El Celso
Further to my continuing interest in Chicha posters comes news (via Vandalog) of an American artist called El Celso who spent time researching, collecting and producing his own Chicha posters in Peru. Finally resulting in an art show at Brooklyn based Pandemic Gallery. The press release has more details…
¡NO HABLA ESPAÑOL! is El Celso’s most personal show to date. This new series of works was inspired by a recent trip to Peru where the artist became obsessed with posters made in the “chicha” style. These hand-made posters line city streets all over Peru and generally feature an eye-popping neon color palette and commercial graphics-inspired lettering. They are generally used to advertise working class concerts and other events. During a recent trip around Peru, in 2010, Celso began collecting discarded and out-of-date fragments of these posters – known as afiches chicha in Spanish – from the streets of towns such as Chachapoyas, Chiclayo, Cajamarca and Lima (to name a few).
Further inspired by their look, he established contact with the esteemed Fortunato Urcuhuaranga at Publicidad Viusa, the print workshop that originated this iconic DayGlo look back in the 1980s. (Urcuhuaranga is a former radio DJ and he originally created these posters to advertise his station’s musical happenings.) Based on the outskirts of Lima, in the suburb of San Juan, Ate, this renowned family-run studio has produced posters for countless local Peruvian acts, as well as visual artists and arts organizations around the world.
In collaboration with the Urcuhuarangas, Celso created a series of posters inspired by the Peruvian chicha style. However Celso’s posters are a wry play on the idea of the advertisement: event posters created for non-events. Since last year, he has installed dozens of these on the streets of New York and Miami.
The project reminds me of Equipo Plastico’s response to Chicha posters – although the gallery show is in a commercial rather than cultural context.
History of American Graffiti
News from friend and fellow writer Caleb Neelon (who co-authoered Graffiti Brasil with me) – that finally the book he has been working on with Roger Gastman is out. After five long years of work and research – this looks like it going to be definitive. I’m waiting for my review copy to land but early reviews seem to be superlative… Knowing how seriously Neelon and Gastman take their work, they will have put in the effort – with a forward by Taki 183!
“‘Wild Style’ graffiti may be the most influential art movement since pop art. Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon have written the definitive history of the origins and the heritage of the graffiti styles that emerged in Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles in the early 1970s and inspired young artists around the world.”
— Jeffrey Deitch, director, Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art
Roa – Mexican Adventures
Roa is one of the artist’s who appears in my latest book and one who I enjoy following – so I’ve been looking forward to seeing photos from his Mexican Adventures. There is a nice book connection too, as Roa was keen to paint with some of the Mexican artists who he first got to know through Street Sketchbook: Journeys… So although I can’t take credit at all, it is greatly satisfying to see him collaborating with fellow featured artists Sego & Saner.
Sego & Roa
Saner & Roa
Haring by Mark Vessey
I’m the very proud owner of an amazing new photo edition by Mark Vessey (archival Fuji print – edition 25). The print is called “Haring” and its self-explainatory in that’s its a still life tribute to the man himself. Still-life photography is Vessey’s forte.
To steal a few words from my wife’s biography of the artist… UK-based photographer Mark Vessey blurs the lines between photographer and contemporary artist. Heavily influenced by Pop American culture, with Warhol and Haring particular heroes, Vessey uses his lens much as a painter uses his brushes, using light, colour and focus to produce his stunning and uniquely popular images.
His photographs of iconic pop culture heritage have now become icons themselves, highly prized in international collections and exhibited in such respected institutions as the Royal Academy. His group and solo exhibitions at galleries and international art fairs have been to huge acclaim and success and his work has been discussed in publications as diverse as Attitude magazine toThe Times. He has further produced cover images for several books and been commissioned to take striking portraits of various personalities.
The print is great image for any Haring fans like myself and I lent a few rare books from my collection for the photoshoot…
Escif Interview – Juxtapoz Magazine
I’m very pleased to have in my hands a copy of this month’s Juxtapoz which features an interview I made with its cover star – Escif. I’ve been lucky enough to have followed his development over the last five years so it was a pleasure to be asked by Escif to interview him about his work. I don’t know if it was my questions… but Escif gave some very thoughtful answers to life, the universe and everything – we’ll worth tracking a copy down while its in the stores…
Here is just one of the Q&A’s
As a long time graffiti artist has it been strange or helpful to step back and look at contemporary graffiti from an analytical / academic perspective? How much has it affected the work you’ve continued to paint on the street?
