Archive for the 'Galleries' Category
Saturday, November 7th, 2009
Kelsey Brookes gets Bigger, Brighter Bolder
(All Images via Kelsey Brookes)
San Francisco based artist, Kelsey Brookes, has provided us with a sneak peak of works from his upcoming show with Quint Contemporary (La Jolla/San Diego). Judging from these images, the show’s title is an appropriate one. The increasingly ambitious paintings for Bigger Brighter, Bolder signal the distinct voice this self-taught artist has developed since his first U.S. solo show just one year ago.
Brookes is also participating in an exhibition at The California Center of The Arts. Quint: Three Decades of Contemporary Art surveys the gallery’s contributions to the arts over the past thirty years, featuring works from their represented artists, including Jean Lowe, Mel Bochner, Kim MacConnel, Ryan McGinness, Manny Farber and Patricia Patterson.
Click through for more images of Brookes’ new works, as well as a look into his studio. Read the rest of this entry »
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Dan Witz at Carmichael Gallery
Dan Witz’s latest offerings debut tonight with an opening reception at the Carmichael Gallery in Los Angeles. The show runs from Nov. 5 – Dec. 3, 2009. In Dark Doings, Witz will showcase a selection of pieces from his expansive summer street project of the same name. Created both for the street and gallery, the subtle, haunting images of human and animal faces trapped behind dirty glass windows are inspired by a recent visit earlier in the year to the red light district of Amsterdam.
Artwork at the show is comprised of mixed media on digital prints on plastic, presented either framed or mounted to wood doors, the latter serving as both canvas and contextual framework through which the work can be viewed. A selection of photographs depicting the Dark Doings series in situ will also be exhibited at the show, displayed alongside the piece with which they correspond.
Dan Witz – Dark Doings
Nov. 5 – Dec. 3
Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art
1257 N. La Brea Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90038
323.969.0600 for more information
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Thomas Campbell Surfaces with New Exhibit and Feature Film
We are extremely excited for Thomas Campbell’s forthcoming gallery show, opening Oct. 30 at V1 in Copenhagen. Campbell has spent the past few years focusing on his surf-film projects, and hasn’t held a major exhibition since his 2006 shows at Museum Het Domain (Netherlands) and Roberts and Tilton Gallery(Los Angeles). His latest movie, The Present, will also be screened for the first time in Scandinavia on Oct. 28.
Thomas Campbell – UMMMM
Oct. 30 – Nov. 11
V1 Gallery
The Present Film Film Premier
Oct. 28, 8:30pm
Grand Teatret
Copenhagen, Denmark
Monday, October 19th, 2009
Last Chance :: Murakami’s Picture of the Blessed Lion
Takashi Murakami – A Picture Of The Blessed Lion Who Stares At Death, 2009. (Image © Gagosian Gallery)
If you are in New York, there’s only a week left see A Picture Of The Blessed Lion Who Stares At Death, Takashi Murakami’s new grand-scale painting, on view in it’s own room at Gagosian Gallery – 24th St. until Oct. 24. Not in the area? – Click here for a video look at the piece.
Monday, October 5th, 2009
The LA case @ Carmichael Gallery
case, 2009.
Carmichael Gallery is exhibiting The L.A. case with new works on canvas by German artist case. This is case’s first US solo exhibition and the second time he has exhibited at Carmichael Gallery. Opens this Thursday October 8 2009 / 7.00pm – 10.00pm.
case’s new body of work references imagery from elaborate, self-staged photo shoots using spray paint on canvas. Combining exacting technical expertise with an innovative hint of liberation and irony, he investigates the parallels that exist between the conflicting states of convention and controversy, manipulating beauty in a dark, thrilling and provocative manner.
case is widely recognized as one of the best photorealistic spray paint artists in the world. His groundbreaking technique, detailed in the book Ma’Claim: Photorealistic Graffiti, Falk Lehmann and Steffen Petermann, Publikat Verlags und Handels GmbH and Co. KG, Germany, 2006, has set new standards and established a strong international collector base and fan network.
case prepares for LA:
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Modern Tradition :: Tony Curanaj at John Pence Gallery
For the past decade Tony Curanaj, better know in graffiti cirlces as SUB, has been diligently dedicating himself to a mastery of realist painting that has more in common with Renaissance humanism than popular street aesthetics. After earning his BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 1995, Curanaj honed his craft at the prestigious Water Street Atelier, a highly selective four year studio program steeped in the tradition of realism. From there, Curanaj became a founding member and core teacher at the Grand Central Academy, which evolved from the original the WSA. Curanaj’s paintings reflect the disciplined hand of a classical painter thrust into a modern world, and are on view now through Oct. 10 in a new solo exhibit at John Pence Gallery (San Francisco). Not to be missed.
Tony Curanaj – Recent Paintings
Sept. 11 – Oct. 10
John Pence Gallery
750 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Pop-Up Art :: Street Cool, Turned Economic Tool
Ja Pay, 2009 is one of several collaborative works created by artist Peter Harris and musician Lee Scratch Perry that will be on display at the Higher Power art show on Sept. 10 in London.
