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Tag: los angeles
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Gary Baseman Interview
Tuesday, 21 May 2013 /// Written by Administrator
"The Door is Always Open" on view at the Skirball Cultural Center till August 18, 2013
Gary Baseman's retrospective "The Door is Always Open" at the Skirball in LA opened recently to massive crowds in a huge celebratory opening party. The exhibition is so complex and personal, delving into Baseman's background, family history, and all the layers of prolific work that he has done over the years. After the opening festivities winded down, I caught up with Baseman for an interview. We discussed the underlying meaning to some of the components of the show and how it felt for him, coming from such an honest personal perspective in putting this massive show together.
Kristin: First of all, congrats on such a phenomenal retrospective with "The Door is Always Open" at the Skirball. The whole show was such an in depth exploration of your work and really a celebration of the work you've done over the last several decades. It was such an involved event, too, with so many different things going on. How did that feel for you- the experience of the opening and winding down afterwards? It was pretty epic.
Gary: Well even when I give a tour of the exhibition or look at just the exhibition itself, it has so many layers to it. So because I was determined when I put together the exhibition to not have a traditional retrospective, but that I was trying to create this kind of art installation- this kind of environment to engage the viewer and in a way disarm them. I wanted to bring them in to the space, to make them part of it and for them to be able to interact with the art differently than just a viewer looking at a painting behind glass. That became such an overwhelming process, so in some ways when I first give a tour of the exhibition itself, you get caught up in the concept. And then because each room represents a theme in my work, you almost end up removing the actual exhibitions themselves.
Each piece of art represents a specific exhibition or an event and then has a story in its own right.
So again, there are so many layers of not just the work as art, it's the work also as history, as memory and heritage and so you're dealing with a sense of family. For me it was a way to honor my family my parents for one by having their furniture, their original furniture, in there.
K: Wow, I didn't realize that was their original furniture you used. I was wondering about it.
G: Yeah, this is a very deep emotional exhibition. The furniture in the Living Room, the Dining Room and the Bedroom was my parents furniture. My mom passed away in October and at first I was going to mainly use relatives' furniture to capture that era, cause its not only my family but its also the Fairfax District that I grew up in. But when my mom passed away in October I made the decision to use family furniture. My brothers and sisters said it was cool and so I moved my parents' furniture that they had left in their home of 48 years and used it in the exhibition.
K: That's incredible. I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I imagine you were already well into working on this show when she passed, so was this process kind of therapeutic?
G: Well the process already started when my father passed away three years ago.... ~continue reading
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Travis Millard in LA, Friday
Thursday, 21 March 2013 /// Written by Trippe
THIS Los Angeles is pleased to finally announce a solo show by Travis Millard with the opening reception this Friday March 22nd, 7-10pm, "No Pressure".
Click above image for video of Millard speaking about the title of the show.
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Paul Wackers Interview
Wednesday, 20 February 2013 /// Written by Kristin Bauer
Paul Wackers has an exhibition of all new paintings up at New Image Art Gallery in LA from February 16th to March 30th. He sheds some light on his inspiration, creative process, new work and his experience of being an artist in NY in this interview with Kristin Bauer.
"Early Romantics" Paul Wackers at New Image Art Gallery
Feb. 16- Mar. 30, 2013
7920 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Dance for You, acrylic, spray paint on panel, 48”x60”, 2013
Tell me about your most recent work we will be seeing in Early Romantics at New Image? How has it evolved from your previous work?
I will be showing about 12 new paintings all made since the beginning of 2013, so pretty quickly. One is the largest painting I've ever made which was really fun to do. The rest are a mix of objects in the landscape and very paired down still lifes or almost abstract compositions. I think this show is a really good follow up from my show at Alice gallery in Brussels last year. So continuing to build a bit off an internal narrative for the work and some parameters from my subjects to exist within and seeing where it goes from there.
