Archive for the 'Graffiti' Category
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Big Week for Fairey Amidst Growing Controversy
Art of Elysium’s 2010 Heaven Gala (Image via Art of Elysium)
It wouldn’t be a week without some sort of news from the Shepard Fairey camp, and this one is jam packed.
Fairey was named Visionary of the Year and lent design and decoration to children’s charity The Art of Elysium’s 2010 Annual Heaven Gala (pictured above). Fairey is participating in their annual benefit auction, and has donated several items to the fundraising event. The most exciting lot is a personal portrait sitting with the artist. The winning bidder will be entitled to a visit with Fairey for a photo shoot, which the artist will use to create a one of a kind 30″ X 44″ mixed media canvas. The prize is valued at $30-$40,000 for the in person sitting and final artwork (or $20-$30,000 if photos are sent). Other lots include unique 40″ x 60″ canvas depicting his Burmese Monk image, estimated at $20,000, and a rather quirky one of a kind collaged 7 foot lamp, valued at $7,500 (both pictured below). Both the portrait sitting and Burmese Monk can be bid on live via CharityBuzz until March 4, 12pm EST. If interested in the lamp, download an absentee bid form here
The opening of the third and final stop of his museum retrospective, Supply and Demand, set record attendance numbers at the Cincinatti Contemporary Arts Center this past week. Naturally, while in town, Fairey and crew were also out making their mark on the streets. (Lots more photos of the exhibition preparation, opening celebration, and outdoor campaign at the end of this post.)
(All museum and street images via Obey Clothing)
Next, Fairey’s design firm, Studio Number One, has lent their hand to titling sequences for the new Basquiat feature film, which can be seen in the trailer below.
Finally, the controversy over Fairey’s Obama portrait continues. The artist is now the subject of a federal grand jury criminal probe. Authorities are investigating whether Fairey violated federal laws prohibiting evidence tampering and perjury in connection to his copyright battle with the Associated Press. In October the artist released a public statement admitting, “in an attempt to conceal my mistake I submitted false images and deleted other images.” As noted by Copyrights and Campaigns, the criminal investigation hinges on whether or not Fairey (along with his wife) violated 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(c)and 1621. Section 1512 makes it a crime to “alter, destroy, mutilate, or conceal an object with intent to impair the integrity or availability of the object for use in an official proceeding,” while section 1621 declares that any person who “willfully subscribes as true any material matter which he does not believe to be true…is guilty of perjury and shall, except as otherwise expressly provided by law, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”
Fairey has filed an injunction hoping to postpone the civil suit with AP. The injunction argues
“Plaintiffs submit that there is a compelling case for postponement. Mr. Fairey is now the subject of a criminal investigation…It appears that the AP is, at minimum, encouraging and supporting that criminal investigation. Mr. Fairey’s criminal defense counsel believes that a deposition at this time would prejudice him and impair council’s ability to properly represent Mr. Fairey. Therefor, if a deposition does take place while the criminal investigation is pending, counsel would advise Mr. Fairey to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.”
While we here at TAC have supported Shepard’s fair use claims in creating his Obama portrait (which now sits in the National Portrait Gallery), we will wait for the facts to further develop before weighing in on the separate criminal investigation, and confine our comments to reporting the findings as they emerge.
Read on for more pictures from Cincinnati opening night and installation Read the rest of this entry »
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
McGee + HuskMitNavn to Exhibit Together
Barry McGee will be exhibiting under his Lydia Fong monker at Alice Gallery (Brussels, Belgium), alongside Danish artist HuskMitNavn (Remember My Name). While both are known for their work in street and fine art settings, The Last Night marks the first collaboration for the artists. The joint exhibition opens March 25.
Monday, February 15th, 2010
John Matos Crashes Down in Paris
CRASH (John Matos), Tin Machine 3, 2009 (All Image: © Addict Galerie/John Matos)
Born in the Bronx in 1961, John CRASH Matos is widely know as a pioneer of NY subway graffiti, and one of the first of his kind to transition into fine art. By 1980, Matos had abandoned streets and trains in favor of gallery walls, and gained fast recognition with his first solo show at the famed Sidney Janis Gallery in 1983, and exhibiting alongside Basquiat and Keith Haring. His works are held in countless prominent collections including the Museum of Modern Art NY, Keith Haring Foundation, Stedelijk Museum, Neumann Family Collection, Rubell Family Collection, and the Collection of Dakis Joannou.
For Tin Machines, his current exhibition at Addict Galerie (Paris), Matos’ conjures up early inspirations with canvases that evoke the subway cars of his youth. Presented alongside these new works are enlarged photos documenting his legendary graffiti, offering a time capsule and link to his ephemeral roots. While most others attempts are questionable, here is one of the rare instances of a graffiti writer whose movement into fine art is warranted, and whose accomplishments in both worlds have been rightfully heralded for their historical significance.
