REVIEWS

‘Buenos Aires calling’ at Pure Evil: fantastico!

Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie
Click to enlarge

The year: 2001, the place: Buenos Aires, Argentina, the event: a terrible economic crash.

The outcome and most probably the best one: the explosion of the street art scene. Artists as a reaction to what was happening started to paint the streets and for some of them in a rather large scale.

Buenos Aires Calling is the show Graffitimundo presented at Pure Evil with the aim of bringing a feel of this scene to London.

I got very excited when I heard about this show as I know how much Argentina and the whole Central and South America street art scenes have been buzzing in the recent years.

I walked into Pure Evil and saw those stencils on the wall and thought ‘hmmm another set of stencils, I have seen it all before’ but looking at them closer and especially those from the artist rundontwalk and I was actually liking what I was seeing.

Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie
By Rundontwalk | Click to enlarge

Rundontwalk uses an intricate graphic in his stencils (strangely reminding me of the back on those chairs I have got at home) which apart from being a certainly noticeable technique skill, gives another dimension to the works. The tiling sort of effect reminded me of Paul Normansell’s way of painting.

On of the pieces using this intricate technique is ‘Influenza’ representing a pig wearing a mask which the artist painted in reaction of the panic that followed the swine flu outbreak. Great effect with great colours.

Pure Evil London show | Art-Pie
Click to enlarge

I did appreciate the other stencils from other artists but really liked these tiny pieces of art full of colours on oddily shaped pieces of wood representing even querky characters or abstracts. I found a ressemblance with BASHER’S world of characters.

 

Stencil technique has been embraced by a very large number of artists these days like in Argentina and if the technique is pretty much the same worldwide, I felt that this collective of artists and more generally South and Central american artist really want to put accross a message and do not just do stencils where esthetic is what only matters but their meanings too.

Nothing wrong with wanting to put out there a cool looking Goldie type stencils but it is nice to know that some artists really try to engage their audience by trying to deliver a message to them.

This show really managed to transpire how much the Argentinian street art scene is vibrant and not ready to die just now, oh no.

Colours, colours, there are loads of them, shapes, representations are everywhere like street artist right now in Buenos Aires and surroundings. Feels good.

Click any picture to start the slideshow

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The show at Pure Evil is now over

BLOG, CONTEMPORARY ART, GRAFFITI, INTRO

Graffiti artists, put your cans away, this train ain’t your usual moving canvas

It is already early evening but you just have enough time to jump on that bus and get your favourite spray cans from your local art supplies shop.

Should the shop be closed by the time you get there, Bombing Science online shop will be there to the rescue, you happily reassure yourself.

You like painting on trains, very much so. But the Genbi Shinkansen train is not or should not be one of them since artists have already been there and have made it beautiful.

The world’s fastest art appreciation

Genbi Shinkansen | Art-Pie
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“The world’s fastest art appreciation” is what East Japan Railways, the train operator running the service, calls it.

The high-speed Genbi Shinkansen opened last year on the Jōetsu Shinkansen railway line but we only learned about it recently.

The train carried out three round trips daily on most Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and while speeding through Japan (up to 210km/h), it gives its commuters displays of prominent contemporary artworks throughout its carriages.

Seven of the carriages in fact are used as “rolling art spaces”. All seven show a different artist and which gives passengers a vast choice of material to enjoy.

Even better, not only the indoors are used to display art. Indeed the windowless carriages of the Genbi Shinkansen’s are wallpapered with striking photographs of Niigata’s Nagaoka Fireworks Festival by photographer Mika Ninagawa

Art on display in each carriage

You can enjoy art throughout the entire train. Lose yourself from one end to the other and enjoy modern art created by prominent artists.

Kids have not been forgotten and should find joy in the specifically designed playroom where they can interact with modern art first hand.

We have included below photographs of our favourites carriages

Car #11

Car #11 GENBI SHINKANSEN | Art-Pie
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The artwork on display was conceived by incorporating the unique space, light and speed of the Shinkansen, and built around the themes of bountiful harvests, festivals and light. Take a seat and experience an amazing moment of change in which you discover the immensity of the light that surrounds us in the world.

Car #13

Car 13 Genbi Shinkansen | Art-Pie
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We selected this carriage because the art is mainly about landscapes and here at Art-Pie, we appreciate very much the subject. Sip on a coffee while looking at artworks inspired from the GENBI SHINKANSEN route, a traditional thoroughfare in use for centuries around the city of  Joetsu with Mikuni Kaido being the name of an ancient highway in Japan.

STREET ART

3D street art by Francois Abelanet

When you know that this 3D piece covers an area of over 400 square meters, you have to appreciate the effort. And when it looks as striking as this you just bow to the artist’s talent – Francois Abelanet. This piece is located in Lyon and has been commissioned to showcase the latest range of Renault trucks.

