NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Mar 29, 2016) - The British street art invasion continues in April at the Quin hotel, located at the corner of 57^th Street and Sixth Avenue, with a solo exhibition from Pure Evil, curated by DK Johnston. The Quin, New York's quintessential luxury lifestyle hotel, hosts the acclaimed Quin Arts program, which is exclusively focused on the global street art movement in 2016, and launched its season with an exhibition by UK artist Nick Walker. The Pure Evil exhibition will be on view from April 1 through May 31 in the hotel's lobby level. 

Born Charles Uzzell Edwards in South Wales, and tracing a lineage back to Sir Thomas More (the Lord Chancellor famously beheaded by King Henry VIII), Edwards' early influence was the work of his father, the Welsh painter John Uzzell Edwards. It's as Pure Evil, however, that Edwards has emerged as one of the leading British artists of the thriving international street art scene, exhibiting worldwide and launching the Pure Evil Gallery in London.

On completing his studies focused on graphics and fashion in London in 1990, Pure Evil left what he called the "ruins of Thatcher's Britain" at the age of 22 and struck out for California. Working as a clothing designer for the Anarchic Adjustment label designing T-Shirt graphics, Pure Evil became involved in the musical fabric of San Francisco as an electronic recording artist for Peter Namlook's ambient electronic music label, FAX.

Street art, of course, proved to be Pure Evil's most important artistic discovery during his 10 years in California. Inspired by the initial influence of Twist and Reminisce, with a dose of skate culture thrown in, Pure Evil began tagging freeways and storefronts. He felt the pull of London, however, and returned to his homeland on the cusp of the new millennium, where his signature fang-sporting bunnies began appearing on the streets. The artist later explained in a BBC Blast interview that the bad bunny showed up one day in his sketchbook. The image came from a hare that he had killed with a shotgun in his youth and it had returned to haunt him for his past sins. He associated the label "Pure Evil" with the symbol, and the artist adopted the new name.

Pure Evil has always considered the moniker a bit over the top, but it does justify his artistic excursions into the darker side of people and their social ills. The symbol proliferated, as rabbits often do, and so did Pure Evil. The artist began an association with people involved in Banksy's "Santa's Ghetto," and started creating prints for Pictures on Walls. When the U.S. denied his application for re-entry, his life took an unplanned turn. The artist set up shop in a small shed in the Black Mountains of Wales, eventually moving back to London to prepare for his first Pure Evil exhibition in 2006. The success of this show, and subsequent shows, enabled him to open the Pure Evil Gallery in Shoreditch in London's East End in late 2007. The Department Store Gallery opened 2 doors down in 2014.

Today, Pure Evil enjoys the success of a street artist as global brand and his artistic integrity remains just as much in evidence as his commercial good fortune. The reputation of The Pure Evil Gallery has grown remarkably, due to its support of independent artists. The Pure Evil music studio produces music for free downloading, he has appeared on the BBC version of "The Apprentice" during its 2012 season, signed on to contribute artwork to Ruark Radio and Royal Doulton, all the while maintaining a monthly radio program, leading workshops, presenting lectures and continuing a prolific artistic output. 

Pure Evil has participated in more than 50 shows in the UK and internationally, as far afield as China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Russia, The USA and Brazil. Aside from the "rabbit reject with the count Dracula overbite," as he labels his calling card, Pure Evil is perhaps best known for his Warhol-esque portraiture, which expresses both biographical signature and western culture critique. Pure Evil explains that a chance email from a Chinese "copy village" gave impetus to his "Nightmare Series." The village offered, via email, a list of artists it could reproduce, including three Andy Warhol paintings. The idea of Warhol's entire artistic output distilled down to three small thumbnails of Jackie Kennedy, Liz Taylor and an Electric Chair became the inspiration for these doomed and dripping celebrity portraits. Why are they crying? "It's an illustration of the heartbreak and sadness we have all experienced in relationships in the past," he comments.

Quin Arts curator DK Johnston added, "Pure Evil is deferential to the screen-printing cornerstone laid by Andy Warhol, even as his art maintains a street art sensibility that is admired and collected globally." For his solo show at the Quin, Pure Evil has created a series of screen-prints on paper and canvas, including hand finished prints. Pre-sales information for Pure Evil's solo show at the Quin is available by emailing DKJ@artsfund.com. Further information on Quin Arts is available at www.thequinhotel.com. The Quin is managed by Highgate, a premier hospitality investment and management company whose growing portfolio includes more than 100 properties in gateway cities worldwide.

About The Quin
The Quin, New York City's quintessential lifestyle hotel, is located on the corner of 57th Street and 6th Avenue. At the intersection of art, music, and fashion, its privileged Midtown location provides effortless access to Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Museum of Modern Art and Fifth Avenue couture. The Quin melds modern opulence with its rich artistic heritage in each of its 208 thoughtfully appointed guestrooms, including 28 suites. Guests enjoy urbane and intelligent services from the QA, who curate each guest's New York experience, to distinguished amenities like an Executive Boardroom, state-of-the-art Technogym fitness center, Apple equipped drawing room, Dux® beds by Duxiana®, and Fresh® Spa Products. Guests can also indulge at The Wayfarer, a classic American grille, located adjacent to the hotel. The two-story, 130-seat restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch, and a full, 24-hour, in-room dining menu from Executive Chef Chris Shea for hotel guests, featuring classic American dishes, redefined. Renowned architecture and interior design firm, Perkins Eastman, has transposed a contemporary masterpiece on the classical foundation that was once home to cultural icons like pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski and artist Georgia O'Keeffe. Resonating with refined repose, the Quin is the Quintessential New York Hotel. Follow the Quin @thequinhotel. Reservations are available at 1-855-447-QUIN (7846) or http://www.theQuinhotel.com/.

About Quin Arts
Quin Arts brings a global community of artists, patrons, and guests together through an ongoing series of culturally significant events, exhibitions, and performances. This multi-media initiative extends to a substantial permanent collection, along with an artist-in-residence program, digital displays on the lobby's 15-foot abstract video art wall, and intimate salons with participating artists. Curated and co-founded by DK Johnston, previous exhibits include Creative Chaos, a vibrant collection of new large-scale paintings by Corno, an exclusive preview of Eric Zener's land series, which was exhibited at Gallery Henoch, and Heritage -- a collection of iconic photography from Burt Glinn, Erich Hartmann, Dennis Stock, and Elliott Erwitt, presented in partnership with Magnum Photos. Blek le Rat, the "Father of stencil graffiti," created a series of unique lithographs, collectively entitled Escaping Paris, at the New York Academy of Art for the Quin during his tenure as artist in residence. The artist commemorated his residency on the Quin's façade with an image of Andy Warhol. The Quin's permanent collection also includes Blek le Rat's "Love America" on the 14th floor and loaned works the "Great Wedding," "What Has Been Seen Cannot Be Unseen," and "Tango," as well as original work from YZ, Wulf Von Treu, "the German Basquiat," and Patrick Graham, plus 15 new pieces from Bristol-based street artist, Nick Walker. Quin Arts has garnered critical acclaim in publications ranging from Forbes to Conde Nast Traveler and Harper's Bazaar Art and was nominated for the "Most Creative Collaboration" Award at LE Miami.

About Highgate
Highgate is a premier hospitality investment and management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu. Highgate also has an expanding presence in key European markets through properties in London, Paris, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $10B and generates over $2B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has a proven record of developing bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.