November 2011

Images of the Week 11.20.11

Images of the Week 11.20.11

November 20, 2011 , , , ,

Our Weekly Interview with the Street, this week featuring Cash4, Dain, Dan Witz, Ment, Miyok, Never, Troy Lovegates AKA Other, Stikman, and Stinkfish.

Troy Lovegates AKA Other (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A portrait of a Geisha from Lisa Enxing.  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cash4 and Ment. An invasion of Jelly Fish from the East River on Bushwick…  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

…and Williasmburg.  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dan Witz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dan Witz. Deatail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artist Unknown. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Penny for your thoughts, Thelma. Dain. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dain’s almost glam here. The mustache helps in the androgyny department. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Oh, wait, hold on. I hate when my contact slips. It’s like one eye is totally blurry. ” Dain. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

All together now, say “disaster”. A photographic collage of World disasters by an Unknown Artist. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Miyok and the Church of Scientology. Also, Panties for Diamonds! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The artist “Never” paints this colorful Swallow on the facade of  the Swallow cafe in Bushwick. By the time you read this the “Morgantown” lettering will probably have been replaced. Some high minded arrivistes tried to re-name Bushwick with the pretentious sounding name of  “Morgantown”.  Despite their best efforts and claims of name coinage the title never took hold. Bushwick is what it is…dirty sounding, dirty on the streets and dirty elsewhere. Love it! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sometimes that pointy part of the head on a Stikman makes me think of the Pope. See what I mean? Stikman. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stinkfish. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Swoon Prepping “Murmuration” for Black Rat

November 19, 2011 , , ,

Street Artist and fine artist Swoon has been laboring in London for the past weeks to prepare art for her upcoming show “Murmuration” at Black Rat Projects. The actual installation has just begun and Mike Snell says it’s “still early days” but they’ve sent us a few behind-the-scenes shots to give BSA readers a glimpse of the developing world of Swoon.

Swoon in action while rocking out to some jams. (photo © Mike Snelle)


Swoon. “Sambhavna” awaits installation at Black Rat  (photo © Mike Snelle)

Swoon. “Move it a bit more to the left…”  (photo © Mike Snelle)

Things are still a little unsettled in the orchestra pit, with violins and tubas and sheet music all akimbo. Swoon.  (photo © Mike Snelle)

Swoon soaring upward while an assistant helps with the installation  (photo © Mike Snelle)

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Fun Friday 11.18.11

November 18, 2011

1. Occupy Wall Street This Weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Repeat)
2. The London Police at Opera Gallery
3. “Fresh Kills” Anonymous Gallery Opens in Mexico City
4. “Groundbreak” behind CBGB’s in the Alley Tomorrow
5. “Paperboys” at Pandemic Saturday (BK)
6. POSE and KC Ortiz show “White Wash” at Known Gallery
7. Sixeart at N2 Galeria in Barcelona, Spain
8. “Dissidents” A group show at West Berlin Gallery
9. “SelfEst” at Kind of – Gallery.
10. Bask solo show “Box of Fun” at William Rupnik Gallery
11. VIDEO PREMIERE! TEEBS by Brock Brake in Chicago
12. JM Rizzi “Day Dreaming Under Streetlights” (VIDEO)
13. Nuria Mora”2 Estrellas” (VIDEO)
14. New from Snyder : “Carlsbad Toreador” (VIDEO)

Occupy Wall Street This Weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Repeat)

Yesterday was the two month mark for this nascent people’s movement and the signs on the Street are bigger and clearer than ever. One of our new favorites is the addition of projection art, which has a powerful effect on the facade of iconic architectural structures, or non-descript ones. Dedicated projection art on the street simply takes a graphic, a hand truck, a projector, and a car battery. It is also non-damaging to property. In these new days of unbridled creativity set free on the street, you can’t beat a good D.I.Y. idea. Look ma, no cans!

