Thumbprint Gallery

A Lesson on Land Art

2013-07-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

Written by Emily Shaw

Art is not confined to paint and canvas, as many might think. There are, in fact, many styles of art that utilize non-traditional media. One of these avant-garde art forms is known as “land art.” Also referred to as “earthworks” – a term minted by land artist Robert Smithson – land art usually consists of unconventional sculptures made solely from natural materials.

The movement harkens back to the second half of the 20th century, when artists wished to contest what they perceived as the “artificiality” of contemporary art. The perfect way to combat artificiality, it seemed, was to turn directly towards nature. By moving their work outside the museum setting and creating generally ephemeral works that were, by definition, impossible to sell, land artists effectively rebelled against the system.

Some of the most notable members of this movement are Robert Smithson and Andy Goldsworthy. Perhaps the single-most well-known earthwork comes from the man who coined the term: Smithson. The American artist’s 1970 “Spiral Jetty” is somewhat unique in the world of land art, as the piece still exists today, unlike most pieces of land art, which are fleeting. To create the piece the artist constructed a giant serpentine curl from mud, crystallized salt and basalt. The spiral is located in Rozel Point along the shores of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Visibility of the earth sculpture is dependent on the water levels of the lake. In this sense, the piece is evanescent: Its presence or lack thereof is left entirely to the forces of nature.

Goldsworthy, on the other hand, creates works that truly are transitory. The Scotland native prefers to work with materials like leaves, twigs and water. Many of his pieces involve the painstaking cutting and arrangement of leaves or the manipulation of ice to create a sculpture. Of course, in a matter of days, hours or even minutes, these meticulously constructed works may be destroyed by something as unremarkable as a minor gale of wind. Goldsworthy’s art is of the land in the deepest sense: Both derived from and vulnerable to the forces of nature. For prime examples of Goldsworthy’ work, see photographs of his legendary pieces such as “Icicle Star,” “Rowan Leaves and Hole,” “Green Circle” and “Touching North.”

More recently, land art has made its way from the fields of Scotland and lakes of Middle America to the streets. The urban take on land art can be seen most notably with the emergence of “moss graffiti” – that is, street art constructed through the careful handling of moss, also known as “green graffiti” or “eco-graffiti.” Take, for instance, London artist Anna Garforth, a self-described “mossenger,” or a messenger who delivers said messages through the medium of moss words mounted on city walls. Also worth mentioning is the duo Edina Tokodi & József Vályi-Tóth, who proclaim themselves specialists in “urban greenery” on their blog, Mosstika.com. Unlike Garforth who favors written words, Tokodi and Vályi-Tóth concentrate on animal images, for instance, a cattle or deer outline. Their work – constructed mostly in Brooklyn – can also be seen on their blog.

To see other up-and-coming forms of graffiti and street art, be sure to check out Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. The gallery is located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego. Thumbprint Gallery exhibits contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists. It is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_art
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Goldsworthy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smithson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Jetty
http://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk/browse/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/11/moss-graffiti-street-art-eco-friendly_n_1418247.html
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/moss-grass-graffiti/2147

Spray Paint Artists: A Performance Art Form

2013-07-17T12:12:00.003-07:00

Unknown Aerosolgrafia artist entertaining an audience.

Written by Michael Ashman

Spray paint is not just for covering walls in graffiti, it can be used as a form of performance art. Aerosolgrafia, or spray paint art, is a divergent movement from graffiti art with an emphasis on performance as well as merely a visual expression. This art form is characterized by its flashy and futuristic-looking landscapes filled with planet-shaped objects, and radiant pyramids. On the street, artists quickly create their spray paint art for their audience. They often frantically switch paint cans and relocate their stencils over the canvas to keep the process entertaining to watch. Popularity for this offshoot of graffiti art quickly grew and gave the artists another way to express their urban style.

The founding father of this art style is Ruben "Sadot" Fernandez from Mexico City. In the early 1980’s, he began practicing his spray paint art out of his studio. Soon, he attracted a crowd as he moved out into the streets of La Rosa in Mexico City. He sat with a multitude of spray cans around him creating different landscapes, figures, and faces onto different canvases without using a brush. He painted to classical and rock music often sharing his views and opinions to his audience. His influences stemmed from other graffiti art from America and Europe, pop art, jazz fusion music and beatnik poetry. He was a poet, an intellectual and an entertainer. Even after his death in 1988 his spray paint art continues on.

Aerosolgrafia is more entertaining to watch than graffiti art. It is an amazing street art show in itself as artists spray quick passes of paint over a glossy sheet of paper or canvas. They build a unique landscape using only spray paint, different bowls for shapes, and blotters, such as paper towels and sea sponges. Sometimes the artist uses different cuts of newspaper to create texturing effects on the wet paint. There are many other, unique objects painters will use to alter the texture of the paint already on the canvas, such as plastic grocery bags or inside-out socks. Shapes such as planets, buildings, mountains, pyramids, are easy to create with stencils, folded newspapers, and circular lids. The artist must work fast before the paint dries and to keep the energy up for the crowd of onlookers.

The process of spray paint art works in reverse when compared with other art. Instead of painting the background first, some of the foreground objects, such as planets, trees, mountains, have to be painted first so that the colors are layered correctly and are in the right spots. Artists create a layout in their mind and use techniques, such as predetermined blocking and masking with objects. After many layers of carefully placed spray paint, the final product takes form and astounds the artist’s audience.

