Omar loves to cap the street artists. Shot by Blanco
INSA – Tights & Leggings Mixtape
In anticipation of INSA and Inkie’s European summer exhibit, Fools Gold, Dj Kokoro has made a very special mix tape especially for this upcoming event.
Bristol legend Inkie and London graffiti fetishist INSA will be traveling across Europe, painting murals in London, Brussels and Berlin, finally arriving in Warsaw to hang their first ever collaborative exhibition of paintings and limited edition prints. Tights and Leggings will be the official afterparty of the Fool’s Gold launch party in Warsaw on June 11th.
DJ Kokoro has many different beats in his bag, mainly focusing on various style of dubstep, going through UK-garage, grime and reggae, while also playing dubplates from his own ‘Neo Tokyo Bass’ crew. Based where the name suggests, the NTB ‘push pure vibes of their origin through the filter of dubstep beat science’.
Download Tights & Leggings Mix vol.3 HERE
Miranda July sculptures in New York
Miranda July’s sculptures were my 2nd favorite artworks at last year’s Venice Biennale. In fact, this is a picture of me with one of them:
It’s awesome to see that these sculptures will be on display in NYC. I will definitely be stopping by Union Square Park when I’m in town soon. These sculptures are well worth seeing. Even if it’s the same sculptures from Venice, I wouldn’t mind seeing them again.
If you do go and see these, bring a camera and post links to your photos in the comments.
SEEN Book Signing In Paris
The “Godfather of Graffiti” SEEN is one of the most well respected writers alive today. Here’s a chance to meet him in person in a Parisian book signing event. SEEN will be present at the Beaubourg National Modern Arts Museum in Paris for the book signing of the book From Style Writing to Art, a Street Art Anthology at 6pm tonight, Friday May 28th. This collection talks about 40 years of creation in this movement.
Lazarides Presents EUROTRASH
Lazarides LA newest show – EuroTrash sets up a stellar line up of some of the hottest European artists around right now. Using the overlooked, misunderstood and mundane elements of everyday life, EuroTrash aims to captures its audiences attention with the distinctive style and alternative approach that artists JR, Conor Harrington, Antony Micallef and Vhils bring with them. Sharing a vested interest in their individual and collective surroundings and society, they poetically express a desire for universal appreciation – despite the tacky connotation that is usually associated with the term “Euro Trash”.
Frances very own JR (seen above) is known for immersing himself within cultures where struggle and conflict are rife. He presents his monochromatic photographs, often over 20 feet high on unconventional exhibiting arena’s to highlight humanist matters that are often overlooked. Cork born painter Conor Harrington (seen at the top) on the other hand, goes against the grain of the fast pace of graffiti art preferring to opt for the slower process of oil painting. Interested in opposing elements, illusion of power and the emotional side of masculinity, soldiers and conquerors exist within Conor’s colorful and abstracted landscapes, yet never forget his street roots.
London based Antony Micallef’s (seen above) energetic work both celebrates and despises contemporary society. The world portrayed by Micallef is one of contradictions as Barbie becomes the Virgin Mary adorned with a Chanel necklace and cutesy paraphernalia, Angel’s wield guns and Soldiers wear flower power printed uniforms. Portuguese artist Vhils (seen below) works with manipulating surfaces, whether it is the brick façade of buildings with masonry equipment or layered fly posters that he peels away, he transforms these varying planes to reveal mystifying, striking portraits that explore a cities dimensions
Rooftop Burner Fund
As you may have heard, Rowdy’s home burned down recently. Luckily, he was not hurt (I don’t think anyone else was either), but everything inside the house has been destroyed. Rowdy is a member of Burning Candy, a hard working artist, a friend that I’ve worked with on multiple projects in the last year and an awesome person. Rowdy’s reputation is known throughout Europe, so when his friends heard that his home and possessions had been completely destroyed, people came together to do something. That something is Steal From Work’s Rooftop Burner Fund. Steal From Work have brought artwork together from an international array of artists for a benefit auction to help out Rowdy. Here’s the press release:
So, there are plenty of charity events, plenty of causes worth fighting for, whole countries at war…. But sometimes it’s just about helping your friends, helping those you love. And here we’re taking the opportunity to help one of our best friends.