Images © Chris Jordan

The London Police at Opera Gallery

“Who Cares Wins” opens to the public today, minus the Dandy Warhols singing songs about dogs like they did last night at the opening. The large show solidifies TLP’s place in Manhattan and the technical tightness belies a deep belief in the power of the fun, friendship, graffiti, architecture, and the imagination. Arrive in a playful mood and you’ll dig it.

 

The London Police (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here

Read BSA interview with TLP here

“Fresh Kills” Anonymous Gallery Opens in Mexico City

A downtown staple of inquisitive exploration, Anonymous Gallery is opening “Fresh Kills”, a group exhibition today in D.F., featuring their customary mixing of artists to create an ever more potent cocktail. The organizing principal for this show is the huge dump we have on Staten Island that will one day be a beautiful park for dogs to catch frisbees and teenagers to smoke pot in. NO LITTERING!

Swoon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artists include Richard Prince, Tom Sachs, Aaron Young, Agathe Snow, Hanna Liden, Swoon, Barry McGee, David Ellis, and Greg Lamarche.

For further information regarding this show click here.

“Groundbreak” behind CBGB’s in the Alley Tomorrow

Curated by Joyce Manalo of ArtForward & Keith Schweitzer of MaNY Project, this outdoor small group show will be waiting for you to come by tomorrow. Featured are Abe Lincoln Jr., Ellis Gallagher, and Jon Burgerman, who doodled the hell out of the sidewalk this week, bless him.

 

Ellis G (photo © Jaimme Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

“Paperboys” at Pandemic Saturday (BK)

Okay, time to haul out to the south side of Williamsburg, Brooklyn Saturday night. With this show, you are at an epicenter for a solid new direction Street Art is going to. Wouldn’t want to be so bold to say “don’t miss it”, but…

Featured will be brand new work by ND’A, Labrona and Overunder.

 

ND’A – Labrona (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Here’s a bit of OverUnder to whet your snappy clappetite for more.

Overunder in preparation mode (photo © Overunder)

“Most of my contributions are gouache pieces referencing some of my favorite paintings and places. I feel so fortunate for being able to travel and paint so much the last 2 years. It has really been a blessing! But now I’ve begun sourcing all those past images and street pieces for this new body of work where I can combine the architecture features, the figurative wheat pastes, and the paper bird phrases. It’s been a real reflective period, which I think is beneficial for people like me that are constantly churning out work (whether good or bad) so that I can now begin to see it with fresh eyes.” ~ Overunder

Also happening this weekend:

POSE and KC Ortiz show “White Wash” at Known Gallery in Los Angeles. Click here for more information.

Sixeart at N2 Galeria in Barcelona, Spain. Click here for more information.

“Dissidents” A group show at West Berlin Gallery in Berlin, Germany. Click here for more information.

“SelfEst” at Kind of – Gallery. A group art event. Sydney, Australia. Click here for more information.

Bask solo show “Box of Fun” at William Rupnik Gallery in Cleveland, OH. Click here for more information.

VIDEO PREMIERE! TEEBS by Brock Brake in Chicago

BSA Video debut of Photographer and BSA collaborator Brock Brake of artist Teebs who was recently in Chicago for his solo show at Pawn Works Gallery.

 Brock Brake “Black Book”

JM Rizzi “Day Dreaming Under Streetlights” (VIDEO)

Nuria Mora”2 Estrellas” (VIDEO)

New from Snyder : “Carlsbad Toreador” (VIDEO)

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Joyce Manalo of Art Forward and Keith Schweitzer of Many Projects Curate: “Groundbreake” (Manhattan, NY)

November 17, 2011 , , , , , ,

Groundbrake

 

Event Details:
November 19, 2011 – March 18, 2012

Curated by Joyce Manalo of ArtForward & Keith Schweitzer of MaNY Project
Presented by FABnyc’s ArtUp Program
Supported by AvalonBay Communities
Opening sponsored by Oaxaca TaqueriaArtist Reception

