All posts tagged: Antony Micallef

At the Vanguard: Bristol Opens Exhibition On Evolution of Global Movement of Street Art

At the Vanguard: Bristol Opens Exhibition On Evolution of Global Movement of Street Art

June 24, 2021

This Saturday marks the opening of an outstanding exhibition in Bristol, England documenting the pivotal role the city has played in the formation of street art from the 1980s to today. Entitled Vanguard Bristol Street Art: The Evolution and mounted at the Global Movement Bristol Museum’s M Shed, the show presents the view of this worldwide movement as seen through the birth and growth of Bristol’s scene from the perspective of artists singular voices rising together in a crescendo that shook the arena of public self-expression with maverick ideas and activist ideals.

Bristol B-Boys head spinning in front of 3D’s and Z Boys’ Wild Bunch Rocit, 1983, photographic print on paper, Broadmead, Bristol, 21 x 29.7cm (8.2 x 11.7in) (photo ©Beezers Photos)

Vanguard positions itself as an examination of artists creative response to Bristol’s “pioneering underground scene throughout the UK’s turbulent social and political history” with a focus on driving social change – one that influenced subsequent street artists everywhere.

Among the Bristolian and UK artists featured will be new works by Adam Neate, Andy Council, Antony Micallef, Bill Posters, China Mike, Conor Harrington, Dale VMN Collins (Dale Marshall), Dicy, Eko, Feek, Filthy Luker, Inkie, Lucas Price, Lucy McLauchlan, Matt Small, Mau Mau, Mr Jago, Paris, Rowdy, Sickboy, Swoon, Will Barras, and Xenz.

Conor Harrington (Irish, b.1980) The Blind Exit, 2020, oil and spray paint on linen, SIGNED, 250cm x 200cm (98.5in x 78.5in) (Image credit: Conor Harrington)

A trove of documentation presents times that provide context and insight into the wild, wooley, and ingenious artist works that shaped what was to come – including a five minute edit of the seminal film Wild Style by filmmaker Charlie Ahearn, and a new seven-minute film by Scottish filmmaker Doug Gillen. Additionally presented are unseen and classic images specific to the Bristol graffiti and street art scene by Henry Chalfant, Matthew Smith, Carrie Hitchcock, Yan Saunders, and Beezer, along with projections by Kineta Hill and Karen Dew.

Carrie Hitchcock-Barton-Hill-Youth-Club-1990. (photo © Carrie Hitchcock)

Running through October 31st this year, the original works and memorabilia are key to understanding the events and socio/political arnarchistic framework that sparked and fueled what became known as the Bristol scene, replete with an accompanying book featuring worldwide academics, film directors, writers, artists, creatives and specialists and an exclusive album of tracks forming the roots of the Bristol Sound.

We’re pleased to offer a sneak peek of the show here today and we encourage you to make the trip to see what will undoubtedly be sited as an important exhibition – as we all continue our education about the pathways of the global evolution of street art.

Will Barras (British, b.1973), Blue Surfer, 2021, signed in bottom right corner, acrylic on canvas, 800mm x 800mm (31.5 x 31.5in) (Image Credit – Johnny Green)
Through the fence, Barton Hill Youth Club, 1990 (photo ©Carrie Hitchcock)

Vanguard | Bristol Street Art: The Evolution of a Global Movement is kindly supported by Vans. Vanguard | Bristol Street Art: The Evolution of a Global Movement M Shed, Bristol, BS1 4RN
Saturday 26 June 2021 – Sunday 31 October 2021
Admission £8 adult* / £7 concession* (*Tickets include £1 voluntary donation to Bristol Museums Development Trust)

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Street Artists At Munich Museum Present the Portrait, “IMAGO” Curated by Elisabetta Pajer

Street Artists At Munich Museum Present the Portrait, “IMAGO” Curated by Elisabetta Pajer

July 18, 2018

From cave carvings in Angoulême in western France 27,000 years ago to your daily, perhaps hourly selfie on a cell phone today, our desire to depict the figure is as much a reflection of the artist and their times as it’s sitter.

A new show at MUCA Munich (Museum of Urban Contemporary Art) opening today invites 30 primarily Street Artists to choose a significant reference portrait of any historical time, country of origin, or artistic movement and interpret their inspirations into a portrait.

Whether drawing influences from Vermeer, Courbet, or Lucien Freud, each artist ultimately represents their own life experiences in their choice of subject and the technique of portrayal. Perhaps that is why curator Elisabetta Pajer has asked each of the artists to give us a statement with their work to help put it into context. Pajer tells us that she looks at the collection of works and the statements create a ‘harmonic mosaic’ of these figurative and written testimonies.

“These artists have sought out inspiration from many mediums that portraiture finds itself interpreted within,” says Pajer. “Taking their themes and inspiration from classical paintings, sculpture, film, theater, photographer, interactions, culture, religion, and science. Exhibiting a great understanding of the complexity of self-reflection with art as the catalyst.”

We’re pleased to be able to present some of the artists and their own words here.

