Category Archives: London

London: Magda Danysz – The London Project

May 18, 2015 butterfly 1 Comment

After Paris (since 1999) and Shanghai (since 2009), French gallery owner Magda Danysz is opening a London exhibition space for the next 4 months in the North of Soho. The ‘London Project‘ is set to be a unique experience into contemporary art.

Within the last decade, Magda Danysz Gallery has been presenting artworks by emerging and talented artists who have since became key players of the international scene of contemporary art, such as OBEY, JR, Space Invader, Vhils, Futura, Erwin Olaf or Prune Nourry or Chinese rising stars such as Yang Yongliang and Liu Bolin, among others.

The London Project is a continuation of iconic projects curated by the Gallery such as Les Bains Douches in Paris, back in 2013 (covered here), or Look Through in the historic Bund18 building in Shanghai, in 2014. Magda Danysz London’s exhibition space aims at hosting regular shows presenting painting, sculpture, photographs from various and renowned artists.

The current artists on show in London include Sten & Lex (IT), Zhou Hongbin (CH), L’Atlas (FR), Jonone (USA), Stephane Bisseul (FR), Bai Guanghua (CH), Blek Le Rat (FR), Futura (USA), Alain Delorme (FR), Gael Davrinche (FR), Zhand Dali (CH), Peikwen Cheng (CH), Feng Fangyu (CH), YZ (FR), Yang Yongliang (CH).

With a large set of basements and vaults, the exhibition space is also devoted to a secret artistic project, giving carte blanche to major and iconic artists as they take over each and every inches of the space for unique collaborative artwork. The opening revealed creations and in-situ installations by French artist Yz, as well as UK artists Remi Rough, Pure Evil and Crossie.

With live artworks over a period of four months, the London Project will organise private visits for a limited public to witness the creative process and the various techniques before being fully unveiled at the end of this project.

Magda Danysz - London Project

View the set of pics here

Magda Danysz – The London Project
61 Charlotte Street
London

London

London: Lucy Sparrow’s Warmongery

May 12, 2015 butterfly

UK Textile artist Lucy Sparrow is launching her latest installation, The Warmongery at the Boxpark, featuring an arsenal of felt guns, knives, pistols and explosives as well as a range of biological and chemical weapons, dispensed from sweetshop jars.

Lucy Sparrow's Warmongery

Purchasers of weapons are receiving a felt firearm licence while shop assistants in full biohazard suits were checking visitors to The Warmongery for traces of radiation and bacteria.

Sparrow comments, “The aim of The Warmongery is to draw people’s attention to what drives a few individuals to stockpile weapons and to ask why people are growing up in a world where a tiny minority feel so stressed and frustrated that they want to kill people. Although the exhibition isn’t intended to be a glorification of guns, what is clear is that obesity, alcohol, tobacco and drugs claim far more lives than firearms do in our high-stress society. Rather than banning guns we should look at better mental health treatment because if people are stressed they will always find a way to unleash their distress. The Warmongery hopes to decouple the subject of guns from mental illness.”

Lucy Sparrow's Warmongery

View the full set of pics here

Lucy Sparrow’s Warmongery
Until 17 May 2015
BOXPARK, 2 Bethnal Green Road
London E1 6GY

London, Shows

London: The Art of Politics & Blek Le Rat Interview

May 7, 2015 butterfly

Coinciding with the General Elections in the UK, Lawrence Alkin Gallery is presenting a group show entitled ‘The Art of Politics‘ until 23 May, featuring paintings, sculptures , drawings and ceramics by international artists including Blek Le Rat, Nick Walker, Ben Eine, Peter Kennard, Darren Coffield, War Boutique, Jacky Tsai, Carrie Reichardt, Pablo P Casio.

The Art of Politics The

View the full set of pics here

Interview with Blek Le Rat

At the opening we caught up with the Godfather of stencil graffiti, Blek Le Rat who started out in 1981 in the streets of France, for a few questions. Some of our pictures have also been published in the Independent

Why did you choose the rat as your signature?

I like that the word ‘Rat’ is an acronym of ‘Art’. At the same time rats are an integrated part of the urban landscape. There are about 2 millions people living in Paris while there is the double amount of rats. It’s a very organised society, and sometimes more ‘human’ than us as they tend to help each others. They adapt and survive to any situation.

Can you explain your creative process?

When you create an artwork you have to reveal yourself, it’s a part of your soul. The biggest inspiration is death and what surrounds it. I use photos and images that moves me and turn them into stencils, and then work multiple layers or spray paint background until the desired result.

But overall I have been sharing the same imagery for years because the public needs time to assimilate and understand.

For this show it was about Politics.

I don’t believe in Politics since a long time. I used to belong to a political movement in my youth when I was studying architecture. I find that the political propaganda just make people dumb. When you vote, it’s like signing a blank cheque for 5 – 7 years for someone you don’t really know. Then you realise that you voted for someone who didn’t do what he promised. That’s why I don’t believe in politics.

I tried to illustrate this in my work. In one of my canvas there are some messages like ‘Vote’ and ‘Repeat after me You are free’, but it’s all a farce. I believe more in the Anonymous movement, who shares his views through the web and actions, even though we don’t know behind the scene if this is not also a movement manipulated by government. I find there is more freedom of expression.

What are your next projects?

I’m heading off to Dubai to work on a couple of projects and then I have an exhibition coming up in New York this October.

View the full set of pics here

The Art of Politics
Until 23 May 2015
Lawrence Alkin Gallery
London

London, Shows

London: Brazilian invasion

May 6, 2015 butterfly

Brazilian artists are currently bringing lots of colours to the streets of London. After his solo show at Montana Barcelona ( covered here) Cranio has been hitting the streets with his witty characters. In parallel, two São Paulo street artists, Mateus Bailon and Rafael Sliks are currently showing new paintings and limited editions in a joint exhibition titled ‘Naturally Unstable’ hosted by Dope Gallery.

Bailon colourful paintings are inspired by myths, tropical birds and nature reminiscent of Amazonian Rainforest, while Sliks pixação style is very energic and abstract.

At the opening guests could also enjoy a live painting session with the two artists joined with Cranio.

Naturally Unstable

View the full set of pics here

Mateus Bailon and Rafael Sliks
Naturally Unstable
Dope Gallery
9 Kingsland Rd, London

London, streets

London Streets: May Day Festivities

May 4, 2015 butterfly

With the long May Bank Holiday week end, a new royal baby and many international artists in town, there was a lot to celebrate in London.

On the Southbank with the Streets of Spain Festival organised by Campo Viejo for the third year ( see previous coverage here), Remed (FR) and Okuda (ES) created a new colourful artwork, while guests could customise their own bottle and enjoy Spanish delicacies.

Remed & Okuda

In the East End, LSD Magazine in-conjunction with the 1 Love Community Network organised a two-days graffiti jam with many artists including Waleska Nomura (BR), Cranio (BR), Jim Vision (UK) to name a few.

Waleska - Green House Effect