A Description of Leveling Off, acrylic, spray paint on panel, 60”x48”, 2013
Your paintings have a sense of capturing the magic in the mundane objects and moments in daily life. What is your process of working this way? Would you say it's more of a process of infusing energy into the ordinary, or seeing beneath the surface of the everyday and expanding on what's already there?
Yeah, I think that is all in the work, but the work is rarely from direct observation. It's more like a kind of assumption of what something is and that leads to being open to the possibilities within anything. I know that's pretty cheesy, but when you spend 7 days a week in your studio the regular stuff around you and your walks there get really interesting. Funny bits of trash or strange trees and blandness become stages for things to happen. Being able to expand on the boring bit to see how it might be something unique is a hard thing, but a worthwhile search I think. But maybe ask me tomorrow and I won't see anything in it. It's all in the moment.
Natural History, acrylic, spray paint on panel, 70”x60”, 2013
In your work there's an interaction and a sense of tension between meticulous detailed areas and looser more abstract elements- almost a play between order and chaos. How do you feel order and chaos, or other polarities, present in your process and final imagery?
I like to play with those ideas in some of the paintings. Its strange that what I might see as just background noise that is easy to ignore because it has no focus, other people see chaotic stuff. I love how every person reads them so differently. That's why I usually like to let people tell me what they see before I say what I think is going on, since it is that play and disconnect that I love. If I give away my intention too soon then the person looking usually just ends at that, but when it stays ambiguous I think it remains interesting and the discussion can begin after that. But that being said, sometimes I will try to make images that I think can't possibly work, and then they start to click and I have a whole new thing to explore. So I guess finding some disharmony has been very beneficial to my process.
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CMYK: LA
Friday, 02 November 2012 /// Written by Michael Hsiung
On Saturday, October 20th, the Human Pyramids Collective presented the last leg of the CMYK show, an international group exhibition, which showed in Majorca, Spain, Malmo, Sweden, Dublin, Ireland, and then stopping finally in Los Angeles at the XVY Art + Design.
Playing off the CMYK from printmaking, the show featured hand printed works by Hovin Wang, Philip Evans, Mari Araki, Pato Conde, Fos, Sean Morris, Philip Morgan, Teddy Kelly, The Love Movement, Michael C. Hsiung, Richard Gilligan, Stefan Narancic, Nils Svensson, Elvis Segarich, Bigfoot, Mike O'Shea, Michael Coleman, Fuchsia Macaree, Loana Ibarra, and Stu Smith.
The exhibition opened in Los Angeles Oct. 11th thru Oct. 27th. Some print works will be up on the Human Pyramids store.
Works by Stefan Narancic (Sweden).
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Thom Lessner @THIS LA
Monday, 08 October 2012 /// Written by Michael Hsiung
Last Friday THIS, Los Angeles gallery presented Turbo Lover, a solo show from artist, printmaker, and painter Thom Lessner (Philadelphia) whose known for his 80s pop culture paintings and wood cutouts. Not only has he designed and printed various rock school posters for Paul Green School of Rock Music, but he has also done work for Enjoi, Snickers, Toyota, Thrasher, Vice just to mention a few. If your'e a fan of music, metal, and styling mullets like I am, then you should go check out Turbo Lover which runs from Sept 28th thru Oct 19th at THIS, LA in Highland Park. Here's some pictures from the opening reception.
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Gold Coast @THIS LA
Tuesday, 25 September 2012 /// Written by Trippe
Last month THIS, LOS ANGELES opened Gold Coast, featuring works from artists (SF)
Danny Gibson and (SF) Mike Bertino whose loose styles, pattern work, and colorfully carefree compositions.
Check out the works available on the THIS, LA shop page.
Gold Coast reflects the experiences growing up, and living on the West Coast, and specifically in California where ambitions to become superstars and rockstars intermix with atmosphere of "eternal sunshine, pot smoking hippies, yoga, board shorts . . and lazy vacation style living."
Having struck up a friendship while in city college studying graphic design, Gibson and Bertino's collection of work for Gold Coast play on these themes of "ambition and the illusion of indifferent coolness that bastardizes everything it comes in contact with. Underground music, cultural sub genres, and/or indigenous art are just fodder for a state of cultural irrelevance that is based on aesthetic appeal and a laissez faire type attitude toward creativity."