CRASH - Tin Machines
Jan 30 – March 3
Extension from March 16 – 23
Addict Galerie
14/16 rue de Thorigny
75003, Paris
Friday, February 12th, 2010
More Love from ESPO
More in from Steve ‘ESPO’ Powers. Just as he gears up to inaugurate the completion of his ambitious Love Letter to Philadelphia project this weekend, Pictures on Walls announces the release of a new print. Following last year’s Everything Is Shit, Except You Love, the new six color screen print is Powers’ second Valentine’s themed release with POW. At £99, expect the signed and numbered edition to go fast.
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
Shepard Fairey Museum Survey Comes to Cincinnati
Shepard Fairey’s museum survey makes it third stop, opening at the Contemporary Arts Center of Cincinnati on Saturday, Feb. 20. The artist was first shown at CAC in 2004, as part of the Beautiful Losers group exhibition. A free public reception will take place the night of Feb. 19, with Fairey doubling as dj. As with the previous installments at the Boston ICA and Andy Warhol Museum of Pittsburgh, the CAC store will be offering a limited edition print, created exclusively for the Contemporary Arts Center (pictured below)
It should come as little surprise that Jeffrey Deitch will also make good on taking over representation for Fairey shortly before accepting the position as the new director of LA MOCA. – Word is expect a solo show this April. a May 1 opening was just announced, as well as confirmation that this will be the final exhibit for Deitch Projects before permanently closing.
Shepard Fairey – Supply and Demand
Contemporary Arts Center of Cincinnati
Feb. 20 – August 22
44 E. 6th Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
Mr. Brainwash in New York City
This week, master of his own hype, Mr. Brainwash opens his first New York show in 15,000 of trendy downtown Meat Packing District real estate. With invites delivered and location already revealed for the private preview this Thursday, expect plenty of hype to disseminate prior to the general opening on Sunday, Feb. 14.
We’ll let you be the judge.
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
A Twist to Conservation
Barry McGee, Untitled, 1996, third SFMOMA installation, 2004. (All Images © SFMOMA)
SFMOMA has published a fascinating interview with Director of Conservation and Colletions, Jill Sterrett, discussing the unique challenges to conserving the art of Barry McGee. As many avid collectors of McGee will testify, the proper method of preservation best suited for the display of his works is often up for debate. McGee’s art typically incorporates non-archival materials such as cardboard, masking tape and cheap found frames with drawings right up against the glass. The museum’s conservation department has developed some interesting, if not unorthodox archival techniques. As seen in these images, their solution also allows for their installation of some 325 pieces to evolve and change over time, maintaining the artist’s intentions and the original aesthetics of his works. The installation is set to be displayed for a fourth time as part of The Anniversary Show (Dec. 19 – Jan. 16)
Read the rest here.
Second SFMOMA installation, 1998.
First SFMOMA installation, 1996.
Thanks to OuterBorough for the heads up.
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
McGee, Powers, James to Reunite
(Image © Jason Schmidt)
We’ve heard that Barry McGee (TWIST), Steve Powers (ESPO) and Todd James (REAS) will soon be reuniting to create a new version of their legendary Street Market installation with Deitch Projects. The 2000 exhibit (along with Indelible Market, its predecessor at the University of Pennsylvania Institute of Contemporary Art) remains not only a defining moment in these artists’ careers, but like the influence Haring and Basquait had before them, a turning point for the recognition of street based art within mainstream contemporary arts.
This is going to be huge.
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
McGee and Frost to Inaugurate Prism Gallery
Curated by RVCA/ANP founder, P.M. Tenore, Mind the Gap will present Barry McGee and Phil Frost side by side, signaling an impressive inaugural show for PRISM Gallery in Hollywood, CA.
McGee and Frost share a close history of collaboration and artistic development. The two artists are amongst the earliest with street roots to cross over into the fine art world, both with representation in highly respected galleries. This will be their first major joint installation effort since 2007’s Family Tree show (also with Creg R Stecyk) at RVCA/VASF. In 2003, they made their major L.A. gallery debut together (alongside Thomas Campbell) with Scribble and Scripture at Roberts and Tilton, Los Angeles.
McGee also has a new monograph due out early next year.
More to come…..
Barry McGee & Phil Frost – Mind the Gap
Nov. 20 – Feb. 20, 2010
Preview Dates: November 12th – 19
PRISM Gallery
8746 West Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
A Love Letter for You (and you, and you)
Unless you frequent the Market-Frankford elevated train line in West Philadelphia, chances are you’ve seen very little of Love Letter, artists Steve Powers’ most recent public arts project. While the multi-site mural was painted in 30 parts spanning 20 blocks of West Philadelphia rooftops, you can now take the entire thing home in book format. A Love Letter for You: Love in Transit is available soon via Gingko Press, and documents the entire love affair across 96 pages. $14.95 means buy two and give somebody you love an early holiday present.
