SUBLIMINAL PROJECTS GALLERY
1331 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
E:
P. 213.213.0078
F. 213.213.0077
In conjunction with WK's show at Subliminal Projects we are releasing a collaboration print between WK and Obey Giant. It is a limited edition silkscreen print signed by both WK and Shepard Fairey. You can pick one up at the gallery or purchase it in our online store.
By WK
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 7th, 2009 / 8-11PM
Exhibition Dates: November 7th - December 5th
In How to Blow Yourself Up, WK Interact twists and inverts the fatalism of end-of-the-world prophecies, turning destruction into a matter of free will. "If you believe the world will end in 2012 and you can't do anything about it, maybe it's better to blow yourself up when you feel like it," says WK. To that end, he has turned objects of control and personal movement - skateboards and bicycles, as well as three-dimensional panels - into instruments of self-destruction, equipped with what appear to be pipe bombs and other menacing apparatuses.
In character with his oeuvre, WK captures the nonstop motion - both physical and psychic - of urbanism. In the past, he has used that kinetic graphic style to convey explosiveness, but in How to Blow Yourself Up he creates installations that burst with dimension and color. The glowing shades in his palette, however, are clearly not intended to brighten or beautify but to alert and alarm, grabbing attention the way a safety hazard sign would.
As always, WK's work has a tactile quality, in keeping with his name. While the interactivity of his street art stems from its incorporation into its surroundings, his gallery pieces stretch toward the viewer as if to say "I'll reach out and touch you if you reach out and touch me." The scale of his fine art pieces also contributes to their intimacy. On the streets, his images stretch towards infinity with only sky above; indoors, there are ceilings and corners and other confines to navigate, forcing him to work smaller. Says WK, "The more I reduce it, the more it becomes like a toy, something people will want to grab and move around."
If How to Blow Yourself Up seems like a sharp divergence from WK's street art, it is because the artist places so much emphasis on vesting context into his work. When he uses a patch of city as his medium, he first spends time investigating the location and contemplating its dynamic before assimilating his work into it. By contrast, when he is given blank gallery walls to work with, the combined effect of his pieces is akin to a cocoon - a self-contained environment.
"Artists appropriate their surroundings," says WK, who was born in France but has lived in New York for over 15 years. "Van Gogh had the peasants who lived in his village and the flowers in the garden outside the mental hospital where he stayed. For me, it's New York and everything about it that surrounds me - the nonstop energy, the movement, the grit, the noise. People love to put stories on top of art, to make it about something grand, but it's very simple. It's about an artist and a place."
Studio Number One presents a screen print created by graphic designer Cleon Peterson. Available for purchase in our ONLINE STORE.
About THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX: Germany 1967. The children of the Nazi generation have grown up in the devastation their parents created. They vowed fascism would never rule again. In their fight for freedom they lost themselves in the cause and ignited a revolution around the world that continues to resonate today. Meet the original faces of terrorism, the Baader Meinhof Group, in this Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated film based on the true story of the Red Army Faction. Directed by Uli Edel (Last Exit to Brooklyn). Produced by Bernd Eichinger (Last Exit to Brooklyn and Downfall).
A trailer can be viewed at: www.baadermeinhofmovie.com and there is also a list of all of the theaters where the film will play.
We are excited to be participating in Beyond Eden next weekend, a multi-gallery event celebrating the new contemporary art scene in Los Angeles, held at the LA Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park. The artists we will be showing are Deedee Cheriel, WK Interact, Shepard Fairey, Skullphone, and Marissa Textor. There's going to be a lot going on starting Friday night through Sunday so be sure to check out the website,
October 9th, 10th, 11th,
LA Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Hope to see you there and stop by our booth to say hi!
For all of you out-of-towners who can't come see the show, you can now get a piece of Michael Sieben's love delivered to you in the form of his beautiful little book, "There's Nothing Wrong With You. (Hopefully). The 96 page hardcover book features a wide range of work from doodles to meticulously crafted finished pieces and sculptures. Check it out in our ONLINE STORE.
Seeing all of this great art by some very talented skateboarders makes me think I should pick up a new sport, which is why we scooped up some rad Martha Cooper/Shepard Fairey collaboration skateboard decks signed by Shepard himself. Check them out in our ONLINE STORE! Limited supply.
We just put up photos of the artwork and shots from the opening of Weekend Pacifists in the CURRENT section. Thanks to everyone who came out to support these awesome artists. Tree Line Drive also finished wrapping up video interviews with the artists so be sure to check it out! You can watch video interviews with some of the artists we've shown over the past year on our youtube page.
SUBLIMINAL PROJECTS YOUTUBE PAGE
By Andy Jenkins, Mike Myers, Chris Pastras, Russ Pope, Michael Sieben
Opening Reception: Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 / 8-11pm
Exhibition Dates: August 22nd - September 19th, 2009
Weekend Pacifists, opening August 22nd at Subliminal Projects, showcases five artists whose lives and works have crisscrossed the skateboarding and lowbrow art worlds throughout the better part of the '90s and '00s. Collectively, their art is dotted with both whimsy and sociopolitics, not exactly the voice of a generation but mabe justa voice of a generation. Make that five voices, actually. Here's what they each have to say about the show's title:
Andy Jenkins "I work a regular schedule during the week and it's anything but passive. On the weekend I become passive, as my personal work steers me around by the hands."
Michael Myers "To me, the 'Weekend Pacifists' is about the feeling of hope and renewal that happens weekend after weekend. The weekend pacifist is about comaraderie, spirituality, gratefulness, and the quest for being content in the now and for the week ahead."
Chris Pastras "I'm a pacifist who loves the weekend, so I guess I fit the bill pretty well."
Russ Pope "Weekend Pacifists? Pacified by the weekend on a weekly basis. Good Stuff. Living everyday like it's a weekend, not saving the good times for two days a week."
Michael Sieben "Weekend Warriors is an album by Ted Nugent that was released in 1978. It's also a term used to describe people who follow their passions on the weekend. The phrase 'Weekend Pacifists' describes an individual who is dedicated to their passion full time thus leaving the weekend open to relaxing or taking a break from the war. Hopefully that doesn't sound too pretentious."
Photos of The New Utopia artwork and opening are now up in the CURRENT section. You can also check out Arrested Motion's review and photos HERE. The show will be up until July 25th!
Thank you to everyone who came out to the opening of The New Utopia and making it such a success! We will be open all week so that you can come check out the artwork without the crowds. We will be closed on July 4th to enjoy some delicious backyard bbq and fireworks and reopen as usual on Tuesday (7/7).
© 2008 Subliminal Projects