Andreas Englund

Andreas Englund. Tripping. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

TRIPPING
Media: Oil on canvas
Size: 116 x 90 cm
 
-Statement
“I chose to tribute my artwork to the ‘‘Portrait of a smoking man’’ by Anders Zorn 1860-1920 – Swedens most internationally acclaimed artist. Born in my home region and very inspirational when it comes to his sketchy technique. By doing my own version of this masterpiece with my superhero, I have learned more about ‘‘the great Zorn’’ and his technique.”

Martha Cooper

Martha Cooper. Futura 1983. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

FUTURA 1983
Media: Archival pigment print
Size: 50,8 x 76,20 cm
 
-Statement
“This is a 1983 photo of Futura, a legendary New York City graffiti writer, with a classic can of Krylon spray paint. Thirty-five years later, Futura is still spray painting and I am still taking photos of graffiti writers.”

Icy + Sot

Icy & Sot. Under The Water Light. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artists)

UNDER THE WATER LIGHT
Media: Stencil spray paint on canvas
Size: 91,5 x 123 cm
 
-Statement
“This portrait is part a series we created reflecting on the relationship between human and nature. Nature plays a big role in human lifespan, but nowadays people have distanced from nature. With this work, we want to show humans closer to nature and pay a tribute to it.”

Swoon

Swoon. Thalassa. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

THALASSA
Media: Screenprint on paper with coffee stain and hand painting with collage mounted on board
Size: 123 × 138 cm
 
-Statement
“The name Thalassa is Greek word for ‘‘ocean’’, a primordial incarnation of the sea that is not often personified. Thalassa is said to have given birth to all tribes of fish in the sea. She is the pull of the sea that comes from inside the salt water in our blood. ‘Thalassa was originally created for New Orleans. It was the months after the Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf in 2010, and this body of water that I’d loved since I was a child was in peril. As I drew Thalassa surging up from the water I felt her rising like a wake up call, one reminds us of our inseparability from the sea. When I stand in front of the ocean, the word that always appears first in my mind is “mother”. For me there is no mistaking the sense that the sea is our first mother.’ ”

Borondo

Gonzalo Borondo & Diego Lopez Bueno. Selfie Elvis II. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo © Blind Eye Factory)

GONZALO BORONDO & DIEGO LOPEZ BUENO
SELFIE ELVIS II
Media: Acrylic and plaster on wood – Plasma TV 50’’- Video on loop – 16:9 Digital – Color
Size: 7 panels each – 120 x 70 x 1 cm + 1 TV
 
-Statement
“Inspired by several passport photos found within the Marseilles “Marché aux Puches” (FR), Borondo and Lopez Bueno have designed an installation project with the title “Selfie Elvis II”. Imagination is the basis of the multimedia work with self-portraits of a man recalling the contemporary “selfie”. There are dozens of frames describing human aspects and obsessions. They have been digitally elaborated and assembled in a video by López Bueno. Borondo portrayed Elvis with acrylic on wood and applying gypsum, then scratched with sharp instruments. Faces appeared by subtraction, the absence tells about an ancestral and intangible dimension, wondering about its existence. Is Elvis looking at himself or us in that picture? And what about our images, do they look like us or they are just our dreams? Elvis is not there, Elvis is still there.”

Addison Karl

Addison Karl. Kamassa. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

KAMASSA
Media: Bronze, edition 1 of 10
Size: 30,48 x 20,32 x 15,24 cm
 
 
-Statement
“Portraiture in context to sculpture and form – referencing the masterpieces from both European Classical and Neoclassical time periods. From a culture l mirror of taking inspiration from Gods and Goddess of the ancient world, my sculpture’s subject is focused on a contemporary Chickasaw Elder. Using portraiture as a means of Cultural Preservation but equally re-appropriating classic sensibilities of art history to a Native Cultural narrative. “

 

Various & Gould

Various & Gould. Trigger (Rokhaya Diallo). IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artists)

TRIGGER (ROKHAYA DIALLO)
Media: Acrylic on canvas
Size: 200 x 140 cm
-Statement
“Our portrait of Rokhaya Diallo refers to an iconic work by Nikide Saint Phalle: The artistically revised film still “Daddy” shows the artist pointing a gun directly at the viewer. Even almost 50 years later, her eye and the muzzle of her rifle leave no doubt that she is serious about it. Anyone who sees the work feels immediately like coming into the firing line.
In our painting, the French journalist and film maker Rokhaya Diallo takes the place and – freely recreated – also the pose of Niki de Saint Phalle. Thus, an early feministic, vigorous artist of the twentieth century is followed by a modern, committed internet feminist with no less strong verve than her predecessor. Both women are even the same age at the time of the illustration. Only instead of the rifle, Rokhaya Diallo relies on her very own “weapon”, the hashtag. At first glance, it may seem more harmless than a rifle, but in times of #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo it can be an even more powerful tool.”

