Drago and Wooster Social Club Present: Chris Stain “Long Story Short” Book Launch and Exhibition (Manhattan, NY)

February 22, 2012 , , , , ,

 

Wooster Street Social Club and Drago are pleased to announce the exhibition and book launch for Chris Stain’s latest project and Drago’s newest title Long Story Short – A Collection of Inspiration, at the Wooster Street Social Club on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012, from 8-11pm. The exhibition will show all new work that explores two perspectives of intercity life; that from the internal struggles of the individual as well as the circumstantial elements to which that life subscribes. Both the exhibition and the book present an autobiographical reflection of the artist’s life through a collection of writings, letters, photographs, memorabilia, and artwork that illuminate a lifetime of experience that is the source of inspiration for Chris’ poignant imagery. Chris Stain’s subject matter has been compared to themes echoed in the American Social Realist movement of the 1930s and 40s. More importantly, however, Chris’s work is a communication of things that are relevant to him, the things that he sees everyday and the things that most people tend to, or try to, ignore. His work is marked by a strong social tinge and is filled with the adversity and diversity that one faces in the intercity. This visual narrative of social sufferance explores not only his personal architecture of experience, emotion, and inspiration, but shares the untold tales of the overlooked and the left behind. Despite being viewed by many as political statements, Chris Stain’s work is more than that. It is an honest and direct presentation of the basic levels of humanity, for better or for worse, what it means to be human and to treat others with an elemental sense of decency. The balance of today’s delicate social architecture bears the weight of many who feel threatened by social and economic injustice. These sentiments run high as a result of the events inspired by the Occupy movement, which have made Chris’s work feel that much more relevant in contemporary society.

The opening reception for Chris Stain’s Long Story Short will begin at 8pm on Wednesday, March 14th. The evening will include a slideshow presentation and round table discussion on art and social activism lead by Josh Macphee of Just Seeds, an interactive screen printing demonstration by Bushwick Print Lab, a live DJ set performed by Billy Mode, catering provided by Laurel Bell, and refreshments from Brooklyn Brewery. The slideshow will begin promptly at 9pm with discussion and Q&A to follow. Long Story Short – A Collection of Inspiration will be available for purchase during the event as well as throughout the run of the exhibition (through April 15th). You may also order Long Story Short through Drago’s website, www.dragolab.com. Chris Stain will be in attendance during the opening to sign copies of the book.

About the Artist

Chris Stain grew up writing Graffiti in Baltimore, MD in the mid 1980’s. Through printmaking in high school he adapted stenciling techniques, which later led to his work in street stencils and urban contemporary art. Chris currently teaches art in New York City and is pursuing a BA in Art Education.

About the DRAGO

Drago has been involved in the urban street movement for over a decade as an international think-tank for the creative class, working in unison with artists to realize projects with lasting cultural impacts. Drago identifies and promotes artists, develops communication projects, publishes books, and stages exhibitions and events. The street represents today’s leading visual and cultural aesthetic and the forefront of social resistance. Drago embodies and promotes this System of Independent Culture, sic!

About Wooster Street Social Club

Wooster Street Social Club is a tattoo studio, art gallery, and event space that plays host to TLC’s reality show NY Ink. It is an environment where art, culture, media, commerce, and entertainment live together and can be understood as complementary rather than mutually exclusive.
Through a series of art shows, activities, lectures, tastings, and large-scale events, Wooster Street Social Club has established itself as an ever-changing nexus of NYC’s creative community. The bottom line is to bring something new to the table, a forum for creativity, and something that is uniquely New York.

Wooster Street Social Club ⏐ 43 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10013⏐ 646.545.3300 info@woostersocial.com ⏐ www.woostersocial.com

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Art Against Knives + Mother Drucker Present: “As The Crow Flies” A Group Show (London, UK)

February 22, 2012 , , , , ,

As The Crow Flies

 

Silk screen printed Urban Art Collection from Berlin Based Mother Drucker exhibited in cooperation with Art Against Knives Charity.