Saturday, November 19 @ 2PM
Oaxaca Taqueria (at the end of Extra Place)Artist Alley @ Extra Place
Enter mid-block on East 1st Street (btw Bowery & 2nd Avenue)
Metro: F, M to 2nd Avenue

Please visit www.fabnyc.org to find out more about Fourth Arts Block(FABnyc) and
www.fabnyc.org/artup.php to find out more about ArtUp.
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Known Gallery Presents: POSE – KC Ortiz “White Wash” (Los Angeles, CA)

November 17, 2011 , , , , , ,

White Wash

POSE & KC Ortiz | Whitewash

Opening Reception Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 8‑11pm
On View November 19 – December 10, 2011

Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
T: 310-860-6263

On Saturday, November 19, graffiti artist POSE and photojournalist KC Ortiz will unveil Whitewash, their second exhibition at Known Gallery, and their most cohesive to date.

For POSE, Whitewash references society’s attempt to eradicate graffiti and stifle human expression. “Shortly after I started writing graffiti, Chicago took an extremely hard-line stance on its eradication, outlawing the sale of spraypaint and implementing Mayor Dayley’s Graffiti Blasters program,” POSE explains.

With this exhibition, POSE will recall a time before the buff. “I am digging into my fondest childhood memories of riding the train and seeing all the colors, letters and cartoon characters along the lines. Making these paintings has been an incredibly rich process, and it makes me thankful that no city official can eradicate my memories.”

POSE will show 15 new works in the main gallery. The work is rendered in his signature style—aggressive, hand-painted collages of pop-culture icons and ephemera—but feature deeper abstractions and new mediums. “I have six paintings on Plexiglass that were kind of an experiment,” POSE explains. “I wanted to be challenged by a new medium and process.”

For KC, Whitewash is about the people and places he photographs. “Much of the work I do covers those who have been ‘whitewashed,’ so to speak, by history and policy,” KC notes. “Specifically, the work I will be exhibiting is from West Papua and Burma. You won’t find either of those ‘nations’ on the map, as both have been essentially ‘whitewashed’ away. Burma has been renamed Myanmar by its ruling junta in order to establish the fantasy of a unified nation, and West Papua has been occupied by Indonesia since 1963 after a very controversial handover from the Dutch that was orchestrated by the United States.”

In the project room, KC will show 12 photographs of West Papua and Burma’s armed struggles. “The struggles are unified in their nature under the theme of resistance, the victimhood of whitewashing by the world at large, the beauty of their people, and the strength of the human spirit and dignity,” KC notes.

About the artists:

POSE
Hailing from The Windy City, POSE has made an indelible mark on a multitude of cities around the globe. Best known for his progressive letter style and technical precision, POSE is an influential contributor to the contemporary graffiti movement, and his work has appeared in numerous magazines, books and films. POSE grew up a half block from the CTA’s elevated train line, and started sneaking out to practice graffiti there in 1992. Coming of age during the golden era of Chicago graffiti, POSE put in endless work on the streets. His prolific output led him to become a local legend, and the city’s most internationally recognized graffiti artist. In addition to his achievements in graffiti, POSE set out to conquer every medium visual art has to offer—both on and off the streets. His artistic exploration led him to become a jack of all creative trades, with successful endeavors in the commercial and fine art worlds. POSE currently lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. He is a member of the acclaimed West Coast artist collective The Seventh Letter, as well as a founder of his own Chicago based design and art firm We Are Supervision. He has traveled internationally on his own and with The Seventh Letter, specifically to showcase his skills as one of the best graffiti artists out there. Almost two decades into his artistic career, POSE shows no signs of slowing down.