 

Fintan Magee

Fintan Magee The Removalist. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

THE REMOVALIST
Media: Canvas and acrylic on wall installation
 
-Statement
“The portrait has been ripped off the canvas and dragged across the ground and projected onto the wall. The artist has destroyed the canvas and made the portrait ephemeral, rendering it worthless and unsellable. The work comments on the commodification of artwork and the uneasy and paradoxical relationship between artist and the financier of his artworks. With street art becoming increasingly commoditized and contributing to gentrification this work doesn’t aim to make any grand statements on how art should or shouldn’t be produced, only highlight the illusionary, absurdist and contradictory image the art industry presents of itself.”

VHILS

VHILS. Matta. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

MATTA
Media: Bas-relief carving on plasterboard mounted on metal structure
Size: 181 x 120,5 x 34 cm
 
-Statement

“Resorting to a bas-relief carving technique, applied here to a free-standing structure of plasterboard, this piece is a homage to the work of Gordon Matta-Clark, which became a major influence on me after I first saw it at an exhibition in Portugal, in 2002. Matta-Clark was one of the first artists to look at the urban space as a space of creation and reflection on the human condition in the contemporary times we live in. Those are the considerations I try to translate in my own work too, reflecting about the human condition in the contemporary times we live in.”

Andrea Wan

Andrea Wan. Being Of Light. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

BEING OF LIGHT
Media: Ink on paper
Size: 50 x 70 cm
 
-Statement

“Fascinated by the lively and dynamic landscape in the paintings of native Canadian Artist Emily Carr, I chose one of her most renown works, Indian Church (1929) as the subject of reinterpretation. Seemingly more accurate than a realistic approach, Carr’s abstraction of nature elements not only communicated to me that nature is vast and subliminal but also ever-changing in form and expression. The white church which stands calmly in the midst of the mystical environment inspired me to personify the subject as a being who is in tune with all that’s around her.”

DALeast

DALeast. FIII. IMAGO. MUCA Munich. (photo courtesy of the artist)

FIII
Media: Acrylic on canvas
Size: 100 x 80 cm
 
-Statement
“A still moment of Fiii standing in the windy land, which is existing inside the transitory gathering of the particles of the magical net.”

IMAGO: A History of Portraits opens today at MUCA Museum of Urban And Contemporary Art. Munich. Curated by Elisabetta Pajer the show runs until November 2018.

IMAGO is a show dedicated to the history of portrait: over 30 artists from five different continents are invited to pay homage and interpret a portrait in their medium of their choice. IMAGO aims to lead visitors through different artistic eras, helping discover the international history and evolution of the portrait.

Artists include:

Jef Aerosol
ASKEW ONE
Borondo
Vesod Brero
Martha Cooper
DALeast
Paola Delfin
Anna Piera Di Silvestre
Andreas Englund
Evoca 1
Ricky Lee Gordon
Hubertus Hamm
Handiedan
Icy&Sot
Addison Karl
Know Hope
Klone Yourself
Fintan Magee
Mario Mankey
Marco Mazzoni
Antony Micallef
Miss Van
Nychos
Sepe
David Shillinglaw
Søren Solkær
Sten Lex
SWOON
TelmoMiel
TWOONE

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Fun Friday 10.12.12

October 12, 2012

Looks like the Yankees could have used Joe Biden last night. “Who is this grandpa man?”, said my homey Ikbar behind the counter at the news stand, irritated that the Vice President has to hog half the cover of the New York Post from Derek Jeter. Guess the Scranton Slugger was knocking them out of the wrong park for some New Yorkers last night.

Also, anybody know why there are 10 TV vans with their saucers rotating on top and kleig lights at the end of their extended electronic probes blinding innocent semi-sleeping commuters walking by the Marcy projects in Brooklyn this morning? Saw Blondy McBlonderwig with perfect teeth and fishbowl eyes shrieking in a trench coat in front of the camera on the way to the M train, safely behind all the “crime scene” tape.  Think the news has decided to do a story on the class war?

And now LIVE, here are the important up-to-the-minute stories we’re following for you this hour on WBSA.

1. Bedlam in London
2. Jaye Moon Breaks the Code (NYC)
3. Moniker 2012 (London)
4. John Breiner at Mighty Tanaka (Brooklyn)
5. “Good Guys” in Chicago
6. "Street Art Live" in Da Bronx All Day Sunday
7. SANER "Catharsis" From The Cinema (VIDEO)
8. I Love Paris Volume 5 by kouettv (VIDEO)

Bedlam in London

If you are in London this weekend and are feeling spooky and wild, nevermind that tame Madame Tussard – turn your GPS to “BEDLAM”, Lazarides new group exhibition underground in the Old Vic Tunnels. With artists including Antony Micallef, Artists Anonymous, ATMA, Conor Harrington, Dan Witz, Doug Foster, Ian Francis, Karim Zeriahen, Kelsey Brookes, Klaus Weiskopf, Lucy McLauchlan, Michael Najjar, Nachev, Tessa Farmer, Tina Tsang, Tobias Klein, War Boutique and 3D all of them working on the theme of pandemonium. Inspired by the infamous mental hospital, we were expecting to see Boris Karloff popping around the corner while appreciating scary art that experiments on your brain. Welcome.

