Last Sunday was the opening for Atif's group show, POSITIVITY, curated by the legendary New York photographer Jamel Shabazz in Brooklyn, an exhibition featuring the works of all young and up and coming photographers "that explores photography beyond its subject matter highlighting the POSITIVITY represented in the definite moment when the lens captures and shines on an individual or object."
Of course, being on the road, we couldn't get our shit together to even tell yall about it, but better late than never. The show was dope and pieces from Atif's Desi Project were on display to shine some light on the Brown community.
Jamel was originally offered to do the show as an exhibition for himself, but he opted to curate instead and help cultivate and promote younger, relatively unknown talent, so much respect to Jamel for doing what he does.
The show was hot and muggy as all hell, but well worth the trip. We met some good ass people and saw some dope work, next show I promise we'll let yall know about ahead of time!
the show is on display through July 26th at the Danny Simmons Corridor Gallery, 334 Grand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238. Click here for a map if you're in the Clinton Hill Area and wanna swing by.
I am part of the FINGERPAINT group exhibition that is opening this Wednesday May 28th. It should be a kick ass opening so try to stop by. Information below.
The first event from Fingerpaint will be Wednesday May 28th from 7pm - 11pm.
It will feature work from 25 emerging photographers and artists, as well a selection of specially donated pieces. Items will be for sale through a silent auction with all proceeds going to benefit Brad Pitt's Make it Right Foundation for the restoration of the 9th Ward district in New Orleans. Held at the historic former Dia Gallery's 10,000 sq foot space on West 22nd street, the event will be an amazing showcase of emerging talent from across America for a great cause.
Fingerpaint seeks to facilitate the exposure of talented young artists, through ad hoc art events at high-end galleries in New York City. Each show is followed by a silent auction, from which all proceeds go towards the Make It Right Foundation, building green affordable housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The title 'Fingerpaint' evokes the do-it-yourself mentality often associated with youth culture, the childish impertinence of us 'sneaking in' to these high-end galleries, and the firm belief that our passions can be harnessed to benefit the lives of future generations.
I went to the Jamel Shabazz book signing on the 7th at the Bronx Museum. Like always Jamel's exhibition is stunning. If you get a chance definitely go check it out, it's up till August 5th.
An upcoming Brooklyn Museum retrospective of the work of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami will coincide with the launch of another collaboration between Marc Jacobs and Murakami for Louis Vuitton (MJ is Creative Director at LV). The collabo is said to feature a newly designed camouflage pattern.
The pattern doesn't excite me, the exhibition does. Check it out. April 5th - July 13, 2008.The Brooklyn Museum
I have a personal affinity for typography and letterforms, and I have always been fascinated by calligraphy, one of the oldest art forms, and to me it is like the forefather to graffiti and the idea that the style of medium can say just as much as the message. A part of what we do at Vane is bring things back, to reintroduce people to an older, more traditional way of doing things, be it classically tailored garments, localized production, or vintage chains and jewelry.
The Musalman is on a whole other level. It is a tiny newspaper in India, is entirely written by hand in Urdu, the native language to Pakistan and parts of Southern India. Running since 1927, the Mussalman is the last remaining handwritten newspaper in all of Asia. See the story in The Last Calligraphers, a documentary by Premjit Ramachandran.
Come out this Friday to peep OG New York graf legend and original writer, James TOP, aka JEE2, for the opening his first solo show, Afrology, an exploration of the African-American male identity.
In 1973, James started bombing in the Cypress Hills Projects of East New York, and emerged as one of the most instrumental New York City writers in the history of the art form, dominating the train lines and creating a precedent for writers to follow. He was also a founding member of the legendary crew, The Odd Partners, which has become a stable of some of New York's most notorious writers over the years, including the likes of MICKEY, HURST, and DONDI.
James has since moved his work onto canvases and into classrooms, teaching a controversial graffiti class at Bronx's Hostos College. Come check his work and his message, peep below for details.
