Author: RJ Rushmore

RJ Rushmore has been involved in contemporary art as a writer, curator, photographer, arts administrator, and fan since 2008. With a focus on street art, graffiti, and public art, RJ facilitates and promotes catalytic and ambitious art outdoors, in galleries, and online. He founded the street art blog Vandalog and has worked at The L.I.S.A. Project NYC, Mural Arts Philadelphia, and Creative Time. Currently, RJ is Co-Curator of Art in Ad Places.
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From letters to logos

I touched on this issue the other day, but I thought there was more to be said and some examples to be given.

There are a few graffiti writers who are blurring the line between graffiti and street art by painting trademark characters or symbols instead of, or in addition to, their names. Of course, painting characters has been around since the earliest days of graffiti, but in recent years, certain crews and writers have taken that a step further.

Here are a few examples of writers who I think are really pioneering a new form of character based graffiti. I think it could, and should, be one important direction for graffiti and street art in the coming years.

Booker/Bones/Reader... Photo by hghwtr
Booker/Bones/Reader... Photo by hghwtr
Mighty Mo. Photo by Nicobobinus
Mighty Mo. Photo by Nicobobinus
Katsu. Photo by Sabeth718
Katsu. Photo by sabeth718

More after the jump… Continue reading “From letters to logos”

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Self-Portraits @ CircleCulture

Circleculture Gallery’s next show is “Self-Portraits.”15 artists including D*face, Best Ever, JR, Jaybo, Charlie Isoe, Judith Supine, and Word To Mother will be exhibiting their self-portraits from June 5th.

Here’s the PR:

SELF-PORTRAITS
by contemporary urban artists from five continents

D-FACE / ANTON UNAI / JR / JAYBO AKA MONK / JUDITH SUPINE / XOOOOX / KILLPIXIE / DTAGNO / :PHUNK / STEFAN HIRSIG / AARON ROSE / MAROK / DALE GRIMSHAW / OSKAR / BEST EVER / NOMAD / WORD TO MOTHER / MYMO / STEFAN STRUMBEL / SOPHIE REINHOLD / CHARLIE ISOE / RUTGER TERMOHLEN
The idea of this exhibition is to approach the historical theme of self-portraits and to bring it into a contemporary art context. A self-portrait is a representation of an artist, drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by the artist. Although self-portraits have been made by artists since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid 1400s that artists can be frequently identified depicting themselves as either the main subject, or as important characters in their work. With better and cheaper mirrors, and the advent of the panel portrait, many painters, sculptors and printmakers tried some form of self-portraiture… In this respect it will be an interesting and new experience to show the vision of the “self-portrait” by contemporary urban artists from all over the world.

Opening reception: friday june 5th, 7-10 pm
until july 4th 2009 / tue-sat 2-6 pm

Circleculture Gallery
Gipsstrasse 11
Berlin Mitte / Germany

Circleculture Gallery has a history of doing shows with the best street artists before they are known as the great street artists. Examples? JR, Shepard Fairey, and Steve Powers to name a few. Okay, Shep and Powers were probably already known as great, but they are definitely much more popular today.

That’s what I was presently suprised to see Best Ever on this lineup for this show. Apparently, some people over on the Banksyforum have been dissing Best Ever for looking too much like Herakut. I think this is some evidence that Best Ever isn’t just some Herakut rip off. A German gallery is asking them, a UK duo, to exhibit alongside artists like Shepard Fairey and JR (Herakut is from Germany).

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The Toaster Show

The Toaster probably has the most random logo possible. He/they just paints the same image of a toaster everywhere, and it’s been going on for years. Sometimes it’s a sticker, other times simple and tiny stencil, and other times they go big (like at Cans Festival), but it’s always the same toaster.

Toasters at Cans Festival. Photo by Mikesten
Toasters at Cans Festival. Photo by Mikesten

Next week is the opening of The Toaster’s show at Nelly Duff, which includes collaborations with artists like Dicy and Mr. Jago.

Toasters Poster

Now, it is entirely possible, maybe even likely, that this show will make no sense and it could be very boring, but I’m giving it a shot. If it works, it could be great fun.

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Swimming Cities Updates

Some updates from from Swoon’s Swimming Cities of Serenissima project.

The team posted this facebook update earlier today: “We’re En Route! Never seen such a clear blue like the blue of the adriatic and the phosphorescent algae that sparkles in the dark black of the night”

Just found these photos yesterday:

Swimming Cities

Swimming Cities

Swimming Cities

And finally, the team has posted an update today of their journey so far, which can be read on their blog.