If you don’t know, here’s the introduction. Rowdy is one of the longest standing players in UK graffiti, supporting the scene and playing his part in what has now turned into a global phenomenon. He has painted with the best of them, in fact is one of the best of them, always sticking true to his vision, rocking his own style, never selling out his ideas. Recently he walked out of his house, which also served as his studio and when he returned a half hour later, everything had been burned to the ground. EVERYTHING! ID, money, clothes, personal possessions, art, the ability to make art, everything gone!
So, we’re taking this as an opportunity to support someone who has so readily supported us as a scene by auctioning some art to help him get back to a position where he can do what he does best, making art.
It’s a testament to his popularity and reputation that so many artists have donated work to this auction. All work has been personally donated by the artists and the galleries that represent them: Banksy, Paul Insect, Swoon, Sickboy, Hush, Espo, the whole Burning Candy crew and a whole bunch more… So, it’s your chance to buy something beautiful and at the same time help out someone who has helped in his way to make graffiti and street art what it is today.
THE ART
A massive thanks to the following artists who have donated work:
Banksy
Case
Cept
Cyclops
Dscreet
Gold Peg
Guy Denning
Herakut
Hush
LL Brainwashed
Mighty Monkey
Motorboy
Mr Jago
Mudwig
Paris
Paul Insect
Rene Gagnon
Sickboy
Static
Sweet Toof
Swoon
Tek33
Tom Hine
45rpm
Plus more still to be announcedAnd also huge thanks to the following galleries for donating:
Black Rat Projects
Campbarbossa
Pictures On WallsTHE AUCTION
The Auction will be via e-bay at: http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/stealfromworkIt will commence Thursday 17th June, and we will stagger the items over the next few days so they don’t all end together. The first items will end Sunday 27th June.
Other than Paypal fees & postage costs EVERY singe penny raised will go to Rowdy.
We will only be accepting bids via e-bay.
New Mac Mural In Mexico
Well known for his larger than life murals, Mac recently headed south of the border to create this massive new piece in Monterrey, México. The piece can be found on the side of Monterrey’s MARCO contemporary art museum and is Mac’s first in the city itself. As for the guy in the Yankees cap, the portrait is of Régulo de Leon Santos, a parking lot attendant who works near the museum. Whilst there’s no explanation for the subject choice and I’m not incredibly sure as to why this guy caught Mac’s attention either, it may have something to do with Seres Queridos – or “loved ones” as it translates – the project Mac painted the mural for. Perhaps this guy helped Mac out in the parking lot?! We’ll never know.
Photos courtesy of Mac-Arte
Burning Candy updates
There are a few little bits to mention today about my friends in Burning Candy. The crew have been keeping pretty busy lately.
- The above wall (thanks to Tek33 for putting me up) is the latest in at least 3 large walls painted in London by members of BC in the last month or so. Nolionsinengland has photographed the other two.
- Important note: I worked at High Roller Society for one day last week, but it’s not a regular job or something I expect to repeat since I’m moving soon. The crew’s Candy Shop show at High Roller Society kicks ass. It’s a small space, but Burning Candy have really made full use of the gallery. The installation is really fun to explore. There are so many little bits that it’s unlikely anybody noticed every minor detail that the crew had put into the assemblage of paintings, stickers, sculptures, drawings and found objects. There are photos on High Roller Society’s flickr, but I think that this weekend was the show’s last and it is now closed. But double check with HRS I guess, because I could be wrong.
- The crew is traveling. Sweet Toof is painting in New York City and a standard Mighty Mo/Sweet Toof has appeared in Amsterdam.
- Sweet Toof’s got an interview in this week’s le cool.
