Ithamara Koorax to Release Bim Bom – The Complete Joao Gilberto Songbook Celebrating 50 Years of Joao Gilberto
Acclaimed Brazilian Vocalist Pays Tribute to Gilberto’s Prodigious Talents as a Composer on Motema’s Second “Jazz Therapy” Release

While 2008 marked the “official” 50th anniversary of the bossa nova–a style first recorded in Brazil by guitarist Joao Gilberto on the 1958 song “Chega de Saudade” (No More Blues)–2009 marks yet another key anniversary: the 50th anniversary of the release of Gilberto’s genre defining debut LP, also titled Chega de Saudade, with which he widely popularized and in many ways epitomized the emerging bossa style with his distinctive guitar styling, soft, almost whispered vocals and enchanting compositions.

In honor of this great master, Brazilian vocalist Ithamara Koorax, in collaboration with top contemporary Brazilian guitarist Juarez Moreira, has recorded Bim Bom – The Complete Joao Gilberto Songbook, which will be released on Motema Music on October 13th. Although Gilberto has been amply praised as a “legendary vocalist” and as the innovative guitarist who invented bossa nova, his contributions as a composer are often overlooked. With this tribute, Koorax and Moreira make clear that songwriting is indeed a valuable part of Gilberto’s legacy.

The CD features, for the first time ever, all of Gilberto’s compositions on a single disc. Koorax, who has consistently been named among the Top Female Vocalists in DownBeat’s Readers’ Poll, is formidable in partnership with Moreira, who is revered as a top Brazilian guitar master, and has worked with such legends as Milton Nascimento, Claudio Roditi, and Toninho Horta. Together they perform twelve tracks, distinguished by a graceful simplicity and a remarkable rapport that showcases both artists while elucidating Gilberto’s brilliance as a composer.

The CD is also notable as the second release in Motema’s “Jazz Therapy” series, benefitting the Dizzy Gillespie Memorial Fund of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center which partners with The Jazz Foundation of America to provide free medical care and screenings to musicians in need. Jazz Therapy (Volume I): Smile featured duo guitar masters Roni-Ben Hur and Gene Bertoncini, who launched the series in November 2008 to great critical and public acclaim, and sparked a Wall Street Journal feature on Englewood Hospital’s extraordinary program.

Bim Bom is the 12th solo release in Ithamara Koorax’s remarkable career. Well known in her native Brazil as a jazz-pop singer, she made her American recording debut in 2000 with Serenade in Blue. In the nine years since its release, she has received numerous accolades for her work. “Koorax is delightfully unpredictable in her music… embracing virtuosity, astonishing range, and volcanic vocalese,” read DownBeat’s review of her 2006 release, Brazilian Butterfly. DownBeat’s readers have supported her rise to the top of the magazine’s annual Readers’ Poll in the “Best Female Vocalist” category: she entered at #10 in 2000, and, most recently, was voted #3 in 2008 (topped only by Diana Krall and Cassandra Wilson).

Koorax has recorded with such great musicians as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa, Ron Carter, Larry Coryell, Sadao Watanabe, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jay Berliner, Caetano Veloso, Joao Donato and many others.

Bim Bom producer Arnaldo de Souteiro has been a close associate of the reclusive Gilberto since 1979. He produced the tribute with a meticulous eye in regard to tempos and keys, in homage to the composer, while allowing Koorax and Moreira the space to create an intimate, improvisational “live in the studio” performance.

Ample notes that accompany the CD feature interesting comments about each composition. Gilberto has never before published a songbook, so the CD also serves as an excellent resource for guitarists seeking to master his material. “Although some of the songs may seem very simple,” explains Moreira, “it’s a false impression. They demand a lot of technique. That’s the main ingredient of Gilberto’s magic: to make very difficult and intricate things seem so easy and sound so natural.”

Koorax has her own special relationship with the music. “I don’t think of Bim Bom as just one more album in my career,” says Koorax. “I have always loved Joao Gilberto, and grew up listening to his recordings.”