Photos by Tod Seelie and via Sucka Pants

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Location. Location. Location

As the best street artists, and estate agents, will tell you, location is everything. These pieces that have popped up recently in New York City are just amazing examples of this.

First up, Judith Supine. Now, part of the reason this looks so good is probably due to Becki’s photography, but Supine definitely knows how to pick interest places for his work.

Supine

And of course, this piece by Dan Witz deserves a mention. It looks like a real person, or at least a sculpture like Mark Jenkins might do, but apparently it is just a 2d painting, like the rest of Witz’ work. Amazing. It’s definitely also seeing larger.

Dan Witz

Photos by Becki Fuller

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Know Hope @ Carmichael Gallery

Know Hope Carmichael Poster

Know Hope is one of my favorite under-appreciated street artists. His images tug at the heartstrings. They are delicate in a way that not much street art is. I’ve interviewed him before for Vandalog, so if you haven’t read that interview, have a look.

Know Hope’s solo show at the Carmichael Gallery opens in two weeks, on June 4th. It’s an installation show called “The times won’t save you (this rain smells of memory)”. I’m disappointed that I can’t be in LA for this show.

Press release:

30,000 paper raindrops. 40,000 feet of fishing twine. 2,500 fishing weights. Hundreds of sheets of cardboard fashioned into miniature works of art and a crowd of life-size cut-out characters. Incorporating all of the above ingredients and more for his debut Los Angeles solo show at Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art on June 4th, 2009, Israeli artist Know Hope invites you to literally step inside one of his artworks for a visual experience unlike any you have ever encountered and one you will never forget.

“This exhibition holds nothing but a reflection of where we are now, and offers us nothing but the suggestion of adaptation and (re)adjustment to the current tides.  This is a binding burden, and we’re all in this together.”
– Know Hope

Know Hope will be in attendance at the opening reception of “the times won’t save you (this rain smells of memory)” on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 from 7.00pm – 10.00pm. The exhibition will be open for viewing through Thursday, July 2nd 2009 from 1.00pm -7.00pm. Please contact art@carmichaelgallery.com to preview available work.

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Avoid, Bloke and Faro @ Factory Fresh

Faro and Bloke. Photo by shoehorn99
Faro and Bloke. Photo by shoehorn99

Factory Fresh has an interesting show starting soon. It features Avoid, Bloke, and Faro; three guys who are really changing the face of New York graffiti. I completely agree with this press release in that the more graphic form of graffiti these artists represent is the next wave, and is poised to become even more important in the coming years.

Factory Fresh and Mighty Tanaka present:

2012
Featuring
AVOID, BLOKE and FARO
Friday, June 5th 7-10pm
Opens during Bushwick Open Studio Weekend. If you haven’t checked out our new neighborhood this is the weekend to do it. It will also be Factory Fresh’s First Year Anniversary.

This June AVOID, BLOKE and FARO converge at Factory Fresh, bringing with them an assorted collection of unique styles that exemplify the next generation of NYC street art and graffiti. The three artists known on the streets for ridiculously massive tags, culturally inspired graffiti and paper airplanes and airships have caught many peoples eye in both Manhattan and Brooklyn. On June 5th they will present their artwork as a group in a gallery for the first time.

The show is based on the year 2012, which represents a notion of change and transition within the world, marking the end of the Mayan calendar. Many view this year with apprehension, prophesying apocalypse, climate meltdown or a spiritual awakening. Currently, through the economic crisis and constant warfare, an artistic shift has taken place on the streets of New York City. Artists AVOID, BLOKE and FARO signify a changing of the guard in graffiti and street art. Meshing these two individual cultures into one, these three artists represent the overall change of how individuals view street art and graffiti, bringing it together as one.

AVOID, BLOKE and FARO have been constant contributors to the painted interpretation of the urban environment for many years now. Each artist has developed a text-based style as well as iconic imagery that have become ubiquitous details within our daily lives. Through blending their ideals and styles, they have created a symbolized view of the streets that transcends one world and ushers in another.

As we approach this time of great change, the 2012 show places the viewer in the middle of the transformation, setting about on an adventure through a shifting paradigm of the world. It seeks to enlighten and project the change that is constantly around us with the progression of both society and art.

Show runs till June 21st