THIS Los Angeles is located in Highland Park and run by 5 friends. It's one of my favorite spaces, if not my favorite gallery deal. My photo is crap compared to what these two rad photographers Aaron Farley & Justin Van Hoy take.
Congrats on the show fellas. . . sorry I didn't get a chance to snap you dudesss!
I wish I had a drug rug that looked as pretty as this piece by Mike.
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Steven Harrington | Insideout | LA
Thursday, 06 September 2012 /// Written by Trippe
STEVEN HARRINGTON | INSIDEOUT
On view August 18–September 1, 2012
Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Words & Photographs by Michael C. Hsiung
This is the LA based artist's first show in LA since 2009. Aside from owning and operating National Forest Design with fellow artist Justin Krietemeyer, he still finds time to work on both commissioned and self-inspired art projects of his own. Influenced by images, fashion and graphics discovered in Time Life Encyclopedias from 1965-1972, thrift stores, and The Moody Blues.
Crept a ride and arrived at the Known Gallery on N. Fairfax for the show. You walk in to catch a glimpse of this giant mural by Steven Harrington.
I kind of couldn't look away from this wall . . but that was unfortunate because I think I missed the sculptures and other various works. . better reason to go back and check it out.
More graphite totem works.
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Brett Amory in LA Saturday
Wednesday, 01 August 2012 /// Written by Trippe
Oakland based Brett Amory opens Dirty Laundry at LA's Thinkspace this Saturday, August 4th.
Thinkspace is pleased to present Dirty Laundry, an exhibition of new work by painters Brett Amory and Adam Caldwell. Amory and Caldwell each mobilize their unique representational strategies to invoke the modern day disconnect between time and space, self and other, and present and past.
- show details
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Neck Face Print Release
Tuesday, 31 July 2012 /// Written by Michael C. Hsiung
On Friday the 13th, artist NECK FACE debuted his highly anticipated and rare release of two original print editions with POSTER CHILD PRINTS which was held at New Image Art Gallery. The two original prints, Not One F*@k Will Be Givin and Bad Luck, No Luck, are hand-pulled silkscreen, signed by the artist. Each print is numbered, embossed and exclusive to Poster Child Prints validated by a Certificate of Authenticity. Opening night as you would expect was packed with PBRs and loads of fans, all cramming in to get a print or tee.
Neck Face preparing for his print release show Simply The Worst.
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Interview w/ Joshua Petker
Wednesday, 18 July 2012 /// Written by Trippe
Los Angeles based Joshua Petker recently closed the show "Adrift" at Lebasse Projects a few weeks back. After switching up his style and direction to inlcude these simplier/ nautical/ ship themed works, we had the chance to ask him a few questions about this new body of work.
There's a lot of nautical action taking place in the new works. Where does this angle come from?
I've always been interested in juxtaposing beauty and melancholia in my work and it was important to me I continue in that vein whilst expanding my visual vocabulary. This new series of work is built on an interest in conceptual painting rather than on the aesthetic approach I've taken in years past. I was very inspired by thoughts of vastness. I uncovered a quote by Anna Freud that said, "We are imprisoned in the realm of life, like a sailor on his tiny boat, on an infinite ocean" and though I found this quote well after I began painting, it is the same illustrative metaphor that I had in my mind informing the direction of my work.
Been awhile since you've been up on the site. What have you been doing these last few years?
I became a full-time artist a few years ago which has been really important to the evolution of my work. I've been able to read and research more than I was able to while balancing a day job with time in the studio. Having the freedom to focus fully on my interests has allowed me to see more art, learn more about art, and generally focus all of my attention on art and philosophy and this has been very important to my work.
I welcomed a baby girl into the world a little more than a year ago and that has been a bigger joy in my life than I honestly expected it would be. I spend a lot of time with her.
Los Angeles has become an even more interesting place to be an artist in the last few years. Lots of galleries and artists here making the place interesting.
