All posts tagged: Mighty Tanaka Gallery

Hellbent, Abstractions and “The Mixtape Series” in NYC

Hellbent, Abstractions and “The Mixtape Series” in NYC

May 8, 2013 ,

In-Studio Visit With the Guy Who Took His Street Name from Richard Hell

“Even Romantics Love Violence”, Hellbent’s first solo gallery show unveils the graffiti / Street Artist doing a new collection  in abstraction, “The Mix Tape Series”.  With each piece named after a song he was listening to while creating it, the series testifies to his intense love of music (from punk to country to big band and indie rock) and the practice of making custom collections for friends and lovers on blank cassettes.

“Violence” alludes to the concomitant firestorm of emotions, thoughts and ideas that the perfect mixed tape collection can convey, especially when you are 15, or 25, or 35, or ever. While “Mix Tape” is his own nostalgic homage to his high school years in Georgia in the 1990s, for Hellbent this new sharply eye-popping collection is one more refinement to a body of work he’s developed on New York streets over the last 10 years.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Mix Tape” also refers to his cyclical process; Recording, erasing, recording – he literally saves the tape he uses to create pieces, and creates some more.  Here is the thick and sticky masking tape that’s covered in overspray and patterning, now newly arranged and layered and edited into finished abstract compositions, to be used later as a sketch for larger painted pieces.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Included in the show are the “Demos”, the actual tape pieces or sketches now encased in liquid glass.

“The first time I tried to make something with them was when I was in LA doing a big mural and I thought I could try it out on a sketchbook. So at first I started off layering them, building them. I gave myself parameters, you can’t just be all willy-nilly,” he explains. Once marginal, here center-stage, these new vividly patterned pieces vibrate with the same rage and charm one associates with his bared-tooth dogs, hissing snakes and signature Freud jawbone as they lie gently cloaked in delicate lace floral patterns you last saw covering grandma’s end-table, topped with a bowl of plastic fruit.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

In studio you can see the violent beauty of a hellish production process as he chops and slices through the distortion and guitars and drums and vocals pounding and vibrating through his thoughts. “The Mix Tape Series” celebrates Hellbents ever-more discordant color palette, the re-aligning and openly opposing shards and shapes that he keeps pushing to reach a level of punk rock splendor. Even so, he says, “I’ve never really studied color theory.  I never really think about it.”

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Some of the color combinations – the seafoam green next to hot pink – they vibrate and I can’t get them to stop.
Hellbent : So some of them, because of the clashing of colors, some of them want to come up and some of them want to drop back. So I’ve been trying to add depth. I’m trying to create depth through flatness. Everything is super flat but they are layered on top of one another. And the colors create optical effects.

Like an uninhibited and pissing fire extinguisher slicing across complacent suburban vinyl siding, Hellbent forces dark colonial blue death and blaring orange fluorescence to lie uncomfortably next to one another, making the eye push and pull the shapes to the fore- and back ground, an optical effect caused purely by their nearness to one another.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent on the street in Queens for Welling Court (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbents’ pattern play has gotten sophisticated too; trompe l’oeil evokes printed wallpaper even when achieved with aerosol. As he rocks through new printed motifs and razor sharp shapes he likes to alternately calm and jolt, forcing the painting to pop for a fraction of a second, the snapping life of an impulse. With this new sharpened geometry and these comforting patterns and these challenging color choices the pieces rise above the canvas as they lay upon, slam against, and step on top of one another.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Music is the ultimate teacher,” prophesied Vasily Kandinsky, and the blank cassette tape onto which the Russian painter and art theorist would have recorded his mix would probably have included Richard Wagner, assisting his movement from landscape or portraiture to embrace pure abstraction. The music stories told of sound poems and Stravinsky at the MoMA show this spring, Inventing Abstraction, 1910–1925, has inspired Hellbent as well, furthering his own fascination with this abstract route on the street, even as he curated the Geometricks show with Brooklyn Street Art last fall.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A classic Hellbent snake on the street in Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

His own recent mural and street works mirror a direction found in other movements popping up on streets in Europe and on America’s coasts and Hellbent happily name checks San Francisco’s Poesia (and his blog Graffuturism), Agents of Change in London, and a growing list of alternate abstract avenues for street based art now sometimes described as post-graffiti. No longer reliant on text or tags or even imagery, Hellbent continues to mix his favorites in search of something new.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Here is a short list of some of the songs and titles of Hellbents’ new pieces for “The Mixtape Series”. In addition to sighting everybody from Lollapalooza 1, 2, and 3, his references can include early British shoe gaze, 90s indie rock, early and contemporary rock n roll, country music and Bob Dylan.