“Gilberto continues his perpetual evolution to this very day,” she adds. “Every time he plays one of the songs that he has been playing for fifty years, he does so by employing new syncopations and new phrasings. Furthermore, everything he plays becomes bossa nova. That is why we can say that the bossa nova is Joao Gilberto, yet Joao Gilberto is bossa nova and much more.”

more info:
http://motema.com/artist/ithamara-koorax-juarez-moreira

SCION INSTALLATION L.A. GALLERY PRESENTS “INFINITY”: AN AESTHETIC STUDY OF THE INFINITE IN MULTIPLE MEDIUMS
Exhibition Features 15 Contemporary Artists, Including Noah Davis, Xylor Jane, Butt Johnson, Chris Natrop and Aaron Noble
Opens October 10 Through November 7

Opening Oct. 10, Scion’s Installation L.A. Gallery presents “Infinity,” a group exhibition curated by respected contemporary artist Andrew Schoultz, which explores both the vastness of the infinite and the limitations of the finite.

Scion’s 4,500 square foot Installation Gallery in Culver City will host a laboratory of works that experiment with time, space, technology, mortality and other highly studied and interpreted continuums. Fifteen artists, including acclaimed and emerging printmakers, installation artists, illustrators, muralists, collagists and painters, exhibit their takes on the limitless and perpetual using confined and restricted mediums.

Scion Presents: ‘INFINITY’ curated by Andrew Schoultz Preview from Scion ART on Vimeo.

Ryan Travis Christian is a Chicago-based artist and independent curator. Christian reappropriates cultural icons and foreign experiences, from muppets to faded old photographs of people he will never meet, and places them in new contexts and meanings.

Richard Colman, born in Bethesda, MD and currently working in San Francisco, is a graduate of Boston’s School of the Museum of Fine Arts. With a background in graffiti and an appreciation for Renaissance-style portraiture, Coleman shifted to fine art creating paintings and murals of elaborately surreal scenes of geometrically patterned madness.

N. Dash, an MFA candidate at Columbia University and graduate of New York University, has been exhibited in solo and group shows in galleries and museums throughout the U.S. Her work is represented in public and private collections, including the de Young Museum in San Francisco and Craig Robbins collection in Miami.

Noah Davis, born in Seattle in 1983, currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. A graduate of the Cooper Union School of Art in New York, Davis uses traditional compositions and painterly techniques to evoke a world of nostalgia, memory and personal obsession, Davis’ works often obliquely reference racial, social or political issues and how they affect our daily activities and inner lives.

Chris Duncan, born in New Jersey and working in Oakland, earned a Bachelor of Fine Art from California College of Arts and Crafts in 2003. The recipient of the 2006 San Francisco Bay Guardian’s Goldie Award in Visual Art, Duncan’s paintings, drawings and sculptures innovatively combine materials to give structure to motifs that he considers forms of energy rather than images.

Andres Guerrero, a champion of the urban art movement, began his career in graffiti art. Guerrero now enjoys working in the grey area between street art and fine art. Formerly co-owner of the White Walls Gallery in San Francisco, Guerrero has curated numerous art shows in California and abroad.

Joseph Hart, born in New Hampshire and currently residing in New York City, received a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Most recently, his work was accepted into the 2009 North American Print Biennial, and was included in the New Talents section at Art Cologne. Balancing hard edges with delicate marks and dense imagery with open space, Hart’s mixed media works on paper have been exhibited and published internationally.

Andy Diaz Hope, born in Mountain View, CA and working in San Francisco, received both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Engineering from Stanford University. In addition to being exhibited in several solo and group exhibitions throughout the world, Hope’s art has also been featured in dozens of influential art and lifestyle publications.

Xylor Jane draws on mathematical algorithms to create staggering installations based on patterns from basic arithmetic, including the Fibonacci series and prime numbers.  Her simple and complex sequences are informed by swarms of numbers and executed through her personal expression.