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Matt Furie and Michelle Devereux in LA
Wednesday, 13 June 2012 /// Written by Michael C. Hsiung
LOS ANGELES, CA: New Image Art gallery's latest exhibition "The Goblin Universe" featuring the works of Matt Furie (SF) and Michelle Devereux (TX) opened Saturday, June 2, 2012. Furie returns to New Image Art with new colored phantoms, monster sluts, to other mythical creatures which shown along side the color penciled and airbrushed works of artist Mchelle Devereux's "Dudes on Pizza" series something you don't want to miss. We were there to check out the opening but The Goblin Universe runs through July 7th.
The Goblin Universe
Works by Matt Furie & Michelle Devereux
New Image Art
7920 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
The Goblin Universe featuring works of Michelle Devereux and Matt Furie opened June 2nd at New Image Art. Thanks to artist Luke Pelletier for snapping probably the clearest and nicest photo in my entire set. haha.
New Image Art's new gallery space.
Close up of Matt Furie's piece featuring some of the raddest collection of weird creatures.
Before I even saw Michelle's work, I've seen this one floating around in interweb space.
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Furie & Devereux in LA Saturday
Thursday, 31 May 2012 /// Written by Trippe
SF based Matt Furie opens up a 2 person show "The Goblin Universe" with Michelle Devereux (Asutin, TX) this Saturday in Los Angeles at New Image Art (6-9pm).
Michelle Devereux presents her series titled "Dudes on Pizza" which renders four of her pals surfing on pizza slices using colored pencil and airbrushed backgrounds with a perfectly 1980's appeal and technical precision alongside some of her other fantastical characters and scenes created for this show.
Michelle Devereux Dude's On Pizza
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Jay Howell at The Secret Headquarters
Tuesday, 29 May 2012 /// Written by Trippe
A few weeks back Jay Howell opened a show of his recent drawings on book pages at the Secret Headquarters in Los Angeles. Michael Hsiung was there and got these photos.
My buddy Phil is the proud owner of this one. Good choice.
Pages From Books and Creep Club Foldout zine packet was a deal for $15. Check out the web store page for your own.
Jay getting ready for the show at Secret Headquarters. 21 new pieces for sale, many of which were already pre-sold.
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The Status Faction Interview
Thursday, 29 March 2012 /// Written by Daniel Rolnik
The Status Faction [T$F] have been a force of the underground Los Angeles graffiti/street-art scene for the last ten years. And when one of their members moved to Atlanta [GA] they took over that city as well. They are unique in the fact that each one of their paintings usually incorporates some form of performance – like the time they showed up to a party in full swat team gear and then painted a giant wall without anyone's permission. Or, the time they decked out an abandonded house to look like suicide scene and then left the door open for everyone to peek in. For T$F, it's not being the coolest, or the best, it's just about going out every single night, hand pulling every silke-screened poster, pressing spray tips with their fingers, and not being afraid to get grime. T$F is the stand against the computer.
Words & Interview by Daniel Rolnik
Why did you guys start T$F?
During the turn of the millennium, we noticed a lack of Angelenos mixing street art with traditional graffiti. So, we abandoned most of our individual identities as artists to focus on promoting one unified name - The $tatus Faction. The soul of our goal was to form a collective where each member would be a jack-of-all-trades. A crew where everyone could do whatever they wanted, get away with it, be ever changing, and totally unpredictable.
Is that why your work is so diverse?
We strive to make a point of not being pegged as one trick ponies, by constantly reinventing ourselves. We don't want T$F to become a repetitive brand like some of the other crews out there, which are basically t-shirt companies now. So, for us, it's more about putting our hearts into every piece we make and that's why we like it all to have a handmade feel to it. The imperfections and minor differences between each piece are what makes it human.
So none of your work is done digitally?
A big part of our art has to do with the process of physically creating it, which you can't get from pushing a couple buttons on your computer and hitting print. We mean, what would most street artists do if computers were wiped off the Earth? They'd be totally lost.
