Os Gêmeos and “The Giant of Boston”

August 8, 2012 , , , , ,

The twins have left Boston, but not before they opened their first solo museum show in the U.S. and left behind a handful of public installations that have garnered major attention as people once again grapple with the concept of art in the streets. Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo have done large installations in large cities before, but few as visible and central to a city as their 70 x 70 foot mural on the side of a “Big Dig” ventilation building rising above the greenway with the shape of the character’s formed by the semi-circular façade.

Os Gemeos “The Giant of Boston” at the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square, Boston. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Photographer and BSA contributor Geoff Hargadon says that the project received permission from a number of civic and private organizations before it could go up over ten days in July in this storied city that usually favors conservative historical themes in it’s public works. “Given the short amount of time organizers had to put the pieces together and get all the approvals,” says Hargadon while ticking off names of entities who green-lighted the project, “it was a small miracle it was able to get off the ground.”

Os Gemeos “The Giant of Boston” at the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square, Boston. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

The internationally known Brazillian Street Artists had time to create a few pieces around town that reference their more graffiti-influenced roots, including one each on the side of a hotel, a pizza place, and a van. Not surprisingly it was the seven storey portrait of a seated barefoot boy rendered in signature Os Gêmeos yellow and wearing shrouded headgear that got the most attention on the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square. Its bright colors and patterned pajama-like garb have a cheerful childlike appeal to some picnickers, while other townies and Internet commenters see something less attractive, even sinister, depicted here where much of the Occupy Boston protests took place in the last year.

By the time “The Giant of Boston” had been discovered by equally yellow media types, the barefoot boy had been transformed into a danger in this birthplace of democracy and a small media-generated dust bowl was kicked up. “Looks like one of the Simpsons dressed like a terrorist,” said a clever commenter on a local TV affiliate’s Facebook page, one of over 200 who offered their considered opinions on the mural’s appearance.

Os Gemeos never miss an opportunity to collaborate on a van or truck when in the USA. This side of the van was with Graffiti Artist Lead. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

As with most knee-jerk assessments, this one could be tempered with a few minutes of Googling the work of the artists, which would reveal that this figure fits quite neatly into the dreamscape tableaux of oddly costumed and funnily proportioned figures whom the Twins have been painting for a few decades. But who knows, each of those little kooky figures could have been bombers and no one realized it until now. Without adding credibility to that line of unthinking, Hargadon remarks about these aerosol bomber brothers, “Maybe Os Gêmeos have inadvertently done us all a favor by helping us understand how some people have come to see the world during the past ten years. In any case, like all noteworthy art, it is not meant to please everybody.” If that’s the case, “The Giant of Boston” is noteworthy.

Of more important note is the solo show by Os Gêmeos that has opened concurrently at The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston. Organized by Pedro Alonzo, who also curated the Swoon, Shepard Fairey, and Dr. Lakra shows for the ICA, it’s a somewhat intimate overview of their professional and personal journey as artists, peppered with a few surprises from inside the imagination of these in-the-moment creators who “depict their visions in surreal paintings, sculpture, and installations,” according to the shows official description. Reporting on the makeup of the pieces exhibited, Hargadon says, “Some of them are from the recent show at Prism LA, while others are older works. The VIP opening on Tuesday was packed, and was followed by a Brazilian themed party Friday night – which was sold out.”

Os Gemeos “The Giant of Boston” at the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square, Boston. This side of the van was with Graffiti Artist Rize. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

If you get to Boston to see this show and this large mural, make time in your trip to see the brothers other works in less obvious locations to get a greater appreciation for their history growing up as teens in the mid 80s while pouring over books like “Subway Art” and seeing the hip-hop and graffiti scene from New York spreading around the globe. You’ll find a mural at the Revere Hotel on Stuart Street and a piece they did along with a handful of friends in Union Square in Somerville at Mama Gina’s Pizza. Among the other contributors to that piece were RIZE, Coyo, and Caleb Neelon.

