NYC

“Boxed In” Group Show at Factory Fresh

March 22, 2009 , ,

Boxed In 
A GROUP ART EXHIBIT PRESENTED BY
Plaztik Mag & Factory Fresh
Friday, May 1st 7-10pm
Show runs till May 21JIM AVIGNOn Live Music show

THIS PROJECT IS INSPIRED BY THE RECENT HOUSING & ECONOMIC MELTDOWN. SINCE IT SEEMS WE WILL ALL BE LIVING IN A CARDBOARD BOX SOON, WE DECIDED TO BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE. WE’RE HAVING AMAZING ARTISTS CREATE THEIR DREAM CARDBOARD BOX HOME.

PLAZTIK MAG & THEIR FRIENDS FACTORY FRESH HAVE CREATED A SITE SPECIFIC SHOW & HAVE BROUGHT TOGETHER ARTISTS INTERESTED IN CREATING CARDBOARD BOX HOMES & THEIR INHABITANTS. THIS GROUP IS JOINING TOGETHER TO WORK ON TRANSFORMING THE ENTIRE GALLERY INTO A CARDBOARD WONDERLAND.

KEEPING IT TO FACTORY FRESH STANDARD THE ARTISTS WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER ON SITE FOR TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO SHOW TIME TO BRING YOU THE UNEXPECTED. THE DIVERSE GROUP OF CONTEMPORARY & URBAN ARTISTS, MOST OF WHOM HAVE NEVER MET EACH OTHER, WILL EXPRESS THEIR VISION IN CARDBOARD FOR THE FIRST TIME.

TO ALL OF US AT PLAZTIK MAG & FACTORY FRESH THIS SHOW IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES… WE DON’T KNOW WHAT FLAVOR TO START WITH! SHOULD WE START WITH URBAN LEGENDS LIKE WANE.ONE & JAES of C.O.D CREW? OR DAMON JOHNSON WHO’S BEEN CALLED THE NEXT ANDY WARHOL.
OR MAYBE…

BARNEY’S FAVORTITE ARTIST KIM PIOTROWSKI! BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! WHAT’S ALISON CORRIE HIDING BEHIND THE CANDY WRAPPER? OOOHHHHH… AND THERE’S NO TELLING WHAT SURPRISES WILL COME FROM SKEWVILLE, SCOTCH 79 a.k.a. KEO, SICK BEAR ATE HIS PAW IN DISPAIR, BLUE BABY DESIGNS, CISCONYC, MORGAN SHEASBY, ALLISON MALINSKY, AND NOAH SPARKES.

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NEO CONs at Frost Street Gallery

March 14, 2009 , ,

Aakash Nihalani, PosterBoy, and Ellis G.

form the new Crew called Neo Cons and are putting on their first show together.

From the Press Release:

17 Frost presents NEO CON NEW YORK, an exhibition of collaborative installations by the Neo-Con collective [Aakash Nihalani, Ellis G., Poster Boy]. The collective consists of artists that utilize ephemeral mediums to create public art, focusing on neo-contextualizing the mundane. Their works, on and off the street, possess urgent relevance to modern societal contradictions and conflagrations, confronting the humanness of discomfort and dissatisfaction with typical, routine, existence.
Opening Reception for NEO CON NEW YORK will be March 21st, 2009, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at 17 Frost Gallery, located at 17 Frost Street between Union Avenue and Lorimer Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

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“Work to Do” is on Schedule for March 26 at The Combine

March 12, 2009 , ,

Collaboration is the Piece
Collaboration makes the total Piece (collage and design Anna Robie, photos Jazzmine Beaulieu)

Royce Bannon and the Endless Love Crew

have been working hard and probably playing a little too, and the group show they have engineered is a quick primer on what street art is looking like at the moment in Brooklyn, and elsewhere. The show inaugurates a hallowed creative space for artists in Soho and christens it with a new name, The Combine, at 112 Greene Street in Soho.