Dan Witz on the streets of Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Jaye Moon Breaks the Code (NYC)

She’s been constructing on the streets for a year or two, but her main tricks have been in the gallery for about a decade. Street and Fine Artist Jaye Moon has a new solo show titled “Breaking the Code” at the Newman Popiashvili Gallery in Manhattan so you can see where some of this Lego madness came from. Study the numbers and the text and break the code. And don’t forget to hit up Red Hook Brooklyn because Jaye Moon is also an artist in GEOMETRICKS currently on view at Gallery Brooklyn.

Jaye Moon on the streets of Manhattan. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

For further information regarding GEOMETRICKS click here.

Moniker 2012 (London)

MONIKER ART FAIR is in full swing and open for business until this Sunday. Take a trip to The Village Underground in Shoreditch if you are interested on seeing original works of art by some Street Artists who are moving the conversation on the streets right now. Remi Rough, Penny, Niels ‘Shoe’ Meulman, Ludo, Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada, Hush, C215, Ben Slow are all represented with installations and new works of art.

HUSH on the streets of Manhattan. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further details and a full list of artists and schedules click here.

John Breiner at Mighty Tanaka (Brooklyn)

Not a Street Artist but seemingly always in the street mix – maybe he has a lot of Street Art friends or something because Jon Breiner has been at a lot of events over the last couple of years and we’ve had the opportunity to see his studio work evolve so here’s a shout out. Breiner might be one of those definitely underrated fine artists that you don’t pay much attention to and then BAM!, where the hell did this kid come from? A curator of shows and DJ, Breiner goes deep below still waters; Fastidious in his craft Mr. Breiner’s work gets close and personal, meticulously drawn and painted, portaits with weight intricately real and occasional surreal little stories with plots that are off center. His new show titled “Sooner or Later We All Make the Little Flowers Grow” opens tonight at the Mighty Tanaka Gallery in DUMBO.

John Breiner. Detail. (image courtesy of the gallery)

For further information regarding this show click here.

“Good Guys” in Chicago

Wanna know who “The Good Guys” are? Head over to 2381 Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago where The HOTBOX MOBILE GALLERY new group show will open tomorrow showcasing local talent of Chicago born and raised Street Artists including, Left Handed Wave, Brooks Golden, Clam Nation, Don’t Fret, Espir, Nudnik, Lucx and Nice-one.

Nice One on the streets of Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

“Street Art Live” in Da Bronx All Day Sunday

This Sunday the Sermon is at The Bronx and the Minister is SinXero.

Showing brotherly love New York style, a group of Street Artists including Army of One/JC2, Fumero, ADAM DARE, TONE TANK, Elle Deadsex, ENX, Choice Royce, Royce Bannon, See One & Danielle Mastrion, VEXTA, Mike Die, KID Lew, & ZIMAD, as well as, SinXero (SX) & colleague Bayoan will gather at Graffiti Universe for “Street Art Live”. An event to honor Iranian brothers and Street Srtists Icy & Sot.

It’s a Sunrise Service so just stay up Saturday night >> The event begins at 5:00 am until the whole block at Graffiti Universe is completely painted.

Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this event click here.

Also happening this weekend:

The Kosmopolite Art Tour in Amsterdam, brought to you by Aerosol Bridge Club began on Wednesday and will continue until this Sunday at the MC Theater in Amsterdam. Big mural live painting with appearances from local and international artists with tons of side events. Click here for more details regarding this event.

Monsieur A the French artist is in Mexico City for his solo show “André Saraiva” at the Anonymous Gallery. This show is now open to the general public. Click here for more details about this show.

Low Brow Artique Gallery goes soft brow with Dickchicken’s solo show “The Penis Mightier Than the Sword” opening tonight in Brooklyn. Click here for more details about this show.

Mad One and Neely II are hosting “Sticker Phiends” in Tempe, Arizona opening tomorrow. This annual sticker feast attracts a huge following of national and international sticker artists and fans. Click here for more details about this event.

SANER “Catharsis” From The Cinema (VIDEO)

I Love Paris Volume 5 by kouettv (VIDEO)

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Lazarides Gallery in Association With HTC Presents: “Bedlam” A Subterranean Art Exhibition. (London, UK)

October 3, 2012 , , , , , ,

Bedlam

Lazarides in association with HTC cordially invites you the launch of Bedlam, the 3rd and final in the trilogy of exhibitions held in The Old Vic Tunnels.

Lazarides artists and special guests inspired by London’s infamous asylum will transform the five tunnels with their own creative pandemonium.

The exhibition will run from the 9th to the 21st October and feature work by the following artists: Antony Micallef, Artists Anonymous, ATMA, Conor Harrington, Dan Witz, Doug Foster, Ian Francis, Karim Zeriahen, Kelsey Brookes, Klaus Weiskopf, Lucy McLauchlan, Michael Najjar, Nachev, Tessa Farmer, Tina Tsang, Tobias Klein, War Boutique and 3D.

