20:12 is a project by London-based artist #codefc that has developed over the past couple of years as a humorous social commentary on the build-up to the London 2012 Olympics.
Using stencil interventions onto London city landscapes, #codefc presents athletes’ imagery in all their splendour and vigour, performing the Olympian feats for which they are known against a backdrop of reconfigured and stretched Olympic rings, their faces replaced with cameras and camcorders – the artist’s signature mark.
20:12 places the glorification of the Olympic Games brand and the notion of “sportivity” well and truly within London’s urban context, which is in itself potent with particular socio-political circumstances and challenges faced as hosting city. In addition to highlighting these conditions, 20:12 looks at the commercial and creative cultures and economies created through the Olympics machine, in the form of merchandise, official and unofficial artistic outputs, and branding exercises.
20:12 has seen different incarnations at important street art hubs in London, including Cordy House and Red Gallery in Shoredich, the Westway in Ladbroke Grove, and South Bank. The project will culminate in an exhibition at Curious Duke Gallery during June 2012.
Hold tight & fasten your seat belts for Nelly Duff’s next major pit-stop, Banger Art! We have been invited to be ‘Art Partner’ at LOVEBOX festival’s 10th anniversary, this Summer 15-17th June. Nelly Duff is curating an installation of 10 old bangers destined for the scrapheap! We will be recycling these bad boys the best way we know how- with some detailed painterly pimping by a selection of the world’s best street artists, including EINE, Sweetoof, Pablo Delgado, Matthew Small, Dan Hillier, Aida and more! Special new prints available too!
Special Preview Show on the 13th June 6-9pm at an Underground Bethnal Green Car park. RSVP essential.
Over the years, it appears that several of our artists have become inspired by the iconic image of the Panda. In whatever form they emerge, whether as the bear itself or a human figure sporting an animal mask, these works always seem to be a sure-fire hit. So we thought… why don’t we ask a large group of artists to pay homage to the Panda and produce an entire exhibition dedicated to the cuddly creatures, resulting in a sell-out, recession-proof show?
The fabulous group of artists who are taking part in the show so far include: C215, Dale Grimshaw, Jef Aerosol, Elinor Evans, Byroglyphics (Russ Mills), SPQR, TRXTR, David Le Fleming, Gaye Black, Frank Rannou, Joram Roukes and newcomers to Signal; Lora Zombie, Chris Bell and Jane Price.
Signal Gallery, 32 Paul Street, London EC2A 4LB Opening Times: Tues-Sat 12-6 pm, and by appointment.
Occasional BSA contributor Garry Hunter writes today about a mural in London that may appear a bit more conventional than your average Street Art piece but carries a thoroughly modern message about our devastating effect on the environment. And electric eels!
Electric Soup in England’s Capital City by Garry Hunter
When George Cruikshank illustrated the imagined contents of the heavily polluted River Thames in his satirical cartoon Monster Soup, he included mutant river denizens in a microscopic examination of a 19th Century London lady’s cup of tea.
New Zealand artist Bruce Mahalski has just completed a new mural on Orchard Place that references not only Cruikshank’s work, but the legacy of electromagnetic pioneer Michael Faraday, whose laboratories were located at nearby Trinity Buoy Wharf. The looping River Lea that here merges with the Thames once had a thriving fishing village, which combined with Faraday’s research, gives rise to the mural’s focus on electric animals.
An Eco-activist, Mahalski incorporates an existing buddleia bush growing out of a window of the former shop that hosts his Electric Soup creation. He draws on his wide experience working with the Island Bay Marine Education Centre in Wellington, introducing more exotic submarinal characters, many of which are endangered species. He was shocked by an electric ray while working on a research boat when a metal shovel he was using to examine sealife conducted a charge right through him.
Clearly visible from passenger windows of airplanes landing at City Airport, the painting is part of a series of permanent works made by visiting artists based out of Boiler House (1954) in the centre of Trinity Buoy Wharf, a haven of independent thought away from the corporate developments that now line this part of East London.