Butt Johnson, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate now living in Brooklyn, NY, creates obsessively detailed ballpoint pen drawings of topical scenes in styles that recall Baroque, Renaissance and Victorian etchings. Johnson’s references include disparate pop and political themes, from the Searching for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) screensaver to Super Mario Bros. and car-bombings in the Middle East.

Chris Natrop’s process combines precision with fluidity in paper cuts that vary from energetic rips and tears to finely constructed shreds.  Natrop, a School of the Art Institute of Chicago grad, mobilizes space, shape and light to fill unused environments and make sense of our surroundings.

Aaron Noble, inspired by comics and superheroes, the LA-based artist practices large-scale, site-specific wall painting and works on paper and canvas.  As a fan, collector and wannabe professional cartoonist, his visual vocabulary includes reverent ink link rendering techniques, fetishistic heroic forms and post-human identities.

Hilary Pecis is a Bay area artist whose otherworldly landscapes capture the post-apocalypse through intricate collages of obscured advertisements displaying luxury goods, media-inspired lifestyles and contemporary perfection.

Andrew Schoultz, SF-based artist and “Infinity” curator, fills and creates new spaces and times using lines, color, creatures, nature and architecture. His bright and lively murals can be seen throughout the alleyways of San Francisco and in streets and galleries the country.

Ryan Wallace, born in New York and working in Brooklyn, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Wallace’s paintings, prints and installations, often representing personal interpretations of science, technology and society, have been exhibited and published internationally.

More information on this and previous exhibitions is available at www.scion.com/space.

The opening reception takes place on Oct. 10, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the
Scion Installation L.A. Space, 3521 Helms Ave. (at National), Culver City, CA 90232.  The reception is free with complimentary valet parking and an open bar.  Many artists will be present and available for comment.  The exhibit will run until Nov.7, 2009.

Dedicated to fostering independent artistic expression, Scion Installation L.A. is a space that allows artists to explore their creative visions. The Scion Installation L.A. Space hosts art shows and art-related events for cutting-edge contemporary artists from across the globe. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM and by appointment – 310.815.8840.

About Scion

Scion, from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., was developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind.  Scion’s mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level.  The Scion brand features three ground-breaking models with a wide array of standard features: the xD urban subcompact five-door, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, and the tC sports coupe.  The brand often applies new practices in all aspects of its business and pushes the creativity envelope with non-traditional advertising and marketing to engage young consumers. Scion also supports originality through its programs in the artistic community.  For more information, visit www.scion.com.

October 17th, 8pm – 12am
L.A. Venue, Chelsea NYC

Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elementalc/sets/72157622328853235/

HARLEY-DAVIDSON PRESENTS: ART OF REBELLION
New York Art Show, One Night Only – Saturday October 17 At LA.Venue In Chelsea, NYC

ART OF REBELLION: Art meets motorcycle culture…

The ART OF REBELLION brings together 10 U.S. artists hand-picked by Harley-Davidson®–icons and emerging artists who are world-renowned in both the music and art worlds for their rock poster artwork.  Their work will be on display at the ART OF REBELLION show Saturday, October 17 at La.VENUE (608 W. 28th Street New York, NY). The artists chosen for the event in the West Chelsea gallery district are Art Chantry, Brian Ewing, Derek Hess, Dirty Donny, Frank Kozik, Harpoon, John Van Hamersveld, Lindsey Kuhn, Tara McPherson and The Pizz.

“These artists represent the rebellious spirit that we very much connect with-mixing old with new, defying boundaries and creating fresh individual perspectives,” said Susanne Dawursk, Harley-Davidson director of Outreach Marketing. “The Art Of Rebellion is a must-see event that showcases the artists and supports the art community at large.”

