Category: Gallery/Museum Shows

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Roa at Factory Fresh

Last month, Roa spent some time in London for his solo show at Pure Evil Gallery in London where he put on a killer show and painted outdoors almost every day. Now he’s in New York City for a solo show at Factory Fresh and it looks like he’s going to try and do it all again for a new audience. Definitely not one to miss.

Brooklyn Street Art have already been out to photograph Roa as he paints, so they’ve got photos of that as well as a two–part interview with him on their blog.

The press release for the show:

ROA: A Solo Exhibition

Opening Reception May 14th, 7-10pm

This May, Factory Fresh goes wild as it opens its doors to the zoetic art of Belgium-born artist ROA. The artist’s organic animal forms, huge in both their reputation and impact, will grace the walls of the gallery, reminding spectators of the forgotten natural world beneath the city’s streets.

Through his large-scale installations of very wild wild-life on the industrial canvas of the city, ROA produces a juxtaposition of the overtly natural against the mechanic that is both feral and nostalgic, a reminiscence of what the world used to be before cement and concrete. ROA is famous for his large black and white works that depict both the outer and inner appearance of rodents, bulls, roaches et al, who slumber on garage doors and cement blocks, copulate in abandoned alleyways and decay on brick walls. His work is sprawling and uncontainable, and will be filling Factory Fresh as such, barely pinned down to found materials, clustering in our corners and escaping out into our surrounding streets.

ROA began pulling animals out of the depths of the industrial world in his hometown of Ghent, Belgium, where he explored the area around his home and was inspired by the life that lurked in its lonely smokestacks. His resulting work snarls at you from wherever it prowls, awaking a visceral reaction that comes from seeing something familiar yet unknown, an uncanny portrayal of the animals within and around ourselves that our contemporary lifestyles have made null.

Since his Belgium beginnings, ROA’s work has hit the ground running like the animals he depicts, scattering on four legs all over major cities, showing up on the walls of galleries and abandoned factories alike. His work has been shown in London, Berlin, Warsaw, and sold out in two days in Paris. He now returns to New York, arriving at a very different kind of factory than the industrial wastelands his animals are known to inhabit, ROA’s show at Factory Fresh promises to be untamed and animated as his pieces.

On view till May 30th.
Gallery hours Wednesday thru Sunday 1-7pm

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Burning Candy’s Candy Shop

Tonight was the last screening (for now) of Dots, Burning Candy’s film-in-progress. It’s a project I’ve quite enjoyed being involved with, so I’m happy to say that some of the paintings we had on display at those screenings will move right over to High Roller Society for their upcoming show Candy Shop (which Gold Peg has designed the flyer for). And the Dots box set of prints will be at HRS too.

The press release:

Ignoring the limitations and expectations of the graffiti art scene, London based Burning Candy have made a name for themselves as being amongst the most prolific and creative street artists in the UK. As individuals they are some of the biggest names both on the street and in the galleries that exhibit their work. However it is their collaborative work producing epic genre-defying murals that has cemented them as an unstoppable powerhouse.  To coincide with DOTS, a Burning-Candy-film-in-the-making, High Roller Society proudly presents CANDY SHOP, an exhibition of selected works by each of the crew’s 9 core members: CEPT, CYCLOPS, DSCREET, GOLD PEG, LL BRAINWASHED, MIGHTY MO, ROWDY, SWEET TOOF, and TEK 33.  The exhibition, which runs from 8 May – 22 May, showcases the chaotic harmony of Burning Candy’s street-inspired individual works in a kaleidoscope of crazy colours, mediums, and styles.

Over the past four years, the prolific Burning Candy crew came together naturally through shared ideals of what they each wanted to achieve as artists, both in the studio and on the street.  They all believe in big colourful graffiti that challenges passers-by in a positive way, and that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Think one-eyed King Kong-sized monkeys with gnashing gums and clothes pegs for teeth, clenching a half-crocodile, half-owl in one hand, and a slimy pink super-brain being speared by a pitch-fork in the other, looming over trendy Londonistas as they skip to their day jobs and prowl the pubs. With a passion and obsession for graffiti at their core, Burning Candy’s ingeniously collaborative street creatures have both fueled and furthered their individual studio work, where the usage of endless mediums has caused an oddly desirable thirst for more in their extensive following.