KC Ortiz
KC Ortiz is an award-winning, self taught photojournalist with a split base between his hometown of Chicago, Illinois and Western Thailand. Ortiz’s work focuses on the world’s forgotten and overlooked people and issues. He has covered conflict throughout Southeast Asia, focusing on the human suffering and the policies that enable conflict, as well as humanitarian issues throughout the world. The aim of his photography is to bring awareness to the masses of those that are suffering most, often times completely unseen by the majority. His work has appeared in A-Magasinet, Global Post, Juxtapoz, Newsweek, Time, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications across the globe. Ortiz’s work has been exhibited in a number of museums and galleries including The Newseum, The Corcoran, The Frontline Club, Known Gallery, Rivera and Rivera Gallery, Guerrero Gallery, and others. In 2011, Ortiz’s work was recognized with a first place award from the prestigious Pictures of The Year International.

Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@knowngallery.com

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A Night At The Opera With The London Police ; “Who Cares Wins”

November 17, 2011 , , , , , , , ,

Opening tonight, “Who Cares Wins” cares enough to make you laugh.

Bathed in the warm lucid glow that is the music of Pink Floyd, Bob and Chaz put finishing touches on their new New York show at Opera Gallery, compelled to sing along with two assistants while tightly touching up pieces with a brush or marker. The show is almost ready to be hung. On the sparkling white walls of this Soho gallery the everpresent LADS characters will be floating and cavorting throughout Manhattan space-scapes while handpicked celebrities, friends, and cultural icons bob into the frame. Among the active characters The London Police themselves are happily participating- like truly interactive players in their own pristine video game stills. After 13 years and 35 countries and a few personnel permutations, the LP lads are very happy to be making new art for you and having a bit of fun while doing it.

The London Police. Puppy love. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

On the floor are stacks of completed paintings leaning against the walls, waiting to be framed. We’re not used to seeing their canvasses, large and small, with black simple and elegant wooden floater frames.

“We thought it would add an architectural element to the work,” explains Bob.

It’s quite usual for London Police to use the symbols and architecture associated with the city they are in when creating new works for a show, always in crisp linear black and white. What’s new this time is their use of color – employed here as washes of pastels, backdrops that evoke uneven city walls and incorporating graffiti tags; an homage to New York and their own roots. It’s the first time they’ve done color together on canvasses, and they are taking it slowly, happily.

The London Police. Bob working on a piece. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: You went from dreaming in black and white to dreaming in color?

Chaz: I think the point is we always felt that there’s a whole world to explore. When we were ready to start with the black and white work we knew that once we opened  the door to the world of color it would be a whole new world there too. Such is the way in London Police. We take something and we try to explore it fully before we move on.

Bob: Slowly as well, not jumping in and go too crazy. We like a slow evolution.

The London Police. Chaz working on a piece. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Change can advance very slowly sometimes.

Chaz: It is not just that, it is also about exploring that which you have already. We haven’t even discovered everything we can do with black and white. Just holding  back so color does not overflow yet. We felt ready to go into color. It’s a big show. Erik from Opera called and say “hey guys we’d like to see something with color,” and we said to each other “we make mostly black and white, are you sure?” He said, “Just bring in a few pieces with color and let’s see what happens.” We are quietly pleased with the results. We’d like to take it further, explore it. We’d like to dive in.

Bob: It does not mean that if you are doing a big show you should lose control and say, “Oh yeah everything should have color. Loud and bigger.” We like the black and white because I think we can leave it in itself in a few things.  Just like Chaz said we have not yet explored it fully. To be honest, with the color works, we just wanted to have fun.

Brooklyn Street Art: The colors are muted, pastels.
Bob: Yes the palette is muted in all the works with color simply because we like nothing to fight against the black and white subject. You never really see dark blues. We didn’t want to do a black and white and colored in some big scene. We felt that we wanted to try a different approach with the color, not drastically different.

Brooklyn Street Art: So the color in this case serves as a background?
Chaz: Yes like wallpaper.
Bob: The color gives some sort of a context to the characters. These swirls that Chaz makes are like tagged over. These layers on the canvas give the same context that the street gives – it’s a reference to the street.