“Vapor Trail” by Ride http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygGw_zo_W8A

“No God, Only Religion” by Spirtualized http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE0lBbBNR1Q

“Benediction” by Thurston Moore  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEe9H6fa7uM

“My Ways” by The Concretes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaePFbCPWzE

“Start Choppin” by Dinosaur Jr. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrRPQqvwjFE

“Youth Against Fascism” by Sonic Youth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot_w3LAPH3s

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Even Romantics Love Violence”

Hellbent Solo at Brooklyn’s Mighty Tanaka Gallery

Friday, May 10, 2013 at 6 pm – 9pm

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Other references

BSA Presents GEOMETRICKS, Curated by Hellbent

Color, Geometry and Pattern on the Streets by Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo on The Huffington Post and BSA

Sneak Peeks from Geometricks

 

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

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Mighty Tanaka Presents: Hellbent “Even Romantics Love Violence” Solo Exhibition. (Brooklyn, NY)

April 29, 2013 ,

Opening on Friday, May 10th, is our first solo show with acclaimed NYC street artist, Hellbent. He has created a new and bold body of work for this show that expresses his new deconstructed approach to his artwork. Utilizing a variety of techniques, this show will keep you hooked as his pieces have a natural draw. We hope to see you at the opening!

Opening Friday, May 10th, 6pm – 9pm.
Mighty Tanaka presents:Even Romantics Love Violence
A Solo Show by Hellbent

What happens when you take a step out of your comfort zone and explore something new? Do you get excited and filled with adventure? Or perhaps you grow frustrated, trying to find your way back to familiar surroundings? We all react differently in the face of adversity. Therein lies the challenge of adapting to untested techniques in order to create a fresh and bold style of artwork. This sort of personal struggle ushers in a period of mental evolution, where one sheds away a tried process and adapts to something more profound and relevant. Mighty Tanaka is excited to bring you our next show, Even Romantics Love Violence, featuring the deconstructed abstractions by NYC Street Art powerhouse, Hellbent. Over the years, he has honed a distinct style on the streets of New York City, however now he looks to spread his wings and share the dynamic new directions he is taking his art.

https://www.facebook.com/events/303008766495704

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Mighty Tanaka Gallery Presents: Nathan Vincent “DON’T MAKE ME count to three!” (Brooklyn, NYC)

February 11, 2013
Opening on Friday, February 15th is a show that will blow you away! Crochet artist Nathan Vincent is wiring the gallery with fiber “explosives”, transforming Mighty Tanaka into a virtual tinder box. DON’T MAKE ME count to three! explores the roles that we play in society and our necessity to break through the barriers placed in front of us. You won’t want to miss this immersive experience into the mind of Nathan Vincent!

Mighty Tanaka presents: DON’T MAKE ME count to three!

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Fun Friday 11.16.12

November 16, 2012

Here’s our greatest hits list for Fun Friday!

1. Lister “Unsung Heroes” (LNDN/New Castle)
2. Abe Lincoln Jr., Robbie Busch “Split Seven” (BK)
3. Portraiture Group Show in Bushwick tonight (BK)
4. Silent Soho Auction For Boardwalks in Coney and Rockaways Saturday
5 Miss Van Going Wild in Rome
6. Cash4 in”Ca$h For” at Tender Trap in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
7. Mexican Collective Sublevarte Colectivo “The Persistence of Dreams” in Gowanus BK
8. L3SUP3RD3MON and ZLY (VIDEO)
9. MadC and The Jurassic Park Wall (VIDEO)
10. OLEK: “Nobody Can Hurt Me Without My Permission” (VIDEO)

Lister “Unsung Heroes” (LNDN/New Castle)

Anthony Lister’s two shows at The Outsiders Gallery titled “Unslung Heroes” are taking place simultaneously at The Outsiders London and New Castle outlets at the same time. “I try to combine the highbrow and lowbrow,” says Lister, “creating analogies which allow the viewer to feel comfortable with subjects that maybe they’ve made snap judgements on before.”

Both shows are now open.

Anthony Lister in NYC (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding these shows click here.