Os Gemeos “The Giant of Boston” at the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square, Boston. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos “The Giant of Boston” at the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square, Boston. One of The Twins signing a memento for a fan. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos “The Giant of Boston” at the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square, Boston. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos at the Revere Hotel on Stuart Street, Boston. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos with Rize, Coyo and Caleb Neelon at Mama Gina’s Pizza in Union Square, Somerville. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos with Rize, Coyo and Caleb Neelon at Mama Gina’s Pizza in Union Square, Somerville. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos Installation at Boston’s Institute for Contemporary Art. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos Installation at Boston’s Institute for Contemporary Art. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos Installation at Boston’s Institute for Contemporary Art. Detail. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Os Gemeos. General view of the Exhibition at Boston’s Institute for Contemporary Art. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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The exhibit at the ICA will be up through Thanksgiving, 2012.  Click here for further information regarding this exhibition.

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“The Giant of Boston” mural at the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square  will be up for 18 months.

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Our special thanks to BSA contributor and photographer Geoff Hargadon for capturing these amazing images of the walls going up and for the coverage of the installations inside the museum.

See our interview in August 2010: Futura Talks: Completion of the “Kid” at PS11 with Os Gemeos

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

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Miss Van “Wild at Heart” At Copro Gallery (Santa Monica, CA)

August 7, 2012 , , , , ,

Miss Van

Miss Van. Studio Photograph by © Stefan Kocev

 

MISS VAN
“Wild at Heart”

Opening Reception: Saturday, August 11, 2012  8pm-11:30pm
On View: August 11 – September 1, 2012

Copro Gallery – Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Ave, Unit T5
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Tel: 310.829.2156
www.copronason.com

As part of its commitment to support art initiatives from around the world, Citizens of Humanity is pleased to announce its sponsorship of Miss Van’s Los Angeles exhibition “Wild at Heart” at Copro Gallery on Saturday, August 11, 2012.

Internationally known for her poupées, the French word for dolls, Miss Van’s dreamlike narratives are filled with spontaneity and lightness. Yet they also reveal a darker side that has evolved from her experience as an acclaimed graffiti artist.

Miss Van’s new series of paintings and drawings on paper and wood continues to combine her seductive and delicate muses with animals, adding a bestial element to her work. However, she introduces masks to her imagery, creating a trifecta of complexity, ambiguity and mystery.

Choosing to focus on details while isolating different body parts, such as eyes and mouth, Miss Van adds, “The masks allow me to show more feelings, other sides of a same character, hiding the face, partly or totally and embracing the animal strength, personality and attitude. I am illustrating the chemistry between the feminine delicacy and the bestial instinct, natural and raw and we all have this duality inside.”

To celebrate the opening of “Wild at Heart,” Citizens of Humanity will debut a new t-shirt collaboration with Miss Van, which will be given as a complimentary gift to guests at the reception. She will also be featured in the premiere issue of a new collectible print publication by Citizens of Humanity launching this August. Miss Van notes, “Thanks to Citizens of Humanity for its support, this show will definitely come out more complete and powerful than before.”

The opening reception for “Wild at Heart,” takes place Saturday, August 11 at Copro Gallery from 8pm-11:30pm, and is open to the public. The exhibition will be on view through September 1, 2012.

Miss Van
Miss Van started wall painting in the streets at the age of 18, initiating the feminine movement in street art. Her sultry female characters began to pop up on city center walls in the mid 1990s and they instantly possessed a timeless quality, as if women had always painted such graffiti in the streets. The more she moved into gallery work and could work with the nuances of more fragile media than the streets would allow, her characters grew more sensitive, subtle, and delicately rendered. She is now exhibiting all around the world from New York to Los Angeles, Europe (France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, UK, etc.), and Asia. She has shown in art centers and museums such as the city gallery of Schwaz in Austria (curator: Karin Perrnegger), the Baltic Art Center in the UK and the Von der Heydt Museum, Kunsthalle in Wuppertal, Germany. Miss Van was featured in MoCA’s 2011 exhibition “Art in the Streets,” and she has shown with some of the greatest artists such as Os Gemeos, Mike Giant, Banksy, Faile, Shepard Fairey, Barry McGee, Ryan McGinness, Takashi Murakami, Ed Templeton, and many others. For more information about the artist, please visit www.missvan.com.