 

The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chaz: It is like graffiti really – specifically New York doorways always inspire me. There’re doorways around the world that are tagged but with New York doorways, there is that beauty in seeing 50 tags on top of each other, wheat-paste being thrown off and a tag on top, and then stickers. These doors are rich with life. That’s why I always feel sort of romantic about graffiti.

I know that there’re a lot of people that have said it but I concur that I’d rather see a bunch of New York’s throw ups on a rooftop than a full commissioned color piece that is nice…in a way it says more when you see stuff on the street that is raw. Because we have not done so much stuff on the street in the last few years – we have been doing gallery work it is nice to revisit that style and hopefully, by doing a show like this we might make enough money that we can take a few months off and do other projects, get back on the street and work on other things.

The London Police. Bob and an assistant putting the final touches on a piece.  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

In addition to incorporating color, there are a number of languages being bandied about on these new pieces; new scripts and characters – their curvilinear characters bold and swinging, sharp and smart in the whirling pieces of New York City, seemingly placed by the settling of a shaken snow globe. The appearance of other languages is again appropriate for the melting pot that is New York, but what does it say?

Brooklyn Street Art: Here’s a new color piece with the Statue of Liberty on the foreground. Can you talk about the words written in Arabic?
Chaz: There are different languages. We have the gift of Google Translate. We translate The London Police into every available language that has a different alphabet and different fonts. Being that we are two people and that I mostly work on the characters it is a way for me to really enjoy another part of art. Making all these different fonts and enjoying different languages. I like it a lot. That’s one of my things to do. Bob does everything else.

Bob: (in jest) I don’t like it personally but I’m glad he is happy.
Chaz: He just wants to see me smile.

And The London Police want to see you smile, so they are planning a number of twists on the typical gallery opening tonight in hopes that you’ll break out in a big LOL, and sing from the choirbook; 17 songs about dogs that will be handed out at the event. Included with the charismatic Abner Preis performing, telling stories, and changing his voice. Additionally, there is some talk about the dog singers.

Brooklyn Street Art: What about the performances we’re hearing about at opening night?
Chaz: We are going to sing 17 songs about dogs… It is The London Police Dog Singers and a surprise guest appearance will be singing with us as the back up singers.

Why? Why not?

“It takes off the serious edge off the gallery art show because it is a little bit too serious some times,” says Chaz. “This is what is so special about making performance and making art: It is pure entertainment. If you are going to worry about what people think about it if they like it or not you are thinking wrong in my opinion.”

The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police. Bob at work. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Looks like the Thanksgiving Parade is about to start. The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police. Chaz and Bob. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr. Einstein peers back at you from this new canvas by The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The recently departed Steve Jobs in a new piece by The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The London Police floating in full color through a galaxy of tags. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further details about tonight’s LP opening click here

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London Street Art Part II: Shoreditch Dispatch

November 16, 2011 , , , ,

When you hit the street in search of street art, it helps if you keep you eyes AND mind open. On his trip to London for the Moniker Art Fair last month, photographer Geoff Hargadon had time to trek the East London neighborhood of Shoreditch and was usually surprised by what he caught. Old stuff like Fauxreel’s father on a ladder, and fresh new work going up before his eyes by Dabs and Myla next to Word to Mother.

A wide faced Anthony Lister stands at the gate (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Here he captures what he liked and what moved him regardless of how old or new it was. This is what Street Art is all about anyway – an ongoing conversation on the street that tells you as much about the artist as contemporary society. In a city that values it’s oldest architecture and its revered historical legacy, there is still plenty of room for the newest voices in the public sphere; even if officially unsanctioned, it is still permitted to ride a while.  Sometimes, it is even invited.