Harley-Davidson created ART OF REBELLION as a forum for artists to showcase their work and interact with other artists, galleries and media, as well as give them the needed opportunity and exposure to help further their careers and leverage their credibility in the art scene. For the show, each artist will paint one Harley-Davidson Iron 883TM gas tank and they will also sell signature art posters at the show. The Iron 883–part of the Harley-Davidson’s Dark Custom line which fuses minimalist design with a vintage feel–evokes the adventurous spirit of the dawn of the 60’s motorcycle rebellion.

A portion of the proceeds from poster and tank sales will go to CUE Art Foundation. CUE Art Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit forum for contemporary art that gives artists, students, scholars and art professionals resources at many stages of their careers and creative lives (http://www.cueartfoundation.org/).
More info: http://www.rebelartshow.com

COPE2 and CHOR BOOGIE are:  Beauty & The Beast
Mid-City Arts, September 26th, 7pm – 11:30pm

COPE 2 is a Graffiti legend from the Bronx whose reputation for bombing has earned him the title “God of Destruction”. CHOR BOOGIE hails from San Diego, CA and his work is purely legal, spiritual and therapeutic. A deep spiritual healing and recovery from addiction nearly a decade ago transformed his life and has had a major impact in his style of color therapy and techniques of creative innovation.

These two diverse artists come together for the “Beauty & The Beast” exhibit at Mid-City Arts, curated by POSE 2 to challenge and expand our notions of art.

Video trailer for the show:

Both artists have been featured in the media several times, here’s a few highlights:

* COPE 2 has been featured in a Converse/MTV Artist spotlight:
http://www.cope2kingsdestroy.com/clips_converse.html

* COPE 2 was hired by TIME magazine to create a billboard for them:
http://www.cope2kingsdestroy.com/clips_time.html

* Chor Boobgie and Pose 2 created an MTV ad:

* Chor Boogie explains his theory of art, color theory and healing:

http://www.chorboogie.com/
http://www.cope2kingsdestroy.com/
http://midcity-arts.com/

Scion Installation 5: Self Portrait – Final Show & Online Art Auction Trailer from Scion ART on Vimeo.
SCION LAUNCHES “INSTALLATION 5 TOUR: SELF PORTRAITS” ONLINE AUCTION ON ARTNET.COM TO BENEFIT CREATIVE CAPITAL SEPT. 12 THROUGH SEPT. 30

Collection Features Self Portraits From International Contemporary Artists, Including Blek le Rat, Mark Mothersbaugh, David Choe, Ron English, Jeff Soto, Angela Boatwright, Among Many Others

For the fifth year, Scion auctions off an unprecedented collection of contemporary works to benefit charities and
non-profits that support independent artistic expression.  The Installation 5 Tour collection features literal and non-literal self-portraits of varying cost by international art luminaries, with 100 percent of the proceeds aiding Creative Capital, the premier national artist support organization (www.creativecapital.org).  Audiences around the world can bid online at ArtNet: http://www.ArtNet.com/scion.html.  The auction closes on Sept. 30. Artwork values range from $100 to $17,000 and bidding will begin at 25% of the art’s estimated worth.

“It is an absolute honor to work with these incredible artists in support of visionary arts non-profit organizations,” says Jeri Yoshizu, Scion sales and promotion manager.  “Since we launched the Installation Tour in 2003, we’ve raised more than $190,000 for art-related charities and look forward to continuing our support of exciting and impactful contemporary art.”

About Creative Capital

Founded in January 1999, Creative Capital Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that supports individual artists pursuing innovative approaches to form and content in the fields of performing, visual, literary, and media arts, as well as in emerging arts fields. Creative Capital evolved as a response by philanthropists, arts professionals, artists, and business leaders to government cuts in funding to individual artists. Its model differs from those of traditional grantmakers in that the foundation commits to a long-term approach to working with artists. Artists in Creative Capital’s grant program have access to professional services, including assistance in fundraising, networking, marketing, and strategic planning. In addition, grantees agree to share with Creative Capital a small percentage of any profits made by the project.