 

 

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Curly Curates “This Art is so Street” A Group Exhibition At Stupid Easy Gallery. (Philadelphia, PA)

August 7, 2012 , , , ,

Curly

 

 

Street Artist Curly Steps Indoors, Curates “This Art is so Street” at Stupid Easy Gallery

Curly, one of North America’s most prolific sticker artists, will make his first foray into the mainstream art world by curating This Art is so Street at Philadelphia’s Stupid Easy Gallery. Tired of boring and uncomfortable gallery experiences, Curly has set out to make This Art is so Street an unsurpassable group show of street artists’ work. Opening September 7th, This Art is so Street is sure to be a can’t-miss affair.

This Art is so Street brings the work of eight of the world’s top street artists together for the first time under one roof. For some of these new contemporary masters, it will be their first time exhibiting in Philadelphia. In addition to Curly’s own paintings, there will be never-before-exhibited artwork by Mr. Brainwash, LNY, NoseGo, Don Pablo Pedro, Darkclouds, The Yok and Sheryo. The international lineup represents street artists from around the globe, including Philadelphia’s very own NoseGo and France’s favorite-son Mr. Brainwash, who also starred in Banksy’s film Exiting Through the Gift Shop

When Stupid Easy Gallery owner Thomas Buildmore offered Curly a solo show at the gallery, he turned it down in an effort to help out his fellow street artists. Instead, Curly decided to curate This Art is so Street and show the work of other great street artists by curating the best group show of street artists to have ever been seen in a gallery.

The reclusive and anonymous Curly has this to say about the show: “When Buildmore approached me about showing at Stupid Easy, I thought it was beneath me. After all, I can just sell my work privately directly to clients. Then I realized that there are a lot of street artists out there who don’t have that privilege and intricate understanding of the art market. So I figured that it was time to enter the gallery world, if only to shepherd along a few of my friends. This Art is so Street is, without a doubt, the best show I could have possibly put together. You will be blown away and buy things, lots of things.”

Thomas Buildmore says, “I could not be more excited about This Art is so Street. Putting together a group show of artists who do street art was a brilliant idea. Street art, or urban art as some prefer to call it, is the most important art movement since cubism, and the artists in This Art is so Street are at the forefront of the movement. Curly is a genius in both art making and curating.”

This Art is so Street opens September 7th with a private view from 5pm to 8:30pm and runs through September 30th. Stupid Easy Gallery is located at 307 Market Street, Philadelphia PA, 19106 and is open by appointment (email stupideasyideas@gmail.com).

 

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For more information on This Art is so Street or to arrange an email-interview with Curly, please contact Laurence Feinberg at laurencefeinberg@gmail.com.

 

About Curly

 

After years of dabbling in street art, Curly got serious in late 2010 and began a mission to saturate the streets of Philadelphia with his stickers. Since then, thousands of unique handmade Curly stickers have wound up on newspaper bins and signposts around Philadelphia and other cities around the world. Thanks to his winning combination of humor and style, Curly considers himself to be the world’s greatest living street artist. In 2012, he even branched out to digital art,

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Red Gallery Presents: Part2ism “New Horizons & Future Love Songs” (London, UK)