Admission is free however booking is essential. To book a time slot please visit the Bedlam website.

Following the astounding success of Hell’s Half Acre in 2010 and Minotaur in 2011, Lazarides Gallery and The Old Vic Tunnels are joining artistic forces for the third and final time coinciding with this coming Frieze Art Fair, running from 9 – 21 October.

This exhibition goes against the grain of society to bring you ‘Bedlam’ a term coined from ‘Bethlam’ London’s Hospital for the mad.  The infamous mental institute is the oldest in the country of which came to epitomise the brutality long associated with lunatic asylums all over the country dating back to 1247.

The meeting of minds between Lazarides Gallery within London’s foremost artistic platform The Old Vic Tunnels will creatively explore the well-intended beginnings of this legendary institution, to its final disgrace and reform. It will certainly leave you questioning your ‘compos mentis’ an experience that will showcase the line between genius and madness has never been so thin.

Artists so far confirmed to contribute include: Vhils, Conor Harrington, Doug Foster, Ian Francis, Kelsey Brookes, Karim Zeriahen, Klaus Weiskopf, Lucy McLauchlan, Artists Anonymous, Michael Najjar, Till Rabus, Jonathan Yeo and Antony Micallef.

“Bedlam over the years has become synonymous with madness, chaos and pandemonium, it seemed like the perfect theme for a world gone mad. Be afraid.” Steve Lazarides, Owner, Lazarides Gallery

 ‘Most people that work in theatre are MAD, everyone involved in the art world is crazy, Steve Lazarides is probably the craziest of them all, which is why Bedlam,  the historic mental asylum, is the perfect backdrop for an art show, a stones throw from the original site. Built around the same time as the Old Vic Theatre it drew almost as many crowds; for a penny one could peer into their cells, view the freaks of the “show of Bethlehem” and laugh at their antics. I guess nothing changes….’ Hamish Jenkinson – Director, The Old Vic Tunnels 

Please note this is a free event. Bedlam tickets will be released this Friday 5 October, sign up to the mailing list at http://www.lazaridesbedlam.com/ and we’ll email you once they’re available.

Lazarides: Rathbone Place, London
11 Rathbone Place, London, W1T 1HR Tel (+44) (0)207 636 5443

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Dan Witz Goes to London. Keep Your Eyes Open.

October 3, 2012 , , ,

Street Artist and fine artist Dan Witz is prepping for his part in a new group show titled “Bedlam” in the deep recesses of London with Lazarides Gallery. “We’re doing this huge thing in the tunnels below the Old Vic – should be massive,” he tells us with some thrill in his email voice. It’s good to hear Dan happy, because his work can be so dark. Just back from Frankfurt where he worked with Amnesty International to highlight the human rights and justice work that organization does for all of us, these new images on the streets of London are the Street Art component of Witz’s practice that is quietly compelling and unsettling.

Dan Witz. London 2012 (photo © Dan Witz)

Certainly the aim of these pieces is not to put us at ease, to “Keep Calm and Carry On”. The figures behind the glass are depicted as imprisoned or trapped, and your second glance at them will leave you disconcerted and troubled. Witz goes where many artists won’t or can’t in his explorations of the human condition and man’s inhumanity – reminding us that art can serve more than to just send us home happy and content.  It can also connect us with a truer sense of the world, provide a bit of grounding and remind us of the work that needs to be done. With this work Witz give a voice to those who don’t have words to express their suffering.

Our thanks to Dan for sharing these super fresh images exclusively for BSA readers.

Dan Witz. London 2012. Detail (photo © Dan Witz)

Dan Witz. London 2012 (photo © Dan Witz)

Dan Witz. London 2012. Detail (photo © Dan Witz)

Dan Witz. London 2012 (photo © Dan Witz)

Dan Witz. London 2012 (photo © Dan Witz)

Dan Witz in Frankfurt for Amnesty International. Frankfurt, Germany 2012. Work in Progress. All artworks by Dan Witz. Photos by Dan Witz and Hans-Juergen Kaemmerer.

 

Lazarides is mounting “Bedlam” in a maze of tunnels below Old Vic beginning October 09, evoking the historic mental asylum.  “Bedlam over the years has become synonymous with madness, chaos and pandemonium, it seemed like the perfect theme for a world gone mad. Be afraid.”  -Steve Lazarides. Participating Artists include: Vhils, Conor Harrington, Doug Foster, Ian Francis, Kelsey Brookes, Karim Zeriahen, Klaus Weiskopf, Lucy McLauchlan, Artists Anonymous, Michael Najjar, Till Rabus, Jonathan Yeo, DAn Witz and Antony Micallef.

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“Wall & Frames”, Today’s Street Artists, Tomorrow’s Masters

December 10, 2011

There is an uneasy reluctance among some artists in the graffiti and the Street Art community to let themselves be seen hanging with art collectors or even entering galleries sometimes because they might lose credibility among peers for not being ‘street’ enough. Seeing well manicured men in pinstripes and shrieking birdberry women with tinted/straightened/plumped everything looking at your shit hanging on a wall and asking vaguely patronizing questions about it like you are an exquisite curiosity could make you go out and slice their tires after downing a few white wines.  Not surprisingly, “keeping it real” sometimes translates to keeping it out of private collections.

