“Tokyo has always been super supportive to me,” said KAWS (né Brian Donnelly) recently as he stood before the slick and zany canvas he contributed to Takashi Murakami‘s “New Day” auction to benefit earthquake relief efforts in Japan. “When Takashi asked me to take part in the exhibition and auction, it was a no-brainer. An instant yes.” KAWS responded with “KAWSbob Enters the Strange Forest” (2011), expected to bring between $30,000 and $40,000.
The painting, which measures five feet in diameter, borrows the cherubic and absorbent visage of SpongeBob SquarePants, here given the KAWS treatment with X-ed-out eyes, as well as Murakami’s own grinning-flower motif. “One of the first times I visited Takashi at his studio in Japan, he gave me a six-foot flower pillow,” explained KAWS. “He said, ‘I want you to have this, but are you OK to take it back?’ And I was like, ‘Of course.’” There was just the small matter of figuring out how to transport a giant plush flower back to Brooklyn (KAWS eventually figured out shipping arrangements). “I’ve always been touched by Takashi’s support and generosity,” he added, “And I thought this sort of image was appropriate for the occasion.”
Takashi Murakami in front of his painting, “New day DOB’s Acrobatic Spectacular: Society” (2011), expected to bring between $350,000 and $450,000 at tomorrow’s sale. Below, he is joined by Yoshitomo Nara and KAWS. (Photos: Stephanie Murg)
On March 11, 2011, Takashi Murakami was in his Tokyo studio, busy with preparations for the biannual GESAI art fair that was scheduled to open in a couple of days. Then everything changed. “It was a total shock,” he said the other day at Gagosian Gallery in New York, recounting his experience of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that triggered a tsunami and nuclear accidents. “In the days immediately following the earthquake, there was panic and hysteria, but eventually we started to think how we could do something, with artists.” That something was “New Day,” which began as a blog-based version of GESAI (the fair was cancelled in the wake of the disaster) and evolved into a range of activities, including the sale of merchandise and special installations at art fairs, with all proceeds donated to organizations helping with recovery efforts. Now the initiative is primed for its biggest event yet, an auction of 21 works donated by artists including Murakami and members of his Kaikai Kiki stable (Mr., Aya Takano) as well as the likes of Damien Hirst, Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, and Yoshitomo Nara.
It’s usually during the Fall time, that we seem creative workings of food from Halloween up to warm Christmas treats. Renowned sand and pumpkin sculptor Ray Villafane presents a few incredibly detailed carved pumpkins. As you view his collection, you’ll be amazed at how he makes the hard pumpkin flesh look soft and malleable, as if it’s a real human face. If you want to stand out in your neighborhood or amongst friends, you can purchase custom carvings through Villafane’s website.
A new series of canvas paintings by American graphic artist Matt M. Moore. Painted during an August 2011 residency in Moscow. Inspired by experiences and excursions in the city. The juxtaposition of old and new, asymmetrical architecture, shadow play, reflections, optical illusions, the vibrant colors, and the ever present buzz of this mega city. As if you are looking at a crystal through a magnifying glass, each artwork is a celebration of a small moment from an infinite landscape of geometry, color, and illusion.
In addition to the exhibition Moore also painted 3 massive Murals in downtown Moscow, gave 2 Master Class Lectures, and painted a fleet of 17 geometric sculptures installed around Tsvetnoy.
We’ll be giving away one framed, limited edition art print from Bush + Leavenworth. The print is numbered and signed by the B+L designers. The artwork is from the “Zombies” tee in the new Fall 2011 collection. Check out the Fall 2011 collection from Bush + Leavenworth here. All you have to do is head over to our Facebook page and answer our poll question and we’ll pick one lucky winner next week on Friday October 14th, 2011.
In celebration of the US Open of Surfing 2011 and launch of the Phantom 4D boardshort, Hurley International presents PRISM BREAK, a multi-dimensional realization of art featuring the work of Hurley artist James “Dalek” Marshall. The exhibit will begin with an opening event on Friday, August 5th at the Hurley SPACE Gallery in Costa Mesa on the Hurley Campus.