Abe Lincoln Jr., Robbie Busch “Split Seven” (BK)

Split Seven is a fictitious rock n’ roll experience with both artists producing fabricated albums from invented Punk Rock and Heavy Metal bands. Abe Lincoln Jr. and Robbie Busch show  “Split Seven” opens tonight at Mighty Tanaka Gallery in Brooklyn.

Abe Lincoln Jr. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Portraiture Group Show in Bushwick tonight (BK)

At the Low Brow Artique Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn artists Rachel Hayes, Jilly Ballistic, Vahge, and Vexta explore the discipline of portraiture with their group exhibition “Rewriting Portraiture” opening today. “Typically the subject of paintings throughout art history, Rewriting Portraiture establishes how those who are the object of desire visually depict their realities.”

For further information regarding this show click here.

Silent Soho Auction For Boardwalks in Coney and Rockaways Saturday

“Bring Back The Boardwalks” is a silent auction with 100% of the proceeds going to the reconstruction of the severely damaged communities of Coney Island and The Rockaways. Several Fine and Street Artists have donated works for this benefit including: Curtis LOVE ME, David Ellis, Dennis McNett, Distort, FAILE, Futura, Jeremy Fish, Shie Moreno, Shepard Fairey and SWOON among others. This event takes place Saturday, Trais Gallery in Soho, located at 76 Wooster Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY.

Love Me (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this benefit click here.

Miss Van Going Wild in Rome

“Their faces concealed, these disturbing Venuses are both victims and predators, living their lives according to their instincts and feelings.” Miss Van’s new solo show “Wild at Heart” opens tomorrow at the Dorothy Circus Gallery in Rome, Italy.

Miss Van. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Also happening this week:

Cash4 has a new show “Ca$h For” presented by The Superior Bugout at the Tender Trap in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Click here for more details.

The Interference Archive in The Gowanus, Brooklyn is hosting the Mexican Collective Sublevarte Colectivo with a show titled “The Persistence of Dreams”. This show opens today. Click here for more details.

L3SUP3RD3MON and ZLY (VIDEO)

The two artists paint a wall in the neighborhood of Coyoacán in Mexico City. From Alejandro Schlauer.

 

MadC and The Jurassic Park Wall (VIDEO)

OLEK: “Nobody Can Hurt Me Without My Permission” (VIDEO)

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Mighty Tanaka Gallery Presents: Robbie Busch and Abe Lincoln JR “Split Seven” (Brooklyn, NYC)

November 13, 2012 , , , , , ,

Split Seven

Mighty Tanaka presents:
Split Seven
Abe Lincoln Jr. vs. Robbie Busch

After the music dies down and the lights come up, an energy and excitement lingers in the air.  With a ringing in the ears and a vibration throughout the body, an awesome gig has come to an end.  As the bouncers try to corral the audience from the venue floor and out into the night, it’s imperative to stop and check out all the treasures to be found at the band merchandise table.  From the tour dates t-shirt to the rare vinyl pressings, the experience of seeing an extraordinary concert can be relived for years to come through the iconic wares.  Mighty Tanaka is pleased to bring you our next show, Split Seven, featuring the artistic pile driving power chords of Abe Lincoln Jr. and the wall to wall, mosh pit madness of Robbie Busch.  Together, these two artists have created a cacophony of faux musical mayhem through the unique recreation of a band merch table.

Split Seven is a fictitious rock n’ roll experience with both Abe Lincoln Jr. & Robbie Busch producing fabricated albums from invented Punk Rock and Heavy Metal bands.  This dual creative interpretation brings together various artistic elements of two opposing types of iconoclast music while juxtaposing their individual styles and influences.  Together, they build a virtual band experience, highlighting the various artistic qualities of both genres, without ever producing a single note of music.

Abe Lincoln Jr. & Robbie Busch explore a number of techniques in order to create an epic rendition of their chosen music style, which includes elements of stickers, stencils, paintings and laser cuts.  Split Seven invites the viewer to engage in this mock battle of the bands while choosing once and for all: Punk Rock or Heavy Metal.