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These Friends 3 @THIS
Friday, 16 March 2012 /// Written by Michael C. Hsiung
LOS ANGELES, CA: Friday, February 24th, This, Los Angeles gallery's show These Friends Three opened to a large throng of folks ready to check out some art. This yearly group show features the gallery's (Aaron Farley, Justin Van Hoy, and Jeremy and Claire Weiss) many many many talented friends –from photographers, directors, artists to sculptors. There were probably 100 or more artists whose works were all featured in customary These Friends white frame aesthetic for the show.
Some of the artists included were the following: Aaron Farley, Alex Prager,Andy Mueller, Bill McRight, Chris Bettig, Chris Pastras, Claire Weiss, Cleon Peterson, Corey Arnold, Don Pendleton, Jeremy Weiss, Geoff McFetridge, Jared Eberhardt, Justin Van Hoy, Sonny Kay, Kelly Jones, Kevin E. Taylor, Mel Kadel, Mike Bertino, Megan Whitmarsh,/a>, Natas Kaupas, Richard Colman, Sean McGaughey, Seonna Hong, Travis Millard, Sean McGaughey, and many more.
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LA Zine Fest - 2012
Tuesday, 06 March 2012 /// Written by Daniel Rolnik
2012 was the first year of the LA Zine Fest and it was insane! When I met with the team organizing it 6 months ago we were all talking about how sick it would be if only 200 people showed up. So, you can imagine our surprise when close to (if not over) 3,000 visitors walked through the upstairs of the Last Bookstore where the event was taking place. Almost every exhibitor sold out of at least one title - like my tablemates Brass Tacks Press (thanks for the pizza bro's!) and my friend and fellow FecalFace contributor Michael C. Hsiung.
Luckily, the crowd was peaceful, kind, and extremely awkward. Otherwise, I don't know, it wouldn't have felt right. However, the main attraction of the day, besides all the wonderfully weird and creative people, was when Henry Rollins did an extremely in-depth Q&A with legendary punk rock zine man V. Vale. The discussion got really nerdly, really fast, but the crowd was still glued to every word exchanged between the two.
The girls who organized the LA Zine Fest did such a fantastic job at making everyone taking part feel like family and everyone walking around feel accepted. They even put together a library, where folks uncomfortable with reading zines in front of their makers could check each one out, pressure-free, and then purchase them without even having time to blush. And it's because of their attention to detail that such a diverse crowd showed up – from families to an old man who claimed to have a grandson named Daniel and then took 20 of my pins. I don't have a grudge against him though, they were free anyways – I just want to know what he actually did with all of them. -Daniel Rolnik
Brass Tacks Press
Malia rocking Rolnik pin
Installation by Homeroom Gallery
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Photos of Os Gemeos at Prism Los Angeles
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 /// Written by Colin Day
Os Gemeos opened there latest show, Miss You at Prism Gallery in LA this past Saturday. They continue there exploration of the surreal and gravity in this latest body of work.
The installation took 6 weeks to complete and the results are a fully immersive experience that gives the public a taste of the magical world that flows from the twins' spray cans. Upon entering the gallery, a floating yellow head invites you to peer into the glowing blue hole from the bottom, briefly taking you out of the crowd into an infinity mirrored isolation chamber with music being pumped in. Glowing yellow drips float upward out of the ground and floors, walls and ceilings are all covered in paint and murals creating a truly remarkable experience. Giant detailed murals grace the walls of the stairway and there is a collaboration with older brother Arnoldo, as well as some very special knitted pieces by their mother. They also re-imagined their interactive projection room from the 'Fermata' at Museu Vale in Brazil.
The amount of detail in the exhibit is a truly astonishing feat which is impressive even before one sees the collection of new works that were created for the show! All things considered, the twins have created what I believe to be a masterpiece of a show, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed it coming to fruition.
The twins... aka Os Gemeos
View all photos from the opening.