To learn more about local graffiti artists check out Thumbprint Gallery located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, CA. Many of artists featured at Thumbprint Gallery have been influenced by the graffiti art scene. They have prints and stickers for sale at the online store.

Anime: An Emerging Cultural Phenomenon

2013-01-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

By Charity Lantz

Anime is an abbreviated Japanese term used to describe the Japanese process of animation, i.e. Japanese Animation. Anime is a wide-spread interest, crossing many cultures. Anime may often be confused with manga, which is the Japanese word for comics and cartooning. Anime and manga are incredibly popular within Japan, as well with youth in America culture.

A still from Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors

The history of Anime begins in 1917 with the first Japanese cartoon short created as a form of propaganda. Later on, after Disney’s success with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Japanese animation legacy began. Momotaro’s Divine Sea Warriors was the first feature length animation, which was created in 1944. Anime was seen as an upgrade from traditional live story telling in Japanese culture.
Despite Anime’s early beginning, it hasn’t gained much attention in American culture until the last couple decades. Anime seems different from traditional art, but it is still highly considered an art form. By today, the art form has gathered an extensive and devoted following. This can be seen by the immense popularity of Pokemon or Dragon Ball Z in America, both of which are traditional Japanese manga. Another cartoon that became popular in the states would be Sailor Moon, although probably without as much of an impact. Manga can be bought in almost any American bookstore, making the animation highly accessible to vast amounts of people. Many famous Japanese animations are made after successful manga series. The themes of Anime vary from Japanese literature or fantasy, to adult-oriented themes, such as sensuality. Many anime’s embrace fantasy, and animals or magical creatures are the star of the animation.

Overly dramatic expressions from Fullmetal Alchemist

The formal qualities of Anime stay fairly consistent between different artists and animations. The backgrounds for Japanese animations are almost always hyper-realistic in shading and perception of space. Yet the character’s themselves are often highly stylized, especially when emphasizing emotion. The expressive figures are often supplemented by large and bold textual exclamations. A typical anime character would display large eyes in a heart-shaped face, with bright, outrageous hair, on a slender, simplified form. Another popular character in Anime would be the ninja hero or warrior. In this case, the character would likely maintain the outrageous hair, with the addition of an outrageously muscled body.

Although these exuberant characteristics are frequent, they are not always the case. Some animated films permeate darker themes, and the characters are symbolic of the intended mood. A good example of this would be Spirited Away, an incredibly successful animated film in both Japan and America. In the film, a young girl escapes the anxiety of moving to a new place through her imagination. The film is still carried out within a fantastical storyline; however, the characters themselves are portrayed as more realistic or mundane. This is done intentionally to contrast the protagonist’s reality with the audacity of the her imaginings.

The same outlandish imagination can be seen in contemporary art featured at Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. It is located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego. The gallery exhibits contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists. It is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga

Tattoo: Origin, Culture, and Relevance

2013-01-06T13:09:00.000-08:00

By Charity Lantz

A Māori Chief with tattoos

Tattoo origin is often debated, but most agreeably contributed to the Pacific Islands. For hundreds of years, the ancient peoples of Polynesia practiced tattoo, but not like we see it today. Travel over two hundred into the past, to ancient New Zealand with your mind, and then imagine a darkened hut, filled with sweet billowing smoke and hushed chants. Now imagine the screams coming from the man on the floor that is having his face chiseled into with an axe. After the muscle is openly displayed, the priest performing the tattoo fills the gash with stinging pigment. This aggressive, invasive process caused the skin to be grooved in addition to the mark. This added a sculptural quality to the tattoo art. The Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, saw this practice, which they called a moko, as the ultimate honor and proof of self-worth. Tattoo origin is widely associated with Polynesia; however, this chiseling process is exclusively Māori. The rest of Polynesia used a sharpened piece of bone and punctured the skin with ink on the tip. Tribal tattoo has a huge influence over many tattoo designs seen today. Most tattoos implement tribal designs into the basis for a variety of overall difference images.

The Polynesia people also reserved tattoo to only high ranking individuals, seen as priests or chiefs; unlike today, when everyone and their grandma are getting inked. The popularity that tattoo has gained over the past decade is incredible. In a short time, contemporary tattoo culture has become rather inclusive, from musicians and rappers to hot chicks and nerds. Tattoo is often associated with various music genres; Punk, Rock n Roll, Rap, and electronic artists can all be seen sporting tattoo art. Tattoos range from complex, classic tribal tattoo to Darth Vader as a baby with a drinking problem (I’m not joking). The clothing fashion of tattoo culture is hard to pinpoint exactly. A shot in the dark would put somewhere between hardcore greaser and grungy skater/biker. I guess if that’s what your mind conjures from rolled up sleeves, half-smoked cigarettes, and glimmering sun glasses, all while being covered in elaborate tattoo art, then you are on the right track. But this image is just what the media portrays. In reality, all walks of people get tattooed for their own wishes. In today’s society, tattoo is often a broad indication of an individual being an artist or rebel in their own cause.