Francois Abelanet | Art-Pie

Francois Abelanet | Art-Pie

CONTEMPORARY ART, PRODUCT DESIGN

The House of Detention at the Clerkenwell design week

I got myself to the Clerkenwell design week, well, I work in the area so it was easy for me to walk to Clerkenwell close where the remains of the House of Detention are – a series of underground tunnels and rooms.

The place has been a museum since 1993 but for the last three days it showcases exciting contemporary talent. The nature of the space  and its spookiness (some say it is haunted) make the whole experience a success and very much enjoyable for the visitor.

You will find below pictures of what excited me at the show.

CONTEMPORARY ART, OPENINGS

T.wat solo show at Graffik gallery

The show opened on 19th September and is now in full swing for a three week duration. Within his broad repertoire are portrayals of gangsters, multi-nationals, evolution, politics, religion, the class system and general Mickey taking. This new body of work however is a closely guarded secret, very few images or sneak peeks will be available before the show is open.

What perhaps is most understated is that he does not require a production team. All his ideas are original and he cuts his own stencils. T.Wat is a modern master craftsman, elusive and one who shuns the limelight and instead lets his work do the talking.

Ms Penfold, follow her on Twitter, has kindly sent in the pictures below. We are bowing to her.

What – “Straight outta compton” a show by T.Wat
When – Thursday 19th September, 6.30pm
Where – Graffik Gallery. 284 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W10 5TE

T.wat at Graffik gallery | Art-Pie

T.wat at Graffik gallery | Art-Pie

T.wat at Graffik gallery | Art-Pie

T.wat at Graffik gallery | Art-Pie

CONTEMPORARY ART

Body painting by Choo San

I am sure that some of you will think that these pictures below have been retouched or altered with some software such as Photoshop and I would not blame you for believeing this since these acrylic body paint looks rather real and… creepy some might say.

Meet the artist, Chooo-San, who is a big fan of body painting

From the artist:
“But I guess I was a little sick of everyone making pictures with their computers and wanted to see how far I can go without those technologies such as Photoshop. My works are all done with acrylic paints. They are all painted on skin directly and I don’t use computers or anything to change the picture afterwards.”

[via]

Choo San - body painting | Art-PieChoo San - body painting | Art-Pie

Choo San - body painting | Art-PieChoo San - body painting | Art-Pie

BLOG, DIGITAL ART

Simon Stalenhgas’s sci-fi digital paintings

Simon Stalenhgas | Art-Pie

I always wondered if I could appreciate ‘digital painting’ as much as more traditional painting, what I mean by that is art which is made with brushes or pencils on some panels or canvases as opposed to via a computer.

Call me old fashion but I like thinking about artists spending hours in their studio, stroking or splashing paint on canvases but I must admit, I now also get exciting with this computer assisted method of painting that we call ‘Digital painting’

And how could you not be when you look at Simon Stålenhag | Art-Pie‘s works – keep on reading

About the artworks

Simon’s paintings and stories take place in an alternate version of Sweden in the 80s and 90s. The central location is the countryside of Mälaröarna, a string of islands and half islands just west of Stockholm. The background is this:

In the 1950s, the Swedish government orders the construction of a large particle accelerator. The state agency RIKSENERGI is tasked with developing this massive project. In 1969 the The Facility For Research In High Energy Physics is ready, located deep below the pastoral Mälaröarna-countryside. The local population soon calls it THE LOOP.

Simon Stalenhgas | Art-Pie

Simon Stalenhgas | Art-Pie

From it’s inception to it’s closure in 1994, The Loop was the largest accelerator in the world. The thousands of staff: scientists, engineers and maintenance workers, all serve Riksenergi during these years – and makes possible tremendous scientific advances. But the power of the Gravitron, the heart of the accelerator, proves difficult to control. The side effects of the project are dramatic. Strange sightings and bizarre rumours taints the scientific image of The Loop.

In the shadow of the weird machines filling the countryside, life continues as normal. The kids of Mälaröarna grew up living above the technological marvel of The Loop, but for them it was just a part of their very ordinary lives. Until strange beasts from another time showed up, that is.

About Simon Stålenhag

Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag burst onto the art scene in 2013 when his first series of paintings were shared on the Internet. His original blend of naturalistic landscape paintings with science fiction elements and a very low key recollection of growing up in the eighties struck a chord. Not just in Sweden, but all over the world.

Simon Stalenhgas | Art-Pie

Simon Stalenhgas | Art-Pie

Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Simon uploaded his first digital paintings onto the Internet in 2013, since then he has become something of a phenomena in the art and sci-fi communities. Simon shares his time between a small cabin at Mälaröarna (the setting that inspires his work) and an apartment in Stockholm.

STREET ART ENCOUNTERS