As a very loose synopsis, Dots will prompt the crew members to exceed even their own expectations and produce a work that is bigger and more inspired than anything they have done before. To achieve this, the film will follow each of the artists as they visit a place that offers inspiration to their artistic style, taking both Burning Candy and the viewer on a journey around-the-world as they learn more about where their art has originated, explore it’s importance in their lives and discover how they can take their ideas further.

To help raise funds and make Dots a reality, Burning Candy has put together a limited edition set of 9 screenprints, one print from each member of the crew. The prints, which are 2-colors, A5 sized, and an edition of just 150, are each beautifully presented in a bespoke hand-screenprinted box. But, these prints aren’t only artwork; anyone who buys a box set will also own the rights to 0.05% of the film’s revenues for the next 10 years. High Roller Society will have a limited amount of Burning Candy Box Sets available to purchase.  A percentage of the proceeds from both the box sets and the crew’s art works will go toward the film, as well as to a member of Burning Candy who has recently fell upon difficult times.  CANDY SHOP opens on 7 May to anyone and everyone willing to sink their teeth into Burning Candy’s deliciously twisted treats.

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Aint Goin Home Soon: Chris Stain and Leon Reid IV

It gives me great pleasure to share with everyone that artists Chris Stain and Leon Reid will be exhibiting at the  Creative Alliance right here in Baltimore. The exhibit opens Sat May 8 at the right by Patterson Park from 7-9pm, On view May 8-29 Free. Opens w/ From Mountains to Maryland at 5:30pm, and FUSION: Hip Hop on the Mountain at 9pm

As every schoolchild knows, John Henry was a giant of a man, who wielded a 20 pound hammer as though it were nothing, and won an epic contest against a steam engine, only to die on the spot. Henry was a slave, or former slave, and the battle that cost him his life is said to have taken place in Talcott, West Virginia on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Built from found materials by Leon Reid IV, a statue of John Henry towers over this Main Gallery installation, amidst Hoovertown shacks made of wooden pallets and railroad ties made of cardboard. Giant stenciled murals by Chris Stain form a backdrop melding WPA-era social realism and urban graffiti, expanding on the themes of John Henry’s story—struggle and pride, race and dislocation in the face of technological and economic change. In this way, their installation serves as an ideal introduction to Urban/Appalachia, Creative Alliance’s series examining the long and complicated relationship between Baltimore and Appalachia, from past generations seeking work in city steel mills, to a generation today shipped to prisons in the mountains.

Born in 1972 and raised in East Baltimore, Chris Stain is a New York-based, self taught print maker and stencil artist inspired by NYC subway graffiti and poster design. His work has shown in museums and galleries internationally, and been published in books, magazines, and websites about street art and urban contemporary culture. Leon Reid IV was born in Virginia and raised in Ohio, an African American public artist who manipulates urban spaces, monuments and architecture with sardonic visual puns. He received his M.A. from London’s Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design and recently completed a public commission titled The Great Recession in Stavanger, Norway.

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May Day!

May 1st was the opening of what may surpass Banksy’s Exit Through The Gift Shop as the street art event of the year so far: Shepard Fairey’s May Day show at Deitch Projects. Because the opening evening was open the public instead of simply a guest-list-only affair, it got a bit mad. I’ve heard that lines were 7 blocks long just to get in. And a friend tells me that the after-party was one of the best parties of the year. It’s taken a few days, but some photos of the artwork have finally come online.

The largest piece in the show (pictured above) is a 4-part series of canvases similar to the mural that Shepard has at Houston and Bowery. No doubt it will end up in a museum. The question is, which one? Perhaps more importantly, should it end up in a museum? It is really Shepard’s strongest work to date, or just his largest?

Capitalizing on the popularity of the Obama HOPE poster, Shepard has almost definitely made more than his usual number of portraits for this May Day, so that’s too bad.