Creative Capital Foundation has supported 325 projects, representing 411 artists in their first ten years. For more information on the funded projects and for the latest on the foundation’s activities, visit www.creative-capital.org.

Kevvy Kev & The Drum Posse present:
Bang the Drum
August 30th, 2009 1-5pm
Peacock Meadow in Golden Gate Park
Free!!! All Ages!

Naughty by Nature, Tash (The Alkoholics), Speech (Arrested Development), Hieroglyphics, Blackalicious, Q-Bert, Zumbi, Kung Fu Vampire, Motion Man, The Rec League, Jihad From Third Sight, The Bayliens, Davey D, Mark Spitz, D-Sharp, Prohoezack, Niamaj, DJ I-Cue, Subverse, D.U.S.T.,  Sellassie, Radioactive. Hosted by Flossafee

Artwork images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scionart

SCION LAUNCHES “INSTALLATION 5 TOUR: SELF PORTRAITS” ONLINE AUCTION ON ARTNET.COM TO BENEFIT CREATIVE CAPITAL SEPT. 12 THROUGH SEPT. 30

Collection Features Self Portraits From International Contemporary Artists, Including Blek le Rat, Mark Mothersbaugh, David Choe, Ron English, Jeff Soto, Angela Boatwright, Among Many Others

Fifth Annual Art Tour Makes Final Stop At Scion Installation L.A. Gallery on Sept. 12

For the fifth year, Scion auctions off an unprecedented collection of contemporary works to benefit charities and non-profits that support independent artistic expression.  The Installation 5 Tour collection features literal and non-literal self-portraits of varying cost by international art luminaries, with 100 percent of the proceeds aiding Creative Capital, the premier national artist support organization (www.creativecapital.org).  Audiences around the world can begin bidding Sept. 12 when the Installation Tour auction goes live on ArtNet at http://www.ArtNet.com/scion.html.  The auction closes on Sept. 30.

After traveling through Detroit, Art Basel in Miami, Phoenix, Minneapolis, New York, San Jose, Philadelphia and Portland, the tour concludes at Scion’s 4,2000 square foot gallery in Culver City.  The exhibition will be available for viewing and bidding from the gallery on Sept. 12 through Sept. 30.  Artwork values range from $100 to $17,000 and bidding will begin at 25% of the art’s estimated worth.

“It is an absolute honor to work with these incredible artists in support of visionary arts non-profit organizations,” says Jeri Yoshizu, Scion sales and promotion manager.  “Since we launched the Installation Tour in 2003, we’ve raised more than $190,000 for art-related charities and look forward to continuing our support of exciting and impactful contemporary art.”

“Scion Installation 5: Self Portraits” features established and respected artists, including the godfather of stencil art, Blek le Rat, and Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, alongside other notable and up-and-coming photographers, painters and video artists.

Artists include:
AJ Fosik (3-D painting)
Alex Hornest (painting)
Andrew Schoultz (painting)
Angela Boatwright (photography)
Asylm (painting)
Blek le Rat (painting)
Christina M. Felice (photography)
Codak (painting)
David Choe (video art)
Edwin Ushiro (painting)
El Yem (video art)
Eriberto Oriol (photography)
Eye One (photography)
Francesco LoCastro (painting)
French (painting)
Geoff Oki (video art)
Ian Lynam (video art)
J. Shea (painting)
Jamel Shabazz (photography)
Jeff Soto (painting)
Kelsey Brookes (painting)
Kofie (painting)
Lisa Alisa (painting)
Logan Hicks (photography)
Mark Mothersbaugh (rug)
Nicholas Harper (painting)
Patrick Martinez (painting)
Peter Beste (photography)
RETNA (painting)
Rick Rodney (photography)
Rob Abeyta Jr. (painting)
Ron English (painting)
Saber (photography)
Sage Vaughn (painting)
Skypage (painting)
Stormie Mills (painting)
Tessar Lo (painting)
Too Tall Jahmal (photography)
Usugrow (painting)
Will Barras (painting)
Yoskay Yamamoto (painting)