Trinity Buoy Wharf is at 64 Orchard Place, London E14 0JW with the mural on the corner of the approaching road to the gatehouse.
Herakut – After the Laughter book launch and solo show
Shea & Ziegler are proud to announce Herakut’s long anticipated return to London this May with a solo show and book launch to celebrate the release of their new art book, After the Laughter. The exhibition will open in the intimate white wall gallery space, 99 Mount Street in Mayfair.Opening reception: Thursday 31st May 2012
Gallery 99 Mount Street
Mayfair
London W1K 2TFFor online preview request please contact:
info@shea-ziegler.com
1. ROA at StolenSpace “Hypnagogia” (London)
2. Katowice Street Art Festival 4/20-29 (Poland)
3. LALA Gallery Inauguration Saturday (Los Angeles)
4. Herakut “Loving the Exiled” at 941 Geary (San Francisco)
5. Marsea Gives You the “High Five!” at New Image Art Saturday (LA)
6. Erica Il Cane “Una Vita Violenta” at Fifty24MX Gallery (Mexico City)
7. Brett Amory “Waiting 101” at Outsiders Gallery (Newcastle, UK)
8. OLEK in Barcelona with Botero (VIDEO)
9. C215 “About Copyrights” (VIDEO)
10. The Bushwick Trailer (VIDEO)
ROA at StolenSpace “Hypnagogia” (London)
With his current show, now on view at the StolenSpace Gallery in London, ROA will demonstrate how you can be asleep and awake at the same time. His solo show “Hypnagogia” opens today to the general public and offers a dissected view of ROA’s fantastic world of animals and beasts. ROA’s hand crafted book “An Introduction To Animal Representation” by Mammal Press is on sale at The Old Truman Brewery on 91 Brick Lane. Hurry there are only only 125 tomes being offered.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Katowice Street Art Festival 4/20-29 (Poland)
Katowice, a Silesian city in Southern Poland celebrates Street Art with their own Street Art Festival, now on its second year, from April 20 through April 29. The gray, concrete architecture that dominates this town will be imbued with color, shapes and fantasy with the help of this city most prominent daughter, OLEK aided by an illustrious list of first rate of fine and Street Artists including Mark Kenkins, Escif, Boogie, Moneyless, Ganzeer, Ludo, Mona Tusz, Swanski, 0700 Team, Tellas, Dan Witz, Hyuro, M City, ROA, Goro, Kilo, Nespoon, Aryz, 108, Wers, Ciah-Ciah, Etam Crew, Otecki, Razpajzan, Sepe, Chazme, CFNTX Crew, Onte, Jezmirski, Terry Grand, Dast, Impact, Malik, Turbos and Mentalgassi.
For further information regarding this festival click here.
LALA Gallery Inauguration Saturday (Los Angeles)
The West Coast continues to assert itself as a power house in the art world and as a Street Art mecca with the inaugural show of LALA Gallery. A brand new gallery conceived by Daniel Lahoda, the mind and soul and legs of LA Freewalls Project.
LALA’s line up of artists for this first show augurs an auspicious beginning and a successful life which we hope last for a long, long time. “LA Freewalls Inside” is the title of this show and artists included are: Anthony Lister, Askew One, Becca, Cern, Chris Brand, Cryptik, Cyrcle, Dale VN Marshall, Dan Witz, Daze, Dee Dee Cheriel, Evan Skrederstu, How & Nosm, Insa, Jaybo, Kim West, Kofie, Lady Aiko, Ludo, Mear, The Perv Brothers, Poesia, Push, Pyro, Ripo, Risk, Ron English, Saber, Shepard Fairey, Swoon and Zes.
For further details regarding this show click here.
