Best designers toys from New York Comic Con 2012

November 2, 2012 Pierrick Senelaer

New York Comic Con 2012 has just happened and we are bringing you our top 5 favorites toys designs – this event is the East Coast’s biggest and most exciting popular culture convention.

Comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television fans are mad about the stuff on display.

New York Comic Con is the second largest pop culture convention in America and the only one that takes place in the comic book, publishing, media, and licensing capital of the world — Gotham City.

Artist: Dai Tran
“Pandit” and “Bitsumo”

Dai Tran’s big-bellied custom action figures “Pandit” and “Bitsumo” — one a sumo wrestler and the other a panda — have a mythic rivalry that plays out on the graphic t-shirts he’s created for complimentary apparel line, as well as in his line of figurines.

Artist: Kaitlin Juarez and Maxwell Yax
“Madknits”

A certain ARTINFO editor (who will remain unnamed) couldn’t resist buying one of these heartbreakingly cuddly monsters herself. Each one is handmade, and comes with a backstory about their assimilation to planet Earth, based on the Madknits comic series.

Artist: Smoko
“Toast USB”

We wish we had the whole set of genius 4 GB toast-shaped USBs for our office. “Butta,” “Ry Ry,” “Crisp,” and “Tato” fit into a toaster hub, which also includes an SD card reader and works with any flash drive.

Artist: Mr. Munk
“Buddha B Pissed”

According to its creator, this trio of Buddha action figures — complete with big block heads and crazy eyes — was sent out into the world to rid it of its evils, absorbing bad energy and repurposing it.

Artist: Pete Fowler/Molvox
“Tribes of Monsterism Island Vol. One”

The natural earth tones used by artist Pete Fowler for his “Molvox” series of devilish tribesman are perfect; details like the felt applique on a textured helmet and the toothy face painted on another figurine’s jacket make his little guys unique finds when bought

Taken from the Blouin Artinfo website, check there for photo credits

CONTEMPORARY ART

Lorella Paleni’s art

August 13, 2013 Pierrick Senelaer

When I first saw Lorella Paleni’s work, I went “OoOOooOo”. And then, “umm”. I looked closer and then took a step back, paused for a short while and thought: what a cool mix of styles, you get some abstract in her landscapes and background often tangled into each other by a series of layers.

You get the surreal with the artist’s character and figures, never in a broad day light or clearly distinguishable but always in some intriguing scenarios or situations – a man seems to splash water on his face outside his house, in his garden perhaps? And is it actually water?

It is impossible to know for sure what happens in Lorella Paleni’s paintings and you quickly find yourself immmersed into them, trying to work out the snallest details in the hope of getting the bigger picture but we are looking here at breaking into the artist’s mind here, this is anyway how I feel looking at her work.

I am dreaming her dreams.

First seen on Juxtapoz

CONTEMPORARY ART

Erik Sommer or painting with cement

April 7, 2011 Pierrick Senelaer 2 Comments

Mediums you can use to paint are countless, it is only down to the artist to use them or not. Meet Erik Sommer and his very original and unique way of painting with cement. We talked to Erik to find out a bit more about him and his work.

ART-PIE: How did you come to use cement in your work?

Erik Sommer: I’ve been using cement in my work for several years. I like its urban grittiness, especially as I live in NYC and am surrounded by buildings and cement. My work is about the passing of time, and beauty and chance and control. It is about capturing the passing of time, and the beauty found within its accidental natural effects.

A-P: Most of the work I can see from your website are using mixed medias? What are they?

Erik Sommer: Most of my work is mixed medium on canvas. I use cement and plasters, acrylic pastes, gessos, some acrylic and oil pants. Most of the materials are home modeling materials which happen to be white, which make the most recent pieces white, although I do use colors as well. The various layers of material act as different stages of time. The work is very three-dimensional and comes off of the canvas. It is very industrial and physical.

A-P: What are your inspirations?

