CONTEMPORARY ART, IN THE NEWS

Franz West dies at the age of 55

Franz WestThe artist Franz West has died. For those familiar with the artist or keen on sculpture, this must feel like the art world has lost one of its valuable creative thinker. The trademark of Franz West’s work was largescale bursting with colours sculptures often querky in their shapes and defintely surrealist.

West’s artwork would be made out of plaster, papier-mâché, wire, polyester, aluminium and other, ordinary materials. He had a go at paintings first but rapidly turned his interest to collages, sculptures and in particular portable sculptures called “Adaptives” or “Fitting Pieces”, environments and furniture.

“It doesn’t matter what the art looks like but how it’s used” Franz West.

As a tribute, we have included picture of his most iconic sculptures. Franz West was definitely original with hus approach to sculpture and our pavements and park will be more sad now.

The Ego and the Id by Franz West | Art-Pie
The Ego and the Id by Franz West

Untitled by Franz West | Art-PieEidolon by Franz West | Art-Pie

Fiac by Franz West | Art-Pie

Smears by Franz West | Art-Pie

CONTEMPORARY ART, REVIEWS

Dale Grimshaw at Signal gallery – Moreish

Dale Grimshaw "Moreish" at Signal gallery | Art-PieWe made our way down to one of our favorite art galleries to check out the new set of works from Dale Grimshaw that makes up his new show entitled “Moreish”. Having seen a few previous shows from the same artist, we knew that we were up for another display of strong emotions from the artist and we were right.

This time, the artist looks at the notion of “excess” that is spreading in modern societies and which seems to affect an increasing number of people. Here is what the artist had to say about it “It is a case of enough is never enough. The ‘haves’ want more and the ‘haves not’ can pay for it. Once we get that acquisitive taste, we just want more and more”

As the title of this show suggests – Moreish, the food element is everywhere in Dale Grimshaw’s pieces and they are piling on top of each other and dripping down faces of the characters the artist using in his paintings. This certainly gives a sense of a “too much” but also of a “waste” which “moreish” behaviour might lead to. The color palette used here – black/dark background in most cases combined with fiery colours, clearly translate the negative artist’s view on that notion of excess spreading in our societies according to him. A a result, the atmospere of the show is rather thick and heavy and you can almost feel its weight on your shoulders.

It is also worth pointing out the variety of characters that are depicting in Dale Grimshaw’s work, from the sweet and soft women’s faces to the rather alien looking “thing” which, apart from perhaps warning us what will happen if we embrace “excess, will add even more tension to the show.

From a more technical point of view, Dale Grimshaw’s techniques are just amazing. Oil and acrylics are the main mediums for this set of new works while canvases  and wooden boards are the main supports used here. If we had to pick a piece out of the lot and on a pure aesthetic point of view, ” The Platter” (oil on board) would be the one. The color palette is striking. See pictures below

The Platter
Dale Grimshaw "Moreish" at Signal gallery | Art-PieDale Grimshaw "Moreish" at Signal gallery | Art-Pie

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The show runs until the 23rd November 2012
Signal gallery | 32 Paul Street London EC2A 4LB | 020 7613 1550

Dale Grimshaw "Moreish" at Signal gallery | Art-PieDale Grimshaw "Moreish" at Signal gallery | Art-Pie

Dale Grimshaw "Moreish" at Signal gallery | Art-PieDale Grimshaw "Moreish" at Signal gallery | Art-Pie

REVIEWS

‘Buenos Aires calling’ at Pure Evil: fantastico!

Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie
Click to enlarge

The year: 2001, the place: Buenos Aires, Argentina, the event: a terrible economic crash.

The outcome and most probably the best one: the explosion of the street art scene. Artists as a reaction to what was happening started to paint the streets and for some of them in a rather large scale.

Buenos Aires Calling is the show Graffitimundo presented at Pure Evil with the aim of bringing a feel of this scene to London.

I got very excited when I heard about this show as I know how much Argentina and the whole Central and South America street art scenes have been buzzing in the recent years.

I walked into Pure Evil and saw those stencils on the wall and thought ‘hmmm another set of stencils, I have seen it all before’ but looking at them closer and especially those from the artist rundontwalk and I was actually liking what I was seeing.

Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie
By Rundontwalk | Click to enlarge

Rundontwalk uses an intricate graphic in his stencils (strangely reminding me of the back on those chairs I have got at home) which apart from being a certainly noticeable technique skill, gives another dimension to the works. The tiling sort of effect reminded me of Paul Normansell’s way of painting.

On of the pieces using this intricate technique is ‘Influenza’ representing a pig wearing a mask which the artist painted in reaction of the panic that followed the swine flu outbreak. Great effect with great colours.

Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie
Click to enlarge

I did appreciate the other stencils from other artists but really liked these tiny pieces of art full of colours on oddily shaped pieces of wood representing even querky characters or abstracts. I found a ressemblance with BASHER’S world of characters.

 

Stencil technique has been embraced by a very large number of artists these days like in Argentina and if the technique is pretty much the same worldwide, I felt that this collective of artists and more generally South and Central american artist really want to put accross a message and do not just do stencils where esthetic is what only matters but their meanings too.