The theme of the show, “Work to Do” pays a tribute to words and works of the new president in this land, and Afrika Bambaataa has written a new song with the same name, which he’ll be performing when he reunites with the Soulsonic Force at the opening.

See more about the show and our interview with Royce here.

“We have to work like our future depends on it, because it does” – Barack Obama

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Be a Deer, Won’t You?

March 11, 2009 , , ,

For most of the 00’s the creatures of the natural world began appearing in our forward-looking art and music, like prophets,

and while it’s true that the streets are saying things, have the animals been saying things to us too?  And if so, what are we hearing? Broken Crow always has animals in his work on the street, Dennis McNett too.  Are they giving voice to the other inhabitants of the planet, inhabitants far removed from the urban jungle?

Anyway, what brought this to mind again was these two friends we met this weekend.

At the Leo Kesting booth at Fountain Art Fair (photo Steven P. Harrington)
At the Leo Kesting booth at Fountain Art Fair (photo Steven P. Harrington)

A piece by China Morbosa at her show at Alphabeta (photo Steven P. Harrington)
A piece by China Morbosa at her show at Alphabeta (photo Steven P. Harrington)

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Nathan Pickett is Killing it in the Back Room

March 10, 2009 , ,
Carnal Lexicon Carnivorous (Nathan Lee Pickett)

Carnal Lexicon Carnivorous (Nathan Lee Pickett)

Breathe Like You Mean It

Nathan Lee Pickett is from Virginia, yet another incredible transplant to Brooklyn.  I was already revved up and excited by the Morning Breath/Cycle show up front gallery at Ad Hoc that is running until March 22, but Mr. Pickett left me kind of stupified.

No pictures do it justice, so try to hit it this weekend – the paper cutting alone is so intense and detailed that to use it for a stencil almost seems beside the point – the pretty chaos that ensues from layering rich dense color, a calligraphic hand, and pulling the screen back from the wall so it’s shapes cast intricate shadows on the wall… Pickett’s new work is a revelation.

Detail

Detail (Nathan Lee Pickett)

AdHoc Art Gallery

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We Invented the Remix

March 10, 2009 ,

No it’s not another 80’s song with a drum track and lyrics flowing over top,

it’s a brash re-ordering of a postering campaign in Williamsburg, Brooklyn over the past couple of weeks, where hundreds of copies were on surfaces everywhere. The original picture appears to be of Lewis Allan Reed, a purported musician of some type, wearing a t-shirt of the advertiser’s name, as interpreted by photographer Terry Richardson.

Within the first week (or day) the campaign appeared on abandoned lots and on the sides of condo construction sites, the rows of repeated posters were re-faced by street artist collective Faile, neating placing tiger’s heads over the bespectacled rocker and the word “Vanit y” over the logo on his t-shirt.

Saturday night on Bedford Ave. we spotted this total reapportioned interpretation, using what appears to be multiple pieces of the image in a bag and then dumping it out.  It’s not signed but we have a good guess who this collab is.  You just can’t be sure who to shout out to sometimes.

Poster Diddy featuring Daddy A. (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Poster Diddy featuring Bid Daddy A. (photo Steven P. Harrington)
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BENEFIT SILENT AUCTION FOR SWIMMING CITIES OF SERENISSIMA

March 10, 2009 ,
"Their Eyes were watching God" (Patrick May)

"Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Patrick May


BENEFIT SILENT AUCTION FOR SWIMMING CITIES OF SERENISSIMA:
Secret Project Robot, March 14th, 2009

Secret Project Robot – 210 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (at Metropolitan)
March 14th – Benefit Silent Auction 7:30pm – 10pm, Dance Party 9pm – 3am

swimmingcities.org
secretprojectrobot.org

Secret Project Robot will host a silent auction to benefit SWOON’s latest nautical art project Swimming Cities of Serenissima. The benefit will take place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on March 14th. The bidding begins at 7:30pm and ends promptly at 10pm. Dancing and Djing by The Paw and Dirty Finger will follow the silent auction. Here is a selection of the participating artists:

  • SWOON
  • Maya Hayuk
  • Monica Canilao
  • Tony Bones
  • Michelle Handelman
  • Patrick May
  • Santiago Mostyn
  • D-Dock of Hobby Horse
  • Imminent Disaster
  • Radek Szczesny
  • Ryan Doyle of the Black Label Bicycle Club
"Sky Watch" (Radek Szczesny)

"Sky Watch" (Radek Szczesny)

The Swimming Cities of Serenissima is a fleet of three intricately hand-crafted vessels that will navigate the Adriatic Sea from the Karst region of Slovenia to Venice, Italy in May of 2009.  Designed by the artist SWOON, the floating sculptures are descendants of the Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea (Hudson River, 2008) and the Miss Rockaway Armada (Mississippi River, 2006 and 2007). The Swimming Cities of Serenissima are built from salvaged materials, including modified Mercedes car motors with long-tail propellers.  For Swimming Cities, SWOON will collaborate with 30 artists from the United States, including OBIE award-winning playwright Lisa D’Amour. As the Swimming Cities move toward Venice, the crew will collect and install keepsakes in an ark-like cabinet of wonders that will be on display on the boats when they arrive.  Once in Venice, the boats and crew will offer intimate performances that incorporate music, shadow puppetry, and story.  The project is produced with the assistance of Deitch Projects, Paper Monster and Black Rat Press.

Secret Project Robot is a not-for-profit space located in the forest of Monster Island and represents the Mighty Robot A/V squad, HappyFun art group and Sound Artists Robot Death Cult. It is a 2000 square foot performance, and installation centered experimental space founded upon the idea that art should be fun.

For information contact A’yen Tran ayen@swimmingcities.org. Secret Project Robot is located at 210 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221 (at Metropolitan).
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NYC Community Murals Event at CUNY Aaron Davis Hall

March 8, 2009 ,

Images of the African Diaspora in New York City Community Murals
OPENING RECEPTION
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2009
6:30 – 8:30 PM
Harlem Stage @ Aaron Davis Hall/
The City College of New York–Lobby
Convent Avenue at 135th Street
Subway: 1 Train to 137th Street
Walk to 135th and turn left.
Convent Avenue is 2 blocks east.
Questions?
212.989.3006 or NYCMuralBook@aol.com
will be available for purchase
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Logan Hicks + Broken Crow = “Broken Horse” at 498 Court Street

March 7, 2009 , ,

Renowned stencil artist Logan Hicks will be teaming up with the two-man painting team known as Broken Crow for the Broken Horse exhibit running May 1 – 3 at the former Hamilton Savings and Loan Bank in Brooklyn, NY (498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231).

‘THE BROKEN HORSE’  
The Artwork of Broken Crow and Logan Hicks  

BROKEN HORSE will run May 1st to May 3rd  
Opening: Friday, May 1st 7-11pm  
Hours: May 2-3 12pm to 6pm  

Broken Crow, the two-man painting team, and Logan Hicks (Workhorse) are proud to announce the ‘The Broken Horse’ show. This 3-day event will mark the first offcial show in New York for all three of the internationally acclaimed artists.  Taking the current economic state head on, the show will be hosted at the former Hamilton Savings and Loan Bank at 498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY, in Carroll Gardens.  

Although it appears to be simply a mix of the artists’ monikers (Broken Crow and Workhorse), the show’s title ‘The Broken Horse’ rejects the dualism of each artist’s work. Using this platform, the artists tackle the subject of living beings in their environment. Perhaps the Broken Horse is one whose spirit has been ‘broken’ – reared for servitude; maybe it refers to a busted horse, one that is damaged and no longer of use.  This dualism leaves the title, and each artist’s respective work, open to interpretation: productive versus ruined, urban landscape or wildlife, ominous against auspicious.   

