CHOR BOOGIE, MASTER SPRAY PAINT ARTIST, DEBUTS A TRANSFORMED 12’X12’ CANVAS IN TORRANCE ART MUSEUM’S EXHIBITION BAKERS DOZEN III.
July 12, 2011 (Los Angeles, CA) – Opening Saturday, July 16th, is Torrance Art Museum’s (TAM) Baker’s Dozen III, their annual survey of “artists to watch.” This third iteration of the series continues the tradition of providing a snapshot of contemporary avenues of exploration seen in Los Angeles. Torrance Art Museum Curator, Max Presneill shares insight into his selection of Chor as the only urban artist in this exhibition: “When I saw Chor Boogie’s work at the L.A. Art Show, I felt it bridged the gap between the low brow street aesthetic and the contemporary art world, and created discourse within the two. It is bright, vibrant, physical, and powerful. I feel his work is one of the best things to be seen at this moment in time.” He goes on to describe the show as reflecting the zeitgeist of the times, and trends of artistic presence across the board.
Chor Boogie is recognized internationally for painting vibrant, masterpieces of color using aerosol spray paint on both walls and canvases, and is a pioneer of this medium and art movement. His trademark applications and techniques allow him to paint pieces that resonate on many levels with those who view them, evoking a powerful mix of emotions. His imagery is pulled from life experiences and are visual expressions of the surroundings, people and environments he has painted in around the world.
Two of Chor Boogie’s works have been selected for Baker’s Dozen III. The first is a progressive 12’x12’ canvas he began during the January ’11 L.A. Art Show, as part of L.A. ART MACHINE, prestigious Vox Humana Program. This piece, part of the Purgatory Series, is Chor Boogie’s depiction of balance as he sees it, examples being: right/wrong, heaven/hell, good/bad, and positive/negative.
The imagery challenges the perception of one’s individual mentality, and of how we look at a piece of art. It transcends memory and is mixed with elements of, landscape, realism, abstract expressionism, cubism, color, shape, form; paying reverence to his personal favorite influences including, Kandinsky, Klimt, Picasso, and Dali. “Mentally Challenged” was completed over this past week using a multitude of spray paint colors, and signature CB techniques. It is larger than life, vibrant, and has a very timeless feel to it.
The second selection is part one of a triptych. The piece chosen is entitled Silver Queens of the Romantic White Tiger, and is a testament to his artistic genius, and use of his famous spray paint methods. The silver queens are in simple relation to the strength of the white tiger, a more new age, or, renaissance/baroque style period.
Able to create various forms, even Chor Boogie’s signature inverted can technique is original. Painting dense, rich tones, allows him more room for perspective detail whether it be a wall, or small-scale canvas.
Chor Boogie’s dynamic range of artistic styles can manifest as soulful, deftly shaded portraits of color therapy, with geometric elements revealing half-hidden faces, and a minds eye or two to encourage you to see internally and externally.
He expresses his reverence for life, honesty, and art, in ways that create a lasting impression. Chor Boogie describes his work as: “Abstract expressionism with a little street romantic voodoo along with emotional landscapes of a melodic symphony through color therapy.” He has built a collector base around the world including international commissions by global institutions and cultural commemorations. This recognition allows him to inspire today’s youth with his personal story and transcendent life and style.
In addition to Bakers Dozen III, Chor Boogie’s upcoming schedule also includes Colorfornia: New Forms in West Coast Street Art – The Warehouse Gallery at the International Contemporary Art Center, Syracuse University, New York, September 15th – November 5th, 2011; followed by “Spray Paint the Movie…The Fine Art of Chor Boogie,” directed and produced by Sarah Fisher, whose credits include the documentary, Meditate and Destroy, the journey of Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx. Chor Boogie is also sponsored and endorsed by Spanish Montana – MTN 94 Spray Paint, and has a limited edition signature spray can slated for launch at Art Basel Miami Beach, Florida.
Baker’s Dozen III opens on Saturday, July 16th and runs through August 27th, and also features works by, Joshua Callaghan, Erin Cosgrove, Martin Durazo, Amir H Fallah, Alexandra Grant, Annie Lapin, Thomas Lawson, Nathan Mabry, John Millei, Robert Olsen, Britton Tolliver, and Peter Wu. For more information, please visit: www.torranceartmuseum.com.
Baker’s Dozen III
Opening reception
Saturday, July 16th
6 – 9pm
Torrance Art Museum
3320 Civic Center Drive
Torrance, CA 90503
www.torranceartmuseum.com