Exhibition: March 2nd - April 2nd 2012.
Opening Reception: March 1st - 7-10pm.
Art Against knives Gallery, BoxPark, UNIT 55, London, E1 6JJ

Mother Drucker and Art Against Knives are pleased to present As the Crow Flies, a straightforward print show which aims to highlight the direct lines between visionary urban art and fine production silk screen printing. Mother Drucker has joined forces with East London based charity Art Against Knives to raise money for their future youth community based projects through print sales from the collection.

Urban art and silkscreen printing have formed a strong relationship with each other over time. The stencil based process of silk screen printing often easily compliments the methods of application chosen by urban artists, with many concentrating their skills upon stencil cutting, spraying, collage and general paint works of every messy degree. This new collection is all about the real relationship between the artist and the printer, between the creative and the productive, between the conceptual and the deviceful. Artist and printer have put their minds together to make a quality collection of silkscreen prints.

‘As the Crow Flies’ features a range of works by European urban artists:

Penny, Nomad, Hannah Parr, Elmar Lause, Victor Ash, Various and Gould, Dolly Demoratti and Anton Unai. Limited edition prints will be available to buy from the BoxPark gallery space throughout the exhibition with donations being made to AAK from every print sale.

Art Against Knives is an East London based charity that focus on raising awareness about knife crime and creating positive youth led Arts community projects for young people living in the East London area. Since their initial hugely successful art auction in 2009 the charity has flourished and now has a great permanent gallery space in BoxPark – the world’s first pop-up mall, AAK sells afordable artwork priced from £20 – £500 from established artists, as well as students and emerging talent.

Mother Drucker is a print house and gallery based in Kreuzberg, Berlin; here they work with a wide range of artists to produce high quality limited edition silkscreen prints. They release work on their website and organise a range of shows and events. They also offer an out of house screen- printing service and screen printing courses in English.

The Opening reception for ‘As the Crow Flies’ will be held on March 1. 7-10pm. Art Against Knives Gallery, BoxPark, Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London, E1 6JE

Gallery Hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday Saturday: 11am – 7pm, Thursday: 11am – 9pm, Sunday: 10am – 6pm

For more details, press images, advanced catalogues or other questions please contact:
Gemma Brewer – Exhibition Manager: gemma@mother-drucker.com

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Signal Gallery Presents: TRXTR “Pretty Lethal” (London, UK)

February 22, 2012 , , , , ,

TRXTR

 

Trxtr solo show – ‘Pretty Lethal’.

Date: 1st Mar – 24th Mar 12

The artist known as Trxtr has been building himself a very strong reputation on the Urban Art scene over the past five years, the evidence for this success being some recent notable auction results. He has shown his work in around the Bristol area and also in group shows in London and Los Angeles. This will be his first solo show in London

Trxtr believes that in using a wide variety of techniques, he can create the effect of spontaneity and freedom that he is aiming for. His own (incomplete) list of techniques used ‘Chemical, digital and Polaroid photography, high resolution scans, large format archival printing, collage, painting, drawing’ says a lot about where he is coming from. This is not an artist who is wedded to any particular medium, but for him a rather more Machiavellian ‘ends justifies the means’ approach is favoured. He sees purist attitudes to techniques and mediums as ‘Ludditism’.

The work Trxtr has produced for the ‘Pretty Lethal’ show at Signal is the culmination of this period of experimentation and creative self-discovery. The works will show us as an eclectic mix of atmospheres and emotions, as the techniques he uses to produce them. Their overall effect is disturbing and alluring in equal measure. Concerns about exploitation, globalization and corruption appear over and over again, but the tone is ambivalent. He is not preaching to us, but reproducing some of the sickly sweet images of commercialism in a way that it is genuinely hard to tell if he is celebrating them or railing against them. This interesting and unsettling approach has something of effect of Jeff Koons work.