Logan Hicks’ work often showcases the sprawling inhabitants of the city juxtapozed against the stark, grey environment in which they live. In many of his pieces, people wind through the streets, walk between cars, and pour out of buildings. It is as though the flow of people within the street mirrors the movement of water in a stream snaking around rocks, trees, and obstacles. The focal point of Logan’s work rests within the rhythmical pattern of crowds in the metropolitan environment.

By contrast, the central theme of Broken Crow’s artwork is the solo animal in nature. The work elevates the status of nature and showcases the importance of life outside the city. Often, the subject matter of Broken Crow’s pieces are animals menacingly staring down on the viewer. With murals larger in size than real life, these animals hover over the viewer in wait, observing and plotting.   

BROKEN CROW

John Grider
John Grider is a stencil artist and muralist from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In 2008, he painted walls in Paris, London, Duluth, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Brooklyn, took part in exhibitions across Europe, was published in books from France and Greece, painted inside of a sky scraper, retired all of his stencils, and got deported from England.   

As part of the two-man team known as Broken Crow, they have sought out to quadruple-handedly paint the largest stencils known to man- and womankind.  They are rumored to hold the unoffcial record for cutting the world’s largest stencil.   

Mike Fitzsimmons
Mike Fitzsimmons is a muralist/painter, and the platonic other half of the world-renowned duo known as Broken Crow.

He was classically trained in sculpture and painting at Illinois State University and has been cutting his own hair for a whopping fourteen years.   

He cites his influences as everything from mid-nineties West Coast gangster rap, home remodeling and repair, music, cooking dinner with his wife, and long road trips.

He currently resides in St. Paul, Minnesota.  

WORKHORSE

Logan Hicks 
Logan Hicks is a stencil artist who has been stenciling his way around the world for the past 10 years. Known for his meticulious multi-layered stencils, his work captures the sensory overload with which a city can inundate a person.

With shows in nearly 30 countries and showing no signs of slowing down, Logan has brought his artwork to cities as far away as Cape Town, South Africa and Shanghai, China.   

Logan is from Baltimore, Maryland, but currently lives in New York City.  Citing New York as the ‘city of all cities’, Logan can often be found wandering the subway system at 4 in the morning taking pictures for his artwork or simply observing the army of people coursing through the tunnels like blood through a body’s veins and arteries.   

Our interview last summer with Broken Crow can be seen here:

Logan Hicks

Broken Crow

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Jim Avignon at Factory Fresh “Anxiety Room” Closing

March 5, 2009 , , ,

Jon Burgeron and Jim Avignon have been hopping around Brooklyn

for the last month since arriving for their very successful and entertaining show that opened on February 12 at Factory Fresh.

Friday the 13th they will be reprising the fun-times of the opening with their “closing party”, even though the show will remain for a couple more days.  Jim is planning to play some songs and Jon is planning to draw on your sweater if you don’t keep your eye on him.


Factory Fresh announces it’s Closing Weekend Performance.
Jim Avignon performs Live

Friday, March 13th from 7:30pm -10pm
Anxiety Tune

Jim Avignon will play songs from his last 9 albums including a few very new ones about that obscure anxiety thing and also some that has Jon Burgerman samples in it.
Show runs till March 15, 2009. Factory Fresh is open Wednesday – Sunday 1-7pm.
Pictures from the Opening on Feb 12
Hold Still while I trace your aura through this cardboard.
The artists hurriedly finish their installation as the crowd arrives.
The assembled gallery-goers.
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Week In Images 03.01.09

March 5, 2009 , ,

I'm gaurding these bricks. Don't move any further. (Veng from RWK) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Halt! Step no further! I’m guarding this brick wall. (Veng from RWK) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Honey there's an Alien in the stairwell (UFO) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Honey there’s an alien in the stairway (UFO) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Been awfully windy lately (photo Jaime Rojo)