August 7, 2012 , , , , ,

Part2ism

Red Gallery proudly present Part2ism’s first solo exhibition in London since Artillery for Pleasure 2009. This new body of work is perhaps his most outlandish work in a quartz-century journey using aerosol and a vast range of different media. New Horizons and Future Love Songs explores the relationship of sight and sound as one medium. In his series of polychromatic sculptural reliefs entitled ‘Architect-sonics’, wooden planes of color appear to slice through time placing our idea of transit art in another realm. Further works on show investigate aerosol paint as a raw medium exploring vectors as pure line and color but also the use of spatialization and surface data to interpret visual noise over large sheets of canvas. An exhibition that strips away the non essential elements and at the same time takes fundamental ideas to the absolute pinnacle.
“A syncretist at heart and now a synaesthesiac in practice, Part2ism is a multi-talented creator, exploring where his interests and instincts lead him. Beyond all the “isms’ that can be applied to his work over the past twenty eight years, whether of his own invention or culled from art history, Part2ism has always aligned himself with his own visions first. As an artist, he subsumes all categories and at the same time defies them. More importantly than these post-creation categories that can be applied to his body of work, the underlying and unifying threads in Part2ism’s history are DIY individualism, a revolutionary mentality and a consistent exploration of mind-challenging aesthetics. His timbre, his voice, his style is a constantly mutating, gene-splicing hybridism embodying rebellion and progression.
With this cross pollination throughout the full spectrum of his creative output, Part2ism has reached an apex of compression and connection of his lifetime of aesthetic explorations in different disciplines, utilizing everything that he has accomplished over the past twenty-eight years, in a sensurround of synaesthesia and synchronicity”. Daniel Feral

Taken from the ‘New Horizons & Future Love Songs’ exhibition catalogue. Also featuring written contributions by Steve ‘Fly Argaric’ Pratt, Pride (TCA) and Poesia from Graffuturism over 40 pages.

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Icy and Sot “Made in Iran” At the Openhouse Gallery (Manhattan, NYC)

August 7, 2012 , , , , ,

Icy and Sot

 

ICY AND SOT: MADE IN IRAN
Klerkx Art Agency (Amsterdam, Holland) and Neverheard Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) are proud to announce: MADE IN IRAN, the highly anticipated New York debut of the young Iranian street artists (and brothers): ICY AND SOT.
MADE IN IRAN is a groundbreaking display of the internationally acclaimed street art duo, featuring new stencil works and site-specific installations. The exhibition will be open to the public from the 23rd to 25th of August at Openhouse, 379 Broome Street. An opening reception will be held on Thursday the 23rd of August from 6 to 9 PM with a live musical performance by the Iranian punk rock band Yellow Dogs  (facebook.com/theyellowdogs).
Hailing from the city of Tabriz in North West Iran, brothers ICY AND SOT continue on their creative crusade to traverse pre-conceived perceptions of traditional Iranian art’s brevity through their highly intricate yet striking stencil artworks. Despite Iran’s cultural flourishing since the 2009 uprisings in Tehran, creative visual expression is still a constant struggle for its’ artists and society today. It is an oppressive force that provokes the Iranian art scene to fluctuate between an inhibited elegance and raw underground energy. This ambiguity is reflected in the vulnerable yet hopeful deep-set imagery of ICY AND SOT’s street art.
Using western street art approaches, the artists’ polarized themes of love and hate, war and peace, and hope and despair are manifested into the spectral faces of the innocent.
ABOUT ICY AND SOT:
ICY (born 1985) and SOT (born 1991) are stencil artists, skaters, best friends and brothers from Tabriz, Iran. ICY AND SOT started their professional career in 2008. They have made paramount accomplishments in Iranian urban art culture, creating an international buzz by playing it anyway but safe. Their prolific stencil work can be seen on the streets of Paris, Turin, Sao Paolo, New York and many other international cities. The brothers have been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications throughout Iran, Europe, South America and the US. Following New York, MADE IN IRAN will be making its way over to Amsterdam, Berlin and Milan.
In conjunction with the exhibition, American Iranian musician Ali Eskandarian will be performing an acoustic set in the gallery’s garden on Saturday, August 24th at 5 PM.
Openhouse Gallery
379 Broome St.
NYC
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IBUG 2012: Festival of Urban Art and Culture (Glauchau, Germany)

August 7, 2012 , , , ,

IBUG 2012

IBUg 2012 – Festival of urban art and culture in GermanyThe IBUg – the famous festival of urban art and culture in Germany – goes into its seventh edition this year. From 24th August on more than 70 artists from eight countries will transform a former slaughterhouse in the West Saxon city of Glauchau during a week-long creative phase into a work of art by graffiti, street art, urban art installations and performances. Numerous national and international artists like Ta55o (Germany), Chromeo (Switzerland), Flamat (Germany), Help (Germany), Hifi (Germany), Koala (Switzerland), Loomit (Germany), Okle74 (Germany), Royal TS (Germany), Zone56 (Germany), Amin (France), Andy K (Germany), Bue the warrior (Belgium), Caparso (Germany), Etam (Poland), Johannes Mundinger (Germany), Lean Frizzera (Argentinia), Martin Ron (Argentinia), Quintessenz Creation (Germany), Rebelzer (Germany), Remi Rough (England), SatOne (Italy) or Threehouse (Germany) have announced to IBUg 2012.