This September marks three years since Banksy captured the art world’s attention with Barely Legal, the now legendary three-day Los Angeles warehouse show, whose location was not disclosed until opening day. Looking back, its as if the exhibit’s mammoth success spawned the beginning of pop-up art show mania. What was once regarded as a guerilla marketing move used by street-hip artists and dealers a few years ago is quickly catching on. In the past few years, companies like Nike, Scion and Campari have been particularly adept at promoting their brands to young audiences and tastemakers by using such art-events.
Yet, while pop-up galleries – temporary art shows held in vacant commercial spaces – are now a mainstream marketing tactic, they may quickly become a financial necessity in a shaken economy, where both the real estate and art markets have been dramatically impacted.
Earlier this summer, Ad Hoc Art partnered with community development organization, Metrotech BID, to transform a vacant Brooklyn, NY block into a storefront gallery of street art, inviting 15 artists including Chris Stain,Greg Lamarche, Lady Pink and Logan Hicks to create site specific installations in the windows of former businesses. (Its worth noting Ad Hoc has since announced its closing, joining a growing list of galleries who have been unable to fight off the recession)
Artists Cycle and Chris Stain contributed to the Willoughby Windows project. Image: Dave Pinter
This week, the New York Times reported on the recent proliferation of temporary galleries in London, noting “the British government, worried about the economic, psychological and criminal hazards of retail vacancies, announced a $5 million “revival fund” for local governments in hard-hit areas to transform empty shops into something useful, like showrooms for local artists, and another $800,000 to help artists and arts organizations turn vacant high street shops into artistic spaces.” The story was also picked up by Artinfo.
London based Watch This Space has taken advantage of this new space, going beyond the curatorial and acting as facilitator between up and coming artists, who are finding it increasingly difficult to secure galleries willing to take on any new risk, and landlords who find themselves with empty space. The organization launched in June with a group exhibit in a three-story former restaurant that had been empty for two years, and is currently playing host to DIY London Scene (previously reported) in a vacant storefront in London’s Covent Garden shopping district.
Lee Scratch Perry and Peter Harris
Moving outside of the traditional gallery setting also offers opportunities for more varied and ambitious undertakings. Take Higher Ground for example, a one-day multimedia collaboration between reggae pioneer Lee Scratch Perry, legendary dub producer Adrian Sherwood, and artist Peter Harris. The interactive art and music event will take place September 10 at the historic Tabernacle Theater in London’s Notting Hill. Perry will perform songs that relate to themes from Harris’ film Higher Powers, while a ‘VJ’ will respond with live visual interpretations of Perry’s songs. Collaborative works between Perry and Harris will be on display, and the two artists will be complete a live painting on stage, with Sherwood conducting a live mix. Tickets to the event are available here
While many galleries struggle to stay afloat, with some closing their doors for good, perhaps there is hope in a wave of more innovative, cooperative events and exhibits, where synergies between creative and business communities can nurture both the arts and wallets.
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
Todd James @ Colette, Paris
Todd James (REAS) opens his first solo exhibition in Paris at Colette, today, Tuesday, Sept. 1. A true talent that has a lot of people fooled – we love this guy. Don’t stop get it get it runs till Oct. 3
All images/media © Todd James
Monday, August 17th, 2009
Quality Art Still Sells :: Joshua Liner’s Summer Show
James Roper (Images © Jeff Newman/TheArtCollectors)
The current mantra being echoed in auction house halls and on dealers’ calls is that despite the slowdown in art buying, there is still a strong audience and market for quality works of art. As the dust settles over the mediocre, Joshua Liner further proves which side of the fence he falls on with the opening of an overwhelmingly strong show this past Saturday. Liner’s Summer Group Exhibition includes many well-known painters, highlighted by Radioheads’ longtime visual guru, Stanley Downwood, Greg Craola Simkins, and Dave Kinsey, along with some very recognizable younger talents who have gained fast followings, like Chloe Early (who also shows with London’s Stolen Space) and Cleon Peterson (a member of Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One design team).
Chloe Early (Images © Jeff Newman/TheArtCollectors)
Equally deserving are some of the lesser known bold new additions to the gallery including James Roper, Ryan McLennan and Tristram Lansdowne. Not surprising, there was a noticeable buzz amongst the crowd, who shared in the refreshing excitement of such a vast and impressive lineup. And with many of the works already sold, there’s proof that collectors will still open their wallets for undeniably and irresistibly good art.
Read on for our exclusive photos from opening night and full list of participating artists. Click images for larger views.
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Preview :: Shawn Barber at the Shooting Gallery
(All Images: © Shawn Barber/The Shooting Gallery SF)
Shawn Barber opens a new solo show this Sturday, August 15 at The Shooting Gallery SF, continuing his deeply personal and human series of Tattooed Portraits. As you can see from our preview of some of the new paintings that will be on view, this one’s well worth your time.
Video © Fecal Face
Shawn Barber – Tattooed Portraits: Snapshots
August 15 – Sept. 8
The Shooting Gallery SF
839 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA