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Sao Paulo spirit on the street in the BK…Â
What? You thought “Too Far Too Close” at DEITCH PROJECTS was the only art show by Brasilian twins OS GEMEOS up in the NYC right now? Grinding away in the gallery for weeks before last weekend’s opening, the bad boys of Sao Paulo still found time to bomb the walls of Brooklyn and leave a little street-level exhibit for the masses. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Even this Basquiat masterpiece couldn’t stand U2’s music anymore…
It’s an accepted truism that the best pieces by the deceased street art/Pop master JEAN–MICHEL BASQUIAT are all in the hands of knowing private collectors at this point where they’re likely to stay for some time to come. That fact alone would normally be enough to make the early ’80s masterpiece painting “Untitled (Pecho/Oreja), 1983” auctioned yesterday at Sotheby’s for a healthy ÂŁ5,000,000 ($9,962,699 USD) especially noteworthy—if it weren’t coming from the private collection of U2, that is. Originally purchased by the Irish band at a posthumous Basquiat show at Robert Miller Gallery in New York in 1989 (Samo OD’d in 1988) for a mere fraction of its current value, the huge painting hung as a backdrop in their Dublin studio and was present at the recording of their albums beginning with “Achtung Baby” until the band mysteriously decided to part ways with it this month. Believed to be a self-portrait created by the then-22-year-old art star in his basement studio beneath Anina Nosei’s gallery, the piece is a truly incredible painting by the late artist and a find of even rarer quality on the open market these days. Of course, it was picked up by an unnamed private European collector who obviously lives somewhere where money is still worth something. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Expecting mass attendance, Jeffrey Deitch hired a crack security team…
The two-headed Brasilian art phenomenon that is OS GEMEOS (Portuguese for “The Twins“) brought their fantastic art circus to NYC when their phenomenal show of new work “Too Far Too Close” opened at DEITCH PROJECTS as the art party of the summer on Saturday nite. In it, identical 24-year-old twin brothers GUSTAVO and OTAVIO PANDOLFO have created a sprawling cityscape within superstar downtown art dealer JEFFREY DEITCH’s cavernous Wooster Street space. Mirroring their psychedelic storybook street paintings that cover the city walls of their native Sao Paulo, Os Gemeos have expanded upon a smaller show of non-commercial work first debuted at the Museum Het Domein in the Netherlands in late 2007 and constructed an immersive dream world of paintings, sculpture, and large-scale installations that transport viewers from the jaded streets of SoHo to the deepest reaches of their prodigious imagination. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
The look of luxe and the smell of $$$…Â
Just when we thought our blurry vision was recovering from NIGO’s years-long neon assault on our once beloved design motif it seems his fashion protĂ©gĂ©e TAKASHI MURAKAMI has gotten in on the act (and a few years late, at that) with his new cammo design for ultra luxury brand LOUIS VUITTON’s line of leather bags and other blue chip accessories. Dubbed “Monogramouflage,” the Japanese Pop Art god’s newest pattern simultaneously references Andy Warhol’s earlier interpretations of the disruptive pattern material and the ubiquity of BAPE’s signature streetwear graphics while incorporating LV’s timeless monogram pattern. First debuted as a series of framed artworks in his traveling art show “© Murakami,” and a limited product range at his Brooklyn Museum installation from June 1st—15th, the full line including luggage, wallets, iPod cases, belts, scarves, handbags, boots, sneakers, and clothing will be made available to the public tomorrow, June 1st, at LV flagship stores and premium outlets worldwide. Never mind the current record oil prices and general global economic freefall, expect queues of dedicated fashionistas and well-heeled hipsters in all timezones come first light. We’ll be sleeping in. After all, Canal Street is forever. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Banksy’s buffer will be working overtime tonite…Â
Walking through the abandoned Eurostar terminal-turned impromptu stencil art museum that is BANKSY’s infamous “Cans Festival,” it seems that the Bristol bad boy has his share of detractors after all. Just two months after the show’s debut (it’s scheduled to remain on public display until Fall) it seems the local graffiti droogs have made their feelings regarding England’s prince of street art known in the form of ubiquitous tagging throughout the tunnel. Do we smell an old school graffiti war brewing? No chance, that would be way too “street.” The Queen will probably have her royal art conservators on the job restoring the place by week’s end. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
The new holy grail of vinyl toydom. He’s laughing at how much you’re going to pay…Â
Yeah, that thing’s real. It’s a special collaborative figure made by KAWS and Chinese art phenomenon YUE MINJUN for a special show of vinyl toys designed by Chinese artists called “Art For The Masses” at Taipei’s MUSEUM OF TOMORROW that opened tonite (through July 27th). Featuring new sculpts by ZHOU TIEN HAI, LIU YE, JING YU, ZHOU CHUN YA, and YUE MINJUN (with KAWS), the show is the first to address the genre for a Chinese audience incorporating domestic modern artists. All figures have been produced in runs of 500 pieces for sale at the museum and are not being distributed domestically. Translation: keep your eyes on eBay and your PayPal account locked & loaded. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Mixmaster Spade lives!…