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Watch Out, Art World: Amazon Is About to Start Selling Art
Wednesday, 22 May 2013 11:05
 This day may have been inevitable, but now it's finally here. In its attempt to take over the world - or at least everything that can be bought and sold in the world, Amazon is launching an art gallery.
This summer Amazon is planning to launch a Fine Art Gallery where customers will be able to purchase original artwork offered by a select group of invited galleries via Amazon.com. ~continue reading
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Wednesday, 16 June 2010 17:39
“INSIDE OUT” SHOWCASES THE EYE-POPPING STREET ART THAT AIMS TO CHANGE THE WORLD, ONE FACE AT A TIME
Tuesday, 21 May 2013 10:43
A new HBO documentary looks at the work of street artist JR, whose giant portraits force people in troubled areas to confront the humanity that's all around them... On the day JR found out he'd won the $100,000 TED Prize, the French pasteup artist found himself in China being questioned by police for doing his thing on the streets of Shanghai. ~continue reading
Street artist JR HBO documentary premiered yesterday, May 20th
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Wednesday, 25 April 2012 11:56
Art Basel to bring international flair to Hong Kong
Tuesday, 21 May 2013 10:37
Art lovers, collectors and gallerists will gather on Thursday for Hong Kong's inaugural edition of Art Basel, sealing the city's status as an international art hub and Asia's leading art destination... Hong Kong has surged to third place in the global art auction market behind New York and London and Western galleries are falling over each other to open franchises in the former British colony. ~continue reading
Ferris Plock Friday at Benny Gold
Monday, 20 May 2013 11:07
Our buddy Ferris Plock opens a small show of drawings at Benny Gold on 3169 16th St this Friday, May 24th (7-10pm) featuring 31 drawings priced at 75-140 bucks.
Ferris also released the video Fingered! he produced with animator Jim Dirschberger. View it
Ferris Plock Friday at Benny Gold in SF
SFAI's MFA Show "Currency" Opening Friday
Thursday, 16 May 2013 09:00
Wowzas, there's a lot of art happenings this weekend, and while you're making the rounds, be sure to stop at SFAI's MFA show Currency opening Friday, May 17th at the beautiful old SF Mint Building (88 5th Street).
SFAI's 2013 MFA graduates—working in painting, photography, printmaking, film, sculpture, installation, digital media, performance, and across media—will present work that embraces the Institute's signature spirit of experimentation and conceptual risk-taking.
Opening reception: Friday, May 17, 7–9 pm & running through Sunday 11-6pm daily. -- complete details
Pedro Matos Friday in Los Angeles
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 11:52
London based Pedro Matos opens the solo show Building Castles Made of Sand this Friday in Los Angeles at the Martha Otero Gallery featuring a new series of oil paintings on canvas and azulejo panels - a traditional Portuguese medium of hand-painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tile work.
view a little taste
Pedro Matos Friday in LA
CCA's MFA Show Thursday
Tuesday, 14 May 2013 17:14
San Francisco -- CCA opens their 2013 MFA Thesis Exhibition this Thursday, May 16th at their SF campus. Every year another graduating class produces steller work. One of the best SF art events worth getting to, but be sure to get there early as there's always a long line. ~details
CCA opens their MFA show Thursday, May 16th
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| Ryan De La Hoz @RVCA through 5/25
Ryan De La Hoz' show in the Upper Haight at RVCA runs through this Saturday... And the next time you're in the Mission, be sure to swing through his new shop on 14th St, Cool Try... We need to get over there soon and do a little photo feature for ya.
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| Daniel Chen @The Book and Job Gallery (SF)
The Book and Job Gallery (San Francisco) really stepped it up with the opening of Daniel Chen's loveBlast on May 4th. Complete with a doorman, piano player, old fashioneds, and some really nice paintings, I could hardly believe I was at the Book and Job. The paintings varied in size, and the show was balanced nicely between them, the spray-can work on the walls, and the smaller drawings displayed throughout. The kind notes Chen wrote on the walls are certain to brighten your day, and the rest of the work is definitely worth a look. It was a very classy evening and I hope they continue to intersperse shows like these into their schedule in the future
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| Skull & Sword at FFDG, SF
FFDG opened up the group show featuring original works by the artists of the world famous Skull & Sword tattoo last Friday here in San Francisco. Thanks to the huge crowd who turned out to support these four incredibly talented artists. Here is a taste of the show, and be sure to swing in to view in person. The show runs through June 8th.
