2009

JMR is jamming for Friday Show

July 15, 2009 , ,

Brooklyn native JMR is hotter than July

His abstract line portraits are a larger than you expect when you walk by one on a sunny hot day, and now you know how it’s done.   This stop-action video (finished last night) shows JMR in action on a large piece.  Dude moves fast!

Stay tooned! Read about the upcoming show here.

And this time of year I always want to hear this song at a block party:

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Chicken Plus Ham! A consummate smart-aleck couple on the street

July 15, 2009 ,

Low Brow?  Below the Belt?

This posting has been re-written three times, with varying degrees of delight and disgust.  You try to go for the double-entendre, but you are talking about the animal kingdom, and that just sounds too close to bestiality for comfort.

Which is one of the icky points about this recent call and response on the street – and what makes it so HIGH-LARIOUS to 12 year olds and degenerates and, truth be told, me.

First it was DickChicken, a simple stencil of a phallus-like shape extended from the top of a featherless chicken corpse, like the ones people buy on styrofoam rectangles wrapped in cello.  It started popping up everywhere recently. Then last week I saw the answer to Dick-Chicken and nearly collapsed in front of a delivery truck.

Yes, that's right (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Yes, that’s right (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Honeyed we presume (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Honeyed we presume (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Will this spawn more clever responses?  Already we spotted a script that said “Phallus Poultry” Saturday night, but that didn’t have the same sauce as it’s common cousin. (sorry!)

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Willoughby Windows Walkby – Street Art on Display in Downtown Brooklyn

July 14, 2009

It’s a great idea to go window shopping these days —as opposed to actual shopping.

Since 70% of the American economy is fueled by shopping instead of manufacturing, we’re all supposed to be doing our patriotic duty accordingly. But sometimes the wallet is bare, bro.  And sometimes the local dollar doesn’t stay local.

In yet another case of Street Art improving a community, the Willoughby Windows project in downtown Brooklyn officially opened this weekend with 17 artists, babies, scooters, costumed dancers, a sidewalk DJ, and inquisitive mildly bewildered citizenry slowing down to peek through the glass into artists’ clever minds.

Artist Logan Hicks leans into his piece comprised of collaged crowds of New Yorkers on the street. (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Artist Logan Hicks leans into his multi-layered screenprint piece depicting crowds of New Yorkers on the street. (photo Steven P. Harrington)

A stupendous 3-D installation of printing expert Dennis McNett (photo Steven P. Harrington)
A stupendous animal centric 3D installation utilizing the full space of the display window by print expert Dennis McNett can only be appreciated fully in person (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Garrison and Allison Buxton, anchors and workhorses in the Brooklyn
Garrison and Allison Buxton; anchors and visionaries, bring Willoughby Windows to Brooklyn  (photo Steven P. Harrington)

In a joint effort with Ad Hoc Gallery and the local BID (Business Improvement District), Garrison Buxton and Allison Buxton and all the Ad Hoc interns have worked tirelessly for a few weeks with artists to install this show behind glass and to revive a moribund block in this sector of retail Brooklyn.

A highly detailed storyline from Cannonball Press (photo Steven P. Harrington)
A detailed storyline from Cannonball Press also features a giant old -style cash register (not pictured) that reminds you there once were real businesses and customers here (photo Steven P. Harrington)

At the very least, it’s not so friggin depressing to pass this block on the way to work.  At most, it can inspire creative impulses and conversations. Friday’s opening featured many children, gawking families, kooky creative types, chalk games on the side walk, even a feeling of “community”.  Huh.

Willoughby Window gazer (photo Jaime Rojo)

Willoughby Window gazer (photo Jaime Rojo)

In a window display that once featured
In a window display case that featured bagels and home-baked goods, the late afternoon shadows slide across photographs of shadow-tracing by street artist Ellis G.  (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Ironically a neighbor to bailout-happy JPMorgan Chase, whose skyscraper casts a shadow over this district of mom and pop businesses displaced by developers, the Willoughby Windows Project gives creative stimulus to the community with a fresh way to think of the shop window.

