BLOG, OPENINGS, PREVIEW

Opening night of Cape and Cowl exhibition at Kachette

A quick stop at home to drop our bags and off we went to Kachette in Shoreditch for the Press launch night of the latest show curated by Moniker Projects front man, Frankie Shea. We were thrilled for the invite and looked forward to seeing the artworks in person after reading about it.

In a nutshell – the exhibition reimagines the Caped Crusader’s iconic Cape and Cowl headpiece. WB Games UK has teamed up with twenty contemporary artists and celebrities to celebrate the launch of Batman: Arkham Knight.

More pictures can be found below the article 

Batman : Arkham night | Art-Pie
By INKIE

Immediately upon entering this disused tube station you are struck by the iconic silhouttes of Batman. Or rather the Batmen! Lined up across the whole length of Kachette and its brick archways are tall and imposing figures. We started the tour…

Each were unique but some replicas stood out from others, such as the ones by INSA, INKIE or CYCLOPS… but we’ll let you decide and report back onto here. Below you will find full details of the artist line up, as well as information about the show.

Batman : Arkham night | Art-Pie
A view of some of the replicas

Featuring artists Nancy Fouts, Lauren Baker, Hayden Kays, Inkie, Pam Glew, INSA, The Connor Brothers, Zeus, Matt Small, Jon Burgerman, CASE, CRASH, Cyclops, Kid Acne, Logan Hicks and Pure Evil and celebrities from the worlds of TV, film, music and fashion, such as Jonathan Ross, Noel Clarke, Eliza Doolittle and Jodie Kidd.

WHAT – The Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition
WHERE – Kachette, 347 Old St., Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9LP (nearest stations Liverpool Street, Old Street & Shoreditch High Street)
WHEN – Tuesday 23 to Saturday 27 June – 11am to 9pm and Sunday 28 June – 11am to 5pm

Batman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-Pie
Batman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-PieBatman : Arkham night | Art-Pie
PREVIEW

Spaces Within Spaces Within Space Within at Pure Evil gallery

Pure Evil galleryDespite the marked differences between their graphic and visual languages, long-time friends Paulo Arraiano (yup) and Diogo Machado (add fuel to the fire) have often collaborated on many projects. Over the years each has developed an extensive portfolio in the fields of graphic and visual arts, working in a variety of mediums. Each has also taken part in a great number of individual and collective exhibitions, in Portugal and abroad. This is the first time they are showcasing their work together in the UK.

Both grew up in and live in the seaside town of Cascais, outside Lisbon, Portugal, and in spite of their distinctive paths they share multiple references and interests. They have developed a high level of understanding and familiarity which often borders on the complicit, turning their fertile partnership into an ongoing intuitive collaboration. It is this convergence towards a mutual space where both their differences and similarities intersect that can be viewed here.

Spaces Within explores this point of contact where the two individual realms meet and overlap ≠ an area which both re˛ects and transcends the many inner spaces and territories their lives and work have created; a new multi-layered expanse composed of myriad emotions, characters, stories, landscapes, colours, shapes and details.

Words from Miguel Moore

Where: Pure Evil Gallery | 108 Leonard st London | EC2A 4RH London
When: Opening 16th February . 6pm – 9pm

Artists: Paulo Arraiano (yup) . Diogo Machado (add fuel to the fire)

BLOG, PREVIEW

A Beautiful Disorder – sculptures from Chinese artists

A major exhibition of new outdoor sculptures created by 18 contemporary Greater Chinese artists is about to open at Cass Sculpture Foundation.

A leading sculpture foundation in England will display the first major exhibition of outdoor sculpture by contemporary Greater Chinese artists to be shown in the UK.

The exhibition invites the viewer to reflect on China’s past, present and future relationship with the world at large, and provides valuable insight into the state of Chinese culture, politics and society today from the perspective of some of its most dynamic and engaging artists.

C 2016 Cass Sculpture Foundation, Wang Yuyang, Rendering of Identity, 2015 | Art-Pie
C 2016 Cass Sculpture Foundation, Wang Yuyang, Rendering of Identity, 2015

 

From July 2016, eighteen monumental outdoor sculptures will be on display throughout the grounds of CASS. These artists employ a variety of ambitious sculptural techniques across a range of materials including bronze, stone, steel and wood. The historical relationship between English and Chinese landscape aesthetics is the starting point and inspiration for these contemporary artists. The title of the exhibition, A Beautiful Disorder , is a quote from an influential letter written by the Jesuit missionary and artist Jean Denis Attiret in 1743 that had a tremendous effect on English garden culture.

Attiret used the term to describe the ability of the Chinese garden to provoke violent and often opposing sensations in the viewer through a series of theatrical framing devices. Cass Sculpture Foundation’s Executive Director, Clare Hindle, says: “To date, Cass Sculpture Foundation has commissioned over 400 works – A Beautiful Disorder is a landmark moment for the Foundation as it is the first time we are commissioning works for a major exhibition by international artists. The exhibition will showcasecontemporary sculpture by some of the leading Greater Chinese artists.”

