Self Est

Self Est. is a four day art event exploring contemporary art from alternative backgrounds. This first installment of Self Est. (short for Self Established) investigates the study of letterforms and pavement-based education. Self Est. presents art created outside the traditional academy that has infiltrated the institution. 

These art forms may be self-taught, intuitive or born from marginal activities such as commercial art, graffiti or skateboarding. Taking motivation from these auxiliary artistic pursuits these artists bring unconventional and unique twists to fine art and are being recognised by galleries and institutions.

Exhibition – THURSDAY 17th

kind of – gallery

72 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst 

DMOTE, New York (USA) 

Dmote is known worldwide for his contributions to the outlawed art of graffiti. Using this education as a springboard Dmote honedhis skills in the commercial arts and is regarded by many for his graphic work for some of the worlds largest youth brands.These trades have honed his craft and given new inspiration for fine art painting where one can trace his lineage of knowledge through letterforms, subcultural iconography (skulls), street scenes (torn bill posters) and print media (pornography).

www.dmote.net   

HORFÉ, Paris (FR) 

Horfé (also spelt Horphée) has a potent history of Graffiti bombing from the streets and subways of paris and Europe. Horfé’s loose letterforms and unmistakeable hand-styles separate him from what is considered to be a conservative graffiti style.Horfé’s abstracted lettering often splurges and morphs creating organic scenes of fantasy, horror and death. Horfé’s maturing direction as an icon for parisian graffiti has pushed him into exhibiting works indoors with recent shows in Paris, London & Sweden.

www.topsafelondon.com  

London born Graffiti writer Roid (Aste-roid) is currently one of the most watched graffiti writers in the world. Roid was an early adaptor quickly being noticed for his unique letter styling and typographic treatments. Under a previous alias Roid was recognized globally as a strong contributor to the European graffiti scene covering off all available aspects of the sport-like art form. After what seemed to be a hiatus into another dimension, Roid returned to shock the graffiti community with ground breaking techniques and retro inspired lettering concepts. Roid’s current style disregards traditional graffiti processes and explores geometry, space and the abstracted influence of electronic music.

Exhibition – FRIDAY 18th

GALLERY A.S.

55 Brisbane Street, Surry Hills 

BEN BARRETTO, Perth (AUS) 

Ben Barretto grew up filtering his creativity through his pursuits as a sponsored skateboarder while re-interpreting civic planning and structures. Although completing art school Barretto’s installations retain a motivation, intuitiveness and resourcefulness that comes from creating from what’s at hand, techniques acquired while riding upon four urethane wheels.

JEFF CANHAM, San Francisco (USA) 

Jeff Canham trained at New Bohemia Signs in San Francisco in the antiquated trade of hand sign painting. The handstyles and toxic paints used to render letters and icons deliver, now superseded by technology, give a result much more versatile and human than the majority of advertising we witness today. Canham transfers this apprenticeship to great effect in his fine art paintings on wood to advertise emotional and environmental informed concepts.

www.jeffcanham.com

Conversations – SATURDAY 19th

12 – 1.30pm 

Gallery A.S

55 Brisbane St, Surry Hills 

A discussion and Q and A with Self Est. artists and experts on unconventional sources for fine art.

Ben Barretto (AUS) – artist

Jeff Canham (USA) – artist

Fred Forsyth (UK) – director of Topsafe & Crack & Shine

Cameron Macauliffe (AUS) – public art expert

4 – 9pm 

Kippax & Lt Riley St, Surry Hills

In progress wall painting by Roid, Horfé, & Jeff Canham

elfest.com.au

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