Chris Stain's stencil invokes imagery from his working-class roots (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Stencil artist Chris Stain invokes the imagery of Brooklyn neighbors (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Josh MacPhee

Josh MacPhee brings his Celebrate People's History poster series to this window, creating a patchwork of text and images (photo Steven P. Harrington)

In the wake of boom-era blustery press conferences and erect Powerpoint bar-graphs that fell limp, this project doesn’t bring back the businesses or feed their families, but it does invite a conversation about what a locally created economy means to the people who live here.  Pedestrian?  Yes, actually. Moribund? No way.

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Flying Fortress at Genuine Artikle (Long Island)

July 13, 2009 , ,

On July 18th Flying Fortress (the creator of the Teddy Trooper) will be flying in from Germany to raid New York. On a his invasion to Genuine Artikle where he will be having his solo show, in which we will be displaying all new paintings of his. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet him personally.
From 7pm-11pm Flying Fortress will be at the gallery for signings. We will also be having a special guest Ancient Tongue playing live.. So keep your heads up in the sky cause Flying Fortress may be dropping bombs on you soon.
Genuine Artikle
527 Hawkins Ave
Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
gallery: 631-615-2830
www.genuineartikle.com
www.myspace.com/genuineartikle
www.facebook.com/genuineartikle
www.genuineartikle.blogspot.com

info@genuineartikle.com

November 08 405
Creative Commons License photo credit: Lord Jim

War of Monstars, Kosmopolite 2006
Creative Commons License photo credit: blame1

http://www.myspace.com/genuineartikle

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“Brooklyn Bailout Burlesque” at Factory Fresh

July 13, 2009 , , ,

Brooklyn Bailout Burlesque

Featuring

Jon Burgerman (UK)


Jim Avignon (Germany)


Roman de Milk & Wodka (Switzerland)


Ema (France)


Asuka Ohsawa (Japan)


Daniel Dueck (Brooklyn)


Christine Young (Brooklyn)

Friday, August 14th 7-10pm
Show runs till August 30th, 2009

The art world, global companies, complex societies and every
small individual all have one problem in common: how to deal with
the crisis. When money goes wrong nothing goes right.
Many in
the high society of art dreamt the dream of instant
success and
big overnight money, but the awakening was rough and
most of
the ambitious collectors had gone with the wind.
So how can one
stay in a market that barely exists in
this time, where money
displays a rather strange behaviour.

Jim Avignon, Brooklyn-Berlin based artist, musician and
hopeless
bohemian curated a show with 7 young artists
from Brooklyn and
Europe,which might have some answers for
you. They throw their
skills together and create a
panorama, where strange and funny
characters inhabit a
peculiar zone somewhere between realist
figuration.
cartoons, messageboard-doodling and pure fantasy.
Expect everything from unsentimental portraits, vibrant
colors,
playful items
contemporary weirdness with a good old
anti-establishment
vibe.

Between high art and crumbling economy there is a common
ground for inexpensive works, keenly tailored for broad
appeal.

The show must go on.

Factory Fresh

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Dime Bag 3 at Giant Robot – Featuring Every Artist in New York City

July 13, 2009 , , ,

Dime Bag 3

July 18 – August 12, 2009

Reception: Saturday, July 18, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.

Giant Robot Gallery
437 East 9th Street Between 1st Ave. & Ave. A, in the East Village
New York, New York 10009
(212) 674-GRNY (4769) | grny.net

Giant Robot is proud to host a tiny exhibition of colossal proportions curated by artists Jordin Isip and Rodger Stevens.

Dime Bag 3 is the ninth in an ongoing series of events by Isip and Stevens, bringing together over 200 artists from New York City and beyond representing an extraordinary variety of disciplines. Painters, illustrators, graphic designers, filmmakers, photographers, product designers, and others have been invited to create artworks specifically designed to be exhibited in 3-inch plastic bags: dime bags. Each artist was sent one of the symbolic baggies and asked to fill it in any way they wished.

