PREVIEW #2: TARANTINO VS COEN BROS. Art Show @ Bold Hype GALLERY [NYC]

March 25, 2011 in art, Movies / Television

We just received a second round of preview images for next month’s highly anticipated “Quentin vs. Coen – An art show tribute to the films of Tarantino and the Brothers”.  Presented at NYC‘s Bold Hype Gallery by Spoke Art, the exhibit will run from April 7 – 9 and features over 100 artists (painting, silk screen, & digital) presenting their own unique interpretations of scenes and/or characters from the films of these highly respected filmmakers.  In addition, the opening will also feature a costume contest and complementary White Russians.  The quality and range of the work from the last preview was very encouraging, but there was one particular Kill Bill/Barton Fink-hybrid by Stefan Fähler (“KILL FINK”) that peaked our interests about if any others would be contributing further cross-overs, mixing the work of both Tarantino and the Coens into singular pieces.  The latest images (below) display how artists like Seth Patrick, Evanimal, and Steve Seeley have taken on that mashup challenge, as well as a few additional fine quality works by Brian M. Viveros, Killer Napkins, Johanna O’Donnell, and Gustavo Ponce. Read the rest of this entry →

SERGE GAY JR. Relaunches Webstore & Releases PULP FICTION Print

March 20, 2011 in art, Movies / Television, The Web

Earlier this month we posted an interview with San Francisco-based artist, Serge Gay Jr. Those who read it and/or already know about Serge should also be familiar with the fact that, beyond being a growing force in the fine art world, he was also recently nominated for a Grammy for the artwork that he provided for Cee-Lo Green‘s “Fuck You” video.  Last week, we also posted some preview images for the upcoming Spoke Art event “Quentin vs. Coen – An art show tribute to the films of Tarantino and the Brothers”, wherein we premiered Serge‘s contribution, “Furious Anger” (above left), which the painter created in homage to the film Pulp Fiction.  The beautifully crafted image was an instant standout and includes such “subtle” imagery as a bag of smack, a pocket watch, and a gimp mask.  We immediately had to wonder if it would be released as a signed, limited edition Giclee print, just like his Life Aquatic-inspired print, “LIFE“, from last year’s Bad Dad‘s exhibit.  The answer to that question is a resounding “YES“.  In fact, with the recent re-opening of his online store, Serge is not only offering the limited edition print RIGHT NOW -almost 3 full weeks before the launch of the exhibit that it was created for- but he also has some great original pieces available for some absurdly low prices. Read the rest of this entry →

PREVIEW: TARANTINO VS COEN BROS. Art Show @ Bold Hype GALLERY [NYC]

March 11, 2011 in art, Movies / Television

I don’t think that it’s been even a year since Hi-Fructose writer/web editor, Ken Harman introduced Spoke Art to the world, but his brainchild instantly began creating some sizable waves.  In fact, the ripples have actually managed to wobble the ship here at Monster Fresh and splash a bit of water onto our metaphorical decks.  Like much of the world, we were first introduced to the “transient art gallery and publishing house” through the exhibit “Bad Dads – a tribute to Wes Anderson”.  Those of you who read our preview of the event and the subsequent offshoot and related posts might be wondering, “What’s with all of the art coverage?  I thought this was a music site!“  The answer to that question is, “Not really.”  It’s true that, over time, the lopsided majority of content has often become music related, but we’ve often posted about the contemporary art world in the past and the original intent has always been for us to tangentially wander like a somnambulistic moth towards anything that we find interesting and “post worthy” (some of our first content even dealt with purchasing nuclear missile silos, for chrissakes!).  Spoke Arts‘ latest undertaking, “Quentin vs. Coen – An art show tribute to the films of Tarantino and the Brothers” more than falls into those categories and, with contributions from over 100 different artists, this first run of preview images [featured below] will, more than likely, only be marking the beginning of our coverage for this project. Read the rest of this entry →

PREVIEW: HI-FRUCTOSE Group Show Invitational @ ROQ LA RUE [Seattle]