The style and culture surrounding tattoos conveys a hard-minded mentality and a bad attitude, the same could be said of tattoo artists themselves. The process of becoming a tattoo artist is no light joke; it’s a lengthy and commendable goal to approach. To become a tattoo artist, the artist must first apprentice for two years. Before even performing a single tattoo, the apprentice must first learn proper sanitation and trade procedures by shadowing the experienced tattoo artist. The tattoo art process can vary from the artist’s using either a pattern, print or nothing but bare skin an image, mental or physical.

Tattoo culture influences many contemporary urban artists as well. If you want to see more contemporary art visit Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. It's located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego. The gallery is open to the public Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm-4pm. Many styles of prints, stickers, and artwork can also be bought at the gallery's online store.

Sources:
http://www.inkedmag.com/#
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo_artist
http://tattooartist.com/history.html

The State of Things: The Urban Art Market

2012-12-30T14:35:00.000-08:00

Written by Samantha Tutone

Art has been considered one of the most intelligent investments anyone can make. Unlike other investments, such as automobiles or real estate, the value of art does not depreciate over time. Let’s say a developer builds a four-story home directly in the way of the ocean view from your multi-million dollar house, and voilá, there goes half the value of your investment. The art market has been steadily growing for years. It’s rapid expansion into a global market, with new fresh art investors, collectors, and the introduction of new artistic styles, has caused a huge boom. Is this a positive thing in the long run? Well, that is a question that has yet to be answered.

In 2007 the art market hit an all time high. Urban art made an explosive entrance onto the global scene, with headliners like graffiti artist Banksy. The turn around sale of prints were absurdly fast, doubling and tripling the price of pieces overnight. Young collectors and those who purchase art purely for speculation jumped onto the urban art market without too much thought; following the trend. Not long after the flood of urban art, the inflated prices on the art market, art investors were not willing to pay the astronomical prices. The subsequent financial collapse of the art market is no big secret. Fear of such an event occurring again in the contemporary and urban art market has caused some investors and collectors to be apprehensive about future purchases.

It is difficult to assess the state of the art market. Sale made by private art investors, collectors, and galleries are just that: private. Transactions are not subject to the public record like auction houses are. Without knowing what artworks are selling for across the entire board, any evaluations on the health of the art market are purely estimates. The urban and lowbrow market is even harder to pin down. Most urban art that is for sale at auction are several years old, with an established value based on the success of the artist over those years since the work was created. However, many urban pieces are not sold this way. Urban art is typically sold in local galleries and through private sales, with most collections being several months old, instead of years.

The state of the urban art market has been steady. Private sales, while information is limited, seem to be rising again. Art lovers and collectors continue to purchase urban and street art regardless of the auction house value. As far as fears about another global art market crash? The circumstances in which the market boomed are no longer a factor, making it unlikely that any kind of serious crash to reoccur.

To see what is fresh in the local urban and lowbrow art market visit Thumbprint Gallery, on Kline Street in La Jolla. More about the artists and art featured at the gallery can be found on the Thumbprint Gallery website. The gallery is open 12-4pm Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Sources:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/abigailesman/2011/10/31/what-fiacs-success-says-about-the-art-market-and-those-who-invest-in-it/

http://nymag.com/arts/art/features/16542/index1.html

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/2e9b2d04-2a62-11e0-804a-00144feab49a.html#axzz1mIwhgzq4

Origami and Lace: Finding a Place on the Streets

2012-12-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

Written By: Carly Deblock

The words street art and graffiti generally conjure up ideas of men armed with spray cans, tags and stencils. There is a new scene on the streets. In recent years, the number of female street artists has been on the rise and they bring with them game-changing concepts and materials. One wouldn’t necessarily expect the use of lace and paper to be considered unconventional; origami and lace were both being created in the 15th to 17th centuries. In the world of street art, the use of origami and lace is pioneering to new levels. Spray paint has become the standard in urban art and these innovative women are changing that standard.

Lace Graffiti by Mademoiselle Maurice

The discussion of gender is quickly being silenced as the addition of texture, originality and impermanence gives the artwork a well-deserved place on the streets. The dialogue between the art and the environment changes with each piece, dependent on the surroundings or artwork itself. The evanescent qualities create an intense appreciation for the craft and for the meanings the art encompasses. The conventional spray paint methods are being taken to the next level with lace stencils, or without spray paint at all.

Artist Mademoiselle Maurice is one of the most influential artists contributing to urban art community in Paris. She creates her short-lived graffiti with delicate origami, ribbons and handmade lace. After living in Japan for a year, Maurice returned to France with a newly developed love for origami. She began constructing origami art pieces in vibrant colors and eventually yearned to display her talents in a larger scale. Her uplifting origami installations create a fragile gradient of hues that stretch across barren walls and seem to expand in front of the viewers eyes. The contrast between the colors and the dull grey walls captures the eyes of passersby and the work transforms the city into a outdoor art gallery.

NeSpoon is another urban artist who is breaking the stereotypes within graffiti, working with lace. She uses her positve artistic energy to create urban art with traditionally old fashioned lace, referring to her own work as “jewelry of the public space”. Her goal to “dress up the city” is fulfilled through creation of enlarged lace patterns spray painted on walls and buildings. NeSpoon also works with textile lace to interweave her ephemeral work into the atmosphere. She is constantly creating complex cobwebs of yarn and lace in unexpected locations around Europe. The ancient craft of lace is then transformed into stunning and contemporary works of art.