Been awfully windy lately (Skewville) (photo Jaime Rojo)

There's a party up in here (photo Jaime Rojo)

There’s a Party Up in Here! (photo Jaime Rojo)

(NohjColey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Derivation of Contemplation (NohjColey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

(photo Jaime Rojo)
Which way is the wild side again? (Nobody) (photo Jaime Rojo)

pity party (photo Jaime Rojo)

Pass me a cupcake, with you? (Karat) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Okay Erykah is Hot but check out my (Goons) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Okay Erykah is Hot but check out my T-shirt (Goons, The Dude Company) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Tamed (Faile) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Tamed (Faile) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Wild Librarian on the Loose! (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Wild photog on the Loose! Watch out! (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hero to Lehman apparently (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

A hero to the Lehman family apparently (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

That's funny, bunny (Aiko) (photo Jaime Rojo)

That’s funny, bunny (Aiko) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Poster Boy and Aakash Nihalani (photo Jaime Rojo)

Overnight delivery in a flash! (Poster Boy and Aakash Nihalani) (photo Jaime Rojo)

(Aakash Nihilani) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Transformer Boxes (Aakash Nihilani) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Are you sure? (Zoso) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Are you sure? (Zoso) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Midwinter spring is its own season (Shin Shin) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Midwinter spring is its own season (Shin Shin) (photo Jaime Rojo)

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Mighty Tanaka “As Is” Show in Clinton Hill

March 4, 2009 , ,

Mighty Tanaka is proud to present As Is, the artwork of JMR and In the Raw, a group show featuring Alexandra Pacula, Will Anderson and David Cook. This combined event seeks to bring communities together through a pop-up gallery located in the popular upcoming Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn. Through the usage of this alternative space to display fine art, these two art shows look to expand the interpretation of art in Brooklyn, mirroring the beauty of fine art with the seemingly raw environment of Brooklyn life.

As Is: The Artwork of JMR— JM Rizzi, or better known as JMR, has adapted a unique mixture of neo-abstract expressionism w hints of contemporary pop to create a style all is own. Having worked in both the street art world as well as the gallery world, JMR brings his iconic imagery to Clinton Hill . As he looks to demonstrate the scale and motion set forth by early abstract expressionists, he reinterprets the ideas within his own personal adaptation. Originally hailing from Brooklyn, New York, JMR has grown up with the influences of street art and the established art world constantly around him. Through his own individual, hybrid street style, he has dedicated himself to helping art fit into the public arena. Having participated in the highly successful 11 Spring St show in 2006, he has gone on to produce art for hotels and restaurants, as well as completing building sized murals in Manhattan. Having just completed the design for a line of clothes, which were featured at a recent fashion show during NYC’s fashion week, JMR looks to expand the idea and integrity of his art to the next level.

In the Raw: Alexandra Pacula, Will Anderson & David Cook—A group show consisting of three talented artists demonstrates an array of different mediums and approaches. Highlighting the unique artistic interpretation of each artist, In the Raw looks to offer insight into some of the exciting art currently being produced in Brooklyn. Alexandra Pacula has been showing art both regionally and internationally for the past six years. With a healthy resume consisting of both museum and gallery shows, she most recently won the Saatchi Gallery Showdown Competition in 2008, having her art displayed in the esteemed institution. Originally from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, Will Anderson began his artistic venture as a graphic designer. After moving to New York in 1997, he began pursuing photography. Currently working for Nylon Magazine, his award winning work has been published and exhibited both nationally and internationally. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, David Cook moved to NYC after being featured in New American Paintings. Working primarily on t-shirt and record design, he most recently received attention for his work in the Young Widows album Old Wounds.

Opening Saturday March 7th, 6-8pm. 105 Lexington Ave, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

___________________________________
Alex Emmart
Owner/Curator
Mighty Tanaka LLC

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