The results are presented to the public during a festival of urban art and culture from 31st August to 2nd September. Among the highlights of the weekend are the lectures by Göttingen based artist Bond about the graffiti culture in southeast asia and by Manuel Gerullis, who talks about the event „Meeting of Styles“. And on Saturday night the traditional IBUg party invites to celebrate and dance to hip-hop and electronic beats with DJ Showi (Stuttgart), DefZone (illcandevilz/IBUg), Okle (illcandevilz/IBUg), Franz! (Muna, http://www.muna.de/), Konglomerat (Weimar, www.facebook.com/daskonglomerat) and Mopedgang (Glauchau, www.mopedgang.de) as well as visuals by MXZEHN (Weimar).
The side program also offers a IBUg pub which grants an insight view into the work of the artist during the creative phase, an urban art market including photographs by Conny Heimer from the last five years of IBUg, t-shirts, bags as well as works of the IBUg-artist, a film program about urban art and urban culture and an IBUg fashion show.
For more information click here http://www.ibug-art.de/
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Mighty Tanaka Gallery Presents: Chris Stain and Joe Iurato “Deep In The Cut” (Brooklyn, NYC)

August 7, 2012 , , , , ,

Deep in the Cut

Deep In The Cut

Featuring the artwork of Chris Stain & Joe Iurato

With a steady hand, precise cuts are dutifully made, revealing the negative space that lies beyond.  Like a virtual roadmap, these incisions dictate the direction and flow of the artwork, building layers of corresponding imagery.  Through patience and grace, the art of stenciling goes far beyond the final outcome of the artwork, as it incorporates a delicate and intricate process that elevates the artwork into something more than meets the eye.  Mighty Tanaka is honored to present Chris Stain and Joe Iurato, two predominant stencil artists who are taking their art form to a whole new level with their highly anticipated show, Deep In the Cut.  Together, both artists exemplify very different yet highly technical approaches to stencil art through their individual processes and results.

Deep In The Cut is the first time Chris Stain and Joe Iurato have been paired together for a two-person gallery show.  Highly influenced by each others artwork, they share a mutual respect for one another that encourages them to constantly push the boundaries of their individual interpretation of stencil work, redefining the limits of expectation.

Both Chris Stain and Joe Iurato’s artwork exemplifies the art of the process, as they use a myriad of tools and techniques to create their individual expressions.  Deep In The Cut exhibits a highly unique and identifiable approach to their work, ripe with social statements, that causes the viewer to reflect on the world around them while enjoying the intricate details and beauty of their art.

OPENING RECEPTION:
Friday, August 10th, 2012
6:00PM – 9:00PM

Mighty Tanaka
111 Front Street
Suite 224
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Train: F Train to York St
(1st stop in Brooklyn)

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Monsters of Art Gallery Presents: Kings Moa (London, UK)

August 7, 2012 , , , , , ,

Kings Moa

PRIVATE VIEW 27 SEPTEMBER 2012

Continues until 27 October

“In 1991, three intoxicated and disgruntled teenagers went out to take on the biggest graffiti crew in Copenhagen. Adopting the name MOA (Monsters of Art) the aim was to become the most recognized graffiti crew in the world…”
Now, over twenty years later, MOA is one of the most notorious graffiti crews and still hold the top spot for train ‘bombing’ in Denmark. Forever growing and expanding the fight for MOA global domination is far from over. This one-off exhibition will explore the crew’s unique codes and conducts that have, over the years, set them world’s apart from all other graffiti crews. Many crews have challenged their position but none have succeeded, proving that MOA really are the kings of unparalled artistry and skill. Since their arrival onto the scene MOA has been off-limits, only giving selected interviews and infrequent comments to certain publications. We are delighted and highly privileged to show a one-off exhibition looking back at MOA’s 21-year rein on the graffiti world.The exhibition will include original works, screenprints and photographic documentation. 