OPENING RECEPTION:

Friday, November 16th, 2012

6:00PM – 9:00PM

111 Front St, Suite 224
Brooklyn, NY 11201
– F Train to York Street
– A/C Train to High Street
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Mighty Tanaka Gallery Presents: Jon Breiner “Sooner or Later We All Make The Little Flowers Grow” (Brooklyn, NYC)

October 10, 2012 , , , , , ,

Jon Breiner

Please join us for the Opening Reception of 
Sooner or Later…We All Make The Little Flowers Grow 
A Solo Show by John Breiner

Friday, October 12th
6pm – 9pm
(Show closes November 2nd)
 
111 Front St, Suite 224
Brooklyn, NY 11201
 

Mighty Tanaka presents:

Sooner or Later…We All Make The Little Flowers Grow

A solo show by John Breiner

 Life, death and rebirth, the constant cycle of existence.  Yet, the turbulence of a shifting dynamic on the planet has caused a major disruption in the natural order of things.  In this modern age, the Earth’s climate is increasing, causing certain aspects of flora and fauna to gain a foothold on developed land and take advantage of recouping expanses of once settled areas within the great American landscape.  Through chaotic economic conditions and unforeseen disasters, devastating setbacks have allowed once expelled elements to creep back into the neglected expanses, reaping havoc on our forgotten structures.  This encroachment of the wild upon once settled habitat symbolizes mans weakening grip on world.  Mighty Tanaka is excited to bring you our next solo show, Sooner or Later…We All Make The Little Flowers Grow, featuring the thought provoking artwork of John Breiner.   His juxtaposing views of the planets continual reclamation exemplifies the significant impact of our actions within an ever changing terrain.

Sooner or Later…We All Make The Little Flowers Grow suggests that humans have become an invasive species as the population has been growing with rapid acceleration.  The natural world responds by enacting new systems to rapidly break down buildings and infrastucture.  John Breiner references this to symbolize the decomposition of society and the spread of positivity to overcome all obstacles.

John Breiner uses a mixed media approach to his work that includes elements of photo transfer, acrylic paint, spray paint and illustration upon found books and old sheets of paper.  Through his beautiful interpretations, the work comes to life, inviting the viewer to visit to take a step closer and unravel the contrasting enigma.

OPENING RECEPTION:

Friday, October 12th, 2012

6:00PM – 9:00PM

(Show closes November 2nd, 2012)

Mighty Tanaka

111 Front St., Suite 224

Brooklyn, NY 11201

 

Office: 718.596.8781

Email: contact@mightytanaka.com

Web: http://www.mightytanaka.com

 

 

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday – Sunday
12:00PM – 6:30PM
– F Train to York Street
– A/C Train to High Street
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Fun Friday 08.10.12

August 10, 2012

Happy hot sticky Friday live from New York! Lots of cool stuff on the street and in the exhibition spaces this weekend – just bring a water bottle. Here are some of our picks for you on BSA.

1. Détournement, Carlo McCormick at Jonathan Levine (NYC)
2. Chris Stain and Joe Iurato at Mighty Tanaka (BKLN)
3. Peeta Solo at ArTicks (Amsterdam)
4. “You & Me” – Low Brow’s Second Group Show (BKLN)
5. Miss Van at Copro Gallery “Wild at Heart” (Santa Monica)
6. Part2Ism “New Horizons & Future Love Songs” at Red Gallery (London)
7. “Who’z Got Game!” ? at Sacred Gallery (NYC)
8. Numskull ,”Dance Like a Video, Sting Like a Gif” at Mishka (BKLN)
9. “Primeveal” group show Carmichael Gallery (LA)
10. Futura Live Painting  (Richmond, VA)
11. KFC Loves The Gays with John Goodman (Video)

 

Détournement, Carlo McCormick at Jonathan Levine (NYC)

Carlo McCormick, Paper Magazine Senior Editor and NYC cultural intuitor, is guest curator at the Jonathan Levine Gallery with a show titled “Détournement: Signs of the Times” Carlo has assembled an interesting list of artists to tell his story with the works of AIKO, Dan Witz, David Wojnarowicz, Dylan Egon, Eine, Ilona Granet, Jack Pierson, John Law (Jack Napier), Leo Fitzpatrick, Mark Flood, Martin Wong, Max Rippon (RIPO), Mike Osterhout, Posterboy, Ron English, Shepard Fairey + Jamie Reid, Steve Powers (ESPO), TrustoCorp, Will Boone and Zevs.

Mining a vein that has been here in front of us all the time, the composition of the selected works reveals a powerful undertone about how we engage and communicate with our artwork, and hi-jack the messaging of others. Says McCormick, “We do not need to follow these signs, we need to make our own so as to find a way out of the mess we are in.”

