Utopian Slumps will host In the Gardens curated by Misha Hollenbachon Thursday 8 December 2011. The exhibition will feature a series of rugs woven in Tibet from designs by Christian Hidaka (Japan, UK-based), Misha Hollenbach, Chris Johanson (USA), Misaki Kawai (Japan), Barry McGee (USA), Keegan McHargue (USA) and Constanze Zikos.

Christian Hidaka has an idiosyncratic style that borrows from the techniques and brushstrokes of traditional Japanese prints. This style, coupled with psychedelic designs and vibrant colour, creates futuristic landscapes and dreamscapes that place Hidaka’s work within a reality of its own.

Misha Hollenbach’s practice merges contemporary culture with visionary primitivism. Working across the mediums of installation, sculpture and collage, his work is driven by the notions of carnal desire and primal need: a return to the basics and (un)basis of human existence. Gesturing toward the legacy of Dadaism, Hollenbach reconfigures found objects and images to create new meaning through their surreal and often confronting associations.

Chris Johanson stems from the same Mission School as Barry McGee, working within a multifaceted practice ranging from painting and installation to moving image. His craft developed from painting skateboards and houses, and making observational drawings of characters from the street. Like McGee, his social commentary is often made on found and recycled materials.

Misaki Kawai sifts through markets and two-dollar shops for inexpensive materials typically manufactured in China, India and Mexico. These materials are combined to make sculptures of space stations, airplanes and cars operated by imagined and immediate characters. Her bright paintings of smiling trees, strawberries, animals and geometric motifs, together with her installation works, render Kawai one of the foremost contemporary female artists in Japan today.

Barry McGee’s practice is drawn from the subculture of the American West Coast and the fundamentals of graffiti through the Mission School in San Francisco. He works across drawing, painting and mixed media installation utilising reappropriated materials of the street.

Keegan McHargue draws inspiration from sources as diverse as xerox punk flyers to fetishism and high fashion. His latest work aims to create a singular vision of such cultures by connecting the dots between them all. Typically working within a set size constraint, McHargue has engaged in new methods of working with the physical surface of his works, maintaining an emphasis on efficiency and an economy of line while constructing personal narratives through abstraction and patterning.

Constanze Zikos was born in Greece and grew up in Melbourne after migrating to Australia as a child. Experiencing life across two cultures, Zikos’ work attempts to interpret his Greek heritage in the context of contemporary Australian living. He works across painting, textiles, sculpture and works on paper, continuing to question the structure of personal and collective identity.

In the Gardens curated by Misha Hollenbach will take place at Utopian Slumps, Ground Floor, 33 Guildford Lane Melbourne, from 9 to 24 December 2011.

“In the Gardens” Exhibition Curated by Misha Hollenbach is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Barry McGee, Steve Powers & Todd James have all come together to great effect with thsi exhibition entitled “Contemporaries” which opened recently at Galleria Patricia Armocida in Milan.

Thanks to Glltn for the images.

“Contemporaries” Exhibition featuring Barry McGee, Steve Powers & Todd James is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Barry McGee has opened his new solo show simply entitled “New Work” at the Modern Art Gallery, six years since his last showing in London. The show features print work, sculptures, symmetric paintings and 2-D artwork presented as a 3-D forms. The series will be on show until the 13th of August.

Source: FnG

Barry McGee “New Work” Exhibition is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

On Wednesday, April 13 2011, Royal/T—Culver City’s playful, visually stunning 10,000-square-foot space known for its changing program of rotating curatorial art exhibits from top artists and gallerists around the world—debuts “FACEMAKER,” a new exhibition curated by Kathy Grayson of New York City’s The Hole that will be displayed through June 2011. Featured in the show are works from contemporary young artists including the title piece by Ben Jones, in addition to Barry McGee, Kenny Scharf, Joe Grillo, assume vivid astro focus, Tomoo Gokita, Eric Yahnker, Jane Moseley, Olaf Breuning, KAWS, Ted Mineo, David Shrigley, Shepard Fairey, Eddie Martinez, Taylor McKimens, Francine, Speigel, Avery Newman, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Robert Lazzarini, Aurel Schmidt, Kembra Pfahler, Rivas & Tullie, Aaron Johnson, Brian Belott, Matt Leines, SWOON, Allison Schulnik, Clare Rojas, Jules de Balincourt, Michael Williams, Takeshi Murata, Anders Oinonen, Justin Samson, Misaki Kawai, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Dennis Tyfus, Katherine Bernhardt, Todd James, Matt Greene, Stefan Bondell, Spencer Sweeney, Nate Lowman, Mat Brinkman, Jakub Julian Ziolkowski, Billy Grant, Adam Tullie and FriendsWithYou. The show will explore interpretations of the most universal element of human perception: the face.

Each artist in this show finds a new way to imagine a face, whether in painting, drawing, sculpture, or video. “At Royal/T, we want to think of a different way to share the rising talents of undiscovered underground artists,” says Owner Susan Hancock. “Our visitors look to us to share current art culture with them, and we feel it’s important to spotlight the cutting-edge work that Kathy Grayson is doing at The Hole in New York City and the work that these young artists are putting out.”

