Opening

Dennis McNett “Year of the Wolfbat” Space 1026 (Philadelphia)

September 28, 2009 , , ,

“Year of the Wolfbat” An installation by Dennis McNett

Show dates:  October 2nd –October 31st

Opening Reception: Friday October 2nd 7-10pm

Where: Space 1026, 1026 Arch St. Philadelphia, PA  19107

The “Year of the Wolfbat” began in NYC in June and has since trekked across the US stopping for exhibitions, artist talks and workshops along the way. The migratory flight of the Wolfbats has swooped in for shows at Fecal Face Dot Gallery in San Francisco and Thinkspace Gallery in Los Angeles. Their tour will culminate at Space 1026 in Philadelphia with an installation of print-derived sculpture and mural, accompanied by unique and editioned works both large and small.

You can expect to see a loud psychedelic woodcut landscape covering several walls of the gallery in which nature’s bass has been cranked up to 11. Duck your head walking in and make way for an entire flock of hotheaded Wolfbats swooping overhead, not to mention the supercharged eagles diving out of their path to let them through.

Also on view will be several new wood carved pieces, relief cut prints, masks and oversize tapestries. Leopards with serpent tails, goat heads wrapped in snakes, angry beasts, eagles fighting snakes, bats, and of course, Wolfbats are just a few of the images you’re likely to come across.

Event Announcement
For information please contact Space 1026 gallery@space1026.com 215.574.7630

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Rain for Dain but everything is Copesetic: Brooklynite Gallery opens with first Solo Show of Street Artist Dain

September 14, 2009 , , ,
Funny sculpture of a street sign overhangs the entrance to Brooklynite Gallery (photo Jaime Rojo)

Funny sculpture of a street sign overhangs the entrance to Brooklynite Gallery (photo Jaime Rojo)

The dance floor was wet, some of the work in the back yard had to come off the walls to protect it, but the orchestra played “In the Mood” brightly and the guests gamely took a twirl for the fun of it at street artist Dain’s first solo show of his fine art at Brooklynite Gallery .

Umbrellas on the dance floor (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Umbrellas on the dance floor (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Saturday’s show hinged itself on the theme of 1940’s glamour in old Brooklyn, and the gallery was quite literally transformed into a middle class apartment with flourishes and pitch-perfect detail enough to make you think that maybe it always looks like this.

(image Steven P. Harrington)

(image Steven P. Harrington)

The work showed a graduated movement forward by the artist from his street art work, with greater layering and collaging, finer detail, thoughtful splattering of color, and a thick coat of lacquer. Despite the weather, the mood inside Brooklynite was warm, congenial, and celebratory.

(photo Steven P. Harrington)
(photo Steven P. Harrington)

Smaller works were framed like photos and hung salon style in a family room manner (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Smaller works were framed like photos and hung salon style in a family room corner (photo Steven P. Harrington)

(photo Steven P. Harrington)
(photo Steven P. Harrington)

(photo Steven P. Harrington)

(photo Steven P. Harrington)

And the band played on (photo Jaime Rojo)
And the band played on (photo Jaime Rojo)

The captain ran a tight ship with her watchful eye all night. (photo Jaime Rojo)
The captain ran a tight ship with her watchful eye all night. (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Coming Soon! Peep-o-rama with El Celso

September 8, 2009 , ,

Inspired by the seedy side of New York, which has swiftly slipped inside dark clubs

since being scraped off the sticky street and out of Times Square by the Mickeypolice, street artist and curator El Celso is bringing a group show and installation on September 12th called PEEP-O-RAMA.  Echoing slightly the Butt Magazine show at the Asia Song Society in Chinatown this summer, which featured “conceptual” video and booths with strange holes drilled in the walls, PEEP-O-RAMA brings adult themes to 12th Avenue, where freelance sex-workers once roamed free…

Looking for your lost hairpin in Henry's pocket, Ethel? (artist Ryan Frank)
Looking for your lost hairpin in Henry’s pocket, Ethel? (artist Ryan Frank)

Featuring new work by Brent Birnbaum, Celso, Jillian Corbett, Ian Farrell, Ryan Frank, Suzanne Goldenberg, LA2, Jose Landoni, Pamela Lawton, Danny Licul, Linda Lee Nicholas, Dean Radinovsky, Maggie Simonelli, Miryana Todorova, James A. Willis, and special guests, PEEP-O-RAMA will gladly show you their paintings, sculpture, and a full-scale site-specific installation.