It’s also one of the few shows that seamlessly blends Street Art and non-street art practices without needing to draw a distinction for its own sake. This show is now open to the public.

Posterboy (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Chris Stain and Joe Iurato at Mighty Tanaka (BKLN)

Tonight at Mighty Tanaka Gallery in DUMBO the inevitable pairing of Street Artists Chris Stain and Joe Iurato finally takes place. With a show titled “Deep in the Cut” these two stencil artists will bring the knives out for the love of art and the perfection of their craft. Style and mannerism distinguish the differences between these two, and Stain has been at it much longer with a lot of work on the street, but metaphor and empathy to the human condition is the overlap in these guys work. Grab the F train to DUMBO and come see what new common ground emerges from this combination.

Chris Stain. An old all time favorite on the streets of Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato for Fountain Art Fair 2012 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Peeta Solo at ArTicks (Amsterdam)

Italian Graffiti and Fine Artist Peeta has been writing his tag on walls, trains and many other surfaces since 1993. Like a few of his generation who have been stretching graff style past it’s outer limits and morphing it with abstraction, his work has slowing gelled into it’s own distinctive style. He focuses his lettering and his tag by feeding it through Chinese and Islamic calligraphy as a departure from the traditional Latin and Greek lettering. A collaborator of New Yorks RWK collective, he resides in Venice and tonight opens his solo show in Amsterdam at the ArTicks Gallery.

Peeta in Brooklyn with fellow RWK Chris. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

“You & Me” – Low Brow’s Second Group Show (BKLN)

The Low Brow Artique Gallery in Brooklyn has decided to enter the matchmaking business and Saturday their second show titled “You & Me” artfully combines the work of two at a time. While many of these artists have worked collaboratively on the street in the past, crossing freely between sanctioned and unsanctioned Street Art and graffiti, the results of merging their styles and techniques always creates new creatures with the combined DNA. Sometimes it’s a mutt, and sometimes it is purebred brilliance. Artistic couplings here include: Cash4 & Smells, Chris & Veng (RWK), EKG & Dark Clouds, Matt Siren & Fenix, OCMC & This Is Awkward, Royce Bannon & Russell King, and Veng & Sofia Maldonado.

Sofia Maldonado and Veng collaboration. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cash4 and Smells collaboration. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Smells and Cash4 on the streets of Brooklyn (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Miss Van at Copro Gallery “Wild at Heart” (Santa Monica)

Miss Van, the French Street Artist and fine artist has a new solo show “Wild at Heart” in Santa Monica, California this Saturday at the Copro Gallery and the ladies are again strutting their stuff across her rich canvasses. Painting since the age of 18 Miss Van has chosen her appearances carefully while being very active within the smaller pool of female Street Artists, maintaining a continous presence with her unique doll-characters, a rich color palette and plenty of erotica.

Miss Van was included in the now famous “Art in the Streets” exhibition on April 2011 at MoCA Los Angeles.. April 2011. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Also happening this weekend:

Part2Ism has a new solo show “New Horizons & Future Love Songs” at the Red Gallery in London, UK and it is now open to the general public. Click here for more details on this show.

Wanna know “Who’z Got Game!” ? Head over to the Sacred Gallery for this group exhibition opening today in Manhattan. Click here for more details on this show.

Numskull will “Dance Like a Video, Sting Like a Gif” at Mishka tonight in Brooklyn. Click here for more details on this show.

“Primeveal” a group exhibition including Emol, Stinkfish and Zio Ziegler opens tomorrow night at the Carmichael Gallery in Culver City, CA. Click here for more details on this show.

Futura will paint live in Richmond, Virginia this Saturday.

Screen Shot from Futura’s Hennessy NYC Video.

Master Graffiti Artist and fine artist Leonard “FUTURA” is touring the country to promote this project with a spirit maker and this Friday he will stop in Richmond, Virgina where he will paint live on a canvas inside the ABC Store located at 101 North Thompson Street. The live painting will commence at 2:00 pm.  It is a rare opportunity to catch Futura in action.