Monsters of Art Studio and Gallery
112 Mill Lane
London
NW6 1NF

0207 435 3433
info@moasgallery.com
www.moasgallery.com

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Mishka Presents: Numskull “Dance Like a Video, Sting Like a Gif” (Brooklyn, NYC)

August 7, 2012 , , , , ,

Numskull

Numskull has a very distinct aesthetic, full of strong line work, collage elements, and a flurry of pop culture influences that he magically melds together into a cohesive style. His show, Dance Like A Video, Sting Like A GIF, will be opening with a bang next Friday, August 10th, at 350 Broadway in Brooklyn. We can’t wait for you to feast your eyes on more of this elusive artist’s striking pieces. For the truly charmed, we’ll also be selling a t-shirt at the even that you can see above.

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Carmichael Gallery Presents: “Primeval” A Group Exhibition. (Culver City, LA)

August 7, 2012 , , , , ,

Primeval

 

Primeval

Emol, Stinkfish, Zio Ziegler

Opening reception

Saturday, August 11, 6-9pm

Carmichael Gallery
5797 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

Please RSVP to rsvp at carmichaelgallery dot com

Exhibition open to the public August 11 – September 1, 2012

Carmichael Gallery is pleased to present Primeval, a group exhibition featuring works by Emol, Stinkfish and Zio Ziegler. The exhibition will be on view from August 11 to September 1, 2012. Zio Ziegler will be in attendance at the opening reception on Saturday, August 11 from 6-9pm.

Cities and their streets put the three artists in daily contact with the urban elements that in turn influence their work. Be it architecture and propaganda for Emol, the texture of old walls for Stinkfish, or the color of pavement after a rainy afternoon for Zio, inspiration for these artists is inextricably drawn from the outdoor environments they encounter in their respective cities. Their individual mastery of line, sources of form, and choice of color share a compassion for and understanding of history and humanity. Such honest and considered motives translate into works that are powerfully evocative and, though indigenous, universally approachable.

Emol finds the connection between art, artist and city crucial to his practice. He believes that to paint outside is the best way to grasp what is happening at the moment and to know how one’s art affects communities. Emol considers his work an embodiment of antenna to roots, capturing that which is current, but with a strong link to the past and ancestry. He achieves this largely through his color choices, which symbolize Brazil’s wealth of distinct cultures. Through traveling the various regions of his home country and closely observing their different traditions, Emol combines the tropical colors he encounters, each offering a different vibration, with lines and forms to infuse sensorial joy into urban landscapes.

Stinkfish is equally indebted to the street, having spent his childhood playing soccer and going for bike rides around his neighborhood. He is drawn to bringing his work to as many people as possible, favoring busy crossroads and streets as locations for his murals. The texture of highly trafficked, decrepit areas gives Stinkfish the feeling that he is continuing the history of a wall, mixing his story into a larger narrative of crumbling paint, grit and wear. Stinkfish also remembers having an affection when he was young for the cameras his father would buy and sell, spending hours “playing” with them, discovering their mechanisms and teaching himself techniques of framing and focusing that would become essential to his art form. His transposition of photo to mural enhances the fleeting moments of human nature he captured with his camera, leaving the final interpretation up to the public.

Zio too finds that the balance of working publicly and privately assists his entire creative process in a symbiotic way. The open source template of the streets serves as a constant reminder to him of the democratic yet organic nature of art. Though influenced by classical philosophy, literature and art, Zio constantly reminds himself of the paradigm shift towards the digital age. To be aware of this ephemeral state of painting assists the visceral encouragement of instinct in the studio. And so, with the balance of both studio and street, instinct and patience, comes Zio’s paintings.