The tagging conversation here is colorfully chaotic, a continuous piling up and covering of messaging with new messages and signatory statements. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

C215 placed behind bars. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Canary Flavour with txemy. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Swoon, Bast. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Word To Mother and Dabs & Myla sharing a wall for Moniker. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

The D*Face wall for Moniker. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

A splash of colour on Turville Street incorporates the natural elements of the urban environment into the scene . (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

And the first prize goes to Prize. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

By Don. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Elvis serenades, “I can’t help falling in love with you.” Juany. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

FauxReel, ACE, Bortusk Leer, and a beautiful pile of tires. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Faile, Specter. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Night Market. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

See Geoffs pics from last week in London’s Bricklane : A Few Shots of Street Art at the Moment

 

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William Rupnik Gallery Presents: Bask “Box of Fun” (Cleveland, OH)

November 15, 2011 , , , , ,

BASK

 

Cleveland’s favorite culture-spinning Czech vandal, Ales BASK Hostomsky comes back “home” with a portfolio of brand new, never-before seen, mixed-media works. Throwing innocence and purity right into the meat grinder, BASK’s newest series of portraits are both playful at heart, and sinister by nature. Through these difficult times in which we live, BASK shows us that we can still have fun by manipulating our own realities, even while they constantly change around us. A metaphor… that indicates that in this twisted world, we don’t always come out in the same manner in which we came in.
In commemoration of BASK’s fourth solo exhibition at WRG, the artist has partnered with 1xRun to make available a limited edition print titled, Fun Box Toons. This 24 x 24 in. giclee is printed on 330gsm archival cotton paper and is priced at $75 ea. The edition is available for seven days beginning Tuesday, November 15, and can only be purchased direct from 1xRUN.com
Please join us for the Box of Fun After-Party, hosted at Lava Lounge, immediately following the gallery reception on November 19.  A swank atmosphere with live DJ, sumptuous foods and artfully-crafted drinks welcome gallery show-goers.  An exhibition of new artworks from the portfolio, HEAT by Cleveland-based gallery owner and artist William Rupnik will be on view in the downstairs lounge.  Lava Lounge is located at 1307 Auburn Avenue, in the historic Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland.
Reception at the Euclid Avenue gallery 7-10 PM, Saturday, November 19. After-party at Lava Lounge 10 PM – ? AM.
William Rupnik Gallery
1117 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland OH 44115
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N2 Galeria Presents: Sixeart “Cosmovisión Andina y los Hijos del Inti” (Barcelona, Spain)

November 15, 2011 , , , , ,

Sixeart

 

“Cosmovisión Andina y los Hijos del Inti” is an approach to ancient Andean cultures, full of colour, wisdom and mysticism. Sixeart use his pictorial language in order to reinvent a new idea of ancestral reconnection.

The conceptual part in Sixe’s work has aroused the interest of Casa America in Madrid, where they will show an installation made specifically to coincide with ARCO and later, in March, an exhibition with all his latest work.

N2 also inform you that the gallery has published a catalogue numbered from 1 /500 to 500/500 showing that work”

– N2 Gallery

N2 Galeria
Enrique Granados, 61.
08008 Barcelona
Tel.: +34 934520592
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West Berlin Gallery Presents: “Dissidents” A Group Art Exhibition. (Berlin, Germany)

November 15, 2011 , , , , ,

Dissidents

 

DISSIDENTS
Group Show, Opening November 17th 18:00
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. By acknowledging the social and political unrest of this year, West Berlin Gallery cordially invites you from 18:00 until 22:00 on November 17th, 2011 as we debut Dissidents, a Group Show featuring: ALIAS, SP38 , Prost, Emess, Rallito X, BR1, Linda’s Ex, Niark1, Jakob Tolstrup, and Giacomo Spazio.

In 1800s Europe, the rising food prices and high unemployment fueled widespread popular protests. Communist Europe in 1989, created frustration with corrupt and unresponsive political systems and provoked the fall of once powerful regimes. 2011 is spurring a similar chain of events, bringing people together and empowering us to grab our governments by the balls and demand what is rightfully ours, human rights.