Shepard’s flag is probably the most visually arresting and art historically significant newish image in May Day. Shepard no doubt owes a lot to Jasper Johns, particularly Johns’ use of newspaper and other materials collaged together as a base for his paintings, so it’s interesting to see Shepard’s take on the American flag (I should probably remind people that no, I don’t study art history or whatever, this is just my take on things, so no need to get all pissy – though I wouldn’t mind hearing if I’m totally wrong). Probably my favorite pieces in the show.

Two of my favorite classic Shepard Fairey images in the photo below: The OBEY printing press and Never Trust Your Own Eyes.

And of course, plenty of smaller stencils and rubyliths.

Is there a lot of not-so-amazing stuff in May Day? Of course. Is there some amazing artwork too? Of course. Shepard has always produced so much that it’s all a bit hit or miss, but those hits are more than worth wading through the misses. I wish I could see May Day in person. Looks like the must-see art event in New York right now. May Day runs through May 29th and then Deitch Projects closes down for good as Jeffrey Deitch takes up his new job as director of The MOCALA.

Photos by Incase, who have a flickr set with more photos from the show

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Some new art at Oakland Museum of California

Barry McGee

Oakland Museum of California has just opened a group show with artists like Barry McGee, Date Farmers and Emory Douglas in their Gallery of California Art. So cool. Oh and for those who aren’t familiar with Emory Douglas’ artwork (as I was until recently), Douglas did much of the artwork for The Black Panthers and is one of Shepard Fairey’s most clear influences.

Emory Douglas
Date Farmers
Barry McGee
Barry McGee
Barry McGee

Plenty of more photos can be found on fresh888’s flickr.

Via Arrested Motion and Hi-Fructose

Photos by fresh888

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The Great Outdoors

The Great Outdoors is a kick-ass-sounding group show that opens at Woodward Gallery in New York City this weekend.  Some of my favorite artists like Swoon and Neckface are involved, as well as some other talented people like Darkcloud, Michael de Feo, Royce Bannon and LA II. It’s kind of an odd mix of artists, but not really that odd at all. Stylistically different, but all cool in their own ways I guess. Should be good. The show opens on May 8th.

Michael de Feo
LA II

Photos from Woodward Gallery

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Faile/Bast Deluxx Fluxx Arcade comes to NYC

Faile and Bast have once again teamed up to put on their Deluxx Fluxx Arcade show/experience. Last time, it was in Lazarides’ Greek Street location in London. Now, the arcade has been built in New York City. The arcade opened this weekend and will be open at 158 Allen Street through May 27th. If you’re in town (and especially if you didn’t see this arcade while it was in London), I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s quite an experience.

Arrested Motion has pictures from the arcade’s setup and Gothamist has an interview with Faile.

Photo from Arrested Motion

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Video: Escif’s Around The Wall show at POW

Escif’s solo show Around The Wall opened at Pictures on Walls in London a few weeks ago. I haven’t really mentioned it since the opening because I’ve been waiting until I could post this video. I guess the video pretty much sums up my thoughts on the show, so I won’t write too much, but I really enjoyed it and if you’re in London, it’s definitely worth checking out.

So here’s my video walk-through of the show (some people reading this post through RSS readers may have to go to vandalog.com to view this video):

Around The Wall runs until May 30th.

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London screenings of Burning Candy film Dots

Yesterday, I posted about a box set of screenprints by Burning Candy. The prints are being used to fund the making of Dots, a documentary being made about the crew. Most of the film hasn’t actually been filmed yet, but the first 20 minutes are so are done. The first segment of the film explains the history of the crew and follows one artist on a journey to bring their art to the next level.

We’ve organized a few screenings of this first part of Dots for next week. These will be the first time that any of the film has been shown publicly. In addition to screening the film, we’ll also be displaying (and selling) the print set and original paintings from the entire crew.

If you want to be at this first look at Dots and the Burning Candy screeprints box set, just sent an email to rsvp@dotsfilm.com. The guests for each night (Tuesday and Thursday) are going to be randomly selected and notified by email by Saturday May 1st and we’ll let you know exact details of when and where.