Fabio, a.k.a. Cranio is from São Paulo, Brazil and have been spraying around since 1998.
Still to have a show in the UK, I am sure it is just a matter of time, Cranio is getting more and more attentionI in his native country. Armed with sprays, latex paint, brushes and paint rollers, he leaves his imagination flow and his passion for indigenous art blossom.
Enjoy a selection of some of his works below. The first photograph is his latest work. We love the Brazilian pareo!
Initially trained as a traditional figurative sculptor and Mouldmaker. I now seek to find new meaning and relevance in old outmoded techniques.
I’m fascinated by the idea of the public monument and much of my work revolves around the need to investigate the way in which society records events and people by casting them in metal and stone.
I seek to rip the idea of the public monument asunder and then re-build it in a new order with a revised iconography. My work seeks to expose and examine the insecurities and frailties of society, and our place within it.
Recent works ‘Gnome Kone’ and ‘Bad Babysitter’ are part of a series of sculptures that are concerned with a playfully sinister bastardization of familiar objects. The pieces have an initial feeling of innocence and irreverence but on closer inspection seem more bizarre and
unsettling.
The much hyped Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition opens at the National Gallery from today with a seven room exhibition. The display is ideal for those who adore the technicality of the line and the workings of an artist , with many drawings and paintings by Leonardo and his pupils on display.
Its build up has been felt for many months, ever since its advance booking opened in May 2011 – a long seven months before its actual opening day.
With its future opening date released then came the capped visitor numbers announcement, with the gallery saying it would restrict visitors due to an, ‘unprecedented demand’. Today (9 November) The Evening Standard has reported how the tickets have sold out until mid-December. The pressure for this display to deliver to its global audience is immense.
The exhibition brings together an impressive collection of international loans never before seen in the UK, from the Queen, America, Poland, France, Scotland and from Art Fund acquisitions.
One difference with this exhibition from others is it the first to be dedicated to Leonardo’s aims and techniques as a painter. Don’t expect reams of glorious huge paintings, though there are a few pretty ladies, curly haired men and angels.
The whole display focuses on Leonardo as an artist, his technical skills and his teaching skills, showing how his works were often finished or copied by his pupils, and in some cases edited. In particular it concentrates on the work he produced as court painter to Duke Lodovico Sforza, in Milan in the late 1480s and 1490s.
As well as finished pieces, each room is peppered with Leonardo’s preparatory and experimental sketches.
The final part of the exhibition, a few mintues walk away in the Sunley Room features a near-contemporary, full-scale copy of Leonardo’s famous ‘Last Supper’, on loan from the Royal Academy. Seen alongside all the surviving preparatory drawings made by Leonardo for the ‘Last Supper’ it makes for an interesting viewing, but seems rather ‘tagged’ on to the exhibition.
Pieces to stop by:
The Musician (1486-7) Room 1 – An unfinished portrait demonstrating Leonardo’s skill in positioning of the face creating a life like portrait with depth.
Portrait of Bianca Maria Sforza (1493) Room 2 – Get your fill of opulence with this lavish picture showing a traditional Milanese style dress, with Leonardo’s profile technique on full view.
The Lady with an Ermine (1498-90) Room 2 – This piece is centre stage of the room and shows off Leonardo’s portraiture and colour skills. The lady almost leaps out of the canvas due to her 3/4 turned pose and the black back background, giving her a 3D quality that soon become sort after by Leonardo’s pupils.
Studies of the Nervous System (1485-8) and Studies of the Human Skull (1489) Room 3 – This is one of many anatomical studies in this room, and they took my breath away. He’s used hints of shadow and light to depict tiny features of the human body. The skull looks perfect in minature form and these observations were no doubt the ground work for his future paintings, making figures seem as real as possible. It astounds me how these delicate sketches are over 500 years old.
The Virgin of the Rocks (1493) Louvre and Virgin of the Rocks (1491/2-9 and 1506-9) National Gallery Room 4 – These pieces are obviously the focal point for this room and essentially a key point for the exhibition. They are on show together for the first time and are intended to show Leonardo’s difference in style and views of painting and art. The earlier piece is very rich in colour and could easily fit into a church altar piece. The second is restrictive in its colour palette and the figures are more sculptural with a porcelain quality.
The Burlington Cartoon ( 1499-1500) Room 6 – This lively large piece in charcoal seems to move as you move around it. The unfinished aspect of the piece almost makes it work more, it stands out in this room. The figures are fluid and contemporary, it’s a break away and step up from Leonardo’s meticulous anatomical studies.
Room 7 in the Sunley room has a handy time line of Leonardo’s artistic career, with significant events and works. This would of been suited to have at the beginning of the exhibition, putting this display into context even more, especially for those less familiar with his pieces. The room feels tagged on, an afterthought. It’s interesting to see the workings that may have gone into this work, and then the copy of the Last Supper is astonishing to see in its grand scale.
Head along to this exhibition for a peek into Leonardo Da Vinci’s undoubted skill as a technical drawer and creater of astonishing life like works, which capture humanity and idealised beauty in all its forms. He perhaps saw himself as a creator and observer of humanity, what’s key from the exhibition is that he was always striving for improving his skills and thankfully we get to see these still today in this exhibition.
‘If the painter wishes to see beauties that enamour him, he is the master of their production, and if he wishes to see monsterous things.. he is their lord and god.’
The exhibition is open now: 09 Nov 2011 – 05 Feb 2012 Mon – Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Fri 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM Closed Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Christmas Day.