Launched in 2003, Scion Installation is a revolutionary art tour affirming the brand’s ongoing commitment to support independent artistic expression, featuring work from esteemed contemporary artists, designers and photographers.  Previous participants include: Andre from Paris, Gary Baseman, Mr. Cartoon, Crash, David Ellis, Daze, Sam Flores, Futura, Mike Giant, James Jean, Caia Koopman, Mel Kadel, Travis Millard, Andy Mueller, Andrew Pommier, Ricky Powell, Rammellzee, Rostarr, Kenny Scharf, Chris Yormick and many others.  More information on the Scion Installation Tour is available at www.scion.com/installation.

The opening reception takes place on Sept. 12 from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the Scion Installation L.A. Gallery, 3521 Helms Ave. (at National), Culver City, CA 90232.  The reception is free with complimentary valet parking and an open bar. The exhibit will run until Sept. 30, 2009. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM and by appointment – 310.815.8840.  For more information, visit www.scion.com/space.

About Scion
Scion, from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., was developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind.  Scion’s mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level.  The Scion brand features three ground-breaking models with a wide array of standard features: the xD urban subcompact five-door, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, and the tC sports coupe.  The brand often applies new practices in all aspects of its business and pushes the creativity envelope with non-traditional advertising and marketing to engage young consumers. Scion also supports originality through its programs in the artistic community.  For more information, visit www.scion.com.

About Creative Capital
Founded in January 1999, Creative Capital Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that supports individual artists pursuing innovative approaches to form and content in the fields of performing, visual, literary, and media arts, as well as in emerging arts fields. Creative Capital evolved as a response by philanthropists, arts professionals, artists, and business leaders to government cuts in funding to individual artists. Its model differs from those of traditional grantmakers in that the foundation commits to a long-term approach to working with artists. Artists in Creative Capital’s grant program have access to professional services, including assistance in fundraising, networking, marketing, and strategic planning. In addition, grantees agree to share with Creative Capital a small percentage of any profits made by the project.

Creative Capital Foundation currently supports 118 projects, with another 30 to 40 to be added in the spring. For more information on the funded projects and for the latest on the foundation’s activities, visit http://www.creative-capital.org.

Scion Presents: FLUX SUPER 8 from Scion ART on Vimeo.

SCION INSTALLATION L.A. GALLERY PRESENTS “FLUX SUPER 8”:
EIGHT EMERGING FILMMAKERS, VIDEO ARTISTS AND DESIGN COLLECTIVES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

First Annual “Flux Super 8” Showcase Features Exclusive Installations By The Blackheart Gang, Max Erdenberger, Saam Farahmand, Sophie Gateau, Miwa Matreyek, Terri Timely, United Visual Artists, YesYesNo

Opens Aug. 15 Through Sept. 5

Opening Saturday Aug. 15, eight of the world’s emerging filmmakers, video artists and design collectives present exclusive installations for “Flux Super 8” at Scion’s 4,500 square foot Installation L.A. gallery in Culver City.

The “Flux Super 8” is the first annual showcase that celebrates eight of the most exciting and emerging young artists working in film, video, music and design. Flux is a global creative community and collective led by RESFEST founder Jonathan Wells and designer/gallerist Meg Wells. Flux is an online journal, concept space, film/art/event hub where individuals from various creative fields can meet and share their work. Visit for www.flux.net more information.

As part of this creative expression, the following artists will develop site-specific installations created exclusively for the exhibition, making the works true originals.

The Blackheart Gang, hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, includes illustrator Ree Treweek, creative director Jannes Hendrikz and musician/writer Markus Smit (Wormstorm).  Known for their icy cold bravado, whimsical commercial works and monolithic life long project, “The Household,” the trio presents “The Tale of How,” a short film shrouded in mystery and supernatural forces.  The exhibit features the acclaimed second part of “The Dodo Trilogy” with a full print series, sculptures and the freshly pressed “Tale of How” book.  Visit  www.TheBlackHeartGang.com for more information.