Even as there is an every-growing recognition of art and artists who work sometimes illegally in the street, it’s a sort of high-wire act for anyone associating with art born in margins, mainly because it forces one to face the fact that we marginalize.

Sociological considerations aside, over the last decade there is a less traditional definition of Street Artist entering the fray. The graffiti scene originally boasted a sort of grassroots uprising by the voiceless and economically disempowered, with a couple of art school kids and the occasional high-minded conceptualist to mix things up. It’s all changed of course – for myriad reasons – and art in the streets takes every form, medium, and background. Now we see fully formed artists with dazzling gallery careers bombing right next to first time Krinks writers, graffiti writers changing gears and doing carefully rendered figurative work, corporations trying their hand at culture jamming (which isn’t a stretch), and all manner of Street Art referred to as an “installation”.

A new book by Maximiliano Ruiz called “Walls & Frames”, just released last month by Gestalten, presents a large collection of artists who have traversed the now permeable definitions of “street”, gallery, collector and museum. Admittedly, this may be a brief period of popularity for Street Art, if the 1980s romance with graffiti is any indication, but there is evidence that it will endure in some form.  This time one defining difference is that many artists have already developed skill, technique, and a fan base. Clearly the street has become a venue, a laboratory for testing and working out new ideas and techniques by fine artists, and even a valued platform for marketing oneself to a wider audience.

A spread of work by Conor Harrington in “Walls and Frames”.

The resulting work, whether hanging on a nail inside or painted on a street wall, challenges our previously defined boundaries. The current crop of street art stars and debutantes, many of the strongest whom are collected here by Ruiz, continue to stay connected with the energy of the street regardless of their trajectory elsewhere. Some are relatively new, while others have been evolving their practice since the 70s, with all the players sliding in and off the street over time. The rich and varied international collection is remarkable and leaves you wanting to see more work by many of the artists. All considered, “Wall and Frames” is a gorgeously produced book giving ample evidence that many of today’s artists in the streets are tomorrow’s masters, wherever they practice.

Augustine Kofie in “Walls and Frames”.

 

Sixe in “Walls and Frames”.

Remed in “Walls and Frames”.

Anthony Lister in “Walls and Frames”.

Judith Supine in “Walls and Frames”.

Alexandros Vasmoulakis in “Walls and Frames”.

D*Face in “Walls and Frames”.

Interesni Kazki in “Walls and Frames”.

Jorge Rodriguez Gerada in “Walls and Frames”.

M-City in “Walls and Frames”.

 All images © of and courtesy of Gestalten and Maximiliano Ruiz.

Artists included are Aaron Noble, AJ Fosik, Alexandre Farto aka Vhils, Alexandros Vasmoulakis, Alëxone Dizac, Amose, Andrew McAttee, Anthony Lister, Antony Micallef, Axel Void, Basco-Vazko, Base 23, Ben Frost, Blek le Rat, Bom-K, Boris Hoppek, Boxi, C215, Cekis, Conor Harrington, D*Face, Dan Witz, Daniel Muñoz aka San, Dave Kinsey, Der, Dixon, Docteur Gecko, Doze Green, Dran, Duncan Jago aka Mr. Jago, Eine, Ekundayo, El Mac, Evan Roth, Evol, Faile, Faith 47, Fefe Talavera, Gaia, George Morton-Clark, Herakut, Herbert Baglione, Interesni Kazki, Jaybo, Jeff Soto, Jeremy Fish, Jesse Hazelip, Johnny “KMNDZ” Rodriguez, Joram Roukes, Jorge Rodriguez Gerada, Josh Keyes, JR, Judith Supine, Katrin Fridriks, Kevin Cyr, Kofie, L’Atlas, Lightgraff, Logan Hicks, Ludo, M-City, Mark Jenkins, Mark Whalen aka Kill Pixie, Maya Hayuk, Medo & Demência, Meggs, Miss Bugs, Miss Van, Morten Andersen aka M2theA, Mr. Kern, Mudwig, Nicholas Di Genova, Okuda, Patrick Evoke, Paul Insect, Pedro Matos, Peter Owen, Pose, Pure Evil, Remed, Remi/Roughe, René Almanza, Retna, Ripo, Ródez, Sam3, Sat One, Shepard Fairey, Sixe, Smash 137, Sowat, Sten & Lex, Stephan Doitschinoff, Tec, Tilt, Troy Lovegates aka Other, Turf One, Vitché;, Wendell McShine, Will Barras, and Zosen.

 

The launch; “Walls & Frames” will be presented at Gestalten Space Berlin on December 15th.