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| Gary Baseman Interview
Gary Baseman's retrospective "The Door is Always Open" at the Skirball in LA opened recently to massive crowds in a huge celebratory opening party. The exhibition is so complex and personal, delving into Baseman's background, family history, and all the layers of prolific work that he has done over the years. After the opening festivities winded down, I caught up with Baseman for an interview. We discussed the underlying meaning to some of the components of the show and how it felt for him, coming from such an honest personal perspective in putting this massive show together.
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| Mark Mulroney at Ever Gold (+Photos)
Fertile Menace, a new show of Mark Mulroney's (NY) work opened at Ever Gold on May 4th and it's not one to be missed. It is intelligently hilarious, with jokes riffing off sex, Foucault, and the body, and while it makes you laugh it's also going to make you think.
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| Sanjay & Craig Premieres Saturday
Our buddies Jay Howell, Andreas Trolf, and Jim Dirschberger are hyped as their show, which they've been working on for like 2 years, premieres on Nickelodeon Saturday. From the trailers we've seen so far and from what Jay has told us about, the show is going to be pretty epic. Congrats to those radical fellas.
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| Skull & Sword at FFDG, Friday (7-10pm)
Here's a little taste of work by the artists of the world famous The Skull and Sword tattoo shop who open their show at San Francisco's FFDG on Friday, May 17th (7-10pm).
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| Amir H. Fallah Studio Visit
Following his solo exhibition "The Collected" at Gallery Wendi Norris, painter Amir H. Fallah is in the throes of developing more new works for upcoming international exhibits. We spent some time in his studio in Highland Park, Los Angeles recently, discussing his process and inspiration.
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| Bubi Canal's "Chrystelle" (+video)
We were first introduced to the photography of Spanish born NYC based Bubi Canal when he emailed us his great video Trust in Me a couple years ago. His solo show Special Moment recently ran at NYC's Munch Gallery in February, and he recently released his newest video Chrystelle below.
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| Michael Garlington & The Metaphysical Fundraiser at 111 Minna
Although I missed the opening of Northern-California photographer Michael Garlington's newest show, Constructed Realities, I was fortunate enough to see the work still up during the Metaphysical fundraiser a couple weeks back at 111 Minna. Metaphysical fundraiser, an auction to benefit Wayne Ernzer. --- The ghoulish photographs in their heavy, hand-made frames are reminiscent of photos from the old west, and the glass crucifixes, complete with fetuses and guns, emphasize the accumulated time within the works themselves. Whether you're looking at the frames, the photos, or both, this show deserves a visit, and a walk through the golden archway Garlington constructed around the front door.
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| John Felix Arnold III in Japan (Part 3)
Fecal Face contributor Rachel Ralph (rachel(at)fecalface.com) has been profiling this Oakland based painter as he travels about Japan. In this segment, we feature some photos as he prepared for this show and residency at Spes-LaB in Tokyo which opened last weekend. Arnold will be featured in SFMoMA's Minna Street windows on June 8th.
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| Alex Lukas & Richard Colman @Guerrero Gallery
Last Saturday, here in SF's Mission district, Guerrero Gallery opened two new shows with Philly based Alex Lukas and SF based Richard Colman respectively. Colman's work occupied the project space while Lukas' work and foliage was presented in the main space. Worth getting to if you haven't already.
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| High 5s: Mexico-Land
Just got back to SF after a little trip south to Sayulita, Mexico. After 10 years without a vacation, me and the Mrs. headed south for some mental time off sitting in the sun, swimming and enjoying the watery Mexican beer. Here are some photos as we get back into the swing of things again.