Max Erdenberger works at the intersection of art and technology, whether creating celebrated yet controversial music videos for Gnarls Barkley, promoting environmental responsibility through design, or lending his visual talents to many of the world’s largest brands at Wieden & Kennedy.  The Portland, Ore.-based artist founded Viewers Like You, an international blog dedicated to visual culture and music, and showcases his personal work at www.Central-Office.org.

Saam Farahmand directs films in the context of art, music, fashion, television, performance, virals and documentaries. Farahmand’s bill of buzzworthy films include colorful and clever music videos for Klaxons, Hercules & Love Affair, Janet Jackson and Simian Mobile Disco, a documentary featuring Soulwax, and a fashion film for Alexander McQueen. The London-based artist opened his own gallery, Boyschool, in the city’s East end to support the work of emerging artists and develop future projects.  Visit his portfolio at http://partizan.com/partizan/musicvideos/?saam_farahmand

Sophie Gateau is a multi-disciplinary Parisian artist who explores space and design from the perspective of an architect, art historian, graphic designer and filmmaker.  Gateau began her filmmaking career creating visually stunning live action films for fashion runways and has since worked as a commercial and music video director, as well as a graphic artist on top-tier films including “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” and Wong Kar Wai’s “2046.” Visit her Web site at  www.sophiegateau.com.

Miwa Matreyek is an award-winning animator, designer and multimedia artist who creates animated short films and performance-based installations that manipulate time vs. real time and composed spaces vs. real spaces.  Based in L.A., Matreyek is the founding member of Cloud Eye Control, a performance media group that tells stories of human adaptation to a technological society using animation, live camera imagery and theatrical expression.  To view her portfolio, visit www.semihemisphere.com.

Terri Timely is a San Francisco-based duo made up of Ian Kibbey and Corey Creasey.  Their award-winning directors craft extraordinary films, commercials and music videos amplifying images and scenes from every day life. Kibbey and Creasey have developed their immersive portraits of hyper-reality for bands including Modest Mouse, Joanna Newsom, Midlake and Bobby Birdman, as well as major brands like Comcast, Amazon, Adidas and Footlocker.  To view their work, visit www.territimely.com.

United Visual Artists (UVA), established in 2003 by Chris Bird, Matt Clark and Ash Nehru, creates large-scale, light-based installations that are as much about spectacle as they are about people.  Each installation translates into a powerful social experience that turns the audience into active participants and collaborators.  The London-based UVA has worked with Giorgio Armani, Prada, Sony, Nokia, The Chemical Brothers and Battles, and continues to research and develop works with a wide range of artists and companies.  Visit  www.uva.co.uk  for images, video and more.

YesYesNo is a new interactive collective founded in 2008 by leading interactive specialists Zachary Lieberman, Theo Watson and Joel Gethin Lewis.  Aiming to develop work that puts creativity and awe at the forefront of interactive media, YesYesNo specializes in creating engaging installations that combine creativity, artistic vision and cutting edge research.  View their latest work at  www.yesyesno.com.

More information on this and previous exhibitions is available at www.scion.com/space.

The opening reception takes place on Aug. 15, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the
Scion Installation L.A. Space, 3521 Helms Ave. (at National), Culver City, CA 90232.  The reception is free with complimentary valet parking and an open bar.  All artists are flown in to install their work and attend the event.  The exhibit will run until Sept. 5, 2009.

Dedicated to fostering independent artistic expression, Scion Installation L.A. is a space that allows artists to explore their creative visions. The Scion Installation L.A. Space hosts art shows and art-related events for cutting-edge contemporary artists from across the globe. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM and by appointment – 310.815.8840.

Scion Installation Five: Self-Portrait Portland from Scion ART on Vimeo.