We are a little late on this, but Dont sleep on this limited edition print release from El Mac and Moon Editions. Word is there is only a couple of these left. El Mac continues his precise practice of rendering beautiful images with his signature textures. This print titled “Llimona” is a one color serigraph with overlay metallic and spot gloss varnish on archival stonehenge paper. A large print measuring 30×40.

GF

Rae Martini, one of our featured artists from “In Situ” Art Basel Miami just finished releasing his newest project, a book. Here are some pictures of the opening reception. Also watch this short video in preparation of his Book Launch. The book is titled “24 Carat Dirt“. An amazing painter Rae has been able to travel in his 20+ year career from painting trains to painting in galleries. His paintings are textured masterpieces with remnants of the streets interwoven in burnt paint and collage. We hope you support the opening and buy the book. Credit Streetart.com and the artist for pictures.

GF

12/04/2012

Book + Video launch: Thursday May 10 2012 – 18.30/22.00

The Don Gallery – Via Cola Montano, 15 – Milan – Italy

24 CARAT DIRT is the first editorial-video project by Rae Martini.

“At the beginning of the new Millenium Rae Martini brings together the technical experience and the adrenaline of the streets

with the conceptual reflection and the eloquence of the painted surfaces, developing a harmony of emotions and gestures

in which the mysterious symbols of his artistic incipit come back to surface in the chromatic passages of his paintings.

In this way exalting his work and proclaiming the achievement of his Art synthesis.”

Julie Kogler

THE EDITORIAL PROJECT

In the book, the author’s fervent determination and his daily study can be summarized in an

unprecedented evolutionary path, a path that began at the end of the 80s and evolved progressively,

allowing us to perceive the evolution of the letters’ early form to the complexity of Wild Style two

decades later. This is a complex process expressed sequentially throughout the sections of the book -

the walls, trains and canvases. Moreover, this project highlights the expressive features of one of the

few authors capable of distinguishing himself on the international scene, not only for the quality and

quantity of his work, but also for his constancy, a mutable repetition in constant evolution. His style,

one that defined and refined, inevitably transformed into a lifestyle.

SPECIFICS

30×24 cm

Four-color print

208 pages

Hard cover

Damiani Editore, December 2011

Sponsored by WeSC

THE VIDEO PROJECT

The 24 CARAT DIRT film project multiplies the contents of the editorial part with live painting and burning sessions shooted

at the artist’s studio, a mixture of contemporary art, poetic city-scapes and flashbacks of the earliest works of the author.

The film will be screened exclusively during the official presentation events of the project.

A 1 minute video teaser for the web will introduce the project to the public.

Directed by Sara Tajarol for VideoRize prod.

Language: English

Black and white

Format 16/9 PAL/NTSC

Edited by Sara Tajarol and Sean Martin for VideoRize prod.

Original soundtrack by The Stones.

We have been wanting to do a post on these pieces by assorted French graffiti artists for some time. These collaborative pieces all titled “French Kiss” were painted by a collective of artists. Multiple artists all seem to be able to put aside the ego of their name and paint the theme as one cohesive name. We are not sure if it is an actual crew or a group of artists who decided on a theme and ran with it. These images have been popping up and we have always wanted to be able to put together a collection of them to share. Thanks to Morac19, Thias and Swiz we are able to get a solid group of them to post. Amazing walls with so many styles in one, cohesive yet abstract. Props to the French Avante Garde who continue to inspire us and push the medium.

GF

Caber has been pushing out some quality walls. Here are some of his most recent walls. Teaming up with fellow artists, Kyoto, Tobe 77, and Sukoe Caber is pushing some serious style. A mixture of styles yet not trendy Caber’s work is progressive.

GF

Here are some pictures of the opening exhibition for Poesia‘s first solo exhibition titled “More Force than Judgement” at Anno Domini Gallery. We also included a teaser video that was released prior to the show. We will be using some excerpts from an interview Poesia did for Complex before the show that describes some of the reasoning behind the new work. Also be sure to read the exhibition text below written by Daniel Feral.

GF

“I feel like figurative is the language that everybody speaks,” he says. “Everyone can look at a painting of a person and understand it. Graffiti, someone can look at it and they have no clue of what it is. To me, these paintings are about speaking to two different crowds at once, and letting them know that what we do is exactly the same as this. It’s just you’ve got to understand how we write.”

