Tag Archives: graffiti

BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON : ARTIST LINE UP

Saatchi Gallery reveals artist line-up for its monumental Graffiti and Street Art exhibition, BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON.

From defiant train writers to powerful large-scale muralists, Saatchi Gallery is thrilled to announce over 100 international artists to be featured in BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON, opening this February. The exhibition, supported by adidas Originals, will be the most comprehensive graffiti & street art exhibition to open in the UK, and is set to take over all three floors of London’s iconic Saatchi Gallery.

Following successful exhibitions in Los Angeles & New York, BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON will feature new works, large-scale installations, original ephemera and extraordinary fashion that capture the powerful impact of graffiti & street art across the world.

Curated by graffiti historian Roger Gastman, BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON will examine the fundamental human need for public self-expression, highlighting artists with roots in graffiti and street art whose work has evolved into highly disciplined studio practices, alongside important cultural figures inspired by this art scene.

Each of the exhibition’s chapters will explore exceptional moments in the history of this artistic movement; including the emergence of punk; the birth of hip-hop – marking its 50th anniversary in 2023; and street culture’s strong influence in fashion and film.

About the Exhibition:

Upon entering Saatchi Gallery, visitors will explore the graffiti-filled installation The Vandal’s Bedroom by American artist Todd James, whose works have been exhibited twice at the Venice Biennale.

In the first chapter ‘Music & Art Converge’, visitors will explore the socio-political turmoil of the late 70s and 80s, where the decline of cities met artistic resistance, a shift which was felt in both the US and UK. Youth culture responded by painting graffiti on walls and public transport, creating art that reflected and reimagined the times in an explosion of expression on the streets. It was about identity in the face of oppression, self-awareness, and self-discovery in a moment of a depleted economic outlook.

FUTURA 2000. Escape London. Painted on stage with The Clash. 1982.

Through music and art, London meets New York, featuring works including FUTURA2000’s legendary 30 ft. painting, made on stage with The Clash, displayed along with the unparalleled contributions from Malcolm McLaren, MODE2 and American photojournalist Martha Cooper. Visitors will also be encouraged to browse and enjoy music at Trash Records, an interactive installation within a fully recreated record shop.

Lil Crazy Legs. Photo © Martha Cooper.1983

No area of Saatchi Gallery will be left untouched; visitors will be immersed by works and ephemera on view across hallways, tunnels and staircases and will enter rooms exploring the birth of graffiti like never seen before. These spaces will showcase a wall of Jenny Holzer’s truisms; Henry Chalfant’s photography of NYC train writers in action; together with AIKO’s timeless stencilling of delicate silhouettes and Gordon Matta-Clark’s extraordinary archive of graffiti photography.

The ‘Dream Galleries’ chapter focuses on a selection of American and European originators, photo documentarians and cultural icons who helped contextualize and spread graffiti culture around the world. In André Saraiva’s Dream series, there is a visual articulation of how graffiti, street art, hip-hop, punk, fashion and break-dancing all sprung from the late 1970s and early 1980s into the 90s and today, and became a hybrid celebration of underground culture. Featured artists also include Mister CARTOON, most famously known for his tattooing and Los Angeles murals; an extraordinary Beastie Boys installation featuring fashion and ephemera from the band’s prolific history; and LADY PINK’s feminist murals, illustrations and paintings.

The ‘Legends’ chapter will present icons such as legendary NYC artist, Eric HAZE, a torch bearer for generations to come; a new large-scale painting by abstract expressionist artist José Parlá; advertisement posters by KAWS, a prominent creative force; and unique ephemera by Keith Haring, one of the most popular street artists of the 1980s.

The ‘Blockbusters’ chapter will include works commissioned specifically for this exhibition by graffiti trailblazers Shepard Fairey, LA-based activist, and FAILE, a Brooklyn -based artistic duo taking over the streets of NYC since the late 90s.

Kenny Scharf. Closet #42 Bestest Ever. Photo by Charles White of JW Pictures. 2022.

‘Larger Than Life’ chapter will include a site-specific large-scale installation by LA-based icon Kenny Scharf who will present the largest to date Cosmic Cavern; an immersive and interactive installation consisting of Day-Glo paintings, ephemera, and reused materials found in the streets of LA. This chapter will also feature the signature puppet characters made from recycled materials by Paul Insect, one of London’s original street art pioneers.