Herakut “Loving the Exiled” at 941 Geary (San Francisco)
Herakut, the indefatigable German collective are a busy duo with an impressive craft and a mastery of the can and paint brushes. Never compromising their artistic output regardless of their environment or medium they set their collaborative standards high with an output rich in earthy colors. Their palette of ores, reds, grays, oranges, blues, browns and yellows give birth to a universe of characters that are fantastic and mysterious and in pursuit of you, the spectator. In San Francisco at 941 Geary Gallery Saturday the reception will be open for the artists and you at “Loving the Exiled”.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Group Show “High Five!” at New Image Art Saturday (LA)
HIGH FIVE! the new group show at New Image Art Gallery in Los Angeles opens tomorrow and the artists include Alia Penner, Ashely Macomber, Curtis Kulig, Deanna Templeton, Maya Hayuk and Vanessa Prager.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Also happening this weekend:
Tomorrow, Saturday April 22 will be the last day to see Erica Il Cane show “Una Vita Violenta” at the Fifty24MX Gallery in Mexico City. The gallery will also participate with Erica Il Cane at the Zona Maco Mexico Arte Contemporaneo Art Fair in Mexico City. April 18 – April 22. For further details about “Una Vita Violenta” click here. For more details about Zona Maco, Mexico Arte Contemporaneo Art Fair click here.
Brett Amory solo show “Waiting 101” At the Outsiders Gallery in Newcastle, UK opens today to the general public. Click here for more details about this show.
OLEK in Barcelona with Botero (VIDEO)
Still working on that scarf you’ve been knitting for OLEK’s birthday? You missed it.
Belgium artist ROA is renowned for his unique portrayal of large scale urban wildlife, disquietly cohabiting city streets, hand painted in his distinctive black and white style. ROA has become famous
from painting animals on derelict buildings, shutters & walls literally all over the world. He has also exhibited to much acclaim all over the world and was also included in the MOCA exhibition ‘Art In The Streets’ in LA.
‘Hypnagogia’ will be a 2 space exhibition, featuring installation work & originals on found objects. As well as outdoor work across east London. To coincide with this show opening will also be the launch of ROA’s first artist book ‘Roa: An Introduction To Animal Representation’ by Mammal Press.
Etymolgically derived from the Greek words hypnos, “sleep” and agogos, “leading”, the title of the show refers to the transitional state between sleeping and awake. This grey area exists within every consciousness and is said to act as a bridge to other realities. ROA explores the ‘interstate’ with his portrayals of sleeping animals, whilst quietly around us the world awakens from a long winter, and the creatures he depicts experience a period of seasonal transition.
ROA is an artist deeply preoccupied with the significance of the creative process. Working conceptually on each project, he nurtures a dynamic energy which evolves during the restricted time-frame. His method is consistent. Arriving in a location he adapts to his habitat, allowing inspiration to flood from buildings and objects and literally ‘waking up’ to the realities surrounding him. Foraging for the recycled found-objects he seeks becomes a harder task in London, adding a new dimension and highlighting physical process and interaction in this completed body of work.
The animals themselves are represented in their purest forms, whether they be alone or in groups, sleeping or awake, half skeleton or part organ dissection. Using placement and the enlarging of subject, ROA implies the absurdity of the human attitude toward animals, as well as toward their own roots and origin. The architecture and discarded objects act as vessels for the huge creatures’ lifetimes, the realism of the images on the man-made material emphasising the tension between culture and nature. Observing the rodents occupying the cities he works in, ROA also comments on the acclimatisation of animals to the urbanised world.
ROA is both a voyeur and a commentator of the transitions he sees around him. ‘Hypnagogia’ is the exploration of a territory we often forget to enter, and both a literal and metaphorical statement of the disparity between human and animal behaviour.
Artist Book:
Roa: An Introduction To Animal Representation by Mammal Press
This, very much hand crafted, book chronicles ROA’s art around the world by 3 recurrent themes of his murals last year; through photographs, sketches, and reference material. the book offers an insight into the creative mind of the artist. Each book is a unique edition of 500, hand bound, including two fold out screen prints of ROA, a Bird dissection and lots more…
Please Note:
This exhibition will be held in 2 spaces, our usual permanent gallery (space 1) in the Truman Brewery and The Stone Masons, 17 Osborne Street London E1 6TD (space 2).