A characteristic of children is that they feel curiosity for anything. From a very innocent perspective they dare to question values that for us are unquestionable. This is marvelous! Children are capable of seeing things we would never see. It’s seems that when we grow-up we become strong and our minds close. We become dictators of our imagination and we grasp an identity that is very limited. To me this is very sad but it’s the way it is.
I understand art like a mix of experimentation, investigation and play. It’s a constant battle to remove the barriers that the system has put in our heads. A road to recover the child we once were but from the experience the years have given us. It has helped a lot in continuing the investigation, constantly asking myself why continue on one road and not the other.
Another reason to track down the magazine is for the interview with Thais Beltrame – a wonderful artist from Sao Paulo, who I featured in Street Sketchbook: Journeys and who’s work is represented in the UK by my wife Olivia.
Saner – Efimero Film
One of my favourite artists from the recent Street Sketchbook: Journeys book is Saner. Hailing from Mexico City – he conjures up strange worlds of masked characters painted with great skill and imagination. Here’s a preview of a new film being made featuring him and various artists from Mexico City.
Some beautiful use of colour and animation…
Brazil: The Cultural Contemporary @RCA
This Friday 21 January 2011, 10am–5pm I have been invited to address a conference at the RCA entitled Brazil: The Cultural Contemporary. Looking forward to meeting my fellow speakers as the itinerary looks very interesting.
The free one-day conference is chaired and convened by Martina Margetts, Senior Tutor, Critical & Historical Studies. The conference aims to inform a UK-based audience about Brazil’s visual culture, with a focus on areas of craft, design and social change. Speakers include Tristan Manco, designer and author of Graffiti Brasil, Frederico Duarte, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Scholar and Justin McGuirk, award-winning design writer. Keynote address Craft, Design and Social Change in Brazil is by leading Brazilian design writer and curator Adélia Borges.
Alexandre Farto – Selected Works
Alexandre Farto aka Vhils – Selected Works 2005/2010 is in stores now. I was honoured to contribute to this book with the preface. I have long been a supporter and champion of Alex’s work so it was great to add my words in this new book. There is also an excellent piece written by Miguel Moore who I first had the pleasure to meet in Lisbon as one of the organisers of the Red Bull Street Art event held there.
Street Sketchbook: Journeys review
There have been a lot of good books published recently in the field of Street Art of late. Trespass being one of them. So I’m pleased to see Street Sketchbook: Journeys getting some attention in amongst them. With some natural bias my friend Caleb Neelon has just given his perspective on the book on the Imprint website.
Its an interesting read for me. Caleb is a prolific author, muralist and artist , so its great to hear his perspective on the journey concept and interesting connections he makes in this short review. Book reviews are rare these days so I’m lucky to have a fellow author who genuinely digs the book!
Carlos Dias- Alem
Carlos Dias is a Brazilian artist I’ve been lucky enough to follow for around 6 years now. Originally from Porto Alegre he now spends his time between Sao Paulo and his studio in Florianopolis. Essentially self-taught, Carlos is also a musician but in recent times has been able to devote himself to painting. The last few years spent concentrating in this one field have clearly paid off as these confident and vibrant paintings prove. He’s fast becoming Choque’s most sought after and collected artist.
He currently has an exhibition with his gallery Choque Cultural in Sao Paulo at their Rua Joao Moura space. These beautiful photographs here are lifted from my friends Lost Art’s website – you can see more here.
I only wish I could have been there for the opening as it looks like an amazing and immersive show – I love the theme of hands which has been carried across to the front of the building with these great woodblock posters…
Arte Para Todos photos
A while back I posted news about the Arte Para Todos Mural Art festival in Seville. The whole project and list of artists looked intriguing with a number of artists I knew. Since then Caleb Neelon sent me a bunch a photographs he took while he himself took part. Above is an amazing production by Interesni Kaski from Kiev who are one of the star turns in Street Sketchbook: Journeys.
