - don't believe your eyes.

"The seeming truth which cunning times put on to trap the wisest." ~ The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare, c1596

The 7

2010-12-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

Statue of Zeus at Olympia.

The Great Pyramid of Giza.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

Colossus of Rhodes.

Lighthouse of Alexandria.

McDonalds at The Paisley Centre.

So there you have it, the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, lovingly crafted for you last night in plasticine (when I should have been sleeping). Out of these Leviathan Ghosts of our Civilized Architecture the Lighthouse of Alexandria is the tallest, standing at a dizzying 11cm.

R vs R

2010-12-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

'Deathmatch', 7"x9", pens & acrylic, 2011. SOLD

This vision came to me somewhere between Exit 6 for the Land of Nod and the roundabout just before Anxiety Cove. This work is only 16x21cm so it could easily be posted anywhere in the world, hint hint.

Boo

2010-12-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

When my father first saw this painting yesterday he said something along the lines of "It's nice but it's a bit grim, why don't you try something else?" It was then that it became clear that this piece of art will have a completely different feeling if you have not read the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This work of art is my interpretation of what I imagine the character Boo Radley to look like. Boo is described to us through the eyes of a child and we are led to believe that he is the weird man next door who never leaves the house, that there is something wrong with him, something sinister. The kids in the neighbourhood believe that he eats children and small animals and that he poisons the apples that fall from his tree. I wont spoil the book for you but I believe Boo Radley to be a very important creation in the history of modern literature, he teaches us about prejudice, fear and rather conversely, kindness and the warmth of the human spirit. I felt a deep adoration for him when reading this masterpiece and it made me wonder whether there may be a Boo Radley in my own neighbourhood.

'Boo Radley', 18"x22", acrylics & conte, 2011. SOLD ~ "Will you take me home?"

Please get a copy of this book, you will be rewarded.

Ψ Φ

2010-12-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

I was never afraid until I learned that they traded guns for grapes and that the rainforests were full of diamonds. An American collector of ethnographic Tinga Tinga art told me tales of banditry at Lushoto in the 70's which first planted the seeds of darkness in my mind. I was doomed to a slow death in the Tropics of sleeping sickness or a fate unravelled in Dundee. I chose the former. ~ O.Z.B

Bonanza!

2010-12-01T18:23:00.000-08:00

As we reach the birth of Jesus (2010 years ago) I thought I would take the opportunity to try and punt some paintings. They are hanging around my room like that weird guy at the party........except that there are about 50 of them. Some of these have never appeared on my blog before and some have never even seen the light of day. You will not have the opportunity to purchase these paintings at the same price ever again. I'm feeling particularly Asian at the moment and it is manifesting itself by making me want to sell quality goods at rock bottom prices. Remember, you are not just buying a painting, you are investing in my lifestyle, ideas, hopes, fears and dreams. Nourish me with your money!

'Pikinski' 11"x13" ~ SOLD

'Quangdoom' 10" x 16" ~ SOLD

'The Flying Dots' 20" x27" ~ SOLD

'Fhedem' 25" x 31" ~ £300

'Oisor' 26" x 34" ~ £350

'10' 12" x 12" ~ SOLD

'Littl'an' 11" x13" ~ SOLD

'Torres' 20" x 26" ~ SOLD

'Dr. Morden' 12" x 14" ~ SOLD

'Mr. Panj' 12" x 12" ~ £75

'Valley of Alphanenon' 12" x 15" ~ SOLD

'Teddy Bear's Picnic' 12" x 14" ~ SOLD

'How Many Owls' 21" x 31" ~ O/Z/B PRIVATE COLLECTION

Thank You

2010-11-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

You guys are the reason I keep going.

Zingaro loves you all.

Bar Notes

2010-11-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me suddenly that I had never posted these on my blog (along with about a million other things) but these I had already taken the time to scan. They're a small collection of drawings that I did in Cluj Napoca three winters ago while 'propping up the bar' as they say. I scrawled them in a lovely little jotter of pastel colours bought for 30p in my little local corner store. The two women who worked there always used to laugh at my attempts to speak Romanian. In fact, they found it so funny that they would break out into a raucous laughter as soon as I opened the door. If you look closely you can see the word Zingaro written at the bottom of one of the sketches. That was the first time I ever used the name. All of these sketches are rooted in reality, so if you're curious, just comment below and I will respond. You have Zingaro's promise.

Folklore.

Signature.

Important Russian characters.

Drawn during a crescent moon.

Roman conquest.

Benjamin the Colombian Vs. Omar the Scot.

Ex mathematics professor turned drunk.

King Matei the Hungarian conqueror.

Graphic

2010-11-24T14:09:00.000-08:00

Had a bash at making a logo for myself, just something to put at the top of a letterhead I guess. What do you guys think? I prefer the black, grey and red one.

Ol' Mountain Man Lloyd Berry

2010-11-17T19:35:00.000-08:00

A pencil portrait of my grandfather Lloyd Berry as a gift for his 84th birthday. It's drawn from an old photograph taken on set in the mountains while filming a whiskey commercial for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. In the advert he was playing a sort of mountain-man-pioneer, carving his existence in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountain Range. The whiskey I guess was his only indulgence in the tough lonesome life of a pioneer.

My Grandfather was a bit of a pioneer vagabond himself, at least in the 40's and 50's. He joined the army at the time of the second world war but was discharged when it was discovered that he was just 16. After that he drifted around North America 'riding the boxcars', working a variety of jobs to support himself. I guess that's partly where I get the wanderlust from. Last time I spoke to him on the phone, about a week ago, I asked him what jobs he had worked throughout his colourful life. He answered in his characteristic North American gruff drawl, "Well Omar........I worked on a boat, a tug boat moving the big ships, I worked in a goldmine for a while, sorting the good rock from the bad, I was a lumberjack in the timber-trade up north for a while.......hell........what else was there........um........I did some acting as you know, in pictures, commercials, the theatres."

His favourite phrase, as far my brother and I are concerned, is "Goddamn son of a bitch."

I make it a week before the birthday package arrives on his doorstep in the sleepy suburbs of Vancouver.

V V

2010-11-14T09:08:00.000-08:00

Biro on board, 12x20cm, 2010AD. GONE

The Italian benefactor of this drawing wishes to remain anonymous. That's all I shall disclose on this matter but picture me, if you will, with a wry smile across my lips.

Innocence

2010-11-07T21:42:00.000-08:00

Boban

2010-11-07T20:55:00.000-08:00

This little 2B pencil sketch was executed in a conference for environmental educators, a role for which I am occasionally solicited for. At a time when I should have been paying attention to the speaker, motivated by boredom, I created this little fellow who I settled on calling 'Boban'. I fancied him as a folk musician of the brass ilk. Perhaps a purveyor of the Balkan Fanfare music exemplified every year in the small Serbian town of Guca. If you are not familiar with Guca (pronounced goocha), I implore you, my readers, to familiarise yourselves.

I give you my word that the first person who contacts me with regard to procuring this drawing can have him for free. Send me your address to zingaromar@gmail.com