Artists participating in Dime Bag 3 are:

Ian Adelman
Lindsey Adelman
Keira Alexandra
Selina Alko
Jashar Awan
Jordan Awan
Dan Aycock
Scott Bakal
Lindsey Balbierz
Karen Barbour
Michael Bartalos
George Bates
Melinda Beck
Charlie Becker
Polly Becker
Mike Bellamy
Laura Bellmont
Gregory Benton
Jud Bergeron
Hanne Berkaak
Annette Berry
Angela Boatwright
Max Bode
Kelsey Bohlinger
Juliette Borda
Kim Bost
Kelie Bowman
Claudia Brandenburg
Amanda Brown
Calef Brown
Chris Buzelli
SooJin Buzelli
Joseph Buzzell
William Buzzell
Noel Chanyungco
Mariano Ching
Yong Choe
Beryl Chung
Benjamin Clarke
Noel Claro
Dana Collins
Cynthia Connolly
Alika Cooper
Louie Cordero
Michael Coughlan
Brian Cronin
Tara Cullen
Daniel Davidson
Georganne Deen
Andrew Degraff
Edward del Rosario
Dave Delaney
Rachel Domm
Paul Donald
Dora Drimalas
Dima Drjuchin
Joel Dugan
Chris Duncan
Carl Dunn
Chad Dziewior
Charles Eckert
Emily Eibel
Morgan Elliot
Steve Ellis
Kiersten Essenpreis
Evah Fan
Ingo Fast
Ray Fenwick
Cat Ferraz
Brian Flynn
Patrick JB Flynn
Gary Fogelson
Bella Foster
James Benjamin Franklin
John Freeborn
David Fremont
Shannon Freshwater
Sam Friedman
Martina Fugazzotto
James Gallagher
Ryan Gallagher
Susie Ghahremani
Florence Gidez
Jason Glasser
Leah Goldensohn
Johanna Goodman
Keith Greiman
Matt Haber
Marcellus Hall
George Harbeson
Joseph Hart
Maya Hayuk
Matt Hollister
Charles Immer
Jordin Isip
Mara Isip
Minako Iwamura
Rich Jacobs
Oliver Jeffers
Frances Jetter
Chesiel John
Matt Johnson
Aya Kakeda
Leah Kalotay
Christina Kampson
Nina Katan
Amy S. Kauffman
Misaki Kawai
Caitlin Keegan
Patrick Keesey
Andy Kehoe
Tricia Keightley
Tim Kerr
Hiroshi Kimura
James Kirkpatrick
Viktor Koen
Hiro Kurata
Craig LaRotonda
Cat Lauigan
Hannah K. Lee
Liz Lee
Sae-am Lee
Rob Leecock
Matt Leines
Jodi Levine
Laura Levine
Phil Lubliner
Alex Lukas
Anthony Macbain
Ashley Macomber
Julie Manso
Sara Antoinette Martin
Eddie Martinez
Sophie Mathoulin
Margaret McCartney
Adam McCauley
Melissa McGill
Ted McGrath
Richard McGuire
Taylor McKimens
Elizabeth Meluch
Jeffrey Ashe Meyer
David Miller
Bronwyn Minton
Tezh Modarressi
Nicole Momaney
Brendan Monroe
Lilah Montgomery
James Moore
Pam Morris
Brad Mossman
Ana Mouyis
Ilse Murdock
James Austin Murray
Gregory Nemec
Ron Nemec
Phillip Fivel Nessen
Laura Normandin
Kate O’Connor
Shu Okada
Frank Olinsky
Soner Ön
Alex Ostroy
Jake Panian
Chang Park
Leif Parsons
Jason Polan
Jason Porter
Giselle Potter
Sean Qualls
Jeff Quinn
Cassie Ramone
John Rauchenberger
Kristina Reddy
Lauren Redniss
Liz Riccardi
Martha Rich
Geoff Rockwell
Edel Rodriguez
Les Rogers
Julia Rothman
Lea Rude
Stanley Ruiz
Anthony Russo
David Sandlin
Kim Scafuro
Kim Schifino
Nicole Schorr
Blake Scott
Anna Sea
Christina Sheppard
Christine Shields
Yasmin Sison
Paul Slifer
Andy Smenos
Ryan Jacob Smith
Jeff Soto
Becca Stadtlander
Rodger Stevens
Holly Stevenson
Sto
Georgie Stout
Scott Stowell
Katerine Streeter
Derek Stukuls
Gary Taxali
Gabriel Tick
Mark Todd
Lara Tomlin
Mark Turgeon
Katie Turner
Justin Valdes
Madeline Valentine
Nichole van Beek
Willian van Roden
Jonathan Viner
Dominique Vitali
Roxie Vizcarra
Karyn Vogel
Valeriya Volkova
Adam Wallacavage
Ryan Wallace
Jessica Ward
David Weeks
Kaeleen Wescoat-O’Neill
Eric White
Justin White
Beth Whitney
Jasmine Wigandt
C.K. Wilde
Nate Williams
Richard Wilson
Jeff Winterburg
Mike Wodkowski
Courtney Wotherspoon
James Yang
Tobin Yelland
Christine Young
Zachary Zezima
Bill Zindel