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| High 5s: Puttin' The Pee in the Pod
For 13 years I've been blogging up randomness. Here's more of it.
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| Dimitris Polychroniadis (+Greece)
Athens, Greece based designer, architect and artist Dimitris Polychroniadis emailed over more of his work which consists of mixed media, pop-humorous diorama sculptures that make a comment on the harsh realities my country and much of the world is facing at the moment.
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| Skull & Sword at FFDG Featuring: Grime, Henry Lewis, Yutaro, and Lango
FFDG will open a group show with the artists from the famed Skull & Sword Tattoo on Friday, May 17th (6-9pm). Artists: Grime, Henry Lewis, Yutaro, and Lango. Below are a series of videos on Grime for Vice's Tattoo Age produced in 2011. Fascinating look at one of the greatest tattoo artists alive today.
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| ARYZ at Fifty24SF
ARYZ (Spain) opened his newest gallery show at Fifty24SF last Friday and, if you live in the Bay Area, you need to go. This dude can obviously paint, and he doesn't need an entire building to show his impecable skill. The show has lots of small works on paper which contrast his highly-defined line work to his hard-edged painted objects. The contrast between the hard and soft was the most striking thing to me about his work, since I had never seen it in person before, and the washes blend with the thick paint seamlessly. The show also contains a larger work on canvas, a huge head suspended in the back of the room, and a big wood sculpture of a wolf figure. This diversity in such a small space was impressive, and those of us that went to the opening even got to meet the man in person. If you didn't make it out this weekend, check it out before May 31st when it closes and these works will be off to some very happy new homes.
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| David Bayus @Water McBeer
Water McBeer is please to announce its latest exhibition "Precious" a solo exhibition by David Bayus (April 6 - May 4, 2013) -- David Bayus born 1982 holds his BFA from the Savannah College of Art and his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. David lives and works in San Francisco and is a founding member of the basement collective. This will be his first exhibition with the world renown Water McBeer Gallery highlighting his most recent achievements with paint and digital media. David Bayus will be exhibiting 5 relatively large-scale mixed media works along with a collaborative object featuring Hungarian sculptor H.R KOONS.
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| Hard Time Mini Mall @The Shooting Gallery
The Shooting Gallery handed over the reins to the Red Truck Gallery (a New Orleans based gallery) which curated their new show, Hard Time Mini Mall and opened the it on Saturday night. This is my favorite show (so far) in the Shooting Gallery's new space and was packed full of art, a mini bar, and cowhide rugs. The Red Truck Gallery chose works with clear craftsmanship and it was easy to see in Ian Berry's denim assemblages and Chris Roberts-Antieau's awesome quilts. The space was completely packed, making it hard to see each piece individually, but this show deserves a second trip anyway. I look forward to spending more time with the chandeliers, automatons, and paintings before the show comes down on May 4th.
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| "Ayre (of Distances)" by Nathan Cyprys +Toronto
Toronto based photographer Nathan Cyprys emailed to let us know about his newest series "Neighbour State", and we were about to post it when we spotted this series on his site entitled "Ayre (of Distances)" and had to post this one instead. After you view this one, view "Neighbour State" on his site. Both are visually enjoyable.
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| Alex Ziv & Mario Ayala at FFDG +Opening Pics
Photos from the opening of Going Nowhere featuring works by San Francisco based artists Alex Ziv & Mario Ayala which runs through May 4th at FFDG.
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| Recent Works by David Lyle
Working from found photographs, Lyle's paintings are created through a reductive painting process where each piece is rendered using only black paint and turpentine. Lyle begins this process by priming a panel with white gesso. He then paints a thin, rich, oily black veneer over the primed panel, slowly and systematically developing his images by removing some of the black paint with a cloth. In doing so, Lyle renders layer upon layer of various values of black paint resulting in his signature-style of luminescent works.
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| +London - David Shillinglaw Mural
London based David Shillinglaw who's blogged it up for Fecal Face in the past recently completed this mural in London as he prepares for his solo show at Stolen Space opening on April 26th.
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