Streets: Tracing Morocco with Hendrik ECB Beikirch

April 25, 2016 butterfly 1 Comment

We first encountered the work of German artist Hendrik Beikirch aka ECB last year in Toulouse where he completed a large scale monochrome portrait of a Maroccan woman for Mr Freeze Festival (covered).

Toulouse (FR) – Mr Freeze 2015

This was part of a series entitled ‘Tracing Morocco’, following an artistic residency at Jardin Rouge in collaboration with the Montresso Foundation, during which he created 22 portraits, paying tribute to those anonymous Moroccans craftsmen and women he met during his travels, emphasising these fascinating encounters through portraiture.

Many of these portraits were also painted as large scale murals in New York, Roma, Copenhagen, Oslo, Murmansk, Toulouse, Naestved, Paris etc.

Hendrick ECB Beikirch recently returned to Marrakech to reveal the different artworks and completed additional murals.

Jardin Rouge – Marrakech 2016

Unveiled for the Marrakech Biennale, the latest mural is an hommage to Aziz, a local Marrakchi builder working at Jardin Rouge, who coincidentally worked to repair this exact wall previously. The artwork can be seen across the Marrakech train station.

See some work in progress shots below.

Ecb_aziz_Marrakech_©Paul_Etard_15_HD (Custom)

View the full set of pics here

In parallel the Montresso Foundation released a book ‘Tracing Morocco’ illustrating the collection of Beikirch’s portraits of Moroccan men and women he immortalised by telling their story through their faces. The book is an edition 2 500 copies with 50 deluxe version, signed and numbered by the artist. To preorder a copy of the book, just drop an email to contact.jardinrouge@gmail.com

BOOK-_-tracing_morocco_cover_221015-592x800-1

Photos credit: Butterfly / Work in progress shots by Paul Etard / Jardin Rouge

Shows, Toulouse

Toulouse: Subcultures @ Espace Croix Baragnon – Part I

April 23, 2016 butterfly 2 Comments

The museum ‘L’espace Croix Baragnon’ in Toulouse is celebrating the underground cultural scene with a new exhibition called ‘Subcultures’. The city of Toulouse is the cradle of many renowned artists from Miss Van, Fafi, Reso, Tilt to dran, but the artistic scene is even more prolific, mixing popular cultures (rock music, punk, goth, hip hop, experimental … sci-fi, comics, movies, skateboarding, tattoo…) revisiting modern art movements (surrealism, Dadaism, pop art, poster-art…) as well as post-modern art forms (lowbrow, graffiti, street art,…)

Curator David Pujol has been observing the local underground culture for several years and presents ‘Subcultures’ featuring 10 established and emerging artists, with their influences and distinctive style on the local and international scene: Amandine Urruty, 100TAUR (covered), A4 Putevie (covered), Mathieu Bourrillon, Nicolas Delpech, Fräneck, Herbot, Kinder K, Arnaud Loumeau and Benjamin Stoop.

Although not listed in the official artists roster, enfant terrible dran (covered) makes several appearances with a brand new canvas and stickers and flyers throughout the exhibition space.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Huge crowds and artists turned out for the eagerly awaited opening including anonymous artist <++ (covered) who also made a live performance.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Through his drawings and sculptural installations, artivist artist A4Putevie (b.1980) illustrates the thirst for freedom within the urban environment, his thoughts and distress about the current politic affairs, war and surveillance society.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Inspired by nature, religious art, Japanese culture and mythology, 100TAUR (b.1982) explores the concept of imperfection, creating a universe populated by fantastic creatures, distorted hybrids humans and animals with a sacred touch. Anthropomorphic fishes are adorned with a golden aura, while his signature character ‘Slug’, symbol of resilience is omnipresent within his compositions.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Kinder K. (b.1984) oil paintings play with medieval imagery and religious iconography to question our faith in life. Her colourful compositions illustrate empowered female characters with an erotic touch, whether Lolitas dancing and being seduced by the devil, or a man-eater she-devil.