Origami Graffiti

As more urban installations appear in cities around the world, the more people are observing these new trends. Origami, lace, ribbons and yarn are just a few of the innovative materials being used on the streets. A significant increase of women are moving their art to the streets, where the graffiti has been a male-dominated territory. Whether these artists are holding a can of spray paint or a handful of lace and yarn, these women are contributing to the urban art community in profound ways.

At the Thumbprint Gallery, the current artist on display, Jack Stricker, intelligently incorporates lace as a stencil for his artwork. More about the artists and their art can be found on the Thumbprint Gallery website. Located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego, the gallery exhibits contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists. Thumbprint Gallery is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12-4pm.

Sources:

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/artist-transforms-stuffy-old-lace-into-fantastic-street-art-photos.html
http://www.visualnews.com/2012/05/25/origami-graffiti/
http://www.lovesfoodandart.com/origami-lace-graffiti-a-new-take-on-street-art/

Matisse: Wild Joy

2012-12-16T12:41:00.000-08:00

Written by Charity Vincent

Henri Matisse was one of the most influential artists in the formation of modern arts. Matisse was a French painter, draughtsman, printmaker and sculptor in the early Modern era of art. The artist’s unique style and innovative ideals earned him an eternal place in art history. Matisse’s style can arguably be broken into three key elements: arbitrary color, fluid contours, and “wild” subject matter. “Wild” can be unpacked to mean gestural, free, erotic, light, happy, and overall inappropriate content for his era.

The Dance (First Version) by Matisse

Matisse was born on December 31, 1869 in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France. Matisse was born into the wealthy household of a merchant, where he was brought up sternly yet lovingly. Matisse’s father supplied him with prime education and law school in Paris. However, by the time Matisse finished with his training in 1888, he was dissatisfied with his field. The artist claimed he developed his eye for color from his mother, and rightfully so, because it was his mother who introduced him to painting in 1889. His mother had brought him color paints in hopes it would cheer up Matisse as he recovered from illness. Matisse started with still lives and became immediately consumed with an intense love for painting.

Not long after starting his artistic career, Henry Matisse became a forerunner in the Fauvism movement. The Fauvists believed in freedom and nature. Fauvist work contained loose lines, brash brush strokes, strong colors, and blunt distortion of space. Fauvists were more concerned with the pleasures of life and innate desires, than structural and representational concepts. In their attempts to portray life as nature, the Fauvists drew a lot of influences from African sculpture, which is abstract, stylized, and geometric in style. This look was seen as primitive and savage during that time. The Fauvists called themselves les Fauves, or “the wild beasts.” Matisse, along with André Derain, led the Fauvist movement forward by creating numerous paintings containing all of these Fauve elements.

Le Bonheur de Vivre (The Joy of Life) by Matisse

Arguably, Matisse’s most known and celebrated painting is The Joy of Life, painted in 1905. This painting is a depiction of numerous nudes dancing, lounging, and exchanging intimacies. All the figures interact harmoniously with the others, as well as the trees, even though the space is a bit crowded with people and shrubbery. The bodies of the subjects are elongated, fluid, and graceful and become unanimous with nature itself. The colors are arbitrarily decided upon, yet all fade into each other with luminescent beauty. The perspective of the painting causes the audience to feel as if they are spying on an erotic natural process from nature itself, the leaves and branches framing the scene. Matisse is quite known for his simplified, yet fluid nudes. The Joy of Life is a quintessential example of both Matisse’s style and chosen subject matter.

There are many more examples of modern and contemporary art at Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. The gallery features local artists as well as artists from around the country. The gallery is open to the public Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm-4pm and is located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Matisse
http://www.henri-matisse.net/biography.html
http://www.artnews.com/2010/03/01/uncovering-matisse/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauvism

Tagging the Sky: The Boneyard Project

2012-12-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

Written by Michael Ashman

When it comes to spreading their name on the streets, graffiti artists often go beyond buildings and signs in search of buses, trucks, and trains to be used as moving billboards. But there’s one mode of transportation they rarely take on: airplanes. After all, how can the artwork on planes be seen if it is mostly above the clouds?

To solve this problem, Eric Firestone, the owner of Eric Firestone Gallery in East Hampton, New York, decided he would have to bring the planes down to earth. With the help of arts writer and curator Carlo McCormick, he gathered a group of graffiti artists to paint “dead planes” at the famous Tucson, Arizona airplane “bone yards.” The result is “The Boneyard Project: A Return Trip,” a combination of Contemporary art with the unconventional surface of decaying planes. More than 30 graffiti artists worked on old U.S. Air Force airplanes giving the dead planes a rejuvenating facelift. The military aspect of some of these planes also recalls the history of modern air warfare. After serving their purpose and left to rot in an old part of the base, these once deadly airplanes are now repurposed with a more peaceful activity in mind. For instance, a broken-down DC3 was chosen by the Brazilian graffiti artist Nunca, who transformed the dead plane into a beautiful eagle with men holding onto its back. Other painted planes inform us of positive and negative associations each artist has with war.

