Don’t know how I haven’t mentioned this yet, but Os Gêmeos have started blogging on 12oz Prophet. My favorite thing they’ve posted so far is this classic piece:
Os Gemeos Mural To Hit New York
I’ve been thinking quite a bit about Os Gemeos recently, for various reasons, and was planning to write a general post about them. Rumors then began to surface that they would soon be painting the wall at the corner of Bowery and Houston Street in SoHo that was formerly home to a Keith Haring tribute mural. This rumor was confirmed as the twins were spotted beginning their work today.
For those who don’t know, the Haring mural, a recreation of one of the artist’s 1982 pieces in the same spot, was commissioned by the Keith Haring Foundation, Deitch Projects, and Goldman Properties, the wall’s owner, in honor of what would have been Haring’s 50th birthday.
Although the Haring mural was really nice, it’s going to be great to see what the twins get up there. In anticipation of it (but really because it was an excuse to sift through lots of pictures), I thought it would be nice to take a look at some of the great street pieces they have painted over the past ten years.
This first mural is from 1999, when people outside Brazil were really just starting to get to know who Os Gemeos were. You can definitely see the evidence of their hip hop/b-boy/graffiti roots in their use of shape and color. The piece is a collaboration with Vitche (most of whose work is actually captured in a second photo – it is a very long wall!) I’m not sure who took the picture, but it is featured on Art Crimes.
This wall was painted in Porto Alegre in 2000. I really like the flow from figurative to wild style here. I connect with the character in the same way I connect with the characters in the work of Barry McGee, a great friend of the artists since 1993. Again, the photo is from Art Crimes.
I recently visited Cuba, and although I saw very little Cuban street art there, I saw work by Os Gemeos and Nina everywhere I looked (a lot more than I saw in Sao Paulo, strangely enough). This fantastic photo, taken by Robin Thom in 2005, really illustrates how the artists can transform an entire environment with even the tiniest piece.
This piece was painted in Shibuya, Japan in 2007. It’s a great example of the magical world Os Gemeos invite us to enter and indulge in. Photo by ae7c.
Also from 2007, but painted in Sao Paulo, this depiction of pixacao writers offers a perspective on life in the twins’ native city. Nearly all Os Gemeos pieces contain an element of social commentary, which is heightened by their use of cultural emblems and fine attention to human behavior. Photo by ndrc.
This is one of Os Gemeos’ most famous murals as it was painted on the Tate Modern back in May last year. Simple but very powerful, it is quite representative of their current style. Photo credit to Lois Stavsky.
Now, after looking through at least two hundred amazing photos, I’m more excited than ever to see their new piece!
Elisa x
It’s Showtime
The number of interesting shows is really starting to increase as it starts to get warmer. Here’s a number of shows around the world open or opening soon which look interesting:
(this show features Blu, Nunca, Os Gemeos and others)
- Spring Fever at Kings County Bar in Brooklyn, New York. A group show curated by Andrew Michael Ford. Open now.
- Nick Walker’s “A Sequence of Events” at Black Rat Press (speak of BRP, Part 2 of my Matt Small interview will be online as soon as my computer stops freezing when I try to upload it)
- The always amazing José Parlá has a show in Hong Kong right now.
- Lazarides will be reopening their main London gallery in a new location on Rathbone Place on May 15th. Lazarides Rathbone place will start out with another “Outsiders” show.
Os Gêmeos Show in Rio De Janerio
If you’re in Rio De Janerio sometime between now and the end of May, the one thing you can’t miss is Os Gêmeos’ show there. It looks absolutely amazing. More photos at Arrested Motion.
Phillips de Pury Results
Just a quick run through of Saturday’s Phillips de Pury auction results (all prices include buyer’s premium).
- Herakut’s canvas for the War Child charity went for £3750.
- Only one Paul Insect piece managed, to sell (a print at £375).
- Seen was quite strong, with a large painting on subway maps selling for £4000.
- Out of 2 prints and 1 original by BAST, only one print sold and it was at below estimate (and that original was really nice in person, even if it isn’t his typical style).
- None of the Faile prints or originals sold.
- Nick Walker’s Moona Lisa, which was estimated at £7-9000, sold for £18,750. Seems like a bit of a fluke though, as the rest of Walker’s work was within the estimate.
- The Swoon on Mylar was withdrawn
- Finally, as I anticipated, the two Os Gêmeos giant head boxes sold for more than the estimate of £4-6000, but they sold A LOT more: £18125 including the premium.
For the full results a pdf can be downloaded here.
Phillips de Pury Auction – My 3 Picks
UPDATE: The Swoon mentioned in this post may have been withdrawn from the auction.
Tomorrow afternoon is the Phillips de Pury Saturday Sale. Along with toys, watches, and contemporary art, this auction has a good deal of street art. I went to the opening of this show on Tuesday, and while it maybe be the best urban art auction I’ve seen ever seen in London and there are only a handful of pieces that should not be there, three items really stood out for me.
Lot 170
Herakut
You Sure?, 2009
Spraypaint, acrylic and charcoal on canvas. 100 x 100 cm. (39 3/8 x 39 3/8 in.)
Estimate: £3,000-4,000
My thoughts – There are three great Herakut paintings on display at Phillips (plus two “in progress” works). This is the only one that will be sold at the auction. It is being sold to raise money for War Child, a charity helping children in conflict areas. It’s a very powerful piece, and contains a good amount of work from but Hera and Akut.
Lot 392
Os Gêmeos
Two works: Untitled (Head Box), 2005
Mixed media on wooden construction. 123.2 x 124.5 x 124.5 cm. (48 1/2 x 49 x 49 in.)
Estimate: £4,000-6,000
My thoughts – Who doesn’t love Os Gêmeos? Like many of their sculptures, these have been decorated inside and out, and viewers can stick their own heads up a hole at the bottom of the pieces to see the insides. Almost like two works in one. These giant heads are in the no-reserve section with an unbelieveably low estimate. For comparison, this canvas from the Dreweatts Urban Art Auction in October 2008 sold for £24,000. Surely most people would rather have these heads than a canvas. Of course, displaying them could be a nightmare, and they will in all likelihood end up in storage until they are put in a museum (which is where they belong).
Swoon
Untitled, 2005
Hand-painted linoleum print on mylar. Installation dimensions variable.
£2,000-3,000
My thoughts – Another highly underestimated item in the auction’s no-reserve section. I can’t even imagine this going for £3,000. As usual, Swoon’s work is beautiful, but the 3D installation aspect of this piece makes it unique. It might be hard to see from this photograph, but many of the birds are on separate pieces of mylar and are meant to be floating varying depths away from the way. This could be the deal of the decade.
What do you think? See any other particularly special pieces up for sale tomorrow? Leave a comment or shoot me an email (rj (a-t) vandalog.com).
Thoughts on Bonhams February Auction
Spent some time today checking out the catolog for the February 24th urban art auction at Bonhams in London. A few people have noted the extremely high number of Banksy lots (22 of 78) and dismissed this auction, but I’ve found a few potential deals to be had. If you’ve got the money to spend and you can weed through the crap, people are looking to sell some really nice work. Here’s what I’ve found:
1. Banksy – Kate Moss (series of 6)
Estimate: £100,000 – 150,000
There was a time when just one of these 6 could go for £100,000. Perhaps Banksy’s most sought after print. The winner of this auction will be a very lucky man/woman in a decade. Continue reading “Thoughts on Bonhams February Auction”