The Old Truman Brewery 91 Brick Lane London. E1 6QL
T:020 7247 2684 E:info@stolenspace.com Open Tuesday to Sunday 11.00am – 7.00pm
Photographer Geoff Hargadon loves London and on his most recent trip he took to the streets of the gritty London neighborhoods of Brick Lane and Shoreditch to see what’s up, and of course to check out a couple of galleries. Here are a few things that caught his eye to share with BSA, beginning with Street Artist Olek’s installation of text-based knitting at Tony’s Gallery.
Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring AVOID, Boxpark, Dan Witz, Gilf!, Jaye Moon, Kosbe, Love Me, bunny M, Power Revolution, Pure Evil, Rae, and some new stuff in London from guest photographer Geoff Hargadon.
Exhibiting works on paper by our current gallery artists, including screenprints from established pioneer of British pop art Peter Blake, who combines vibrant images of Brit pop culture and fine art. Following in his footsteps is William Blanchard, distinctly influenced by the pop art movement whose works are a casually critical commentary about the modern world, seamlessly integrating commercial culture into simple ideas, subjective declarations, personal outlooks and feelings.
In a similar way, Pakpoom Silaphan takes symbols of commercial culture and corporate branding, transforming them into personal visual memoirs of his childhood upbringing. Originally from Thailand, Silaphan creates portraits of influential people using vintage foreign but recognisable advertising signs as his canvas. Taking Warhol’s elevation of everyday brands to high art, and combining it with his adoration of famous and influential historical figures, Silaphan highlights the power of advertising as a global dominator. Similarly, Russell Young’s vibrant portraits of iconic figures draw attention to the power of celebrity and media. Russell’s work is striking; using instantly recognisable images coupled with his own style and techniques, his pieces immediately resonate with his audience.
Also, showing their work for the first time at Whisper, David Shillinglaw and Remi Rough are two artists combining street and fine art in innovative ways. London based artist David Shillinglaw’s work moves between street and studio, small hand‐made books to paintings on canvas, and large scale wall murals. His work is a reflection of the civilised and monstrous side of human nature, and the day‐to‐day conversational poetry we use to demonstrate feelings and physical conditions. Friend and collaborator Remi Rough transcends the traditional and somewhat idealised vision of a graffiti writer, and creates work that simultaneously belongs on the streets and in the home or gallery without seeming out of context. Merging bold colours and modern abstraction with a clean, minimal style his work is a progressive example of urban art.
Far from bold and confrontational subject matter, Bruce French’s anonymous and faceless subjects express mass emotion through the simplest lines in oil, charcoal, pencil and print. Images of figures suspended in movement reflect the human form in its most simple and natural state.
Lyle Owerko is a New York‐based filmmaker and photographer, who has been collecting vintage boomboxes for years, resulting in an arresting and unexpected photoseries featuring these cult objects, giving life and personality to each one individually.
Finally, Whisper’s newest addition is Dutch artist LG White, who exhibits across a broad spectrum of artistic mediums. Her original drawings instantly highlight her remarkable talent as a skilled draughtsman. Beautifully detailed pencil on card depictions of imagined landscapes hang perfectly alongside strong photo etchings that portray the contemporary skull as an intricate and delicate icon.
27/28 Eastcastle Street London W1W 8DH Whisperfineart.com | +44 (0)20 7268 9851
STATIC is the creative output of two individuals who have been working as one since 2006. Their work combines elements of street art and fine art, merging a clean graphic style with stencils, spray paint, screen printing and paint brushes, to create unique pieces which have been exhibited on the streets of London as well as a number of international gallery spaces.
Whisper fine art
27/28 Eastcastle Street
London
W1W 8DH
Tel: 0207 268 9858
Email: ruth@whisperfineart.co.uk
or jake@whisperfineart.co.uk
Gallery Hours
10-6pm Monday – Friday
or by appointment
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