Afrology Essex Street Gallery Friday, February 22nd, 2008 Opening 6:00 pm - 12:00 am New York City 10002 p. 1.917.4474028
"The exhibit debuts seventeen variations of the 1970’shairstyle, the “Afro”, that illustrates humorous and serious messages about being an African American within the United States and in New York City. As an additional treat, Top will be joined by Jamel Shabazz for this event there both artists will collaborate on one canvas. It will be an exclusive piece and one of the most expensive at the exhibit. Afrology will also serve as an example to young aspiring artists, provingthat graffiti art can be legal, well received and above all, respected."
P.S.1 presents the highly anticipated WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution, the first comprehensive historical exhibition to examine the global foundations and legacy of feminist art. WACK! includes work made between 1965 and 1980 by 120 artists and artist groups from all over the world.
"Comprising work in a broad range of media—including painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, and performance art—the exhibition is organized around themes based on media, geography, formal concerns, collective aesthetic, and political impulses. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue." - PS1
P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center 2225 Jackson Ave at 46th Ave. Long Island City, NY 11101
I discovered CNN Asia's recent interview with Yohji Yamamoto, a Japanese designer whom many consider a fashion icon. His name is commonly recognized by his successful partnership with Adidas for the Y-3 line. It's an interesting piece highlighting Yohji's view on feminine style, designers as craftsmen, and the importance of silhouettes and movement in his collections... the primary reason for his regular use of black.
So, in my ongoing effort to help spread the gospel of other young creatives, I gotta give some shine to an old friend and a super talented artist, Ian Kim. Based out in LA, he illustrates primarily in pencil, watercolor, and acrylic which he then digitally refines. His personal subjects span a wide range from Asian diaspora to current events to everything cultural in between. He also works in motion graphics, like that crazy HP magic hands shit. Get up on my mans Ian. Peep the site. Respect the skills. Chuuuuch.
I'm lovin this camera and I love shooting film so much that I bought all the chemicals to cook my own film. I made a mess in my bathroom doing it but it came out great. It was a little contrasty and that was probably because I wasn't paying attention to little details like temperature and stuff but it came out fine.
Last Friday, we went to the Want 2B Square Art Installation, held downtown at the Skylight Studios. The event was put on as a cross promotional marketing event by Scion, in which the Installation consisted of a series of suspended cubes that were open at the bottom so the viewer could stick his or her head into it and see a 3-D panoramic piece of art. Each artist was commissioned to do a larger, 48"X48" and a smaller 24"X24" installation cube, and at the end of the night, the cubes were disassembled and each panel could be bought as a separate piece of art.
The idea was that the cubes were supposed to reference the boxy, cube like appearance of the Scion Xb. Honestly, if corporations can keep giving us events like these, I'm all for it. Some artists and designers get on the high and mighty tip with their work, but everybody's gotta pay the bills, and if you can do so by doing what you love without compromising the integrity of your work, more props to you. Art and commerce have always coexisted in precarious relationship of cat and mouse. Play the game or it plays you.
Dalek, Steve Vaughn, Maya Hayuk and Matzu MTP have some super ill styles, and I love seeing their work whenever I have a chance. We also got a chance to catch a live piece by Duflux, and the free booze never hurts. All in all, the event was pretty dope for what it was. Scion, if you're listening, it sure as hell beat any of your TV spots, but i still don't know if I would buy an Xb, that shit is kinda ugly, no matter how you want to spin it...
Tommorrow Friday, April 6th for ONE NIGHT ONLY from 7pm-11pm, come to Skylight Studies and peep what promises to be a super ill show. Featuring original artwork by some of today's dopest contemporary artists that have putting out some of the most inspired and original works coming out of the street/contemporary scene, all works are for sale for collectors [and those who are slacking on the interior decoration game]. If that's not enough, there's free booze and good music. Peep below for the venue and all the details.
SKYLIGHT STUDIOS 275 HUDSON STREET NEW YORK, NY. 10013 http://www.skylightnyc.com
WANT 2B SQUARE SHOW
AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT OF BOX INSPIRED ART AND MEDIA