A recent ad featuring Futura for this campaign (not a sponsor)

KFC Loves The Gays with John Goodman

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Mighty Tanaka Gallery Presents: Chris Stain and Joe Iurato “Deep In The Cut” (Brooklyn, NYC)

August 7, 2012 , , , , ,

Deep in the Cut

Deep In The Cut

Featuring the artwork of Chris Stain & Joe Iurato

With a steady hand, precise cuts are dutifully made, revealing the negative space that lies beyond.  Like a virtual roadmap, these incisions dictate the direction and flow of the artwork, building layers of corresponding imagery.  Through patience and grace, the art of stenciling goes far beyond the final outcome of the artwork, as it incorporates a delicate and intricate process that elevates the artwork into something more than meets the eye.  Mighty Tanaka is honored to present Chris Stain and Joe Iurato, two predominant stencil artists who are taking their art form to a whole new level with their highly anticipated show, Deep In the Cut.  Together, both artists exemplify very different yet highly technical approaches to stencil art through their individual processes and results.

Deep In The Cut is the first time Chris Stain and Joe Iurato have been paired together for a two-person gallery show.  Highly influenced by each others artwork, they share a mutual respect for one another that encourages them to constantly push the boundaries of their individual interpretation of stencil work, redefining the limits of expectation.

Both Chris Stain and Joe Iurato’s artwork exemplifies the art of the process, as they use a myriad of tools and techniques to create their individual expressions.  Deep In The Cut exhibits a highly unique and identifiable approach to their work, ripe with social statements, that causes the viewer to reflect on the world around them while enjoying the intricate details and beauty of their art.

OPENING RECEPTION:
Friday, August 10th, 2012
6:00PM – 9:00PM

Mighty Tanaka
111 Front Street
Suite 224
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Train: F Train to York St
(1st stop in Brooklyn)

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Fun Friday 06.15.12

Fun Friday 06.15.12

June 15, 2012

1.    Wilson Picket Live “Land of 1000 Dances”
2.    Northside Festival in BK
3.    Flying Fortress at Mighty Tanaka (Dumbo,BK)
4.    Welling Court is Back! (Queens)
5.    Broken Crow at XYand Z Gallery (Minneapolis)
6.    THEN ONE Solo Show in Philadelphia
7.    Street Artist MART in Buenos Aires
8.    Doze Green. Luminosity in the Dark Rift. (VIDEO)
9.    Baze and Dot Boy “Tranier la Nuit” France. (VIDEO)

It’s Friday! Wilson Picket’s here to help you get out of your chair and shake your sexy hips and wave your hands in the air. Let’s go to the land of 1,000 Dances!

Northside Festival This Weekend in Brooklyn

We begin our weekend of festivities by inviting BSA peeps to to come to Williamsburg for ART, music and more…

Skewville on The Superior Wall for BSA at Northside ART 2011 (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this event click here.

Flying Fortress at Mighty Tanaka (Dumbo,BK)

Flying Fortress wants you at Mighty Tanaka Gallery for the opening of his solo show “The One Man Army”.

For further information regarding this show click here.

Welling Court is Back! (Queens)

Garrison and Alison Buxton have pulled together some great community-based artifying in the past, and this year is the Third Edition of Welling Court, a very informal opportunity to see the work of peeps across the spectrum.  Come to Queens to experience the true meaning of arts, artists and the community action on the street. Not corporatized or commercialized, everybody is welcome so put on your platform rainbow sneakers and leave the attitude at home.

Artists included this year are: Abe Lincoln, Jr., Alice Mizrachi, Alison Buxton, Beau Stanton, Billy Mode, Caleb Neelon, Celso, Cern, Christopher Cardinale, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, CR, CRASH, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Deb Yoon, Don Leicht, El Kamino, Ellis Gallagher, Free5, Fumero, Gaia, Garrison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JAZ, Joe Iurato, John Breiner, John Fekner, Katie Yamasaki, Kimyon Huggins, Lady Pink, Leon Reid IV, Lopi, Mensen, Michael Alan, Never, OverUnder, Pablo Power, Peat Wollaeger, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Rene Gagnon, Richard Nugent, ROA, Royce Bannon, Sinned, Skewville, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Subtexture, Thundercut, TooFly, Veng RWK, The Wretched Rapture Crew, Zam, and Zéh Palito

ROA, Overunder and Veng RWK at last year’s Welling Court. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this event click here.

Broken Crow at XYand Z Gallery (Minneapolis)

“We Did What We Could” is a funny name for a show but that’s how they hang. Here’s an interview with John and Mike for the show that opens tonight.

