Category: Gallery/Museum Shows

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Poppington gallery? Seriously, should be good

Jim Joe and Beau

Despite the ridiculous name of Poppington for the new gallery at 60 Orchard Street in NYC (it has something to do with Nicki Minaj), their first show looks like it will be, well, I guess poppington. Grr, I kind of hate myself for writing that. Quality of LIFE includes some of NYC’s best writers, those with one foot solidly in the art world and the other solidly in traditional graffiti: PHIL has one of the finest handstyles in the city; Pixote and Sabio have a handful of rivals for best rollers going up right now, but they are certainly up there; Jim Joe’s styleless style and strange quips make him one of the most loved and hated characters in New York City; and KATSU is perhaps the best active writer in America, with a chance to become the next Barry McGee if he decides to go that route.

So Quality of LIFE is a show of writers going indoors, which is always risky even if it’s not their first time working indoors. Sometimes the work carries over beautifully, usually it falls flat. Sometimes writers go indoors and try something completely different, which also usually fails but sometimes works amazingly well. I wasn’t a fan of what I saw (only through the web) of Jim Joe’s recent solo show at The Hole, but I’m excited to see what he’ll do this time around.

Quality of LIFE opens on September 27th at 7pm and will almost definitely be worth checking out.

Photo by las – initially

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BSA and Hellbent Bring You “Geometricks”

(Detail) Olek

In the first of hopefully a prolific series of exhibitions, Brooklyn Street Art presents Geometricks, curated by street artist and art historian Hellbent. Rather than simply pairing random street artists together, as many exhibitions do, Geometricks attempts to delineate a movement that is currently at play within the scene. Artists scattered around the world have started creating pieces whose focus is abstract geometry. Featuring the work of Augustine Kofie, Chor Boogie, Drew Tyndell, Feral Child, Hellbent, Jaye Moon, Maya Hayuk, MOMO, OLEK, OverUnder, and See One, the show reaches to several cities to gather artists from different ends of the geometric(k) spectrum.

(Detail) Overunder
(Detail) Maya Hayuk

The different ends of this spectrum include artists who both directly and indirectly create work from rigid forms. With the paintings of featured artists Maya Hayuk and Augustine Kofie, the thematic connection to their imagery is blatant, though stunning nonetheless. It was, however, the installation pieces of Olek and Jaye Moon that I found to be most engaging in the space. The dimensionality inherent in the way that they create their pieces added a layer to their importance in a show centered on shape.

Jaye Moon
(Detail) Augustine Kofie
Jaye Moon

It is important to note that in addition to the work seen above, Hellbent has featured a wall specifically for a student’s budget. Many artists, such as Jaye Moon (featured above), See One, and Feral Child, have created smaller interpretations of their larger gallery pieces and have been priced at under $200.

Geometricks will have a public opening tonight from 6pm to 8pm at Gallery Brooklyn and will run from September 22 to October 28. Free shuttle service will be provided from the Carroll Street F/G station to the gallery as well as from the after party back to the station.

All photos by Rhiannon Platt

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Weekend link-o-rama

Zéh Palito and Tosko

It is time for me to get a reasonable number of hours of sleep. Until I have to get up in the morning. Here’s what we didn’t get to write about on Vandalog this week:

Photo by Zéh Palito

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“Just My Type” @ Bushwick’s Low Brow Artique

Opening this evening from 7 to 10 pm at Bushwick’s Low Brow Artique at 143 Central Ave is Just My Type, an exhibit featuring the work of four Brooklyn-based artists — Gilf!, Dirty Bandits, ND’A and QRST — who utilize typography in their artworks. Ranging from the playful to the poignant in a variety of styles and media, the pieces often amuse and always provoke. Coordinated by Low Brow Artique’s resident curator, Rhiannon Platt, the exhibit continues through October 7th.