The forthcoming art installation at Royal/T will highlight the title piece, “FACEMAKER” by Ben Jones, playing on a large flat screen TV. A Los Angeles resident, Jones combines the vocabulary of video games and digital art to create playful works that blur the lines between media, and is currently working on his first television show that debuted on Cartoon Network this April 4th. The “FACEMAKER” exhibit will coincide with MoCA director Jeffrey Deitch’s “Art in the Streets”—the first major art museum survey of the history of street art and graffiti in America from the 1970s to the present—at the Geffen Contemporary in April 2011, and many of the artists from “Art in the Streets” will also have works at Royal/T.

“The ‘FACEMAKER’ exhibit is particularly exciting and relevant because as people, we’re instinctively wired to see faces in everything,” adds Grayson. “Today’s young artists are approaching this simple concept in a way that challenges our assumptions and makes us consider the face in new ways.”

“FACEMAKER,” curated by Kathy Grayson is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Barry McGee exhibitied works at the travelling museum, Transfer, at the Brazilian Cultural Pavilion earlier in the year. This video shows the show as well as preperation for the installation.

Barry McGee – TRANSFER SP Brasil from Antonio de Paula Ternura on Vimeo.

Source: AM

Barry McGee TRANSFER Video is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Italian Damiani Editore together with Alleged Press announced a new Barry McGee book. Edited by Aaron Rose, the book will present itself as a visual collage of photographs, drawings, paintings and documentations from McGee past and present installations. Available from January 1, 2011, you can pre-order it here.

Barry McGee T.H.R. Book is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Barry McGee is one of the finest artists I have been privalleged to interview for THE NEW ORDER magazine and this latest book is another reflection of his impressive work.

Barry McGee’s art buzzes with an infectious street vitality that celebrates the rich pageant of city living, concurrently lambasting its overstimulated frustrations and aggressive pitfalls. This hardcover artist’s book presents itself as a visual collage, incorporating photographs, drawings, paintings and documentation from past and present installations.

Pre order the book now from Roberts & Tilton, with the release in January.

Barry McGee Book is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Having already provided you with a visual of the work Barry McGee aka “TWIST” created n the renowned wall on East Houston and Bowery in New York here is a short video provides us with a further insight. The work that was produced with longtime collaborator Josh Lazcano aka “AMAZE” features names and crews of graffiti writers from both past and present generations in red on a white background makes for a strong piece.

Thanks to Arts Observed for the video.

Barry McGee hits Houston & Bowery | Video is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Barry McGee hits Houston & Bowery is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Barry McGee x Cinelli Saddle is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Art print house Edition Copenhaguen, has released a series of prints by artists Barry McGee and Todd James. Coming only shortly after the V1 Gallery in the city hosted an exhibition featuring the works from both artists. The limited edition prints come in 250 gram and 300 gram paper and have been printed with the highest precision and quality.

See Barry McGee and Todd James Prints below.

Images LaMJC

Barry McGee and Todd James Prints is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Opened last weekend at V1 Gallery in Copenhagen is new joint show from Barry McGee (under the Lydia Fong name) and Todd James called ‘Brush Strokes’. Not being the first time the two artists have worked together, there are only a few real collaborative moments through the show although the way these two artists work sits next to each other is enough of an integration.

Lydia Fong and Todd James – Brush Strokes
V1 Gallery
Flæsketorvet 69
1711 Copenhagen V, Denmark

Images The Art Collectors

Barry McGee and Todd James ‘Brush Strokes’ Copenhagen is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Having previewed this fascinating combination of Barry McGee & Clare Rojas, here is a detailed look inside the exhibition entitled “Leave It Alone & Together At Last”.

Many more images over at Arrested Motion.

Barry McGee & Clare Rojas “Leave It Alone & Together At Last” Exhibition at Bolinas Museum is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

If you’re in Copenhagen, make sure you check it out as the show runs through till 4th September. Stay tuned for our coverage of the show too.

Todd James & Lydia Fong at V1 Gallery is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Scheduled to open this coming Saturday on the 19th of June at the Bolinas Museum is  an exciting exhibition that brings together two widely influential San Francisco artists, Barry McGee and Clare Rojas.

Barry McGee aka Twist/Lydia Fong, has been a major player in the San Francisco art scene for the past two decades. McGee rose out of the Mission School art movement and graffiti boom of the 90s and creates iconic works exploring urban life and social ills in our modern world.

In Clare Rojas’ works, women, men, nature and animals are strong and weak caring and connected to one another in their struggle to find harmony and balance. She celebrates women for their traditional and most basic differences and strengths. While the characters are often imbued with feelings of loss and nostalgia, one gets the sense that they will not back down. They will ultimately beat their predators at their own game.

Both artists are known to shy away from media and the public eye, so the Bolinas Museum setting should be an ideal habitat in which to unveil this important exhibit.  The exhibition curated by Terry Donahue, will run from June 19th  - August 1st, 2010.

Mark it down on your calendar if you are in the area.

Info: Juxtapoz

Barry McGee & Clare Rojas | Leave It Alone & Together At Last Exhibition at Bolinas Museum is a post from: SLAMXHYPE