Erik Sommer: I like everyone from Rudolf Stingel, to Robert Ryman, Richard Serra, Andy Goldsworthy, Basquiat, etc.

Any upcoming shows?: I am represented in NYC by Rooster Gallery, and am beginning to work with Arch 402 in London as well. I have a piece in a group show/ auction with Arch 402 in April, and then hopefully will be doing more with them later this summer. My next solo show with Rooster in NYC will be next year.

Related link
Erik Sommer’s website – www.erikjsommer.com

CONTEMPORARY ART, PREVIEW

BEN OAKLEY GALLERY (aka the B.O.G)

January 12, 2012 Christopher Digby

Having been a fan of Ben Oakley’s art work for the last few years I was really excited to see the Ben Oakley Gallery open in Greenwich last year. Having spoken to Ben this week he has given me details of the upcoming show in January which looks to be another good mix of contemporary street art. Ben works with a range of artists involved in the emerging and established contemporary and street art culture as well as creating his own work and being involved in various art projects and curatorial events. As a lover of series my favourite work of Ben’s are his trademark fairies, bears and yeti’s.

Show Details:
In January 2012, Otto Schade brings his extraordinary artwork to the Ben Oakley Gallery in Greenwich. He will be exhibiting original unseen artwork and ltd edition prints from 21st January – 5th February.

Originally from Concepcion in Nothern Chile, Schade now lives in London, where he works as a University Lecturer in the field of Architecture. He balances his career with a passion for creating beautiful and detailed artworks, both in the studio and at street level.

Schade uses his ribbons to compose beautifully intricate images, often referencing popular culture. However, he also creates more thought-provoking works, that resonate with deep and symbolic meaning.

Schade has forged a reputation as one of London’s foremost street artists, with his instantly recognisable ribbon motif adorning many walls throughout London and beyond gaining admiration from Private collectors and Artists alike.

Otto Schade will be in attendance.

BEN OAKLEY GALLERY PRESENTS: ‘URBAN SCHADE’
PREVIEW EVENING: Friday 20th January 2012 7.00 – 9.30 pm
EXHIBITION DATES: Saturday 21st January – Sunday 5th February 2012

VISITOR INFORMATION.
BEN OAKLEY GALLERY
9 Turnpin Lane Greenwich London SE10 9JA
(top end of the indoor market.)
Opening Times: Thursdays –Sundays 11-6pm
Monday –Wednesday by appointment.

All media enquiries /invitations: please email Ben Oakley.
Telephone. 07976 692 751 www.benoakleygallery.com

DLR: Cutty Sark Greenwich ( 2 minutes walk )
Overground Train:Greenwich Station ( 5 minutes walk )

CONTEMPORARY ART, PREVIEW

EAGLE by Dave White – print release

July 8, 2011 Pierrick Senelaer

One launch night not to miss, one print to get.

The artist, Dave White is on the rise and have been selected for the Northern Graduates show at the Royal College of Art, Liverpool-based. He is regarded by many as one of the most talented of the UK’s new generation of painters and when you see what he is done, you have to agree or at least positively nod.

The event is about the release of an exclusive limited edition print, hand finished in gold leaf, of his iconic Eagle work from his critically acclaimed Americana series.

I should have said enough for you to be gagging to come down to Artrepublic Soho on the 28th and fight for a copy of the print you can see below.

When – 6PM, Thursday 28th July 2011
Where – Artrepublic soho | 42 new compton street | London WC2H 8DA

CONTEMPORARY ART

Snow circles by Sonja Hinrichsen

April 1, 2012 Pierrick Senelaer

There are many ways of enjoying snow, some would get strapped on their snowboard and speed down the slopes whilst other may just look at it falling down. Sonja Hinrichsen thought otherwise, radically so even.

She gathered five people and warned them they will be needed for a few hours, 3 to be precise. To do what? Snow circles. Filmed from the air and the whole thing acquires another dimension, majestic and surreal. Video and pictures below.