More on XYand Z Gallery here:

Also our piece on Broken Crow’s new project in St. Paul here: Broken Crow Knock Out 4 New Murals for “The Bigger Picture” in St. Paul

Also happening this weekend:

In Philadelphia the WP Gallery is proud to present THEN ONE Solo Show. The opening party is this Friday at 7:00 pm. Click here for more details about this show.

Street Artist MART will premiere his solo show on Saturday at the Honeycomb Gallery in Buenos Aires, Argentina with an opening reception starting at 7:00 pm. Click here for more details about this show.

 

Doze Green. Luminosity in the Dark Rift. (VIDEO)

 

Baze and Dot Boy “Tranier la Nuit” France. (VIDEO)

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Mighty Tanaka Presents: Flying Fortress “The One Man Army” (Brooklyn, NYC)

June 12, 2012 , , , , ,

Flying Fortress

FF

 

Please join us for the Opening Reception of 
The One Man Army 
A solo show by Flying Fortress

Friday, June 15th
6pm – 9pm
 
111 Front St, Suite 224
Brooklyn, NY 11201

 

__________________________________

 

Mighty Tanaka presents:

The One Man Army

A solo show by Flying Fortress

 

 

Sound the alarms!  Teddy Troopers are invading our shores!  They are storming the beaches and parachuting down from the sky, driven by their insatiable appetite for world domination.  Wearing oversized helmets for protection, these restless little bears are descending upon the streets of NYC and will stop at nothing until their goal is accomplished.  Is there anyone who can save us from this occupying force?  Luckily, mankind has a champion who can turn the tide and bring us salvation through his astute knowledge of the Teddy Trooper.  Mighty Tanaka is pleased to bring you The One Man Army, featuring the explosive artwork of Flying Fortress.  Armed only with a paintbrush and spray can, he is this nations best line of defense.

 

The One Man Army heralds the arrival of Flying Fortress, in his first solo show in New York City.  He has been consistently progressing his art form in both galleries and city streets throughout the world, building a strong international following in the process.  Based in Hamburg, Germany, this Street Art legend has been active for well over a decade and his unique “Teddy Trooper” iconography can be seen on nearly every continent.

 

Through a variety of interpretations, Flying Fortress provides fun and exciting artwork that anyone can enjoy.  He will be showing both original artwork as well as limited run prints.  The One Man Army has something for everybody.

 

 

 

OPENING RECEPTION:

Friday, June 15th, 2012

6:00PM – 9:00PM

 

(Show closes July 6th, 2012)

  

111 Front St, Suite 224
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Contact@mightytanaka.com
718.596.8781
Gallery Hours:
Wednesday – Sunday
12:00PM – 6:30PM
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Fun Friday 04.13.12

April 13, 2012

 

Uh-Oh, should I be wearing a necklace of garlic today? It might not be too cool to wear it indoors. Oh snap it’s only a movie. Happy Friday the 13th everybody!

1. “Vice & Virtue” Shai Dahan (Stockholm)
2. “It Felt Like a Kiss”, Alexandros Vasmoulakis at Gallery Nosco (London)
3. “The Birds & The Bees” with H. Veng Smith and Gigi Chen (BKLN)
4. Isaac Cordal Solo tonight in Barcelona
5. Hellbent at C.A.V.E. Saturday (LA)
6. Buff Monster at Corey Helford Saturday (LA)
7. Sowat and Lek present: “Mausolee”
8. Arabic Graffiti and Egyptian Street Art in Frankfurt
9. John Crash Matos’ “Study In Watercolors” at the Addict Galerie in Paris
10. ARMO and his world of color, shapes and textures. (VIDEO)
11. Ana Peru Peru Ana “meanwhile, in new york city (VII)” (VIDEO)

“Vice & Virtue” Shai Dahan (Stockholm)

Shai Dahan’s solo show  “Vice & Virtue” opened last night at the Scarlett Gallery in Stockholm, Sweden and is open today to the public.  Are your virtues bigger than your vices?

For further information regarding this show click here.

“It Felt Like a Kiss”, Alexandros Vasmoulakis at Gallery Nosco (London)

An exploration of the seductive kiss and the female power of attraction – sounds like a valiant pursuit, doesn’t it? Alexandros Vasmoulakis’s solo show is open to the general public at Gallery Nosco in London today.

For further information regarding this show click here.