This was not the first time Firestone used old aircraft as eccentric canvases for art. “The Boneyard Project: A Return Trip” is the follow-up to his first project called “Nose Job.” His first trip to the Boneyard in 2010 yielded him with several nose cone art pieces from the discarded dead planes. The exhibition showed off a revival of images such as, pin-up girls, tattoos, and war slogans, painted on old fighter jet and bomber cones by the soldiers. Inspired by this old art form that was used to humanize these machines, participating artists, including Shepard Fairey, Lee Quinoes, and Akio, re-imagined the nose cones and other plane parts to give them a modern update.

Phoenix of Metal by 'HOW & NOSM

The culmination of the project was the exhibition in January 2012 at The Pima Air & Space Museum titled “Round Trip: Art from The Boneyard Project.” This exhibit features works from “Nose Job” and new selections from “The Boneyard Project: A Return Trip.” The painted planes on display highlight the personal reactions of the artists about the harsh history of war. The largest air & space museum has a great significance being close the “bone yards” where Firestone and McCormick first founded the project. Going beyond the streets into the desert to find a new and interesting objects to paint proved to be successful for these artists.

To learn more about local graffiti artists check out Thumbprint Gallery located in La Jolla, San Diego. Many of artists featured at Thumbprint Gallery have been influenced by the graffiti art scene. They also have prints and stickers for sale at the gallery's online store.

Sources:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9138296/The-Boneyard-Project-street-artists-paint-aircraft-at-plane-graveyard-in-Arizona.html
http://www.theboneyardprojects.com
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2012-01-26/culture/art-on-the-fly-the-boneyard-project-lands-in-tucson/

http://66.147.244.235/~ericfire/?page_id=302

http://www.ericfirestonegallery.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Boneyard-release-Pima-CO-AGENDA1.pdf

Mr. Brainwash: Creative Fraud or Original Genius?

2012-11-25T14:14:00.000-08:00

Written by Charity Lantz

Who is Mr. Brainwash? Mr. Brainwash is the alias of Thierry Guetta, a filmmaker/street artist gaining recognition in urban art culture for various negative and positive means. Although Guetta was born in France, the majority of his life is based in Los Angeles pursuing filmmaking, and eventually art making. Guetta had his debut show in 2008 titled “Life is Beautiful” at the CBS Studios in Los Angeles. The show included numerous paintings and prints, along with colossal installations and sculptures. The reception was a huge success, and jumpstarted his career. Commissioners of his work included Michael Jackson and Madonna.

Guetta’s story begins when he left his clothing business behind in order to create a film that documented graffiti artists at work. His interest in graffiti can be contributed to his relationship with the street artist Invader, his cousin. Invader introduced Guetta to such graffiti giants as Banksy and Shepard Fairey. The process of filming exposed Guetta to countless ideas and inspirations for his own work, which he started producing before finishing the film.

Mr. Brainwash’s work includes stencil work, paintings, and sculpture. Guetta’s subject matter categorizes him as a Pop artist. Most critics may negatively associate Mr. Brainwash with Andy Warhol due to his popularized subject matter and method of art making. Rather than traditionally creating the artwork himself, Guetta actually employs numerous artists to carry out the work, while he oversees them. This method is highly reflective of Warhol, and in turn allows more art to be made. Guetta is similar to Warhol in his movement and style. Warhol is known for his repetitive silkscreens, distinguished from each other only through varied arbitrary color. Though not as repetitive, much of Mr. Brainwash work is in this same style. A difference between the two would be how Warhol did not appropriate other artists’ work, rather he just took popular icons to create his own work. The same cannot be said for Mr. Brainwash.

Revolutionary graffiti artist, Banksy, created the documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, which illustrated the initiation and development of Guetta’s artistic career. The 2010 film’s success likely amplified Mr. Brainwash’s already increasing reputation. However, Exit Through the Gift Shop did not paint Mr. Brainwash in a very flattering light. The documentary suggested Mr. Brainwash exploited other artists’ intellectual ideas and styles.

Exit Through the Gift Shop has been received and analyzed in various ways. Some go as far to speculate that Mr. Brainwash is actually a controversial concoction created by street artists Banksy and Shepard Fairey in order to promote their own work. However, these accusations have been apparently disproven. Theories hold that Banksy is himself Mr. Brainwash, because of the similarity in their artistic styles. This idea cannot be completely dismissed considering Banksy’s identity is still unknown.

Let us return to our initial question. Who is Mr. Brainwash? Is he an artistic genius capable of making highly accessible and relatable art? Or is he more so an entrepreneur of sorts, taking advantage of popular culture and ideas in order to turn a profit? Is he an artistic embodiment of popular culture or merely a faux avant-garde icon? I’ll leave it to you to decide whether or not to be Brainwashed.

The Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla features local artists that have been influenced by the street and graffiti art scene. More about the artists and their art can be found on the Thumbprint Gallery website. It is located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego. The gallery exhibits contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists, and it is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12-4pm.

Sources:
http://www.mrbrainwash.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Brainwash
http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2012/05/02/in-the-studio-with-mr-brainwash/

Honey, I Blew Up the Art

2012-11-18T13:09:00.000-08:00


Typewriter Eraser by Claes Oldenburg

Written by Michael Ashman

Household objects like pencils, thread spools, or forks don’t seem like they’d make for very impressive art objects because we see and use them all the time. But what if a sculptor increased the size of those everyday things to transform them into something larger than life? Not only would it dramatically change their detail and visibility, but it would also change our relationship to them. Walking through a park and noticing a giant paperclip among statues of famous heroes or dignitaries would certainly raise a few eyebrows. These monumental sculptures—that are the right size for giants—seem out of place and make us want to investigate them.

Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg is one such Pop artist who has continued to reject the traditional models for statues. Instead, he created some very unusual larger-than-life sculptures. “I am for an art that is political-erotical-mystical, that does something more than sit on its ass in a museum," he once said. Claes Oldenburg saw the significance in common objects as colossal-sized reproductions and worked with commercial items to change their identity. He used unconventional materials to form nonfunctioning facsimiles of objects like his Soft Bathtub (Model)—Ghost Version (1966), a drooping tub made with foam-filled canvas, acrylic paint, pencil, wood, and plaster. He also brought humor to his work by super-sizing things into monumental sculptures like his Typewriter Eraser, Scale X (1999)—a work that pays tribute to a once common tool now replaced by the personal computer and its Delete key. Claes Oldenburg shared with the audience every last detail of the once small things, and being able to examine them makes them more memorable than they once were.

Big Bow by Piper Brett

Piper Brett

In a similar manner, Piper Brett creates monumental sculptures like that of Claes Oldenburg. Some of her sculptures are recreations of small objects made more meaningful by magnifying and modifying their aspects. She uses her welding and metal fabrication talents to create these unique reproductions. One example is a gigantic gift-wrapping bow with sturdy steel instead of bendable ribbon. Its minimalistic qualities, bold red color and large size, shows us that a even a simple object can capture our attention if it is enlarged. It is a playful reminder to everyone about the holidays, and the way it is made makes it a lasting icon for the viewer.

Pop artists use and repurpose common images in their art to appeal to a wide audience. One can see local art and artists like this at the Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. There are also a wide selection of prints and other items at the Thumbprint Gallery shop.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claes_Oldenburg
http://www.artnews.com/2011/08/30/pop-goes-minimalism/

Adam Neate: Art Can be Free

2012-11-11T14:55:00.001-08:00

Written by Carly Deblock

On the morning of November 15th, Londoners awoke to find 1,000 screen prints created by one of the most prominent street artists scattered around the city. Some on doorsteps, some by trash cans and some on lamp posts. Adam helped to develop the concept of free art.

5,000 Paintings

Adam Neate, born in 1977, is a British painter who has developed into one of the most influential street artists in the world. His experience with art began around age ten, when Adam discovered his passion for graffiti and began to create. He graduated from Suffolk College and then worked as a graphic designer for two years.

In the spare time that he had, Adam would paint on anything and everything that he could get his hands on. Constantly painting on wood and cardboard, Adam was able to gift his artwork to friends and he even began to leave his paintings littered in the streets. This gave any passerby the opportunity to walk away with an original Adam Neate masterpiece. Adam was painting around 1,000 paintings a year during this time, but he avoided the art galleries for 5 years. Congruent with the original concept of street art, Adam prefers to give his art to the streets he came from. He was eventually contacted by a gallery and hosted a solo show that sold out hours after opening. He quickly rose to a stardom status and claimed a huge name in the contemporary art world.

The London Show

Adam Neate’s biggest project to date took place during the night of November 14, 2008. With an anti-high art mentality, Neate placed his art around the city, where anyone was free to claim his signed silk-screen prints. Adam and helpers scattered 1,000 prints of his art, worth over a million dollars, around the streets of London. People around the city woke up to a city-wide art show right on their doorstep. This was after Neate’s work had sold at Sotheby’s for over $100,000. Allowing the whole population of London the opportunity to own one of Neate’s pieces was an enormous project.

Urban Style

Walking into a gallery of Neate’s works teleports the viewer into a world filled with dynamic colors, movement and emotion. He places focus on the creative process as an artist and less on the product. Neate uses brilliant colors, strong lines and diverse compositions to create eye-catching paintings. His work is reminiscent of the bold Basquiat and it is easily spotted in the streets. His three dimensional paintings, overlaying pieces of cardboard, are intense explorations of motion on multiple viewing planes. Adam’s works are also reminiscent of Francis Bacon in the use of vibrant colors and the successful attempts to create dynamic movement through his artwork.

Free Art

Adam Neate finds a literal and poetic way to give artwork back to his urban roots. As he told the Independent, "It is about putting back in what I got out at the beginning of my career". His method brings art away from the galleries and places it into everyone’s hands - what street art initially intended to do. Graffiti and urban art creates a sense of community between the artist and audience; anyone on the street is invited into the art world. Giving art back to where Neate started his career creates a dialogue and encourages other artists to keep creating.

Neate’s message and urban style relate to many of Thumbprint Gallery artists. The gallery is dedicated to displaying the best in contemporary urban and pop surrealist art. You can browse and buy a variety of works at Thumbprint Gallery’s online store here.

Sources:

http://cloudking.com/artists/adam-neate/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Neate
http://www.adamneate.co.uk

The Rising Movement of Pop Surrealism

2012-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Anatomy of a Somnambulist, by Mia Araujo

Artistic movements are a constant and organic system in the art world. Some arise in response to other movements, and others are created by the innovation of a single artist’s imagination. The artistic movement known as “Lowbrow art” or “Pop Surrealism” was born in the Los Angeles area in the 1970s. It began as an underground style with heavy influences from pop culture, comics, and other subcultures.