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“The Minotaur” in London’s Nether Regions

October 25, 2011 , , , ,

Lazarides Gallery in London has a penchant for spectacular pop-ups in cavernous quarters, effecting a theatrical aura for the work of artists to take center stage. This month, Lazarides dives beneath the City of London, where there lies a complex system of tunnels and activities, including reportedly a military citadel – a bunker called Pindar. The Old Vic Theater, built in 1818, is located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London and just above an almost mythic installation by the gallerist this month. The tunnels and subterranean chambers housing “The Minotaur”, a collection of work by fine artists and Street Artists, add a clandestine mystery for the visitors who venture below. Combined with a program that can include dining and theatre, the mythic theme of the Minotaur is interpreted by the stable of artists to sometimes stunning effect.

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Doug Foster (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Photographer and BSA collaborator Geoff Hargadon visited the exhibition and sends these exclusive images to BSA. The 16 international artists in the show, David Falconer, Sage Vaughn, Vhils, ATMA, Zak Ove, Doug Foster, 3D, Antony Micallef, Boxi, Conor Harrington, David Choe, Ian Francis, Jonathan Yeo, Lucy McLauchlan, Michael Najjar, Ron English, Stanley Donwood and Zevs.

If you have missed this, hurry because The Minotaur closes on October 25.

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Zak Ove (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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Zak Ove (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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Zak Ove (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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Zak Ove (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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ATMA (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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Murdoch with friends. Vhils (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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Murdoch with no friends. Vhils (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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Sage Vaughn (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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David Falconer (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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David Falconer (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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The Dining Chamber (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

http://theminotaur.co.uk/exhibition/

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Post No Bills Presents: “European Bailout Show” (Venice Beach, CA)

July 12, 2011 , , , , ,

Post No Bills
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JR

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Conor Harrington Teaser. Image courtesy of the gallery.

brooklyn-street-art-ZEVS-teaser-post-no-bills
ZEVS Teaser. Image courtesy of the gallery.

EUROPEAN BAILOUT SHOW
Antony Micallef – Conor Harrington – Ian Francis – Jonathan Yeo
JR – Mode2 – Paul Insect – Stanley Donwood – Vhils – Zevs

July 28 – August 28, 2011

POST NO BILLS proudly announces their second exhibition in its Venice
Beach based print shop. The European Bailout Show will feature
exclusive new limited edition prints and original artwork by ten of
Europe’s most innovative and highly celebrated artists- Anthony
Micallef, Conor Harrington, Ian Francis, Jonathan Yeo, JR, Mode 2,
Paul Insect, Stanley Donwood, Vhils and Zevs.

Continuing the overwhelming success of the shop’s launch last month
with artist collective FAILE, the European Bailout Show highlights
some of the most riveting creative minds in Europe today, with an
impressive range of works from established and up-and-coming artists
who continue to defy categorization. These artists’ innovative
approaches and distinctive styles continue to challenge the
conventional definitions of art and its boundaries.

The European Bailout Show features exclusive print editions including
Arnold Schwarzenegger titled “Arnie” by Jonathan Yeo, the renowned
master painter recognized for his controversial portraits made from
collaged pornographic magazine clippings. Stanley Donwood, the highly
regarded designer of Radiohead’s album art, has created a unique and
limited print suite. Other notable editions include those of TED award-
winning guerrilla artist and filmmaker, JR, and a small edition of
laser etchings on wood by Portuguese artist Vhils, identified by his
inventive techniques used to manipulate urban environments. In
addition to the offered multiples, select artists will exhibit
original artwork including Antony Micallef, who won massive acclaim
for his 2007 Los Angeles sold-out solo show, Impure Idols, and Conor
Harrington, recognized for his impressive large-scale works of art,
mixing bold imagery with historical and contemporary themes.

The second exhibition at POST NO BILLS continues to promote the shop’s
mission-to provide passionate collectors of all levels with access to
artwork of premium quality and master craftsmanship from an array of
prolific talent worldwide. Now, the European Bailout Show brings an
opportunity to acquire a slice of Europe’s finest.

POST NO BILLS
The term POST NO BILLS is commonly identified in stencil form – on
barriers erected around construction sites in an effort to deter clean
walls from being altered. Generally speaking, this practice produces a
contrary effect. Our founders subscribe to the notion that breaking
rules generally inspires more ingenuity than following them. Which is
why POST NO BILLS was created.

POST NO BILLS is an inventive print shop with a focus on hand made
limited edition multiples. We are a singular destination where
groundbreaking artists from around the globe can sell their wears
directly to passionate collectors at all levels. Editions will be made
on the premises with a true dedication to quality.

Opening Reception: July 28, 2011 (7 – 10pm)
Exhibition Runs: July 28– August 28, 2011


Post No Bills
1103 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice Beach, CA 90291
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Fun Friday 10.15.10

October 15, 2010 , , , , , , , , ,

Fun-Friday

Fun Friday

Mighty Tenaka in Dumbo with “Cimmerian Shade”

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Featuring the artwork of Katie Decker, FARO, Hellbent, Marlo Marquise, John McGarity, Don Pablo Pedro and Ellen Stagg

More about the show HERE

“Portraits” by Sten + Lex with Gaia at Brooklynite

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Portraits-Sten-Lex-Gaia-Oct-2010

This is a hot shot straight to Number Uno on the charts Ladies and Germs. Italians with their own understated stencil technique and UES wild-eyed jerkin chicken man. Read more on this show here from yesterday on BSA.