A reception featuring many of the artists will be held from 6:30 to 10:00 on Saturday, July 18. For more information about the show, the artists, GRNY, or Giant Robot magazine, please contact:

Eric Nakamura Giant Robot Owner/Publisher
eric@giantrobot.com
(310) 479-7311

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Images of Week 07.12.09

Images of Week 07.12.09

July 13, 2009 , , , ,

Our weekly interview with the streets

El Sol
The desire to regenerate Viking manhood through heroic struggle meets Dior. (El Sol 25) (photo Jaime Rojo)

El Sol
Interstitial musings on cranial sacral therapy (El Sol 25) (photo Jaime Rojo)

El Sol
Coming to terms with his own past as a weak and sickly boy. (El Sol 25) (photo Jaime Rojo)

I'm watching you
A futuristic and intense psycho drama playing out with xray vision enabling the clear view of Janet’s nether region. (photo Jaime Rojo)

Piggy Bank Tian
The national savings rate must increase, even if a few coins at a time. (Tian) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Trovadour
The noble hippie, bare-chested and defiant, sucks in his gut and clutches his ham and swiss hero. (Trovadour) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Apolo Torres MUNDANO Loro Verz

Apolo Torres, Mundano, & Loro Verz at Factory Fresh (photo Jaime Rojo)

Bast
I hate to seem aggressive but I really need you to use your bathroom. Please give me the key. (Bast) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Cepia Beauty
Sepia Beauty (photo Jaime Rojo)

El Sol 25
And which one would we call illegal? (El Sol 25) (photo Jaime Rojo)

El Sol 25
With manly legs pumping furiously, Ned, Accounting Super Hero, rushes to deposit the clients’ jewelry before the bank closes. (El Sol 25) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Gaia
Un aplauso por el Conejo! (Gaia) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Know Hope

Time to come out of the bushes! (Know Hope) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Know Hope

Know Hope behind the grating (photo Jaime Rojo)

Know Hope
Last night I really blew it.  Two packs of smokes, a tin of tuna, some lemonade soda, and a tub of watermelon.  I really gotta stop before I lose an arm or something. (Know Hope) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Lady Pink
Natural beauty in the garden of Eldridge (Lady Pink) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Os Gemeos (detail. More to come!)
I’m thinking of a small town I visited last night in a dream (Os Gemeos) (detail) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Os Gemeos (detail. More to come!)Yes, we’ll go in a minute, I’m just checking my messages (Os Gemeos) (detail) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Space Invader
And when he leans over the railing, I’ll pounce! (Space Invader) (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Summer Group Exhibition at Joshua Liner

July 13, 2009
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Reception Saturday August 15th from 6-9 pm at Joshua Liner