Pop Surrealism has been on the periphery of the art world for years, occasionally cropping up in mainstream galleries across the country. It has been chronically excluded from the “fine arts” sphere due to its unconventional origins. Each of these artists has enormous talent but reside on the outskirts of the traditional bubble. Many of the artists in the Pop Surrealist genre are self-taught and lack a traditional arts foundation, alienating them from the “legitimate” art world. Many of the artists come from backgrounds in illustration, tattooing, and comic books.

The term “lowbrow art” was coined by artist Robert Williams for the title of his book: The Lowbrow Art of Robt. Williams. He wanted a term for his type of art since authorized art institutions refused to recognize his style. Williams has since admitted that the term “lowbrow art” is ill fitting for the genre. Instead, Robert Williams prefers to describe his work, and the genre that sprung from the title of his book, “cartoon-tainted abstract surrealism.”

This estrangement from the fine arts world has not stopped people from collecting Pop Surrealism, however. Collectors are drawn to the figurative and narrative focus of Pop Surrealism. The genre highlights humor and detail fused with pop culture references, some rather old-fashioned. Regional styles have developed across the United States as well. The “west coast” style is more heavily influenced by comix and hot-rod car culture than other parts of the nation. The worldwide spread of Pop Surrealism has caused some very interesting cross-culture effects. As the style develops, there may be more branching, leading to the creation of new artistic movements.

In 1994, Robert Williams founded the magazine Juxtapoz, which continues to be the frontline of writing, media exposure, and Pop Surrealist art community news. The magazine advertises events, galleries, and shows. The magazine is a microcosm of the entire movement and subculture. Each sub-group of the art movement is represented including illustration, graffiti, tattoo, erotica, street art, and music and film.

Some galleries tailor specifically to Pop Surrealism, expanding the credibility of the style. As the community of artists grew, so did the number of galleries showing lowbrow art. One of the galleries that exhibits this type of art, particularly by local artists, is Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. The gallery is located at 920 Kline Street and is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowbrow_(art_movement)

http://beinart.org/info/essays/robert-williams.php

http://www.juxtapoz.com/

Elton John's Car Collection- Urban Art: Christie's Auction House Sells It All

2012-08-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

Christie's Auction House

Written by Samantha Tutone

The sale and trade of art and valuable objects is as old as commerce itself. The formulation of auction houses began mostly after the French Revolution, as London became the major center for international trade. From the world record-breaking sale of a Bugatti Royale automobile in 1987 to Impressionist paintings by Monet, Christie’s Auction House has made some amazing sales since it opened its doors.

Christie’s Auction house was first established in 1766 in London, England. Founder James Christie made the first sale on December 5, 1766. Today, Christie’s has 53 offices in over 32 countries. An amazing assortment of art and memorabilia is sold in the 450 annual auctions. Christie’s Auction house is one of the largest in the world with annual profits of over $3.5 billion. Private and public sales are all part of the extensive services Christie’s offers. The auction house prides itself on having impeccable quality and impeachable provenance for all of the items it sells, including the antiquities. Christie’s has a longstanding rivalry with the other global art auction house: Sotheby’s.

The list of objects Christie’s Auction sells is enormous. There are over 80 categories and departments. Urban art, interior furniture, African art, musical instruments, and fossils are just a few of the types of objects they sell. Some of the most unusual things have come up for auction and sold for a small (or large depending on how you look at it) fortune. Elton John sold twenty of his own cars £2 million. In 2006 a model of the Star Trek Starship Enterprise Class D sold for a half-million dollars. Not two years later an ink and wash drawing of a Gundam by artist Hisashi was auctioned as well. Traditional art objects like photographs, Old Master paintings, and sculpture are also for sale.

Rare and expensive wines have their own market at Christie’s Auction. The house even has art storage facilities for rent or purchase, for proper atmospheric and environmental housing of delicate collections. Christie’s also has an international realty department, selling and renting exclusive properties around the world at the most spectacular locations. The auction house also offers appraisals for all manner of arts.

Even with the recent downturn of the world economy, Christie’s Auction still manages to make a serious profit off the art that it sells. Some aspects of the market took a serious drop, however. Urban art, especially works by the urban art movements’ most famous member Banksy, struggled to sell through 2009 and 2010. On average, the price and demand for Banksy art dropped 30 percent. Nevertheless, change is in the wind. Contemporary art specialist, Ben Hanly said, “Banksy will come back. He’s the one member of the urban art movement who will last” (Reyburn, Bloomberg). Sales of urban art and contemporary art at Christie’s Auction will continue to rise as the world economy begins to recover.

To learn more about contemporary and cutting edge art visit Thumbprint Gallery. It is located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego. The gallery exhibits contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists. It is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christie's
http://www.christies.com/about/company/index.aspx
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a7k5jl05o0i0

Sotheby's Auction House: From Antiques to Banksy

2012-07-21T12:14:00.002-07:00

Art at Auction at Sotheby's

Written by Samantha Tutone

Art as a cultural item has always been associated with two things: extreme poverty or extreme wealth. The poverty usually belongs to the artist or producer of the art, and the wealth is typically that of the commissioner or purchaser of the art. The value of art is ever changing and is usually, as one could say, in the eye of the critic. Fame, of both artist and artwork, contribute to the cultural value of art. There are some places, however, where it is an occupation to assign monetary value to art: Sotheby’s Auction House. Here, buyers and sellers come together to privately or publicly acquire art. The collections and items bought and sold at Sotheby’s auction is extensive and impressive.