The works Trxtr has produced for the ‘Pretty Lethal’ will make a very strong introduction to his work for London audiences. Like Koons, we may find that audiences are split, between those who can and those who can’t see beyond the surface seductiveness of the work.

 

Signal Gallery, 32 Paul Street, London EC2A 4LB
Opening Times: Tues-Sat 12-6 pm, and by appointment.

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Fifty24sf Gallery Presents: Saner new works (San Francisco, CA)

February 22, 2012 , , , , ,

SANER

 

We are excited to welcome Mexico City based fine artist and muralist, SANER, to our FIFTY24SF Gallery in San Francisco this March 16, 2012. The artist will be showcasing a new series of works with his first solo exhibition ever in San Francisco. After making waves in Los Angeles and Art Basel in 2011, and showing at our sister gallery, FIFTY24MX in Mexico City, this is our first time working with Saner in the States.

FIFTY24SF GALLERY
218 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
94117-3504
(415) 861-1960
GALLERY@FIFTY24SF.COM

HOURS:
WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY: 12-6

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How & Nosm Want 100 Murals This Year – Here’s Today’s!

February 22, 2012 , , ,

New Wall Called “Mood Swings”

It could be Bronx Bravado but the New York based Alemannic Street Art bros How & Nosm say they want to hit 100 walls this year.

One hundred.

So they just saved us having to come up with 28% of our postings for 2012! Woooo Hooooo! Heute gehen wir steil! (German slang for “Let’s party tonight!”)

So here we are today with the just-completed “Mood Swings”, their new mural in downtown Los Angeles on the side of the brand new LaLa gallery, a new venture by Daniel Lahoda.

Special thanks to photographer and BSA contributor Birdman, who was on the scene to capture the action for the BSA family.

How & Nosm “Mood Swings” for LA Freewalls (photo © Birdman)

How & Nosm “Mood Swings” for LA Freewalls (photo © Birdman)

How & Nosm “Mood Swings” for LA Freewalls (photo © Birdman)

How & Nosm “Mood Swings” for LA Freewalls (photo © Birdman)

How & Nosm “Mood Swings” for LA Freewalls (photo © Birdman)

How & Nosm “Mood Swings” for LA Freewalls (photo © Birdman)

How & Nosm “Mood Swings” for LA Freewalls (photo © Birdman)

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Jeff Frost Timelapsed Desert Squatting, and Painting

February 21, 2012

Artist and photographer Jeff Frost from Anaheim, CA, loves to shoot everything but he specializes in timelapsed photography that, when painstakingly layered together into a video, can be breathtaking. In this video he roamed deserts in California and Utah looking to squat in abandoned buildings, and to make art.

Image © Jeff Frost

Frosts’ sense of adventure and wonder gives him an unlimited access to the night sky and the movement of the planet as plays among the stars, and the occasional wildfire in the middle of the night. It also gives him license to experiment with geometric shapes, perspective, and popping color in the wide open decay of buildings in the sands. Thanks to nearly 40,000 photos and his imagination, we get to see his work as a video as well as a glimpse of a world without limits.

Image © Jeff Frost

The artist explains his practice:

“I have a serious case of wanderlust. My favorite thing to do is roam the deserts in search of abandoned buildings. When I find a room I particularly like, I set up camp there (sometimes literally), and proceed to paint a large mural on the inside of it. I photograph this process with a combination of time-lapse and stop motion photography. At night, if I’m not squatting in random abandoned structures, I shoot time-lapse of the stars zooming overhead.

When I return to the city I have two things: 1) a body that feels like a mean, mean man has worked it over with a baseball bat, and 2) thousands and thousands of high resolution photographs, which I use to make videos.”

Image © Jeff Frost

Image © Jeff Frost

Image © Jeff Frost

Image © Jeff Frost

Image © Jeff Frost

 

Learn more about Jeff Frost on his website and follow him on Twitter

 

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Troy Lovegates. The King and the Artist.