PEEP-O-RAMA GROUP SHOW

Saturday, September 12, 12-4 PM

Reception from 6PM-10PM
AK-57 Gallery
830 12th Avenue.

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Destroy&Rebuild at “EXTRATERRITORIALITY SATORUTANAKA” at Destination Art Space

September 2, 2009

EXTRATERRITORIALITY SATORUTANAKA
– in New York Fashion Week featuring Takuya Ishikawa and Destroy&Rebuild –

September 10th-17th,2009
Reception: September 11th, 6-8pm
Live Painting: collaboration of Tokyo fashion & NY street art starts at 7pm!

(Destroy & Rebuild’s artwork will be on view from 9/3 through 9/27.)

Destination Art Space, a gallery within an upscale boutique merging fashion and art, is excited to kick off an art/fashion exhibition, “EXTRATERRITORIALITY SATORUTANAKA”- in New York Fashion Week featuring Takuya Ishikawa and Destroy & Rebuild.” This special exhibition will be held during New York Fashion Week.

EXTRATERRITORIALITY SATORUTANAKA is a recently launched new line by SATORUTANAKA, which is one of the most influential emerging designers from Tokyo, starting to present their AW2009 collection in New York City.

Designer Satoru Tanaka draws design inspiration from military fashion, work wear, fifties style and R&B culture. He has mixed and reconstructed these elements to create, EXTRATERRITORIALITY SATORUTANAKA, an experiment linking Past, Present, and Future.

Photographer Takuya Ishikawa, who has worked around the world with many medias such as magazines, advertisements, music jackets, movies, etc., is now collaborating with Tanaka. Under the theme of bones & flowers, Ishikawa has photographed various bones of monkeys, lions, buffalos, pigs, etc, and then put them on SATORUTANAKA’s t-shirts. There will be 50 different variations of T-shirt designs for this project.

Destroy & Rebuild is a three-man artist collective whose art is a fusion of various media such as graffiti, photography, paints, silk-screen, collage, and more. Each member started doing graffiti on the streets and subways in New York City, illegally. After years of creating work in and around the city, they decided to form Destroy & Rebuild on the premise that members used to destroy the city with their graffiti and now are rebuilding it through urban/industrial art.

At the reception party, these three creators, EXTRATERRITORIALITY SATORUTANAKA, Takuya Ishikawa, and Destroy & Rebuild, will unveil their cultural creativities and form them into one peace of art.

For further information, please contact Hide Tachibana or Hisa Yamamoto at 212.727.2031/destination_ny@hpgrp.com

EXTRATERRITORIALITY SATORUTANAKA

Special reception

Host:
D’stroy Rebuild, Hisa Yamamoto
Type:
Music/Arts – Exhibit
Network:
Global
Price:
Free!
Date:
Friday, September 11, 2009
Time:
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location:
Destination Art Space
Street:
32-36 Little West 12th Street
City/Town:
New York, NY
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New Gallery: Pandemic opens Saturday in Brooklyn

New Gallery: Pandemic opens Saturday in Brooklyn

August 21, 2009 , , ,
Some work in progress on the gallery floor from Keely (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Some work in progress on the gallery floor from Keely (photo Steven P. Harrington)

NYC’s unemployment rate is nearing 10% (higher than the national average by a point), the heat index in the City this week was as high as the crowd at Glasslands, we’re losing Arts programs in the schools left and right, Ad Hoc is shutting down their main gallery space, and Jennifer Anniston was thrown into the trunk of a car.