Images clockwise: Gilf! close-up, photographed by Lois Stavsky; QRST photographed by Tara Murray; Dirty Bandits on postcard courtesy of Low Brow Artique and ND’A photographed by Lois Stavsky

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Hellbent and BSA bring you GEOMETRICKS and inexpensive art for students

Feral Child

Brooklyn Street Art are going to be organizing a series of shows at Brooklyn’s new gallery, Gallery Brooklyn. Vandal or Visionary Series has kind of a cool concept, where BSA will pick a different artist to curate each show in the series. The first show in the series is GEOMETRICKS, curated by Hellbent. The artists in the show are Augustine Kofie, Chor Boogie, Drew Tyndell, Feral Child, Hellbent, Jaye Moon, Maya Hayuk, MOMO, OLEK, Overunder and See One, so between that line up and the name of the show, it’s probably pretty clear that GEOMETRICKS is about work by people in the street art community who are leaving lettering and pop art behind and including somewhat abstract shapes and patterns in their work, kind of like a street-art friendly version of graffuturism.

Augustine Kofie

In addition to a great line up of artists, the thing I’m most excited about with this show is that their will be one wall of the show devoted to inexpensive and discounted works for students only. The Young Collectors Wall will only have work by the GEOMETRICKS artists priced under $200, and you’ll have to show a valid student ID to purchase any of the pieces. I have to applaud BSA for this idea. It’s rare that a gallery will have quality artwork or art products available at prices that are reasonable for students. So students, get to the show early, because I’m betting that these works will be gone quickly. You might get a real steal and suddenly have the best-decorated room in your dorm.

Here’s a little invite from BSA:

You are cordially invited to have a blast in Red Hook Brooklyn with BSA Saturday Sept 22nd, where we’ll present amazing new gallery works from 11 of the best Street Artists doing abstract GEOMETRICKS on the street right now, musical jams from John Breiner, and a special Young Collectors Wall where a limited number of works by the artists in the show will be on sale under $200 for students with a current valid school ID. After GEOMETRICKS walk a few blocks to party with us at Brooklyn Crab and take the free shuttle bus back to the subway when it’s all over. It’s a cool September night in Red Hook that you don’t want to miss!

The show opens September 22nd from 6-9pm and runs through October 28th at Gallery Brooklyn (351 Van Brunt St, Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY).

Check out BSA for more info.

Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Street Art

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Rone goes big in San Francisco 

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

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Weekend link-o-rama

Aryz in Næstved, Denmark. Click to view large.

Just a question: Anyone wish an air-conditioned home want to trade places with me until things cool down? Anyway, here’s some linkage to what’s been going on with art this week:

Photo by Henrik Haven

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“In the Midst of Living” at Weldon Arts

For his first solo show, NohJColey has fabricated an installation that is nothing short of fantastic. Whenever a street artist moves to the gallery there is the fear that the installation will wash out the grimey aesthetics that made viewers love the work in the first place. Without giving too much away, I will say that In the Midst of Living has stylishly recreated this atmosphere.

Piled with cardboard boxes, wood, and drips, Weldon Arts has brought the breathless feeling of discovering a one-of-a-kind wheatpaste into their space. Piece after piece has been framed to a perfection that only further underscores the detail oriented nature of NohJ’s portraiture. This show will knock the wind out of you and make you never want to leave. To be blunt, if you are in the New York City area and miss this show you are a fool.

Opening Friday, September 7th from 6pm-9pm.

Photos by Rhiannon Platt

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“Disambiguation” with Carlos Mare, Rae Martini, Remi/Rough & Sixeart at Carmichael Gallery

Rae Martini, Shots in the subway, mixed media and collage on canvas

Carmichael Gallery is once again featuring artwork by some of my favorite artists. Opening Saturday evening is Disambiguation with new works that reinvent traditional graffiti forms by Carlos Mare, Rae Martini, Remi/Rough and Sixeart. The exhibit continues through October 6 at 5797 Washington Blvd in Culver City, CA.

Remi/Rough, The colour of love, acrylic on canvas

Photos courtesy of Carmichael Gallery