“The Birds & The Bees” with H. Veng Smith and Gigi Chen (BKLN)

A perfect theme for a show right now as the temperatures rise and skirts rise and shirts come off on the grassy knolls in Prospect Park.  “The Birds & The Bees” H. Veng Smith show with Gigi Chen at the Mighty Tanaka Gallery opens today in Brooklyn as Spring time’s gallant breeze calls you hither to Dumbo.

Veng (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Isaac Cordal Solo tonight in Barcelona

Curated by Street Art author Maximiliano Ruiz, this solo show gives platform to Isaac Cordal, a small-scale sculptor who has thus far used the street as the only necessary stage. Mr. Cordal’s little cement characters at RAS Gallery will stop you in your tracks and reconsider your giant self.

Isaac Cordal (photo © Isaac Cordal)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Hellbent at C.A.V.E. Saturday (LA)

New York Street Artist and fine artist Hellbent shares the space at C.A.V.E Gallery in Venice Beach, California this weekend with his offering “A Quilted Life”.

Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Buff Monster at Corey Helford Saturday (LA)

Buff Monster is back at his most mischievous at the Corey Helford Gallery this time all covered in delicious pink. His solo show “Legend of the Pink” opens tomorrow in Culver City as the monster celebrates 10 years of work on the street.

Buff Monster (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Also happening this weekend:

Maya Hayuk solo show “2012 Apocabliss” in Mexico City at Anonymous Gallery. Click here for more details on this show.

Sowat and Lek present: “Mausolee”. An art show and book release in Paris, France. Click here for more details on this show.

From Here to Fame Publishing Presents: Arabic Graffiti and Egyptian Street Art in Frankfurt, Germany. Click here for more details on this show.

John Crash Matos’ “Study In Watercolors” at the Addict Galerie in Paris, France. Click here for more details on this show.

ARMO and his world of color, shapes and textures. (VIDEO)

Armo (photo © Armo)

“meanwhile, in new york city (VII)” (VIDEO)

Peru Ana Ana Peru are Street Artists, jokesters, and film makers in New York. Here is their new mini-movie of unscripted New York scenes, sounds and soliloquies collected together for your amusement and befuddlement.

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Mighty Tanaka Gallery Presents: H. VENG Smith and Gigi Chen “The Birds & The Bees” (Brooklyn, NY)

April 3, 2012 , , , , ,

The Birds and the Bees

The Birds and The Bees

Featuring the artwork of Gigi Chen & H. Veng Smith

Spring is upon us early this year and with it brings longer days full of sun and warmth.  The nice weather ushers in our next show, The Birds and The Bees, featuring the aesthetically pleasing artwork of Gigi Chen and H. Veng Smith. Together, these two artists exemplify an exciting direction of oil painting, unlocking elements of love and pain through their individual techniques.

The Birds and The Bees

Featuring the artwork of Gigi Chen & H. Veng Smith

Spring is the season for growth and renewal and with it, people come together in joyous celebration.  Drunk off the familiar sensation of green grasses and blossoming flora, the world is alive and full of inspiration.  A romantic essence fills the air with an intoxicating blend of rejuvenating aromas that tempts the body and plays with the mind.  It is easy to lose oneself in the cacophony of reawakening, as senses are overloaded and forged into the memory.  Through the enchanted feelings resides a notion of self-discovery that enables reckless abandonment, which leads to a multitude of outcomes.  Mighty Tanaka is pleased to bring you our springtime show, The Birds and The Bees, featuring the fantastical artwork of Gigi Chen & H. Veng Smith.

The Birds and The Bees is a traditional metaphor for love, yet it also encompasses the sharp stinging pain of loss.  It is a constant reminder of balance and desire as well as the shock of reality.  As the warmth grows, so does the undergrowth and the tangle of vines and thorns, creating an ever-challenging terrain of hope and expectations to navigate.

Both Gigi Chen and H. Veng Smith utilize a host of inspiring techniques to create their individual work.  Both artists create their work from oil paint, yet their achieved outcome differs greatly.  As the days grow longer and the sun shines a little brighter, it’s the perfect setting for The Birds and The Bees to come out to play.

Mighty Tanaka

111 Front St., Suite 224

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Email: contact@mightytanaka.com

Phone: 718.596.8781

(F Train to York Street, A/C to High Street)

Hours:

Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm – 6:30pm

 

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