London, Shows

London: Dean Melbourne – This Myth

Dean Melbourne - Myth

Artist Dean Melbourne returns to London for a second solo show ‘This Myth‘ with Coates and Scarry.

Inspired by childhood memories, references from Dante to Ted Hughes’ Ovid’s Metamorphosis, his vibrant oil paintings invite the viewer into a mystical world where nature, human figures and mythology are interconnected.

Dean Melbourne’s creative process has also evolved for this exhibition, using models, costumes and props, giving more freedom to the composition.

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View the full set of pics here

Dean Melbourne – This Myth
Curated by Coates & Scarry
8 Duke Street
London SW1Y 6BN

London, Shows

London: Venturing Beyond @ Somerset House

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Venturing Beyond at Somerset House

The Somerset House is currently celebrating the 500th anniversary of the publication of Thomas More’s book Utopia with a large show called UTOPIA 2016: A Year of Imagination and Possibility.
As part of this major exhibition, arts organisation A(by)P have renewed their collaboration with Somerset House ( see our previous coverage on Mapping the City and Futurismo Ancestral) with a new exhibition Venturing Beyond: Graffiti and the Everyday Utopias of the Street.

The show is exploring unsanctioned public art – or graffiti – as an intrinsically utopian practice and features specially-commissioned work of eighteen street artists from around the globe, including Antwan Horfée, Brad Downey, Eltono, Filippo Minelli, Huskmitnavn, Les Freres Ripoulain, Lucas Dillon, Mike Ballard, Misha Hollenbach, Nano4814, Petro, Revok, Russell Maurice, Saeio, Shepard Fairey, Sixe Paredes and Swoon.

Italian artist Fillipo Minelli kicked off the exhibition with his smoke performance, part of his ongoing Silence / Shapes series.

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Using high visibility material, Petro (UK) enables the viewers to venture in places not normally accessible (through its ability to make the wearer invisible).

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Blur Book from Les Freres Ripoulain (FR) is a version of a graffiti artist’s ‘Black Book’, but they have pixelated the content, to draw attention to the site specific context in which these works exist and to the performative doing of graffiti. NegatifX features a selection of images from their urban interventions between 2006 and 2016.

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Brad Downey (US) created installation works that remain invisible at first sight using coloured wall plugs, installed directly behind other artist’s pieces.

Venturing Beyond at Somerset House

Mike Ballard‘s series of work are inspired by the ‘urban hieroglyphics’ left by utility companies left on London Streets and explore the threshold between public and private space.

Venturing Beyond at Somerset House

From 13 – 20 April, French artists Horfée and Russell Maurice will take up residency, providing visitors with an insight into the processes of the practice. Working in situ, they will produce a new body of work based on the utopian themes of the exhibition. This project space will then remain open for viewing alongside the main exhibition until 2 May.
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In addition, A(by)P and Somerset House will be producing a wide-ranging programme of events to follow the key themes of the exhibition, including workshops, talks, films, music and performances.

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View the full set of pics here

Venturing Beyond:
Graffiti and the Everyday Utopias of the Street.
3 March – 2 May 2016
Terrace Rooms, South Wing
Somerset House

London, Shows

London: Martha Cooper – Life Work @ Stolenspace

Martha Cooper - Life Work

Stolen Space Gallery is currently exhibiting Martha Cooper: Life Work, an extensive collection of photographs from legendary photojournalist Martha Cooper who started documenting the New York graffiti scene in the 70s, when it was still considered an ‘underground phenomenon’.

She was introduced in the late 70s to Dondi, one of the most significant graffiti artists of the movement and the ‘king’ of one of New York’s graffiti gangs, the CIA – in which kids would ‘write’ together, rivalling other gangs for popularity and fame. After this Cooper’s interest in the illegal graffiti scene and ‘trainbombing’ – covering trains with graffiti – was unstoppable. A complete novelty at the time, her photographs travelled the globe in the form of Subway Art, first published in 1984, inspiring many to join the growing culture of plastering buildings, trains and other public places with art.

The exhibition features a selection of her work spanning over 40 years from Basquiat, Keith Haring in NY to her travels in Thailand documenting the tattoo underground scene, and her most recent travels documenting the graffiti and street art scene.

Martha Cooper - Life WorkKeith Haring
Photography courtesy of Martha Cooper
Dondi_500
Photography courtesy of Martha Cooper

Monica Norse, the exhibition’s curator mentions: “There’s so much behind the photos, she’s changed people’s lives, so many people started doing graffiti because they saw Subway Art and it opened up the world of graffiti and self-expression for them.”

A huge crowd came in for the opening to meet and discuss with the legendary photographer, who was happy to sign copies of her infamous Subway Art book.

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Stolenspace
Martha Cooper – Life Work
Until 28 February 2016
London

London, Shows

London: Still Here, A Decade of Lazarides

A decade of Lazarides

Until 24th March 2016, Lazarides is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a group exhibition ‘Still Here – A Decade of Lazarides’.
For the landmark exhibition, celebrated and pioneering artists who have helped shape the gallery are taking over the Rathbone space in London over three floors.

Featuring 3D, Aiko, Anthony Lister, Antony Micallef, Banksy, Brett Amory, Chloe Early, David Choe, Doug Foster, Faile, Frank Laws, Gary Taxali, Herbert Baglione, Hush, Ian Francis, Invader, Joe Rush, Jonathan Yeo, JR, Karim Zeriahen, Katrin Fridriks, Know Hope / Addam Y, Lucy McLauchlan, Marcus Jansen, Mark Jenkins, Miaz Brothers, Mode 2, Nina Pandolfo, Oliver Jeffers, Pete Hawkins, Ron English, Sage Vaughn, Scott Campbell, Sickboy, Stanley Donwood, TEACH, Todd James / REAS, Vhils, Xenz, Zevs

A decade of Lazarides
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View the full set of pics here

London, Shows

London: XX Group show @ Saatchi Gallery

XX - Saatchi Gallery

Following the recent opening of the all female Group show ‘Champagne Life’ (covered here) Saatchi Gallery also launched an exhibition called ‘XX: A MOMENT IN TIME‘.

Curated by Olly Walker and supported by Yasha Young, the show features new works by contemporary female street & graffiti artists from around the globe.

The artists participating in the exhibition include Aiko (Japan/USA), Alice Pasquini (Italy), Caratoes (Belgium/Hong Kong), Crajes (Spain), Elle (USA), Faith 47 (South Africa), Handiedan (Netherlands), Hera (Germany), Hueman (USA), Lora Zombie (Russia), Madamoiselle Maurice (France), Marina Zumi (Argentina), Martha Cooper (USA), Mimi S (Germany), Miss Van (France), Olek (Poland), Sandra Chevrier (Canada), Vexta (Australia) and Zabou (France).

XX - Saatchi Gallery
XX - Saatchi Gallery
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View the full set of pics here

XX – A Moment in time
Until 6 March 2016
Saatchi Gallery