New York street artist Quel Beast will have a reception this Friday the 27th from 7-10pm at Gallery Bar for his large, vibrantly colored portraits.
The influence of New York’s rich street art and graffiti legacy shows up in the bright colors and bold lines Quel Beast uses to bring his faces to life. A central theme of these portraits has been the emotional turmoil of struggling New Yorkers, but recently Quel Beast has been exploring ways to render the faces we wear when we’re struggling with more than the daily grind. Almost a year ago Quel Beast began confronting his internal demon of addiction. The insanity of self-deification and self-destruction, inherent in a life run by self-will, is most evident in his recent “Selfish Portraits”.
Quel Beast learned how to paint by pasting both his failures and successes in the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn. He often serves as his own subject, using twisted and wrinkled faces to render portraits that are shifting proportions of joy, frustration, self-obsession and demoralization. The feelings conveyed through Quel Beast’s vibrant colors and bold expressions would make Chuck Close blush. This isn’t your mother’s idea of portraiture.
No stranger to struggling in the city, Quel Beast has been sleeping on a friend’s couch while looking for a job. “I’d much rather make the work I want, than bow to what sells,” he said, “I have friends who show in Chelsea that are just as poor as me; money just isn’t a priority to real artists.” For these reasons, Quel Beast has priced all of his work in this exhibition well under $1,000. “Only collectors and gallerists worry about an artist’s monetary worth,” Quel Beast quipped, “I only worry about being able to afford my next round of supplies.”
The work will be on view this weekend and during the reception.
Gallery Bar is located at 120 Orchard St. on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Other Articles You May Like from BSA:
"Équilibres Précaires" (Precarious Balances) in Paris with Clément Laurentin
Speaking in his abstractly modern visual language, artist Clément Laurentin creates this curvilinear winter ode to our permanent state of precariousness. In cooperation with Art Azoï, an important st...
Speaking in his abstractly modern visual language, artist Clément Laurentin creates this curvilinear winter ode to our permanent state of precariousness. In cooperation with Art Azoï, an important st...
"West Side is the Best Side", Vogue & BAM In Oakland
Today we have the honor of photographer, author and lecturer Mr. James Prigoff sharing with BSA readers his images and observations about a new 8,000 square foot mural that went up in Oakland last mon...
Today we have the honor of photographer, author and lecturer Mr. James Prigoff sharing with BSA readers his images and observations about a new 8,000 square foot mural that went up in Oakland last mon...
BSA Film Friday: 01.17.14
Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities. Now screening : 1. Artful Ad Busting: Vermibus Melt Ads and Minds Across Europe 2. HotTea is an MN Original: Ba...
Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities. Now screening : 1. Artful Ad Busting: Vermibus Melt Ads and Minds Across Europe 2. HotTea is an MN Original: Ba...
OverUnder in LA and Vegas ; Faith, Family, and Gambling
OverUnder recently traveled to Las Vegas and LA to do some mural commissions for a large brand and he tells us he was having a bit of guilt for selling his soul to the devil to pay the bills. That was...
OverUnder recently traveled to Las Vegas and LA to do some mural commissions for a large brand and he tells us he was having a bit of guilt for selling his soul to the devil to pay the bills. That was...
Boston's "Underground Mural Project" Opens With 11 Artists
"I love transforming a raw space for everyone to discover. It's the best feeling to see people enjoying themselves in front of my art," says artist Cey Adams in Boston as he finishes his “LOVE” mural ...
"I love transforming a raw space for everyone to discover. It's the best feeling to see people enjoying themselves in front of my art," says artist Cey Adams in Boston as he finishes his “LOVE” mural ...