Who would believe in this topsy-turvey New York that a GALLERY celebrating Street Art is actually OPENING?  You read it right. It’s called Pandemic (explanation below) and its on the South Side of Williamsburg Brooklyn in a space that used be the DollHaus, a Gothic-themed and deliberately disturbing gallery with Kewpies on skewers and mutilated cyborg dolls with Lydia-Lunch eyes. Even though it’s a little off of the main Williamsburg drag, it’s just a block from the first artist/hipster outpost “Diner”, and two blocks from the favorite place for Wall Street big-bellies to take guests for a daring trip across the river for steak on their corporate card , “Peter Lugers“

A bright "Welcome!" from 3 of Celso's ladies (photo Steven P. Harrington)

A bright “Welcome!” from 3 of Celso’s ladies (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Now the newly painted space has a fresh air of possibility that washes over you when greeted by the sunny owner of Pandemic, Keely Brandon, an artist and friend of the street art scene for some time.  This week we stopped by during the installation and the gleaming walls, new lighting, and shiny floors bespoke a world full of possibilities.  Saturday night the small gallery will host a group show of work by no less than 14 street artists, an impressive show of strength for the Grand Opening.

Brooklyn Street Art: A new gallery!  How did you hook this up?
Keely: It kinda just fell into my lap, I was apartment hunting and was offered a storefront instead. At the time it was a jewelry store. I started thinking about how awesome it would actually be to have a gallery space that I could run my own way. Free to display the art and merchandise of myself and other artists I respect. So I just went for it.

Always willing to lend a paw around the gallery! (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Always willing to lend a paw around the gallery! (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Brooklyn Street Art: Is “Pandemic” referring to something in particular, or just a general feeling of dread?
Keely: It’s the concept of a creating a worldwide epidemic, but in a positive way! expanding the global consciousness of our breed of art.

Stikman is mapping out the inner route (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Stikman is mapping out the inner route (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Brooklyn Street Art: Have you ever had a gallery before?
Keely: Nope

Brooklyn Street Art: How did you chose the artists that are involved with this show?
Keely: I chose a group of prolific street artists who’s artwork and dedication I really admire. Many have worked together before on projects, and create an awesome looking show.

I've got an eye on the underwater world (Keely) (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Fresh from the East River! (Keely) (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Brooklyn Street Art: This place used to be a gallery for baby dolls dressed in gothic garb – babies with black lipstick and white eyes, etc.  You find any heads rolling around in the closet?
Keely: Ha.. yea actually when i first moved in there i could have sworn the basement was haunted! No heads, but a lot of fuschia to paint over!

A box fer all yer stuff (Deekers) (photo Steven P. Harrington)

A box fer all yer stuff (R. Deeker) (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Brooklyn Street Art: Are you following a particular theme for this show, or is it mainly a group show?

Keely: No real theme… The name of the show is pandemic 37 – which is basically the gallery address. The show is just a grand intoduction to the place..

That IS Cheap! (photo Steven P. Harrington)

That IS Cheap! (artist Gay Sex) (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Brooklyn Street Art: Outside of the artists in the new show, what art excites you the most?
Keely: hmmm.. I like alot of different things.. strange 70’s artwork. Peter Max, Marushka, and other obscure wall hangings. I love old illustrations in wildlife books, deep sea creature photographs and dinosaur everything. Anything with gnarly teeth!

Brooklyn Street Art: You ever have dinner at Diner? Muffins at Marlowes? Porterhouse at Peter Lugers?
Keely: Dinner at Diner once, muffins at Marlowe… never. As for Peter Luger… I’m a vegetarian and I’m not rich!

You KNOW what time it is! (Royce Bannon) (photo Steven P. Harrington)

You KNOW what time it is! (Royce Bannon) (photo Steven P. Harrington)

One of the more entertaining pieces in the show is the working clock on the face of one of two monsters by Royce Bannon.  Royce explains the new development”

BSA: What made you make a clock?
Royce: I made a clock because I like functional art.  It looks cool and tells the time too.

BSA: What new skill did you use to install it?

Royce: No new skills were used in the making of the clock just the same old skills

BSA: What room of an apartment would it be more appropriate for?
Royce: Probably the kitchen.


BSA: Is it Monster Time?
Royce: It’s always monster time

From here to INFINITY (photo Steven P. Harrington)

From here to INFINITY (photo Steven P. Harrington)

In addition to celebrating the opening of the new gallery, everyone will be celebrating the new Street Art Blog by celebrated photographers Rebecca Fuller and Luna Park.