Nothing wrong with wanting to put out there a cool looking Goldie type stencils but it is nice to know that some artists really try to engage their audience by trying to deliver a message to them.

This show really managed to transpire how much the Argentinian street art scene is vibrant and not ready to die just now, oh no.

Colours, colours, there are loads of them, shapes, representations are everywhere like street artist right now in Buenos Aires and surroundings. Feels good.

Click any picture to start the slideshow

Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie

 

The show at Pure Evil is now over

IN THE NEWS, PRODUCT DESIGN

ABSOLUT Limited Edition London Bottle by Jamie Hewlett

Absolut bottle Jamie HewlettYou may have heard that Absolut has launched a limited-edition of city series which Gorillaz’ Jamie Hewlett has produced an amazing design for. It celebrates the vibrant cultural city, capturing London’s creativity and rich style heritage in a unique bottle design which goes on sale in Selfridges and Harvey Nichols on 1st March 2012.

Set against a London backdrop, the bottle introduces key characters from the past who have influenced and shaped London’s present fashion scene. The seven characters encapsulate the city’s diverse heritage, spanning the ages from Dickensian and 18th Century Dandy, through to Pinstripe gent, 60’s chick, SKA, Punk and 80’s Casual.

To celebrate the launch, ABSOLUT will be offering consumers the chance to win one of 50 bottles via Instagram from the 9th of Feb. There will also be the chance to buy one of only 50 unique ABSOLUT London collectors gift packs, which go on sale on 22nd March. More information can be found on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/ABSOLUTUK

Absolut bottle Jamie Hewlett

BLOG, CONTEMPORARY ART, LATEST

Chen Wenling’s farting bull

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When we first noticed Chen Wenling’s “What You see Might Not Be Real” sculpture, we immediately wanted to find out more about the artist and his work. This is not the name which jumped at us but the rather amusing look of the sculpture – yes it a farting bull!

Here is what Zhu Qi says about Chen Wenglin’s sculptures

Chen Wenling’s sculptures represent the spirit of collective imagery that defines China after her entrance into consumerist society. His work uses a mythological form that encompasses the spiritual insemination that overtook a generation with materialism in the 1990s, as well as the self-awareness and post awareness era everyday spirit of Chinese after the 1990s.

"What You see Might Not Be Real” (or the Farting Bull)
“What You see Might Not Be Real” (or the Farting Bull)

Zhu Qi adds –

Two main themes are prevalent in Chen Wenling’s sculptures, the first being an expression of the extreme human condition, the latter being an expression of the spiritual imagery of a consumer society.

The “farting bull”, we will refer to the work above using this – so much more fun, is a reflexion ab about the infamous global financial crisis.

The man getting crushed by the bull is Bernard (Bernie) Madoff who is an American fraudster and a former stockbroker, investment advisor, and financier. He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.

Chen Wenglin’s “farting bull” has also been used in several other sculpture works. We included below a few examples of these as well as more about the “What You see Might Not Be Real” sculpture – the piece first described above

"What You see Might Not Be Real” (or the Farting Bull) | Art-Pie"What You see Might Not Be Real” (or the Farting Bull) | Art-PieChen Wengling | Art-PieChen Wengling | Art-PieChen Wengling | Art-PieChen Wengling | Art-Pie Chen Wengling | Art-Pie

STREET ART

Brazilian street art takes on the football world cup

The 2014 edition of the football World Cup has now been on for almost a week and it has already been labelled as the better edition of the last 20 years.

While most of us have been enjoying great goals from the safety of our couch, brazilian street artists have taken their art to the city walls of Brazil, mainly Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo to remind us of the dark side of the Great game as they put it.

Artist: Paulo Ito
Where: Sao Paulo
The mural shows a starving, crying child with only a football on his dinner plate serves to highlight the vast expense of hosting the World Cup when the money for food, schools and hospitals is needed so much.

“There is so much wrong in Brazil that it is difficult to know where to start,” Ito said. It seems the beautiful game has a dark side.” says Paul Ito

Paulo Ito | Art-Pie

FIFA is not the most welcome and loads of artists ask the football association to go. Cranio is one if them it would seem. One of his mural shows a suited man throwing a sack labelled “public money” down the toilet.

Cranio | Art-Pie

Cranio | Art-Pie

Cranio | Art-Pie

Artist: B.Shanti from the Captain Borderline crew
What: Anti Copa Mural Project organized by Colorrevolution and Amnesty International
Where: Rio de Jainero (Brazil)
Dedicated to all brasilians who lost their home during the brutal eviction.

Anti Copa Mural Project organized by Colorrevolution and Amnesty International | Art-Pie

But not everything is negative, take a look at this street view project from Google showing you panoramic views of (happy) street art from Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo amongst others.

> https://www.google.com/maps/views/streetview/brazils-painted-streets?gl=us

STREET ART

3D street art by Francois Abelanet

When you know that this 3D piece covers an area of over 400 square meters, you have to appreciate the effort. And when it looks as striking as this you just bow to the artist’s talent – Francois Abelanet. This piece is located in Lyon and has been commissioned to showcase the latest range of Renault trucks.

Francois Abelanet | Art-Pie

Francois Abelanet | Art-Pie

STREET ART ENCOUNTERS