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JR Keeps an Eye on The Williamsburg Bridge

August 7, 2012 , , ,

French Street Artist and photographer JR hit a skyward spot last week in Brooklyn with a large watchful eye which looks toward the Williamsburg Bridge that connects Brooklyn to Manhattan. An image taken of a member of the Lokota tribe on the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota, the new installation is part of The Inside Out – Lakota Project that JR began here in New York last year.

JR.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Working with a few assistants JR ferried the large prints up and down the building in a cherry picker, carefully matching the seams and wheat-pasting the pieces to gradually reveal this ocular oddity. The finished wall is alongside the north side of the bridge, perfect for bicyclists and pedestrians who want to stop and snap a photo.

JR. The staging area.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JR.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JR.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JR.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JR.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JR.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JR.  Inside Out A Global Art Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Click here to learn more about JR’s Inside Out A Global Art Project

 

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

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Jonathan Levine Gallery Presents: “Détournement: Signs of the Times” A Group Exhibition Curated By Carlo McCormick. (Manhattan, NYC)

August 6, 2012 , , , , ,

détournement

 

Détournement : Signs of the Times
Group Exhibition curated by : Carlo McCormickAugust 8—25, 2012
Opening Reception:
Wednesday, August 8, 7—9pm

Jonathan LeVine Gallery is pleased to presentDétournement: Signs of the Times, a group exhibition curated by Carlo McCormick, featuring work by a number of artists, including: AIKO, Dan Witz, David Wojnarowicz, Dylan Egon, Eine, Ilona Granet, Jack Pierson, John Law (Jack Napier), Leo Fitzpatrick, Mark Flood, Martin Wong, Max Rippon (RIPO), Mike Osterhout, Posterboy, Ron English, Shepard Fairey + Jamie Reid, Steve Powers (ESPO), TrustoCorp, Will Boone, Zevs

CURATOR’S STATEMENT
A détournement is a detour of sorts, but not so much along the scenic route as over the tougher road that goes more directly to the truth. A more proximate translation from the French might be a derailment, but I’m not sure English is so well suited to get both the violence and hilarity of the term. Since coined by the Lettrist International in the 1950s, it has served various generations as a common strategy by which to subvert consensus visual language so as to turn the expressions of capitalist culture against themselves. The most typical folkloric version we encounter of a détournement is when someone writes a word at the bottom of a stop sign, so that with say just three letters this mundane road command might read “Stop War.”

Employed brilliantly by the Situationists, whose great philosopher Guy Debord laid out the socio-aesthetic framework for this practice, détournements twist the terms of mimicry in ironic parody using the a semblance of the easily recognizable to dissemble and redirect the literal meaning of signs so as to construe a more honest picture of their deceptive intentions. As such they are a mediation of the media, a way of transgressing the fine art of persuasion that dominates our visual landscape to offer alternative readings and deviant possibilities to the hegemony of mainstream corporate culture. A natural response to the lies and coercions we are fed on a daily basis, the détournement has been the reactive impulse of all those who question reality, from the Punks who adopted it in the 1970s through Culture Jammers, Adbusters, contemporary street artists and the winding legacy of protest movements from WTO to Occupy.

This exhibition is meant to both celebrate the lineage of détournement and bring attention to some of its current practitioners who embody its continued vitality through their art. We live in a forest of signs that are meant to confuse, distract and numb us to the more dire consequences of the human condition as it is. We do not need to follow these signs, we need to make our own so as to find a way out of the mess we are in. I cannot thank these artists enough for their contributions towards helping us find another way.

ABOUT THE CURATOR
Carlo McCormick is an esteemed pop culture critic, curator and Senior Editor of PAPERmagazine. His numerous books, monographs and catalogs include: TRESPASS: A History of Uncommissioned Urban Art, Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture, The Downtown Book: The New York Art Scene 1974-1984, and Dondi White: Style Master General. His work has appeared in numerous publications including: Art in America, Art News, and Artforum.

The gallery is located at 529 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 6pm. For further information, please visit:www.jonathanlevinegallery.com, call: 212.243.3822, or email:info@jonathanlevinegallery.com.
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