Seeking truth and raising awareness, the artists that we have chosen for this show strive for non-conformity and create work representative of both political and social opposition, making them pioneers of dissident activity. Consciously or not, they seek honesty, challenge boundaries, then create art as a way of driving this message in to the minds of on-lookers.

About the artistsALIAS– Always keeping in mind the social and political activities and breaking through the boundaries of traditional art making, ALIAS delivers a great deal of gravity through his loaded imagery and mindful aesthetic. The self taught street artist never ceases to astound the public with his stencil work on recycled material.SP38 – Urban poetry is this Berlin based french artists’ speciality. Mixing silkscreen and paint, SP38 plays with words to create provocative sentences which are strongly related to both political and social events of their time. The more sophisticated look of his artwork, using his unique deep gold color, helps him reach a wide range of public, even those who his messages are directed to.

Prost –  From his “Prostie” smileys making witty social commentaries that always put a smile upon our faces, to denouncing misleading, abusive, sexist advertising by his adbusting actions, Prost has never ceased on challenging society.

Emess – His work is mostly motivated by political issues that he approaches using a wide range of medias, such as murals, prints and sculptures. Emess confronts the viewer with issues that would rather be swept under the rug.

Rallito X – The attitude of an alienated society manipulated by the media, has been this spaniards work theme since he started putting his work up on the streets. Rallito X refuses to follow society’s rules and shows his unconformity with unacceptable formed characters carrying politically incorrect messages.

BR1 – For the last years, this italian artist has been studying the figure of the Muslim woman: history, tradition, legal sources and development in contemporary society. Charmed by the image of veiled women, BR1 decided to take the risk of introducing religious elements on his posters and make us wonder why is this piece of cloth so controversial.

Linda’s Ex – A while ago Roland Brückner aka Lindas Ex asked his lover to come back to him in plastered posters and stickers throughout the city. Nowadays, his pleas have turned into social commentaries sprayed into canvases.

Niark1 – His characters rise like monsters or aliens on a dark world filled by details. Their infinite nature scares and hypnotizes as there is always space for new discoveries. Cutting and pasting strips of newspaper where he later paints, Niark1’s artwork brings his dreams and fears to surface.

Jakob Tolstrup – Mixed media and color crayons are Jakob’s favorite techniques to work with. His characters have a childish style giving a sweet and humorous feeling to his paintings, which take a bitter look into nowadays society.

Giacomo Spazio – The established Italian artist, lead of the Italian Street Art movement, creates pop images, with shocking fluorescent colors that shout out their presence, as loud as possible. Using old fanzines and punk imagery to create lo-fi styled artwork with a cynical and subversive intention.

Vernissage, Thursday November 17th, 18:00 – 22:00
Exhibition on display from November 17th, 2011 to February 24th, 2012

Brunnenstraße 56, 13355 Berlin, Germany

 
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Rook & Raven Gallery Presents: David Walker “Brides on Fire” (London, UK)

November 15, 2011 , , , , ,

David Walker

 

David Walker

Rook & Raven presents

David Walker’s first London Solo Exhibition – ‘Brides on Fire’

Private View 24th November 2011

For guest list please email RSVP@rookandraven.co.uk

Show runs until January 2012

Working in portraiture, painting freehand, using only spray paint and without the aid of brushes David has developed a signature multi-layered style. Incorporating both sophisticated and dumb mark making he creates countless scrawled lines and abstract areas that weave through clashing colours, translucent drips and decaying letterforms, the results are visually rich portraits that fuse photo realism, abstraction and graffiti art sensibilities with a raw energy that comes from the medium. His work is Exhibited in the UK and Internationally and aims to challenge preconceptions about fine art and urban art painting within the gallery confines and the public domain.

Over recent years David has shown work in Berlin, Hong Kong, LA, Lisbon, London, New York and Paris amongst others and his paintings have been shown alongside the leading figures in the urban contemporary and street art movement.

Gallery 7/8 Rathbone Place
London
W1T 1HN
Tel: 0207 323 0805

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