March 5, 2011 in art

Hi-Fructose magazine is, quite possibly, my favorite hard-copy art publication in print right now.  It’s physical construction alone is worthy of admiration, feeling more like a work of art to be protected than a rag to toss carelessly in your bathroom.  My last issue was actually delivered in a carefully packed box with a free CD and a viewmaster reel (feat. designer toy art by Sam Flores, Mark Ryden, Jeremy Fish, Luke Chueh, etc.).  At first, I was a bit disappointed to discover that it was only a quarterly publication.  However, after experiencing what they deliver, the infrequency of issues has actually proven itself to be a testament to their attention to quality, more than anything.  Each issue is full of extensive spreads and/or interviews, showcasing the backstories and details of various artists.  There is very little focus on quick information or isolated imagery.  Rather, each issue is well curated and formatted with in-depth coverage and substantial articles.  Hi-Fructose was founded by artists, Attaboy (Daniel Seifert) and Annie Owens in 2005 and can claim Spoke Art founder, Ken Harman, as a writer/online editor.  In 2009, Kirsten Anderson took on the position of “editor at large” and this Friday (March 11th) Hi-Fructose magazine’s annual group invitational exhibit will be held at Anderson‘s Roq La Rue gallery right here in Seattle. Read the rest of this entry →

“BAD DADS” : A Tribute to the Films of Wes Anderson [preview]

October 25, 2010 in art, Movies / Television

Opening: Saturday, October 30th 

8PM – 12AM

 

 

LoPo Gallery

San Francisco, Ca

 

Last month we posted a preview for the “Mr. Bill Murray” exhibit that was held at Los AngelesR&R Gallery.  The group show featured a variety of artists creating Bill Murray-centric pieces, many of which were based around roles that he’s played in the films of, semi-regular collaborator, Wes Anderson.  In that post, I referenced Tim Doyle‘s “Murray Times Six” print from 2009.  I had even wondered, momentarily, as to why the artist wasn’t included in that exhibit.  That curiosity led me to Doyle‘s Flickr page and immediately, to a brand new Bill Murray print that he had just created for an entirely separate exhibit.  Yep, a completely unrelated show that would warrant him revisiting the image of the world’s favorite Ghostbuster, all over again.  This Saturday‘s “BAD DADS” exhibit in San Francisco should finally be enough to quench the, otherwise, insatiable appetites of anyone with a thirst for Wes Anderson and/or Bill Murray tribute paintings (… at least, temporarily). Read the rest of this entry →

179′s “Oh Mischevious Me” Opening at Upper Playground’s Fifty24Sea Gallery

April 20, 2010 in art, Reviews

[View Part 2 about the new Steve Brule show/mural HERE]

Last Friday, April 16th, I jumped on a bus and headed out to the Upper Playground store/gallery in Seattle‘s University District.  I was on my way to catch the opening reception for an exhibit entitled, “Oh Mischevious Me” by local artist 179.  This post isn’t going to delve too far into the background of 179 as an artist.  It’s mostly just going to be some very loose photo documentation of the event, while Part 2 covers an unrelated mural that was created about 10 blocks away on the same night.  It will, hopefully, also function as an opportunity for me to drop some names and for you to find out about some local Seattle artists that are involved in a movement that’s on the verge of breaking through and gaining the attention that it deserves.  As far as 179 is concerned, the real story isn’t on this site at all.  In fact, this isn’t even the beginning of my coverage of her work or even of this specific event.  Earlier this month, I was asked to conduct an interview with her for the site, The Citrus Report and, for all intents and purposes, you should probably be reading that interview first and utilizing this post as a follow up.  Then again, there’s nothing wrong with looking at the photos first and then venturing off to discover more about the person who created them.  Do whatever the fuck you want.  Make your own decisions.  We’re all adults here and, if not, maybe your parents should be paying a lot more attention to what type of emotionally detrimental hijinx you are likely getting into on a regular basis.

Regardless of what you decide…
here’s the link to the 179 Interview on The Citrus Report

Read the rest of this entry →