C 2016 Cass Sculpture Foundation, Zhao Yao, Rendering of A Sculpture of Thought I-192 , 2015 | Art-Pie
C 2016 Cass Sculpture Foundation, Zhao Yao, Rendering of A Sculpture of Thought I-192 , 2015

 

Participating artists for A Beautiful Disorder include: Bi Rongrong, Cao Dan, Cao Fei, Cheng Ran, Cui Jie, Jennifer Ma Wen, Li Jinghu, Lu Pingyuan, Xu Zhen (Produced by MadeIn Company), Rania Ho, Song Ta, Tu Wei-Cheng, Wang Sishun, Wang Wei, Wang Yuyang, Zhang Ruyi, Zheng Bo and Zhao Yao.

More details: http://www.sculpture.org.uk/event/a-beautiful-disorder

BLOG, REVIEWS

Gary Stranger & Pref at Stolen Space gallery

We swung by Stolen Space gallery today to check out their new show – Gary Stranger X Perf,

Gary Stranger and Pref are two graffiti artists from the UK. The former excels, we think, in typography work and his clean lines style was a delight to see.

– Click on pictures below to enlarge them –

Gary Stranger at Stolen Space | Art-Pie

Our positive opinion of the artist was even more consolidated when we learned that all his works is done free-hand – these are serious skills.

Gary Stranger at Stolen Space | Art-Pie

More pics from Gary Stranger
Gary Stranger at Stolen Space | Art-Pie Gary Stranger at Stolen Space | Art-PieGary Stranger at Stolen Space | Art-Pie

However, Pref’s work, multi-layered lettering style which he uses to portray popular phrases and expressions, did not excite us as much. We actually found his style somewhat confused and quickly went back for a second viewing of Gary Stranger’s works.

Perf at Stolen Space | Art-Pie

“Gary Stranger X Perf” runs until the 30th October 2016.

BLOG, STREET ART

Meet Tristan Eaton, an artist from Los Angeles

Tristan Eaton | Art-PieTristan Eaton is an American artist from Los Angeles. He is a graffiti artist, illustrator, toy designer and also a street art muralist.

Eaton was born in 1978, in Los Angeles, California.

Going from places to places

When he was 8 years old, his family moved to London, England. At age 16, they moved back to the United States but this time to Detroit, Michigan. While Eaton loved the city of Detroit, he always wanted to live in a big city and thus, moved to New York when he was 20 years old.

During his teenage years, Eaton painted everything, from dumpsters to billboards, wherever he lived. He had a troubled childhood and was arrested many times for shoplifting and making graffiti.

He used art as an escape from reality and also to escape from legal authorities by providing artistic evidence to judges, principles and police officers.

Tristan Eaton | Art-Pie

“I am not a graffiti artist”

Eaton became interested in graffiti when he was in London and upon moving to Detroit he started doing a lot of graffiti, mainly due to lack of police regulation. He doesn’t consider himself a graffiti artist but more of a muralist.

His graffiti work does not consist of letters but mostly characters. For his graffiti work, he never focused on using just spray paint but painted with whatever he could get his hands on. According to him, good graffiti is painting something big and beautiful but illegally. Everything else is mural work for him.

Tristan Eaton | Art-Pie

A keen interest in comic books

His interest in comic books also peaked during his time in London. He was inspired by the 2000AD Magazine by British illustrators. He would draw characters from comic books, such as Jack Kirby, early X-Men, Silver Surfer and even the anime film, Akira. At 18, he made his first toy for Fisher Price, which was the beginning of many to come. His creativity led him to becoming a leader in advertising.

He was a regular consultant for many clients, such as Hasbro, Pepsi and Nike.

Tristan Eaton | Art-PieEaton was approached by Kidrobot designer, Paul Budnitz, who offered him to work as an art director on an animated film called Kidrobot. Kidrobot became so popular they stopped working on it and started producing designer toys, mainly action figures.

The action figures were made on a limited edition basis and were inspired by the work of famous graffiti artists and hip-hop culture. Eaton believed these toys allowed people to purchase something which tied fine art with consumerism, because fine art is extremely expensive while consumerism is affordable and available to the masses.

This idea gave birth to these limited edition designer toys that led Eaton to become internationally famous with a huge fan base.

Eaton wanted to showcase his art to the lower-class of the urban cities he visited. He believed everybody had the right to have access to fine art and they did not just had to see gray buildings and big billboards. With this intention, he created remarkable murals all over the country.

Inspirations and where to see Tristan’s works

Eaton claims his artwork is inspired from Os Gemeos, Mode 2, Takishi Murikami and many others. His creations can be viewed at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum and some of his collection at the Museum of Modern Art is permanent. On his website, Eaton states “outdoor, public art is the most important to me. Public art has the ability to inspire and transform our communities.” It is obvious how important it is for Eaton to share his art with the rest of the world.

Tristan Eaton | Art-Pie

Currently, Eaton is the President and Creative Director at Thunderdog Studios Inc. Thunderdog is a prominent brand for designer toys and a creative agency based in New York. Thunderdog is the backbone of all of Eaton’s work. His team at Thunderdog helps him put together big projects, such as toys and video collaborations. Tristan Eaton happily resides in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

More on Tristan Eaton’s website

STREET ART ENCOUNTERS