Their exciting new endeavor, The Street Spot, will feature many of the images of the street that fans have faithfully followed for the last few years.  Besides being avid documentarians of the ever-evolving street art and graff scene in NY, Park and Fuller have a deep reservoir of knowledge and stories to draw upon.

TheStreetSpot.com will surely add to the richness of this vibrant scene for all the fans of the wacky world of street art.  The AfterParty is where we’ll raise a glass to these fine individuals and their dream.

So that’s TWO great openings in one night!  Things are LOOKING UP!

Familiar names in a new location

Familiar names in a new gallery, Bixby, Buildmore, Celso, DarkClouds, infinity, Judith Supine, Keely, Kngee, Matt Siren, R. Deeker, Royce Bannon, Stikman, Skewville, Wrona

Pandemic Gallery

37 Broadway Between Kent and Wythe

Brooklyn (South Williamsburg)

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DAIN at Brooklynite Gallery: “Copasetic”

August 19, 2009 , ,

This just in over the teletype wires….

Brooklyn born Street Artist Dain is hitting Brooklynite Gallery September 12 to revisit a time when socialism in America was WELCOMED via government work programs, the G.I. Bill, and Social Security.  Now, during a national healthcare debate when such inexplicable, intractable ignorance is on display  about the true nature of representative government, DAIN is doing his part aesthetically to usher in an era of social responsibility and community connectedness.

Dain 1943
Dain 1943 (photo Jaime Rojo)

His black and white portraits of everyday working men and women from 65 years ago have been rearing their coiffed heads all over the streets this spring and summer, usually with a pastel painted background and selected garment features highlighted in a nod to Warholian oversplash.

Describing the work of Dain, Brooklynite says, “Infusing the glamour and glitz of the 1940’s together with a Brooklyn working class edge, he seeks to turn  back the hands of time— Even if we were never there before.”

A usual phenomenon, street artists are a societal crystal ball.

Dain! There's something in mah ahh! (Dain) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Dain! There’s somethin’ in mah ahh! (photo Jaime Rojo)

*************************************************

DAIN
“COPASETIC”
SEPTEMBER 12 – OCTOBER 10


OPENING RECEPTION SEPTEMBER 12,
7-10PM EASTERN (19:00 UK) SPECIAL MUSICAL GUEST:
BIG BAND SWING MACHINE

Brooklynite Gallery
334 Malcolm X Blvd.
Brooklyn, NY 11233
ph. 347-405-5976
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“Copasetic” DAIN takes us to the 1940’s this fall at Brooklynite

August 19, 2009 , , , ,

This just in over the teletype wires….

Brooklyn born Street Artist Dain is hitting Brooklynite Gallery September 12 to revisit a time when socialism in America was WELCOMED via government work programs, the G.I. Bill, and Social Security.  Now, during a national healthcare debate when such inexplicable, intractable ignorance is on display  about the true nature of representative government, DAIN is doing his part aesthetically to usher in an era of social responsibility and community connectedness.

Dain 1943
Dain 1943 (photo Jaime Rojo)

His black and white portraits of everyday working men and women from 65 years ago have been rearing their coiffed heads all over the streets this spring and summer, usually with a pastel painted background and selected garment features highlighted in a nod to Warholian oversplash.

Describing the work of Dain, Brooklynite says, “Infusing the glamour and glitz of the 1940’s together with a Brooklyn working class edge, he seeks to turn  back the hands of time— Even if we were never there before.”

A usual phenomenon, street artists are a societal crystal ball.

Dain! There's something in mah ahh! (Dain) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Dain! There’s somethin’ in mah ahh! (photo Jaime Rojo)

*************************************************

DAIN
“COPASETIC”
SEPTEMBER 12 – OCTOBER 10


OPENING RECEPTION SEPTEMBER 12,
7-10PM EASTERN (19:00 UK) SPECIAL MUSICAL GUEST:
BIG BAND SWING MACHINE

Brooklynite Gallery
334 Malcolm X Blvd.
Brooklyn, NY 11233
ph. 347-405-5976
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Brooklyn Bailout Burlesque Preview – Tonight at Factory Fresh

August 14, 2009 , , ,

Lights, Camera, Banker!