Full Article Here

We traveled to Los Angeles last month to attend the inaugural show of newly established LaLa Gallery. Daniel Lahoda who has been a longtime supporter of Los Angeles artists, and who also established the successful LA Freewalls project, has now taken the show indoors and created LaLa Gallery. La Freewalls has been helping Los Angeles artists fight the now infamous mural ban, and helping establish a new mural ordinance in Los Angeles. With the opening of LaLa gallery in the heart of the arts district, and minutes from MOCA LA Freewalls has picked a great location to set roots. Having worked with artists from around the world to beautify LA walls, it was only a matter of time till Daniel Lahoda took some of the work in doors.

GF

One of the best, if not the best interview I have seen with Augustine Kofie. While in Art Basel Kofie breaks down some important points involving his work, and lets the words flow. Augustine usually having a more reserved presence, speaks louder with his work than he does with words and at times it is tough to get some insight into what makes Kofie tick. Thanks to MTN World you are able to listen to some important points that any contempary should listen to.

GF

AUGUSTINE KOFIE
MAY 26 to JUNE 09 2012
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AUGUSTINE KOFIE / WORKING AN ANGLE
Opens: May 26, 2012 | 8-11pm
Runs: May 26 – June 9, 2012

Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@knowngallery.com

Marco Pho Grassi released this video teaser and detail pictures of a series of Monotype prints titled “Berlin Series”. The prints will be available through Circleculture Gallery in Berlin. A master of texture and paint Marco takes us back to a traditional printmaking process. Utilizing oils and and paper Marco creates atmosphere and emotion with a brilliant texture and muted palette. It is always a pleasure to see Marco work in the traditions of painting, yet bring his own ideology to the work. We hope you enjoy these images and the short teaser video shot by none other than Jaybo Monk.

GF

“4 MONOTYPES FROM THE BERLIN SERIES oil on 100 % cotton paper 70 x 100 cm. 2012 Circleculture Gallery Berlin – Monotyping is a type of printmaking made by drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent surface. The surface, or matrix, was historically a copper etching plate, but in contemporary work it can vary from zinc or glass to acrylic glass. The image is then transferred onto a sheet of paper by pressing the two together, usually using a printing-press. Monotypes can also be created by inking an entire surface and then, using brushes or rags, removing ink to create a subtractive image, e.g. creating lights from a field of opaque colour. The inks used may be oil based or water based. With oil based inks, the paper may be dry, in which case the image has more contrast, or the paper may be damp, in which case the image has a 10 percent greater range of tones. Monotyping produces a unique print, or monotype; most of the ink is removed during the initial pressing. Although subsequent reprintings are sometimes possible, they differ greatly from the first print and are generally considered inferior. These prints from the original plate are called “ghost prints.” Prints made by pressing the prints onto another surface, effectively making the print into a plate, is called a “cognate”. Stencils, watercolor, solvents, brushes, and other tools are often used to embellish a monotype print. Monotypes can be spontaneously executed and with no previous sketch.”

We are back, sorry for the lack of posts the last couple months. Now lets catch up on some action that has been taking place. Askew One arrived in Los Angeles in April and got straight to work. Askew started with a Mural on the Rooftop of the New LALA Gallery in Los Angeles. LALA Gallery held its first group show which featured work from artists that have taken part in the LA Freewalls project curated by Daniel Lahoda. He didn’t stop there and went monumental with his next mural. Teaming up with Zes Msk Askew added some color next to a large scale JR installation. Talented Photographer Todd Mazer was able to document the murals and captured some amazing pictures. Askew always seems to move in directions you don’t see coming. When you think he is going left he goes right. Its great to see such a range from a graffiti artist who clearly has his foundation set, yet he is able to capture those larger moments. Painting from within rather than whats expected, Askew continues to be one of our favorite artists. Great work. We cant wait to share more work he has been busy painting on his recent trip to the states.

GF

Matt W Moore has been hard at work traveling from city to city around the world painting installations, walls, & canvases. In his most recent trip he traveled to Paris and took a 1 month residency for his Exhibition titled “Gravity” at Since Upian Gallery. The new work are some of his best paintings to date. With new directions and a push into a more organic aesthetic, Matt builds upon his geometric series. We like the new direction and are intrigued to see how far he is going to take it. From the look of these canvases it looks like its going to be another amazing set of work.

GF

“New series of (entirely spraypaint) canvas painting created during a 1-month residency in Paris. A true evolution from the purely geometric abstractions Matt has explored in his past few exhibitions : Sun Ray Ricochet (Moscow 2011) + XYZ Axis (Cincinnati 2011) + Crystals & Lasers (Paris 2010) + Parallel Universe (Sao Paulo 2009) + 20/20 (Barcelona 2008). Organic forms. Monochromatic palettes. Dynamic flow. Universal physics. Gravity.”