Subcultures - Toulouse

Fascinated by video games, Arnaud Loumeau (b.1978) draws kaleidoscopic shapes on paper. Using mathematical precision, patterns are repeated in a loop like in a computer and coloured with marker. Underground illustrator Franeck painted a mural inside the gallery space with a series of small black and white drawings featuring his signature humorous round shaped characters within architectural landscapes.

Subcultures - Toulouse

View the full set of pics here

Stay tuned for the rest of the coverage soon with our Part II

‘Subcultures’
Until 18 June 2016
Espace Croix-Baragnon
24 rue Croix-Baragnon
31000 Toulouse (FR)

London, Shows

London: Ben Eine – Soho Riot

April 22, 2016 butterfly

Moniker Projects have partnered with Lights of Soho for a new London exhibition entitled ‘SOHO RIOT’ featuring street artist Ben Eine by turning his popular 2D neon font into 3D limited edition neon pieces .

‘SOHO RIOT’ is about encapsulating the spirit of Soho amidst a time of gentrification, cross-rail proposals and the closing of cultural institutions such as legendary club Madame Jojo’s. With a neighbourhood caught in the midst of rent hikes whilst trying to keep its dignity, Ben Eine mentions: “Soho is such a vibrant neighbourhood with rich history, characters and memories, I’m happy to attach ‘RIOT’ as a cultural and artistic protest to help keep the core values and community spirit of Soho alive.”
Ben Eine - Soho Riots

Join Lights Of Soho on Tuesday 26 April for a very special in-conversation with Ben Eine where he will discuss his inspirations and his current show. RSVP@lightsofsoho.com

Ben Eine - Soho Riot

Ben Eine – Soho Riot
20 April – 21 May 2016
Lights of Soho
35 Brewer Street
London, W1F 0RX

Auctions, London, Shows, Uncategorized

London: BB8 auction for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity

April 21, 2016 butterfly

In support of Star Wars: Force for Change, an initiative that inspires people to make a positive impact on the world, Star Wars talent, British celebrities, fans and artists worldwide have been challenged to create artwork inspired by everyone’s favourite new droid, BB-8, as a representation of all that is GREAT about Britain.

A number of the creations will be put on display for a public exhibition at White Rainbow Gallery, 47 Mortimer Street until 21 April. The initiative will raise vital funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity with a number of the designed BB-8s being auctioned off for charity via an online auction from 18 April at 7pm to 22 April at 11.59pm. 100%* of the proceeds from this auction will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, on behalf of Force For Change.

Stars of The Force Awakens, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, are lending their artistic talents to design their very own “BB-GR8s”, along with Star Wars legacy film stalwarts Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels and Warwick Davis who have each contributed a design.

UK personalities and Star Wars fans Simon Pegg, Paddy McGuinness and band of the moment Years and Years have all awakened their artistic flair to get involved in the project. A huge range of artists up and down the UK, including street and graffiti artists like Guy Denning, China Mike , jewellers, ceramic artists, typography specialists, embroiderers and sculptors, have each worked on their re-interpretations of BB-8 using an incredible array of materials to celebrate a particular area of Great British culture including music, food, sport, art, tourism and technology.

Ossie Robinson, 10 years old, a patient in the hospital and a massive Star Wars fan, has also got involved and created an amazing design featuring the colours of his favourite football team, Watford FC.

Bid on these unique and special BB-8 figurines and help raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

*After deduction of a 2.5% transaction fee for all card payments

   BB8 - Great Auction

London, Shows, Uncategorized

London: Paul Insect – It’s Only A Dream @ Allouche Gallery

April 14, 2016 butterfly 1 Comment

Paul Insect - It's only a dream

We are excited to see the return of British street and contemporary artist Paul Insect to London for an exhibition of new works ‘It’s Only a Dream‘. We still have some fond memories of his London Poison show back in 2008.
Presented by New York based Allouche Gallery for their first pop up location in London Old Street, the show features Paul Insect’s signature puppets ( which we saw at Dismaland with with New York street artist Bast) as well as a series of paintings and abstracted figures. Using spray paint chip’s collected from various degrading and flaking painted walls over the past seven years, Paul Insect also created new sculptural works looking like taxidermy owls, or a stormy cloud in a tea cup.

Paul Insect - It's only a dream