Jon demonstrates that a donation to the Banker's Bailout Fund will illuminate his greedy eyes (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Jon demonstrates that a donation to the Banker’s Bailout Fund will illuminate his calculating eyes (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Final preparations were being made yesterday for the “Brooklyn Bailout Burlesque” show tonight at Factory Fresh.

Billed as an “International Art Show” and curated by Artist Jim Avignon, it features artists from France, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Brooklyn, and promises vibrant colors, playful items, and contemporary weirdness to help bail you out during the rigors of a crumbling economy.

Jim Avignon
Jim Avignon, cartoon poet, speed painter and performance genius (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Daniel Dueck's poetic creaturs are born from spontaneous spills and splatters of paint.
Daniel Dueck’s imagination creatures are born from spontaneous spills and splatters of paint.(photo Steven P. Harrington)

Asuka Ohsawa makes these little banks when she is
Asuka Ohsawa makes these little banks when she is not baking cookies, making sock monkeys and thinking about garden gnomes (photo Steven P. Harrington)

An orgiastic splashtastic abstraction by Jon Burgerman (photo Steven P. Harrington)

An orgiastic splashtastic abstraction by Jon Burgerman (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Street Artist Ema says, "I have been painting walls since my early teens, and my style has changed quite a lot (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Street Artist Ema says, “I have been painting walls since my early teens, and my style has changed quite a lot (photo Steven P. Harrington)

What are you looking at me for, I'm just
What are you looking at me for, I’m just a banker out of a job?  Bail me out!  (photo Steven P. Harrington)

“Brooklyn Bailout Burlesque” features Ema, Asuka Ohsawa, Roman de Milk & Wodka, Jim Avignon, Jon Burgerman, Christine Young, Daniel Dueck

LEARN MORE AT FACTORY FRESH WEBSITE

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I Know there is AdHoc: Chris Stain and Armsrock (last installment of 3 interview posts)

I Know there is AdHoc: Chris Stain and Armsrock (last installment of 3 interview posts)

August 7, 2009 , , , , ,
3

Armsrock in a moment of haste (photo Jaime Rojo)

Tonight marks two occasions; Ad Hoc Gallery’s last large-scale opening after blasting open the doors of Bushwick in 2005 to a new audience for street art, urban art, graffiti, tatoo, pop surrealism, screen printing, and good-natured fun-loving creative community organizing, AND the opening of a show called,
“I Know There Is Love”.

COINCIDENCE?  I think not.

2

Chris Stain at Ad Hoc (photo Jaime Rojo)

After lots of pre-planning, conversations, scores of back and forth emails, one big overnight mural, and 10 days of installation in this much respected gallery, Chris Stain knows that the show will mean different things to different people,

“It’s always subjective how people take things, when they see them.  If they hear a song, it’s going to mean something to one person and mean something different to somebody else.  I kind of think that’s the way it is with the artwork. I don’t really have any expectations or want anybody to get anything out of it more than “Here’s two people that give a sh*t about what’s going on around them in the world.”

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Before you can get to the title of the show, there had to be discussions about a more basic question, says Armsrock; questions like,

” ‘What is love?’ And it’s not addressed so directly here but it’s sort of like everything that goes in here is somehow this “note” that comes out of this process work before the show and all the contemplations that we had and the conversations we had.

“I think we have very different opinions on it, but somehow it’s come together inside this space and whether or not people actually are able to decipher it is another question, but I think there is enough information so there is some kind of discourse that is thrown up in the air regarding themes such as ‘hope’ , which is very much at the core.”

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Too esoteric a sentiment for street art? No, this show is knee-deep in reality, and is still hoping for a way out.

Ad Hoc show tonight; “I Know There Is Love”

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Mom and Popism Brings the Street to the Roof

August 6, 2009 , , ,

Lady Pink
Just like the street used to be; Lady Pink’s pink lady in a provocative pose at “Mom and Popism”. (photo Jaime Rojo)

Tuesday night the summer air was heavy and thick, after an “ozone alert” day in New York drove most sensible people inside corner delis to slide open the icecream case and stare at popsicles for a few minutes, cooling off in the process.  Thankfully there is always the roof!