The ‘Timeline’ chapter will take a deep dive into street culture history through archival photography, ephemera and fashion to contextualize the cross-pollination of influences across music, fashion and film. This chapter will also include a large wall vinyl by infamous feminist collective Guerrilla Girls – a deliberate nod to the fact that most street and graffiti artists, and indeed most well-known artists in contemporary art overall are men.

FAB 5 FREDDY. Spray Paint on Canvas

The closing chapters consist of ‘Social Commentary: Graffiti as a message’; ‘Art with Conscience’ containing works by hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy, and; ‘Consideration Into Innovation’ showcasing Lisbon-based artist, VHILS, who innovatively utilizes repurposed materials to reimagine city walls.

In the final chapter, ‘The Next Phase’ visitors will engage with new op-art works by Valencia-based artist Felipe Pantone, whose high-contrast, geometric patterns continue to challenge perspective resulting in a distinctive aesthetic of the digital age.

Confirmed exhibiting artists:

10Foot, AIKO, Alicia McCarthy, André Saraiva, BÄST, Beastie Boys, Beezer, Bert Krak, BLADE, BLONDIE, Bob Gruen, Brassaï, Broken Fingaz, C. R. Stecyk III, CES, Charlie Ahearn, Chaz Bojórquez, Chris FREEDOM Pape, Christopher Stead, Conor Harrington, CORNBREAD, Craig Costello, CRASH, DABSMYLA, Dash Snow, DAZE, DELTA, DONDI, Duncan Weston, Dr. REVOLT, Eric HAZE, Escif, Estevan Oriol, Fab 5 Freddy, FAILE, Felipe Pantone, FUME, FUTURA2000, Glen E. Friedman, GOLDIE, Gordon Matta-Clark, Gregory Rick, Guerrilla Girls, Gus Coral, Henry Chalfant, HuskMitNavn, IMON BOY, Jaimie D’Cruz, Jamie Reid, Janette Beckman, Jason REVOK, Jenny Holzer, Joe Conzo, John Ahearn & Rigoberto Torres, José Parlá, KATSU, KAWS, KC ORTIZ, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, KING MOB, LADY PINK, Lawrence Watson, Lisa Kahane, Malcolm McLaren, Maripol, Martin Jones, Martha Cooper, Maya Hayuk, Michael Holman, Michael Lawrence, Mister CARTOON, MODE 2, Ozzie Juarez, Pablo Allison, Pat Phillips, Paul Insect, POSE, PRIDE, PRIEST, Richard Colman, RISK, Robert 3D Del Naja, Roger Perry, Shepard Fairey, SHOE, Sophie Bramly, STASH, Stephen ESPO Powers, Stickymonger, SWOON, TAKI 183, Toby Mott, TOX, Tim Conlon, Timothy Curtis, Tish Murtha, Todd James, VHILS , ZEPHYR and more to be announced.

‘BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON’ is open 17 February – 9 May 2023 at Saatchi Gallery. Tickets from £15 available here:  saatchigallery.com/tickets
The exhibition is generously supported by adidas Originals. Additional support also provided by onefinestay and Los Angeles Tourism.

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Banksy in Ukraine

As the war in Ukraine continues, a new stencil has appeared in Kyiv in a special location: Independence Square. It bears all the hallmarks of elusive artist Banksy: one layer stencil featuring a boy and girl adapting to war playing seesaw with an anti-tank obstacle. It was left unfinished, as it seems that the grey paint was a first layer to avoid rust on the anti-tank obstacle.

Photo credit: Max Ganz

Update 9 November

Banksy continues his trip through Ukraine. This time in a residential district of Borodyanka, a town located north west from Kyiv that was partially destroyed at the start of the conflict.

This time the multilayered stencil features a child throwing a man on the floor like a judo match.

For info Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was a black belt in Judo, was removed from his position of honorary president of the international Judo Federation (IJF) in May.

Photos credit Ed Ram / Getty Images

Banksy has now confirmed the artworks on his website. Despite the chaos, the gymnast is still standing

Lek and Sowat Sandcastle for the LaBel Valette Festival

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Marking the fifth anniversary of the LaBel Valette Festival in France, artists Lek and Sowat have given a new identity to this 19th century castle, by painting all its surfaces and transforming it into a monumental sandcastle.