LA’s revolving outdoor art gallery that is the UNDEFEATED BILLBOARD PROJECT on LaBrea Ave features new work this month by none other than the local art collective/”social club” GENTS OF DESIRE, aka: Jonathan Bleser (FINN), and Alexis Ross (DOOM). Commemorating the late underground Hip-Hop legend MIXMASTER SPADE who died in a motorcycle accident in 2005, the billboard puts their trademark old school style front and center on one of Hollywood’s most heavily trafficked corridors. To commemorate the piece, NIKE and UNDFTD have teamed up to throw a charity reception on Sunday, June 29th benefiting the East LA Community Youth Center. The throwdown kicks off behind the UNDFTD shop (home of a new Gents mural) at 112 1/2 LaBrea at 5pm and the price of admission is a pair of fresh, unworn kix which go directly to the charity. Nike will match the number of shoes donated at the event and UNDFTD will bestow a pair of new slides to the dude who shows up looking best in his old lady’s pants. And for you shopaholics, UNDFTD will be dropping an unstoppable “Solid Gold” Gents collab T-Shirt. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Hirst goes for the gold…
YBA founding father, Diamond Skull mastermind, “highest paid living artist” record holder, and all-around art gangster DAMIEN HIRST has decided to forgo the formal gallery world and sell his new body of work via auction. Sidestepping longtime gallery rep LARRY GAGOSIAN for London’s SOTHEBY’S auction house, the 43-year-old Turner prizewinning artist intends to open his work up to set some new sales records when he puts enough new art to constitute two gallery shows on the block in a two-day auction in London on September 15 and 16. The centerpiece of this sale, titled “Beautiful Inside My Head Forever,” is his new masterwork, “The Golden Calf,” a monumental sculpture of a bull submerged in formaldehyde inside a gold-plated stainless steel and glass box. The animal’s head is crowned by a solid gold disc, its hooves and horns are cast in gold, and the piece is expected to fetch at least ÂŁ12 million. When asked why he decided to open his new art to an international auction market, Hirst stated simply, “the world’s changing.” Larry Gagosian has already declared that he’ll be front-and-center at the sale bidding among the faithful. It’s Damien’s world, we just live in it…
Hirst & the bull that laid the golden cage…
Closing shop this weekend at London’s venerable ELMS LESTERS PAINTING ROOMS is a fantastic show of new work by legendary Dutch graffiti and multimedia artist DELTA (aka: Boris Tellegen). Known for his unique architectural lettering style that transformed conventional tags and mural pieces into multi-dimensional works of art, Delta has been a pioneering force in the international scene since 1983. Expanding on his early street style in this new show, “The New Dutch Master,” Tellegen has delved into a variety of media including paintings, sculptures and 3-D installation pieces. Two screenprints and a new book have been created to accompany this exhibit and all are available online at the gallery site. And, for Delta fans that prefer to wear their allegiances on their sleeves, keep an eye out for the D-Man’s upcoming clothing collab with StĂĽssy, dropping this fall. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
One iPhone smoothie, coming up!…
Our man TOM DICKSON has been giving us our daily dose of hillbilly fun with his WILL IT BLEND? infomercials for a minute now and we thougth it was time to share our joy. Dickson’s imagination knows no bounds when it comes to the objects he drops into his industrial strength BLENDTEC 2000, including cans of Spam, Bic lighters, glow sticks, marbles, crowbars, and our personal favorite, an iPhone. Now we’re just waiting on pins and needles for the “body parts” edition…
BIC LIGHTER:
EASY CHEESE:
MARBLES:
WEEZER:
The Brooklyn Bridge’s biggest leak to date…
Normally, New York City residents yearning for a glimpse of a waterfall had to head upstate to Niagara. Now the trip is as close as the New York Harbor. As of this morning, four massive waterfalls created by 41-year-old Danish-Icelandic artist OLAFUR ELIASSON went into commission there, churning 35,000 gallons of East River water per minute over their manmade precipices. Following in the footsteps of conceptual art grandstander Christo who draped Central Park in yellow fabric in 2005, Eliasson sought to create an elaborate spectacle with the installation, officially titled “New York City Waterfalls,” and in the eyes of NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg, it’s bound to be a cash cow: “We estimate that the project will generate more than $55 million in economic activity for our city,” he announced this morning at the falls’ dedication ceremony. At a cost of $15.5 million (the majority of funds came from private donors, the city ponied up $2 million), that’s not a bad return on investment if ol’ Bloomie is correct in his estimation that “tens of thousands” of tourists will flock to the city to get a glimpse of Eliasson’s aesthetically spare constructions (water’s always beautiful, but the mechanisms resemble little more than elaborate scaffolding).