Mural by Ise, Sonik (Caleb Neelon) and Keramik
Katie Yamasaki
Finok
Waone – Caleb – AEC…
Arrested Motion show coverage
Thanks to Patrick Nguyen for his ace photography and for getting a post up about the Street Sketchbook: Journeys book launch up on to the essential Arrested Motion blog…
Street Sketchbook: Journeys launch show
Thanks to everyone who made it to the Street Sketchbook: Journeys launch show at Pictures on Walls. It was a hard slog getting all the work on the walls, but in the end I think the results look great.
Thanks also for the following favourable reviews (where I have borrowed a selection of images from)… LDN Graffiti Blog – www.ldngraffiti.co.uk/blog/. Also Juxtapoz – courtesy of Butterfly. Also Mjar from Hooked Blog. There are lots of great photos etc to check following these links.
The show’s up for only two weeks – with work that may never get shown again – so calling all interested folks to brave the rain and get down to 46-48 Commercial Street, London – open Monday to Friday until 15th October.
Sickboy: Busted Parachute
Sickboy’s mix of Pop Typographic Architectural Spiritual Funk has always been my cup of tea….
He is an artist who I’ve had the pleasure of following for almost a decade – (Don’t worry I don’t mean literally following). But due to watching his work grow on the streets of Bristol and over the years supporting his solo shows I guess you could say I’m a big fan. He’s featured in three of my books, Street Logos, Graffiti World and Street Sketchbooks so its always a pleasure to see him reach new milestones.
Finally he has released his own book which is a retrospective of his work – add featured an introduction penned by myself.
It comes handsomely cloth bound in special collector’s box with special prints – a must for any fellow Sickboy fan.
Arte Para Todos
Just heard about this mural festival in Seville – Arte Para Todos, which features a number of artist friends of mine such as Caleb Neelon, Finok, Ise, AEC and Waone. I like the way the artists are donating their skills for free, should be fantastic.
Bastardilla, Ramon Martins & Rene Almanza
Three artists from Latin America who deserve a mention and who currently have shows in Europe. All three are featured in my new book. Bastardilla from Colombia has an exhibition in Madrid currently before heading over to the UK.
The irrepressible Ramon Martins from Brasil has his second show in Paris with Galerie Géraldine Zberro.
Galerie Géraldine Zberro 23 rue Jean Mermoz – 75008 Paris.
Finally Rene Almanza from Monterrey, Mexico has a solo show in Marseille
All three artists will feature some work in my up-coming book launch
Colectivo Zentontle
Colectivo Zentontle are a group of artists from Monterrey in Mexico who are featured in my new book. In the book we gave them the title Imaginary Mexico which refers to their style of work which is rooted in the myths and traditions of pre-Columbian Mexican cultures.
This collective is made of the artists Blast, Lastrecalaveras and Losdeleafe – they have just launched a blog to show their work together as a group.
For the Street Sketchbook: Journeys book launch they have sent a bunch of nice sketches and prints for display.
Otecki
With two weeks left until the Street Sketchbook: Journeys book launch, I’ve been busily gathering work from each artist in the book. One artist, who features in it, I was able to meet yesterday in London – which reminded me to mention his work here. Otecki is a Polish artist who paints graffiti – like this piece painted in Warsaw with Nelio. But he also works with sculpture and printmaking.
We’ll be featuring some of his prints at the upcoming book launch.
Dhear, Saner and Neuzz at Montana Gallery
Three Mexican artists – Dhear, Saner and Neuzz – who feature in my new book have a show opening next week in Barcelona at the Montana gallery…
I’ll be showing some artworks and drawings from all three at the upcoming Street Sketchbook: Journeys book launch.
Here are some links to the artists in question…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhear/
http://saner-dsr.blogspot.com/
http://neuzz.blogspot.com/
I found so much young talent in Mexico in the last few years that in the end a third of the artists in the book are from Mexico. All three in question here are from Mexico City where I was lucky enough to travel last year.
Nuevos Tiempos
Here’s some news I’ve been meaning to post for some time about an artist I met in Bogota called Lorenzo Masnah. Some weeks ago I managed to get hold of one of his self published books called Nuevos Tiempos.
He held his first solo show in his apartment in Bogota to launch the book. The book is handmade with a cardboard cover while the pages inside feature drawings based on newspaper images which are hand screenprinted. The subject matter is quite raw and politically charged.
The books are an edition of 115 – so far some famous folks, such as Shepard Fairey and Martha Cooper, have bought copies.
For a copy contact the artist.