Group Exhibition
Summer Group Exhibition
August 15 to September 5, 2009

Artists
Candice Tripp
Chloe Early
Cleon Peterson
Damon Soule
Dave Kinsey
Evan Hecox
Greg Simkins
James Roper
Joe Sorren
Jud Bergeron
Kenji Hirata
Pat Rocha
Robert Hardgrave
Ryan McLennan
SUB (Tony Curanaj)
Shawn Barber
Stanley Donwood
Stella Im Hultberg
Sylvia Ji
Tat Ito
Tiffany Bozic
Travis Louie
Tristram Lansdowne
ZAnPon

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Alexandra Pacula & JMR at Dapper Dan’s Imperial Gallery

July 11, 2009 , , ,
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Mighty Tanaka Presents:
Alexandra Pacula & JMR
Opening July 17, 6PM-10PM
Dapper Dan’s Imperial Gallery
139 West 14th St between 6th and 7th Ave, Manhattan.
Runs July 17-July 31
Motion, flow and scale are common influences that conjoin the art of Alexandra Pacula and JMR.  Individually, they are daring to explore uncharted terrain within their own unique style and progression of form.  Opening July 17, Mighty Tanaka is proud to present Alexandra Pacula and JMR, in a double-solo show.  Bringing forth a rehashed idea to Dapper Dan’s Imperial Gallery, the two artists both juxtapose and complement one another in such a way that exemplifies the range and breadth of a style all their own.
In their own words-
Alexandra Pacula: My work investigates a world of visual intoxication. It captures moments of enchantment associated with urban nightlife. I am fascinated by the ambiance of the city at night and its seductive qualities. The colorful lights become a magical landscape with enticing opportunities and promises of fulfillment.  In our seemingly content society there is a struggle to achieve greater levels of enjoyment. We explore various environments and activities in search of pleasure. Extravagant lights of night environments seduce us to participate in curious events, enticing us to experience new forms of satisfaction.  In my oil paintings I aim to capture various atmospheres that occur in such environments. Through observation and documentation I assemble images, which become visual tools for my paintings. I concentrate on how the mind perceives and evaluates surroundings while under the influence of a social climate.  I recreate the feeling of dizziness and confusion by letting the paint blur and allowing shapes to dissolve. I suggest motion in order to slow down the scene and capture the fleeting moments, which tend to be forgotten. By interpreting lights in graphic or painterly ways, I create a sense of space, alluding to a hallucinogenic experience. Color is the main factor for setting the mood. By using mostly warm browns and reds I create an inviting, candle-lit atmosphere and by introducing cool blues, and contrasting colors the environment becomes energetic and noisy. I want the viewers to experience my paintings as if they were in a place of nighttime entertainment where the mood changes as the night goes on.

JMR: As a Brooklyn native, I am inspired by the flux of the city: memories and photographs of painted elevated trains, illuminated windows in nocturnal cityscapes, broken glass shimmering in dull sidewalks, and the panoply of cultural pluralism, increasing by the day, even in a city already as diverse as New York. In the public space of the city, street artists appropriate the urban environment by layering ideas on top of one another. Wheat pasted posters, aerosol designs, white rolled lettering, advertisements, stickers, peeling and decaying paper, brick. The process I use in my work is an attempt to mimic this. I collage the initial surface or leave it clean, and then paint projected drawings over it.  This layering technique results in an interplay of tangled, swooping, and jutting lines, which coalesce into unexpected shapes, emerging as vivid fields of color. Ultimately these images are informed by urban iconography, but they also contain a more personal narrative.  Much time is spent filling pages with autonomous ink drawings, rendered and defined, before projection. The viewer is presented with a dichotomy, as, despite its condensed and chaotic appearance, the work strikes the eye as both simple and open. The projections abstract the original surface image; the process creates a nocturnal environment, leading me beyond the physicality of the urban landscape.

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N9th & Driggs
Creative Commons License photo credit: hragv

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