Dan Taylor “Notes from the Inside”

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Pandemic is reliably snarky, eclectic, and often on the money.  Keep your eye on them because they also think.  A lot.

Plus, Dan Taylor was raised by squirrels.

Muralmorphosis

From The Philadephia Mural Arts Program, an animated mural handed back and forth amongst several artists, in the style of Exquisite Corpse.

Artists: Eve Biddle/Joshua Frankel, Rodney Camarce,Bonnie Brenda Scott, Seth Turner, Mauro Zamora.
Curated by Sean Stoops.

Ben Eine at The Moniker Art Fair

“Hell’s Half Acre”

Kind of like going to Macys!

Launched in October 12th and produced by Lazarides in collaboration with Tunnel 228 and off-site exhibition of Dante’s “Inferno”.

Via Babelgum.

Visitors explore a unique interpretation of the nine circles of hell through the vision of artists including Conor Harrington, Vhils, George Osodi, Antony Micallef, Doug Foster, Todd James, Paul Insect, Mark Jenkins, Boogie, Ian Francis, Polly Morgan, Jonathan Yeo.

David Choe Goes to Hell

Here’s his creation of his piece for Lazaride’s “Hell’s Half Acre”.

Via Babelgum

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Lazarides Gallery Off-Site Exhibitions Presents: “Hell’s Half Acre” A Group Show (London, UK)

September 8, 2010 , , , ,

Lazarides Gallery

©Image Courtesy of the Gallery

©Image Courtesy of the Gallery

Featuring Conor Harrington, Vhils, George Osodi, Antony Micallef, Doug Foster, Todd James, Paul Insect, Mark Jenkins, Boogie, Ian Francis, Polly Morgan, Jonathan Yeo and more…
12th October 2010 – 17th October 2010

Launching the 12th October, Lazarides in collaboration with Tunnel 228 invites you to our newest off-site exhibition, Hell’s Half Acre.

The labyrinth of tunnels beneath Waterloo station will be converted into a large-scale evocation of Dante’s Inferno. Visitors will explore a unique interpretation of the nine circles of hell through the vision of your very favorite Laz artists plus additional contributions from outside the normal roster including: Conor Harrington, Vhils, George Osodi, Antony Micallef, Doug Foster, Todd James, Paul Insect, Mark Jenkins, Boogie, Ian Francis, Polly Morgan, Jonathan Yeo and many more…. Interaction with the works will be encouraged and par in part of this multi-sensory experience.

Hell’s Half Acre will be open for viewing 12th – 17th October from 6 pm to 11 pm Tuesday through Thursday with extended hours over the weekend. Entry to the exhibition will be free, but as space is limited please book ahead. Time slots will be available shortly, so please bear with us until then.

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Lazarides Gallery Summer Series Presents: “EuroTrash” with Conor Harrington, JR, Vhils and Antony Micallef (Beverly Hills, CA)

June 3, 2010 , , , ,
Lazarides
Address :
320 North Beverly Drive,
Beverly Hills,
CA 90210
Phone :
Phone: +1 323 202 6339 / +1 323 202 5305
Open :
Monday – Sunday 12 pm – 8 pm.
Admittance :
Free
9th June 2010 – 27th June 2010
Lazarides LA is proud to introduce, EuroTrash: a stellar line up of some of the hottest European artists around.

Hailing from France, JR will bring his unique vision to Beverly Hills. Immersing himself within cultures where struggle and conflict are rife, he presents his monochromatic photographs and installations.

Renovating the urban environment much like JR, is the innovative Portugese artist Alexandre Farto aka Vhils. He manipulates a variety of surfaces to create his extraordinary vision. From the brick facade of buildings to peeling off layered flyposters, he reveals images that explore the sub-cultures and dynamism of a city.

Cork born painter Conor Harrington explores the illusion of power and the emotional side of masculinity in his large-scale paintings. Combing the fast pace of grafitti art with traditional oil painting, resulting in energetic murals of soldiers and conquerors existing within a chaotic abstracted landscape.

Antony Micallef returns to LA with his distinctive style of painting. Drawing on icons of contemporary society which both celebrate and condemn modern day living. His most recent works are built upon a profound belief in the act of brushstrokes and animals and humans merge in the happy accident of the artist’s extreme stream of consciousness.

Immortalising the individual in monumental proportions is what these exciting artist do best. Using the overlooked, misunderstood and mundane elements of our everyday, each artist captures our attention with their distinctive style and alternative approach.

Lazarides | 320 North Beverly Drive | Beverly Hills | CA | 90210

Monday – Sunday 12 pm – 8pm

Phone: +1 323 202 6339 / +1 323 202 5305

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