February 20, 2012 ,

Ask a room full of artists living here in New York if anyone every feels like a chump for making soul-sucking mediocre commercial work just to pay the jacked up rent. Hands will fill the air like ‘Amen’s at the Brooklyn Tabernacle at a Sunday morning sermon. Compound the cost of live/work space with the fact that, if you were lucky enough to get an education, your student loans debts are like a massive cinderblock around your neck. Many of today’s artists are expecting to labor long hours doing commercial or corporate art for years, often now without benefits or security – leaving them with ever-less time and energy to build a career, let alone a body of artistic work.

Troy Lovegates (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Street Artist Troy Lovegates is colorfully skewering the King in this County of Kings with his new surreally comedic metaphor called “The King and the Artist”, painted directly on the wall at the Kunsthalle Galapagos Gallery in DUMBO, Brooklyn.  Like days of olde when the Church and Royalty held the purse for most creative expression, the 99% is waking up these days to the unholy marriages that wield growing influence over the entire cultural and institutional landscape, including areas of creative expression. With “The King”, Lovegates depicts a well equipped megaspender imperiously dictating what will be art and claiming it as his own with his platinum sword waving wildly while the barefoot creator, a mind bubbling with a multitude of other ideas, tries to fend himself with tools laughably inadequate.

Troy Lovegates (photo © Jaime Rojo)

It’s a tug of war that is historical and contemporary of course – from faux communist capitalists to gold encrusted power families to religious gangs gilded in sanctity, artists have always procured the propaganda and painted a world view according to someone else’s vision. With signs ever more obvious around us, Mr. Lovegates informs us here that the game is still the same and some young artists are painfully aware of the rigged class system they’re working within.  Hopefully someone will buy it.

Troy Lovegates (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Troy Lovegates (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Troy Lovegates. No he doesn’t paint with his eyes closed. He closes his right eye when he paints details and when he is drunk. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Troy Lovegates (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Troy Lovegates (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Ocean Size”, a group show, is currently on view at the Kunsthalle Galapagos Gallery. Click here for further information.

 

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Images of the Week 02.19.12

February 19, 2012 ,

Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring 131, 305 Kid, AVOID, Chuck, Clown Soldier, DamZum, Dan Witz, Eddie, Elle, How & Nosm, Nervous, OverUnder, OT, Romi, and Speto.

Eddie (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Speto (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Romi (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Elle pastes on top of a photo-collage by Avoid for the coming-of-age book featuring trains and graffiti. The layers of irony are glued together in this one  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Overunder literally on the corner and Clown Soldier to the right. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

LA Weekly just got a dose of How & Nosm, who took 7 days to complete this mural for the Culver City offices.  (photo courtesy of and © HowNosm)

How & Nosm ( © HowNosm)

How & Nosm ( © HowNosm)

Nervous (photo © Jaime Rojo)

131 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A conversation including Avoid and Dan Witz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

OT on the Graffuturism installation in Miami (photo © Jaime Rojo)

I Love Candy (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chuck an artist from Managua, Nicaragua. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

305 Kid. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

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Kid Acne Stabby Ladies in Beijing for “Cloak and Dagger”

February 18, 2012 , , ,

Street Artist Kid Acne just ran in deeply wooded areas outside Beijing with “stabby ladies” in hot shorts and capes. The staged role play was a dream state reinactment to ready himself for his solo show “Cloak & Dagger” at Other Gallery, and thankfully we’ve got video documentation here.

Kid Acne “Cloak and Dagger” (image © courtesy of Kid Acne)

Touring the back rails and tracks in search of graff, he found that the urban vocabulary in Beijing can be strikingly similar to industrialized cities in the West and that people took great interest in his work. His new video casts a true grit psychedelia to his creative fantasies and appetite for play now planted in the mainland.

A real stabby lady among the wilds of the rails in Beijing – a still from the video by Kid Acne.

Kid Acne “Cloak and Dagger”. Image still from the video.

Kid Acne “Cloak and Dagger”. Image still from the video.

Kid Acne “Cloak and Dagger”. Image still from the video.

 

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