Billi Kid led a cadre of 28 street and graffiti artists up the stairs above Gawker’s plush and well-appointed offices to host an unusual show called “Mom and Popism”. It was officially a press preview but there were about 150 people, cocktails, fancy snacks, a DJ, and even a few high-class prostitutes, but they came in with us.

Billi
Taking a call next to Billi Kid (photo Jaime Rojo)

Aside from the impressive list of participants, what makes this show remarkable is the use of Jim and Karla Murray’s photographs of New York “mom and pop” storefronts, blown up to nearly their original size, then carefully appointed with work of the artists in such an integrated way that it’s as if they brought the sidewalk up to the 4th floor.

Royce
Pedestrians on the street with Penny in the background (Royce Bannon) (photo Jaime Rojo)

One of the street artists, Royce Bannon, was on hand at the preview to talk about his experience;

BSA: How was it putting your piece up on a photograph of a storefront?
Royce: Uh, it was interesting. It was alright, it was fun, it was cool. I was in and out really fast.

BSA: Where you concerned that it wouldn’t really look like the street?
Royce: Actually I was concerned about what material they were going to use because I didn’t know what kind of paint to bring. I like Jim and Karla’s photography anyway so I would have done whatever they wanted.

BSA: Does this particular monster have a name?
Royce: Penny, because she’s got penny eyes. Like remember on PeeWee Herman, remember the Penny?

Shiro
Posing for a picture next to Shiro’s piece on a rolldown (photo Jaime Rojo)

The night breeze was a relief, Jim and Karla were gamely signing copies of their book “Storefront: The Disappearing Face of New York”, artists were signing and creating pieces in each other’s copy of the book, and there was a fair amount of posing.  The guests standing in front the storefronts created more than one or two double-takes because you could easily be transported to the streetscape without realizing they were photographs.

There will be a public showing of the installation on the 15th and we’ll be talking to Jim and Karla and Billi the Kid in upcoming posts, but first here’s a quick slideshow of behind-the-scenes makeing of the show from Mr. Kidd.

Artists featured are: Blanco, Buildmore, Cake, Celso, Cern, Chris (RWK), Crome, Cycle, David Cooper, Destroy & Rebuild, Enamel Kingdom, Goldenstash, Infinity, Kngee, Lady Pink, Matt Siren, Moran Thomas, Peru Ana Ana Peru, Plasma Slugs, Royce Bannon, Shai R. Dahan, Shiro, The Dude Company, Tikcy, Under Water Pirates, Veng (RWK), Zoltron, Billi Kid

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Oil pastels and drawing together: Chris Stain and Armsrock (2nd installment of 3 interview posts)

Oil pastels and drawing together: Chris Stain and Armsrock (2nd installment of 3 interview posts)

August 6, 2009 , , , ,
15

In stark black and white, you can only imagine the experiences that Armsrock is drawing.  Hopefully, only in your imagination, in some cases. (photo Jaime Rojo)

Chris Stain talks about the variety of techniques he’s using, including a relatively new one he borrowed from Armsrock,

“Yeah,  basically, the gallery told us that in order for me to use spray paint to do the installation I needed to contact the tenant who lives above the gallery because the fumes will rise up to their apartment.  I thought that would slow me down and I remembered that last year when Armsrock and I worked together that he was using these oil pastels, crayons.  And I tried that out last year when I was in Norway and I liked it.  I didn’t really explore it like I wanted to so I figured, “What the hell”, I’ll do it for this show because it will tie-in more with what he is doing with charcoal and watercolor.   Spray paint can be rather bold and striking, whereas his work is more softer looking.  So I think it worked out well and I liked it. I like the softness of it. It’s more hands-on drawing… you’re in direct contact with the wall . ”

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Chris Stain using the full scope of the wall, and stretching his skills (photo Jaime)

Instead of solo shows, Armsrock said that they each wanted to do a two-person show,

“Basically because it is more fun and it makes it a little easier going.  We’re not often drawing on each other’s things but there’s constantly this talk going back and forth.”, Armsrock

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Armsrock (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Armsrock (photo Jaime Rojo)

“I Know There is Love” at Ad Hoc Gallery August 7

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