Banksy artworks stolen from Art Republic and Kate Moss
Neither of these are the biggest art heist of the week, but it’s been reported that thousands of pounds worth of Banksy artwork has been stolen in two separate thefts over the past few week.
First, the BBC reports that on May 1st, two thieves made off with £16,000 worth of Banksy prints from London’s Art Republic store. One was a Happy Choppers (number 118) print and the other was a Nola Grey (number 15). One of the thieves smashed through the gallery window with a street sign to get inside. So be on the lookout for those numbers if you’re trying to buy either of those Banksy prints in the future.
And then this second report is maybe a bit less reliable. It comes from the Daily Mirror which recently claimed that Banksy was painting a mural in Kate Moss’ home for £150,000 and that Moss was only getting the mural painted so that she could increase the value of her house, a claim which sounds pretty absurd. Now the Daily Mirror says that a thief broke into Moss’ house on Thursday night and stole three artworks, including a Banksy worth £80,000. I wonder what the painting looked like… A Kate Moss portrait perhaps?
Banksy artwork removed in Detroit
Marc Schiller from Wooster Collective said something interesting on Twitter the other day. He said, “Fascinating how each city on Banksy’s road trip (LA, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, NYC, San Fran) reacted completely differently to the art.” He then clarified by tweeting “LA: Indifference San Fran: Appreciation Chicago: Unaware Detroit: Biz Opportunity Toronto: Validation Boston: Confusion NY: Jealousy”
What did he mean by “Biz Opportunity” in Detroit? Well at least two of the pieces that Banksy painted in Detroit were removed by people from the spots where they were painted.
Here’s what happened to Diamond Girl according to The Process Theory:
this is truth, I’ve been holding out on posting this, but i think its time. Famed Banksy artist took aim at Detroit, and like many people who knew it would be short lived, a cohort and i began removing the piece. In the wee hours of the morning. We worked diligently till about six am. Carving out the bricks ever so carefully. I promise, you have never seen a sledge hammer flow ever so softly into brick. as if the girl herself was trapped. When staring a modern legend, and if not the greatest street artist of the last 15 years. a chance to feel, touch, see, and own a legend. for money? for preservation? who knows. some gallery would have beat us to it. i know they would, the other piece was already being removed by some gallery who we know is going to make the quick buck. This was a guerrilla movement. an attempt in the night. much in an adverse way of Banksy hitting the wall himself. My accomplice hands bloodied and blistered. let it be known, to who ever took that piece… you didn’t deserve it. you didn’t work for it. but it should be documented. We are not an entity, we are not a gallery. We were two fans, trying to do the right thing before the hounds of a desolate city, hurting for money. Take what you will, i know we will catch a lot of heat for it. Rebels? Saviors? assholes? Dedicated fans? it depends on how you view it….
And you can see pictures of that piece on The Process Theory’s website. For now though, nobody really knows what’s happened to Diamond Girl.
On the other hand, the case of where I Remember (photo above) has gone is very public. On May 11th, Detroitfunk reported that the artwork had been removed by 555 Nonprofit Gallery and Studios. As expected when a Banksy is removed or defaced, there was a strong reaction from the public. Some people thought that 555 Arts were preserving the artwork, others that 555 Arts had essentially “stolen” Banksy’s art from the public trust, potentially in order to tell it for a massive profit. With no word from 555 Arts about the situation, the public was left waiting to hear what would happen. Finally, on May 15th, the Detroit Free Press picked up the story and fill in the missing details. It turns out that the folks from 555 Arts intend to not sell the work and to keep it on public display.
While I’m not sure that 555 Arts did the right thing by removing that wall, I think that in the long run future generations are going to be glad they did it. I’m not saying that every Banksy should be removed or protected, and I’m sure that most of the time these pieces are removed and protected purely so that the owners can profit from the artwork, but in the long run, it might be worth preserving a few of these outdoor pieces by Banksy.
Photo by bealebo