The waterfalls are at Pier 35 in Manhattan, near South and Rutgers Streets north of the Manhattan Bridge; at the Brooklyn tower of the Brooklyn Bridge; Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn, west of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade; and on the north shore of Governors Island. They will be turned on every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., except on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when they will be activated at 9 a.m. After sunset, the waterfalls will be lighted by light-emitting diodes. To facilitate viewing, a temporary park has been specially created on Pier 1 (the site of the future Brooklyn Bridge Park). In a nod to current gas prices, the city’s Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Public Art Fund, has also created a bike route around the project.
For the definitive story, check out the NYTimes, or NY Mag…
The man in the water…
“Devirock”: 6″ of bronzed rock ‘n’ roll fury…Â
Saving us from the deathly boring world of modern art toys (thanx for nothin’, Kid Robot) this month is one of our favorite designers, Hong Kong’s ERIC SO, who has transformed Japanese streetwear house DEVILOCK’s signature PALMBOY character into a thing of beauty. Normally, ol’ Palmie’s intrinsically boring design leaves us dry, but after Mr So added his magic touch, and a bit of rock action, the pedestrian character was transformed into “Devirock,” who now stands proud in his 6″ of bronzed, leather-jacketed fury. Only 80 are being made and distributed in Asia so keep your eyes on eBay and start saving your pennies now cuz these guys are gonna get xpensive. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Just when you thought tattoos (or rock, for that matter) couldn’t get any lamer, along comes this masterpiece to restore our confidence in man. Randy Rhodes will live forever in this Mt. Rushmore of Jailhouse inking, and we see a few pieces of prime real estate still open and ready for a nice vintage Van Halen logo to drop in…
Flyin’ towards that #1 Spot…
It’s a big week in roundball with the NBA draft poppin off tonite, but more importantly, Friday’s theatrical debut of Beastie Boy ADAM YAUCH’s (aka: MCA) documentary hoops flick “Gunnin For That #1 Spot” about this year’s hottest high school players as they prepare to enter the NBA. Chronicling the lives of eight young superstars including this year’s top draft picks Michael Beasley, Jerryd Bayless, and Kevin Love, along with Tyreke Evans, Donte Greene, Brandon Jennings, Lance Stephenson, and Kyle Singl, “Gunnin’” catches the daily lives of these future superstars as they prepare to do battle at the “Mecca of Basketball,” Harlem’s legendary Rucker Park. Located on the corner of 155th and Frederick Douglas Boulevard, this urban battleground is where the men are separated from the boys in the annual “Elite 24” all-star game that once saw the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dr. J competing for that #1 spot. HAVE A LOOK:
KAWS’ little blue men…
“Everything Else,” a group show curated by CHRIS CHURCHILL at FRANKLIN PARRASCH GALLERY in NYC features the work of 16 artists but to be honest, it’s notable primarily for the inclusion of just one: the ever-elusive gallery ghost known as KAWS. Sidestepping the formal art world almost entirely in recent years, choosing instead to sell paintings—many of which were top flight large-scale works—directly to private collectors, the streetwear & collectibles phenomenon known to his parents as Brian Donnelley put the brakes on a formal art career primed for takeoff following his debut installation at Manhattan’s New Museum in 2000. Choosing instead to publicly focus on a burgeoning merchandise empire in recent years, his inclusion in this show (one submission includes his 4′ Companion figure but it’s always been more of a sculpture than a “toy” anyway) is particularly relevant as it marks an official return to the gallery world with several large shows currently in the works. Also included in this show, which seeks to examine why “things” get made and questions “what are the demands of a culture that prompts such production and how do the products of everyday life touch on the spiritual and the immaterial?,” are original artworks by Jason Adkins, Bryan Bowie, Anthony Campuzano, Jason Frazier, Misaki Kawai, Michael J. Kelly, Wook Kim, Wes Lang, Sandra Eula Lee, Rebecca Potts, George Stoll, Keith Tallett, Xavier Veilhan, Jocko Weyland, and Jesse Wine. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Neighborhood watch in FULL effect…
