Rone

A note from the editor: This is a guest post by Peter Drew, a street artist originally from Adelaide, Australia.

Although Adelaide’s urban art scene is the underdog to Melbourne, its larger and louder interstate cousin, recent years and new blood have seen Adelaide catching up to Melbourne’s lead. Oi You: Urban Art Festival marks a high point for Adelaide as a private collection of 70 works by ‘the worlds urban art megastars’ visits the city, on view now at the Adelaide Festival Centre through June 2nd.

As crowds flock to the glamour and safety of ‘street art’ in a state gallery, Adelaide’s artists are using the exhibition as a catalyst for painting new walls. In addition to Anthony Lister, Rone and Beastman, local artists Kab 101, Jayson Fox, Vans the Omega, Fredrock, Seb Humphreys, Gary Seaman, Shane Cook and Store are contributing to the +12 murals going up across the city. Organised by Matt Stuckey, this aspect of the festival couldn’t have happened a few years ago. “We actually ended up with more walls than resources to paint them this time” says Matt.

Seb Humphreys

Graffiti first hit Adelaide in the mid 80s and its tradition’s continues with most of the artists involved in the Oi You festival. After trying to eradicate graffiti for years The Adelaide City Council now seems to think that street art is the solution to their problem. According to Adelaide’s Mayor: “it’s frustrating that we spend more cleaning up ugly vandalism and graffiti than we do investing in street art…young artists could be tapping into an opportunity that’s going to bring the city to life.” Read the rest of this article »

Dabs Myla at Metro Gallery – Photo by Dean Sunshine

Here’s some of the amazing stuff that happened in Melbourne last month. I’m sorry it’s so late – I am already working on the March post. Damn I am proud to post about my home town. So much goodness every month. Enjoy!

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I can’t wait to get my copy of Very Nearly Almost issue #21. This time around, VNA have spoken with Miss Van, Faith47, Dal, Rone and others, but I’m most looking forward to their interview with NoseGo, which was conducted by Vandalog’s Caroline Caldwell. You can pick up a copy of VNA here.

Hosier Lane, Melbourne

Numskull, Meggs, Roach, Rone, Sofles painted an awesome new piece in Hosier Lane Melbourne over the weekend. A great meeting of styles and colours. I love it.

Hosier Lane, Melbourne

Hosier Lane, Melbourne

Hosier Lane, Melbourne

Hosier Lane, Melbourne

Photos by Dean Sunshine

Wonderwalls, Wollongong, NSW

Rone has been busy since returning from San Francisco. He’s been painting lots of walls in Australia in various different new styles and has been involved in a number of collaborations. Loving all the new pieces around Melbourne. He is currently in Miami painting some amazing walls. Here’s a few of my favourite pieces. Also check out the great video by Callum Preston.

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In collaboration with Fountain Art Fair and Samson Contompasis’ The Marketplace Gallery, the people of Living Walls have been given 175 ft. of wall space to divvy out amongst artists at Fountain. From December 6 to the 9th, 22 street artists including Rone, LNY, Trek Mathews, Jaz, Ever, Dal East, Faith47, Pixel Pancho, Never 2501, Joe Iurato and more will be painting Fountain’s outdoor courtyard.

The rise in success of Living Walls over the last 3 years has been fascinating to watch. This is their second year at Miami Basel but their first year there curating walls. Indoors they’ll have a booth, showing the works of a few international artists like La Pandilla, Interesni Kazki, and some of the artists listed above, as well as a few Atlanta favorites. Definitely looking forward to seeing their contribution.

Video courtesy of Living Walls

Photo by Luke McManus

Rone is in San Francisco for his latest show at White Walls Gallery, Darkest Before the Dawn.

I was lucky enough to be in San Francisco while Rone is and I got to experience the epic piece he painted on a wall in the Tenderloin district. This is one of the biggest walls I’ve see him paint (with the exception of Pow Wow Hawaii) and while this piece was based on the one he painted in Hawaii it has evolved to reflect his new style.

Photo by Luke McManus

Photo by Luke McManus

Photo by Luke McManus

Photo by Luke McManus. Click to view large.

Also here are some preview shots of his work from his exhibition which opens tonight.

Photo courtesy of White Walls Gallery

Photo courtesy of White Walls Gallery

Photos by Luke McManus and courtesy of White Walls Gallery

Rone (Everfresh) from Melbourne is having a show in September at White Walls Gallery in San Francisco.

His work just keeps getting better and better, I’m loving his new style.

From the press release:

White Walls is pleased to present “Darkest Before the Dawn,” the first SF solo show of Melbourne-based artist Rone to follow his successful San Francisco debut in the “Young and Free” showcase of Australian street artists at 941 Geary in 2011. “Darkest Before the Dawn,” will feature works on canvas, brick, and paper, varying in size from 3’x2’ to large-scale works measuring over 6’x6’. The opening reception will be Saturday, September 8th, from 7-11pm, and the exhibition is free and open to the public for viewing through September 29th, 2012.

With the face of the same wide-eyed and sharp-featured woman starring in each portrait, Rone creates a modern legend. Separately, each piece is an autonomous work, existing through its own beauty, but when viewed together a narrative is opened, leaving us to wonder what led to the birth of this icon. In “Darkest Before the Dawn,” Rone tells us that his feature character stands as a symbol for the possibility of assimilating our worst moments into a new strength.

By incorporating a variety of techniques, Rone deliberately infuses each piece with the textures he readily encounters when working out in the streets. The build-up and deconstruction of multiple layers is a fluid, free flowing way of revealing a composition by letting it come about itself. The medley of patterns and textures embody the continuity of time passing, while the woman in the midst of it all personifies grace overcoming deterioration.

Rone‘s new show “Fall From Grace” is opening next Friday at Backwoods Gallery in Collingwood. I’ve been a big fan of Rone for a long time so I’m really looking forward to this. I’m loving the evolution of his new style colours. Here’s a few preview shots after the jump…

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Jaz

ParisFreeWalls is a mural program in Paris that have organized 11 walls since last November, including contributions from some of my favorite artists. It’s being curated by MSAGallery. Here are a few of the highlights from the program so far.

Ever

Rone

David Shillinglaw

Roti

Photos courtesy of ParisFreeWalls