PRISM BREAK is specially-created “4D” glasses for enhanced viewing, floor-to-ceiling, multi-colored spires and a fun-house maze entry, attendees will be allowed the unique opportunity to be completely immersed in a Dalek-created 4D universe.
In addition to the art itself, the exhibit will feature a display of the Phantom 4D boardshort and 4D-inspired product collection created by “friends & family” of the Hurley brand. The product collection is lead by the Nike Air Max 90 + Hurley shoe partnership, a limited-edition sneaker with only 500 created worldwide. Hurley’s friends at LDG also created a series of five custom, hand-painted fixed gear bikes and a custom 4D surfboard, all showcasing variations of Dalek’s 4D product visual. Skullcandy then worked with the Hurley team to create a 4D-inspired version of the highly-anticipated Mix Master Mike headphones.
Founders Entertainment are proud to announce The Governors Ball Music Festival’s Art and Artists for 2011. The installations on festival grounds will feature a collection of emerging and established, local and international artists to create an atmosphere of cognizant cool that reflects the vibrant artistic melting pot that is New York City. The attention to aesthetic detail by Governors Ball’s producers Founders Entertainment will enhance the festival experience for the fans and performing artists alike. The artist featured in this years festival are Jimmy Kuehnle, Sofia Maldonado, R. Nick Kuszyk, Airspace, Daniel Patrick Helmstetter, Ibrahim Ahmed III, Christine Wagner, Ryan Higgins, Joshua Knoblick and Hannah Craft.
The Governors Ball Music Festival is a one day event to be held June 18th on New York City’s Governors Island. The festival features headliners Girl Talk, Pretty Lights, Empire of the Sun, and Big Boi (of Outkast) among many other amazing performers, comedians, and great food and beer. Governors Ball is also upping the ante for summer music festival fun by incorporating an exciting list of activities into the event including a Beer Pong Tournament, Ping Pong, Basketball, and Beach Volleyball.
Always nice to show up somewhere and find it to be even more than you expected — which is just what happened to me along the hip strip of towns along 30A in northwest Florida: Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.
They all have white sand beaches, cool new urbanist architecture and some nice places to eat, but only Rosemary Beach has Tommy Crow Studios.
His space is spare and sits along the town’s busy Main Street amongst stylish boutiques, home furnishings stores and restaurants. These individually owned businesses (no chain stores allowed) are not the usual resort town fare, making Rosemary Beach a truly great place to not only sun, but shop. Continue reading “Tommy Crow Studios” »
“Life to me is a bit of a Brothers Grimm fairytale” once remarked Lee Alexander McQueen. Sadly for him, it turned out to be a particularly dark and tragic one that ended on Feb 11, 2010 with his suicide in his Mayfair flat. A year on from the tragedy, McQueen has received the ultimate posthumous accolade – a retrospective at the Costume Institute in New York – becoming only the second designer (after Gianni Versace in 1997) to be honored so soon after his death. ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty‘, which opens on May 4, traces the evolution of the designer from his Jack the Ripper-inspired 1992 MA collection right through to the wondrously tender collection based on the art of Hieronymous Bosch that was to be his finale.
With unparalleled access to the McQueen archive, sets designed by Sam Gainsbury (whose company Gainsbury & Whiting was responsible for the ground-breaking, sense shattering runway shows McQueen staged over the years) and access to the memories and recollections of McQueen’s closest confidantes, including his trusted lieutenant of 14 years (and now creative director) Sarah Burton, the exhibition promises to be a insight into the mind of one of Britain’s most influential designers.
From now through August 6, ten special, limited-edition Levi’s x MOCA Trucker Jackets designed by the most dynamic and influential artists from the graffiti and street art community will be released every two weeks in limited-edition quantities. The Levi’s x MOCA Trucker Jackets feature artwork on the back panel created by artists including Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Chaz Bojorquez, Kenny Scharf, Lady Pink and KR. Each jacket is packaged in a commemorative box bearing a stamp reminiscent of the artist’s “tag” and will be available for purchase at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (152 North Central Ave). The Levi’s® x MOCA Trucker Jackets retail for $250 and go on sale on the designated day of its release at 11:00 a.m. Continue reading “Kenny Scharf for Levi’s x MOCA” »