Object-Culture is the first pop up shows of a series of four which will happen back to back from now into May 2010 at Red Gallery on Rivington Street (London). ART-PIE went to see Paul Sakoilsky, the curator to find out more about it.
ART-PIE: Can you tell our readers more about you?
Paul Sakoilsky: I am an artist, a writer, a philosopher and I guess also a curator but I do not like using this word. I used to help out at the 30 Underwood Street Gallery back in the days, I mean between 1993 and 2000 when the gallery shut down for good. I worked in mixed medias and have been mainly focusing in the past few years on a project called The Dark times which has spawned a variety of works, installations and performances, which have been shown in solo and group shows across Europe. Continue reading Object-Culture: bringing cultures together→
Erarta Galleries London is pleased to present Valery Barykin’s solo exhibition entitled ‘Soviet Pin-Up’.
The exhibition will feature a number of specially made, limited edition pieces. Barykin`s eyecatching prints are reminiscent of the celebrated 1940’s and 1950’s American pin-ups blended with Soviet Russian propaganda advertisements. Known for his unique style, Valery Barykin’s prints contrast the aesthetic of the beloved American Pin-Up culture and its heightened sexuality with the sharp-edged and saturated colours of Soviet Russia’s propaganda posters.
His upbringing was surrounded by socialist advertisements and mass-produced American pin-up photographs that slowly made their way
into Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. The women in his works often resemble Soviet Russian film stars such as Lyudmila Gurcgenko and Natalya Fateeva who are sometimes scantily clad and the object of attention.
Barykin displays his outrageously gorgeous and provocative women in unexpected everyday familiar situations as they enthusiastically continue to perform their stereotyped roles and female duties.
WHAT – Valery Barykin’s solo exhibition entitled ‘Soviet Pin-Up’. WHERE – 8 Berkeley street, Mayfairt, London, W1J 8DN WHEN – until the 19/12/15
SCOPE, an international art fair, is under way now until this Sunday 6/12 and along with scores of people, it brings out fresh new talent such as Sam Cannon.
Sam Cannon, 23, is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology and a digital media artist living in New York City. Cannon’s work exploring the innovative space between video and still photography has been bolstered by her significant presence on Tumblr. Through this influence, Cannon has been asked to lend her vision to brands like Gap, Veuve Cliquot, and Nike, as well as an anti-bullying campaign, musician Vic Mensa, and New York Fashion Week.
Best known for his roles in high profile TV series and films including; Mr. Selfridge, Midsomer Murders and The Borgias, actor Edward Akrout has kept his talent as an artist hidden from the public eye.
This was until recently, when he presented his debut solo exhibition at Café Royal in March to an enthusiastic crowd of gallerists, collectors and VIPs.
A big step in the art world
Akrout admits that even though he is capable of handling the daily rejection and criticism he faces as an actor, the idea of showing his art to the world terrified him. This autumn Akrout will exhibit a suite of new drawings and paintings titled ‘First Impression’ at The Hoxton, Shoreditch, offering visitors an insight into the world of Edward Akrout.
Emotions and studies in France
There is an unmistakable connection between Akrout’s two chosen disciplines, for as an actor his job is to inhabit different emotional states, and as an artist he has an uncanny ability to capture in only a few strokes of the brush or pen, the fleeting emotions and personality traits of characters he comes across on his travels in London, Paris and New York.
Born to a Franco-British mother and Tunisian father, 32-year-old Akrout grew up in France, studying philosophy at The Sorbonne and theatre at Le Cours Florent in Paris, and then spending time at the National Institute in Bucharest. He left Paris for London when offered a place at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Akrout’s philosophical and theatrical training is evident in his expressive, psychological studies of the eclectic characters he encounters.
WHAT –‘First Impression’ by Edward Akrout WHERE – The Hoxton, 81 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HU | United Kingdom WHEN – 2 Oct 2015 — 1 Jan 2016
Meet Mehdi Ghadyanloo, a proficient street artist from Teheran, Israel.
The artist style is ‘illusion’ and his works always need you to look again and again to understand what it is all about but that illusional aspect is most definitely why so many people appreciate it.
Surreal scenes are often depicted in his murals such as a man floating up into the sky and holding on helium balloons.
Mehdi Ghadyanloo is a painter and designer based in Tehran, Israel. His street art is extensive. What makes his artworks particularly intriguing is that they are full of dimension that tricks the brain.
You may have heard that Absolut has launched a limited-edition of city series which Gorillaz’ Jamie Hewlett has produced an amazing design for. It celebrates the vibrant cultural city, capturing London’s creativity and rich style heritage in a unique bottle design which goes on sale in Selfridges and Harvey Nichols on 1st March 2012.
Set against a London backdrop, the bottle introduces key characters from the past who have influenced and shaped London’s present fashion scene. The seven characters encapsulate the city’s diverse heritage, spanning the ages from Dickensian and 18th Century Dandy, through to Pinstripe gent, 60’s chick, SKA, Punk and 80’s Casual.
To celebrate the launch, ABSOLUT will be offering consumers the chance to win one of 50 bottles via Instagram from the 9th of Feb. There will also be the chance to buy one of only 50 unique ABSOLUT London collectors gift packs, which go on sale on 22nd March. More information can be found on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/ABSOLUTUK
The much hyped Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition opens at the 
You may have heard that Absolut has launched a limited-edition of city series which Gorillaz’ Jamie Hewlett has produced an amazing design for. It celebrates the vibrant cultural city, capturing London’s creativity and rich style heritage in a unique bottle design which goes on sale in Selfridges and Harvey Nichols on 1st March 2012.