Located in Pressigny-les-Pins, around one hour from Paris by train, Château de la Valette sits on just under 100 acres of wooded land and is comprised of the castle, a chapel, and two three-storey dormitory buildings. After the colourful works of Okuda (2018), 3ttman (2019), the giant calligraphy of L’Atlas (2020) and the optical illusions of Astro (2021), this mythical duo open the LaBel Valette festival that will take place on August 26 and 27, 2022.

The LaBel Valette Festival, organised by UAC (Urban Art Crew) and U2A (Urban Art Agency), will take place on August 26 and 27, 2022 at La Valette estate in Pressigny-les-Pins.
The two days programme includes graffiti battles, a musical production competition, live painting, workshops as well as a series of music concerts. Full programme here

Check pictures of the work in progress below:

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek and Sowat were struck by the intense history of the ‘Domaine de La Valette’. Firstly belonging to the estate of a Count and a Countess, it then became property of Franco, followed by the Spanish republicans. It was later transformed into a college, then fell into abandonment. And was bought by an individual. The castle holds eventually a strong position of Street Art in France thanks to the LaBel Valette Festival project.

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

The artistic duo decided to work around the image of the sandcastle, which refers to the ephemeral nature of Street Art, and pixels, which evoke the aesthetics of the 80s.
Using bright blue and neon colours, they painted 10 000 square meters to transform the castle entirely.
Lek and Sowat ’s Sandcastle illustrates this year’s theme of the festival “Believe in your dreams”: A sandcastle can be erased by the rising tide but is rebuilt thanks to the venue of a new artist.  A sandcastle is fragile, requires attention and commitment. It is imagined, hoped for, then built.

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Lek & Sowat - LaBel Valette Festival 2022

Art Paris Art Fair: TILT Solo Exhibition

Art Paris Art Fair

With Switzerland being the guest of honour at Art Paris Art Fair (covered here), the Swiss Kolly Gallery focuses on the universe of French graffiti artist Tilt by dedicating a Solo Show. Tilt has won the First Prize of the Art Paris Art Fair, with “L’art est vivant – Promises prize”  

Art Paris Art Fair

With Tilt, work and life coexist closely, and its artistic, radical and singular vocabulary is marked by an anti-aesthetic approach based on destruction, disintegration and erasure.
Tilt likes to break codes, playing on the dislocation of plans, textures and density. The painting is abused. Tilt reveals a frontal vision of his artistic universe, where signs and references to the graffiti world are concealed, juxtaposed, in order to present a perfect synthesis of these street scriptures that he particularly enjoys.

Art Paris Art Fair
Art Paris Art FairArt Paris Art FairArt Paris Art Fair
Art Paris Art Fair

View the full set of pics here

Art Paris Art Fair
Le Grand Palais
Paris

Marrakech: Tilt – Voyage Retour

Tilt - Voyage Retour

We continue our coverage behind the scenes in Marrakech at Jardin Rouge with French Graffiti artist TILT as he works on the second instalment ‘ Voyage Retour‘ of his installation that is currently exhibited at Rose Beton Festival in Toulouse.

The first part of the installation ‘Voyage Aller’ ( covered)  was featured at the Marrakech Biennale ealier this year.

Tilt - Voyage Retour

Gathering items from the souk and local markets in Marrakech, Tilt and his assistant Gauthier set up the second version of the sectioned car with a roof rack loaded with objects brought back from Orient to Occident.  Carefully assembled and defying laws of gravity, ‘Voyage Retour’ pays tribute to the big summer migration flows.

Tilt - Voyage RetourTilt - Voyage Retour     Tilt - Voyage RetourTilt - Voyage Retour

Then Tilt adorns the installation with graffiti, tags and flops and secret messages.

Tilt - Voyage RetourTilt - Voyage Retour     Tilt - Voyage RetourTilt - Voyage Retour     Tilt - Voyage RetourTilt - Voyage Retour Tilt - Voyage Retour     Tilt - Voyage Retour  Tilt - Voyage Retour    Tilt - Voyage Retour

Here is a snapshot of the before / after result:

Tilt - Voyage Retour     Tilt - Voyage RetourTilt - Voyage Retour

Some spots have been deliberately  left open for additional graffiti writers to add their touch to the final installation in Toulouse displayed at the Musee des Abattoirs. Stay tuned for more details coming soon.

View the full set of pics here

Tilt – Voyage Retour
Rose Beton Festival
Toulouse
Until 28 August 2016