> View another drawing from Sonja
> Full photoset for “snow circles”

DIGITAL ART

Project Mighty and Napoleon by Adobe

May 8, 2013 Pierrick Senelaer

The last few years have seen the rise of digital art. Devices such as Ipads have been at the forefront of this and some artists already master the new medium.

Adobe could be taking this a bit further with their new projects Mighty stylus and Napoleon ruler. These two pieces of hardware are designed to work with Adobe’s touch and tablet apps. Project Mighty is a pressure sensitive stylus, and Project Napoleon is a small ruler that projects straight lines onto the tablet for more precise drawings.

Watch the video below to get a better understanding

CONTEMPORARY ART

Shintaro Ohata – the sculptor painter

July 9, 2013 Pierrick Senelaer

Shintaro Ohata is one of these artists who will show you something new, who will inspire you, either through a raw and obvious talent or/and because something gets taken to the next level, high, so high it is not reachable by the common creative soul.

Painting meets sculpture or is it rather sculpture redefines painting, I am actually not sure. I am looking at Shintaro Ohata’s works with interest. I then learn that the sculpture elements in his work are actually made of polystyrene and the actual painting is mainly made of acrylic.

This series of works depicts every day scenes of people going about their business but these become much more than that under the artist’s direction. The 3D effect that is created by the sculpted elements, mainly humans or animals, is disconcerting and confuse you as to what you are looking at – a sculpture with a painted background or a painting which includes a sculpture element.

The fusion of the two mediums is pretty remarkable here. Kneel down and look straight and you might not realise that there is a sculpture element, so much so that painting and sculpture elements are binding each other but take a few steps back and the 3D angle is now clear and the artwork has got a completely different feel to it.

We cannot wait for Shintaro Ohata to have a show in London

First seen on Arrested Motion

REVIEWS

LUDO at Starkart gallery – La Belle Vie

April 18, 2011 chasinghosts

We arrived in Zurich to find that the centre of town, near where we are staying is insanely upper class. Ferrari’s and Bentleys cruising the streets typically driven by what looked like teenage boys and the main streets lined with cafe’s filled with people wearing Gucci sunglasses laughing and sipping their cocktails.

It was not something that we were expecting and thought that it was extremely superficial, until we ventured of the beaten track in search of Starkart gallery that was hosting the LUDO solo show.

The neighbourhood that Starkart is located in is very culturally diverse and much more down to earth.

Starkart is one of the most understated spaces we have come across, set inside an old residence turned commercial space that gives no impression of what is happening behind the scenes.

The Ludo show is set over multiple rooms on two levels, it is a minimalistic show, with the works widely spread out to make use of the vast space provided.

The ground floor displays originals from his “nature’s revenge” series and the basement features two video installations of his work processes, from creation to installation on the street.

It really felt like urban exploration venturing into this show, moving from room to room, some brightly lit and others very dark with the sound of what seemed like a old French record echoing from the basement.

Check out the full set of Ludo pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasingghosts/sets/72157626390493355/

BLOG

#CODEFC new show and his book launch

October 23, 2014 Pierrick Senelaer

After the Olympic project and solo show 20:12 two years ago, #CODEFC returns with another solo show and book launch celebrating his 25th anniversary in the graffiti/ street art world.

The book is a collection of photos from as early as 1990 including lettering, free hand painting, sketches, stencils and stickers.

We are giving two readers the chance to win a copy of #CODEFC book.

What you need to do is either subscribe to the Art-Pie newsletter, share this article on Twitter and/or on Facebook using the hashtag #ArtPieCodefcBook.

Easy uh? Hurry up though, the competition ends on Sunday 2nd November midnight

The show will display a series of paintings made in his studios in London from 1997, from older canvases to more recent ones belonging to different collections and projects and also includes paintings started in previous years and then modified for the show.

It will surely give an insight into his studio practice and his graffiti background as not many people has seen before.

STREET ART ENCOUNTERS