Established in the 1940s as a “transitional housing community,” the Toronto, Ontario projects known as REGENT PARK are home to an incredibly ethnically diverse array of citizens with over half of the development’s residents being immigrants. It is also the city’s most youth-centric area as more than 50% of residents are children 18 years and younger (compared to a Toronto-wide average of 30%). With the neighborhood in the midst of a ten-year redevelopment plan begun in 2005, the “Luminato Streetscape Project” kicked off earlier this month to draw attention to the neighborhood via a series of high-profile onsite street art installations and workshops. In the words of project mouthpieces: “Large in scale, bold and beautiful in content, these transformed regions of Toronto will become an inspiration for public creativity, as cutting-edge contemporary art moves onto the streets in a celebration of colour and light.” Most notable of these is the large-scale photo installation series by Toronto-based photographer DAN BERGERON who spent a month working with the project’s residents, photographing them and then installing their portraits as giant wheatpaste posters on the dwelling’s exterior walls. Locals were unusually cooperative in the project, welcoming visiting artists and assisting Bergeron in the series installation, and serving as neighborhood guides. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
Art collectors Lance Armstrong & Kate Hudson get a closer look at Todd Schorr’s new masterpiece…
As the editor of JUXTAPOZ ART MAGAZINE from 1996—2006, I had a personal stake in scoping out the LAGUNA MUSEUM’s “Juxtapoz” retrospective group show “In the Land of Retinal Delights” last nite. Celebrating the so-called “Juxtapoz Factor” in the modern art world, the exhibition chronicled the magazine’s golden age, the years when the underground art world literally exploded into public consciousness and began to permeate the fabric of everyday life in the form of ubiquitous art shows, innovative merchandise, and corporate marketing and advertising campaigns. Assembling a roster of over 150 artists including such luminaries as MARK RYDEN, OS GEMEOS, PHIL FROST, ERIC WHITE, TODD & KATHY SCHORR, GLENN BARR, CHAZ BOJORQUEZ, XNO, MARGARET KILGALLEN, R. CRUMB, RICK GRIFFIN, RON ENGLISH, BASIL WOLVERTON, SHEPARD FAIREY, TAKASHI MURAKAMI, CRAIG STECYK, and BARRY McGEE, among others, it was truly a joy to witness such an incredible array of artworks by pioneering visionaries of so many disparate genres finally assembled for a formal show in a major cultural institution. Of course, this is something LACMA, SF MoMA, Yerba Buena SF, or MoCA LA should have done years ago, but the zeitgeist of our times often escapes the blurry vision of the establishment. Barring a few questionable curatorial choices, works that were less than masterpieces, and Juxtapoz founder ROBERT WILLIAMS‘ notable absence (read: boycott) despite having the exhibition’s title borrowed from one of his seminal paintings, it was a much-needed walk down memory lane in an era dominated by “street art” and other soulless anti-technique genres. Making its official public debut was a 10′ x 12′ masterpiece by elder statesman TODD SCHORR (more on that on ST in upcoming weeks) who proved that while the world of cartoon surrealism that we’ve all known and loved may have gone back underground, it isn’t lacking for talent or innovation. On hand to take in the scene was the genre’s most astute collector, Nike’s MARK PARKER, along with fellow art collector/Supertouch buddy LANCE ARMSTRONG and actress KATE HUDSON, who’s slated to portray underground art legend MARGARET KEANE in an upcoming biopic. HAVE A LOOK: (more…)
London’s Street Art scene exploded in May with BANKSY’s official “Cans Festival,” a sort of global gathering of stencil art heads unprecedented in scale. Now the organization has released an official time-lapse recap of the event from bare beginning to the inevitable endless queue…