History of Sotheby's

Sotheby’s Auction House was established in 1744 when Samuel Baker sold the entirety of the library of Sir John Stanley. It’s expansion from books to fine arts, antiquities, jewelry, and decorative arts grew with the increasing global auction market. Now Sotheby’s has 90 locations in 40 different countries. Sotheby’s is the largest art business in the world with profits grossing an average $5.8 billion a year. The auction house prides itself on having impeccable quality and impeachable provenance for all of the items it sells, including the antiquities. Sotheby’s has a longstanding rivalry with the other global art auction house: Christie’s.

Various Departments at Sotheby's

Sotheby’s Auction House has a near endless list of departments (over 70): from handcrafted English furniture, and Scandinavian paintings, to watches, Egyptian antiquities, and street art and graffiti art. The house even has art storage facilities for rent or purchase, for proper atmospheric and environmental housing of delicate collections. For the wealthy wino, there is a special Sotheby’s Wine department, dedicated to the auction of rare and fine wines, including wines found on sunken Spanish ships. Sotheby’s also has an international realty department. There they search for the most exclusive and prominent properties around the world in the most beautiful and sought-after locations. The auction house also offers appraisals for all manner of arts.

Pricing of Art

Art on sale at Sotheby’s usually fetches a high price. The price is also often directly correlated to the popularity, prestige, and provenance of the piece or artist at auction. In 2006, works by Banksy, stencil artist from Britain, went up for auction and sold fore more than £50,000 for a piece. However, street art and graffiti art are not nominative auctions for Sotheby’s. The rise of Bansky as an artist (and not just social vandal) greatly influenced Sotheby’s decision to sell his work. Banksy’s work has been gaining notoriety since 2003. Even celebrity Angelina Jolie spent more than £200,000 on a Bansky stencil. Combinations of recognizable images and humor that make a social or political statement typify his work. A second auction of Bansky stencil and graffiti art, in 2007 raked in an approximate £167,000. The sale of Bansky’s work has given him even more acclaim and attention. It has also brought street art and graffiti art to the forefront of the contemporary art world.

To learn more about contemporary and cutting edge art visit Thumbprint Gallery. It is located at 920 Kline St. #104 in La Jolla, San Diego. The gallery exhibits contemporary, urban, lowbrow, and graffiti art from local artists. It is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12-4pm.

Sources:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/sothebys-makes-a-killing-from-banksys-guerrilla-artworks-432756.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotheby's

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2012/contemporary-art-n08875/overview.html

http://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/about-us.html

An Animated Take on Art

2012-07-05T15:05:00.003-07:00

Scenes from Howl's Moving Castle Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Written by Samatha Tutone

Animation is a form of artistic expression usually associated with children and Saturday mornings. Cartoons and hand-drawn imagery are often overlooked as a fine art form and are instead separated into a corner reserved for pure entertainment and commercial uses. One specific form of animation has become prolific in the last few decades is Anime. Short for “animation”, this style of cartoon was created and developed in Japan beginning in the 1960s. In general, Anime is characterized by colorful graphics, standardized proportions, and extreme facial expressions. Contrary to the common conception of Saturday morning cartoons, themes in Anime are usually geared toward adults, not children.

Like all animation, Anime follows the standard division of labor and production process of character design, storyboarding, and voice acting. Today there are several different combinations of production including hand-drawn and computer based approaches. Manga, the name of Japanese comic books, originated in the 1940s and shares many stylistic qualities with Anime. The same characteristic rules apply, as do many plotlines. It is not uncommon for a Manga to be translated into Anime, and visa-versa.

A standard unit, the height of the head, determines basic body types in Anime. The proportions are determined from there. A tall figure is approximately 9 heads high, a short person 5 heads high, and the average person is 7 heads high. The eyes of characters are usually large and are used as an expressive device. Shojo, a genre of Anime typically centered on stories for girls, uses an even more exaggerated eye size. Some Anime uses wild and overstated stylization, while others use more realistic rendering.

Just as in all genre of art, Anime and Manga are fluid. Each artist and company designs and portrays it’s characters a different way, leading to an endless variety of forms and styles. Often, the stylization of the animation is paired to the type of story being told. Plot lines range from romantic comedies, fantasy, science fiction, historical drama, horror, classical literature, and even animated porn (known as Yaoi and Yuri).

Anime and Manga have developed into an international sub-culture. Nintendo’s Pokémon franchise has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar success due to its extreme popularity in the Western Countries. Anime has influenced the artistic styles of American and European artists and animators. It has even provided inspiration for character design in video games. Conventions (such as Anime Expo, Animethon, and Otakon) are held worldwide, celebrating artists, directors, and favorite Anime and Manga series. Attendees and fans “cosplay”, or dress up as, characters from their favorite shows.

The spread of Anime and Manga throughout the West has produced an all around fascination with Japan and its culture. American artists have adapted several characteristics of Anime into their own styles, creating an “oriental” tone or mood. Graphic designs for clothing, shoes, posters, etc., are extremely common.

Many contemporary and urban artists have found inspiration in Anime as well. One can see numerous stylistic influences in many contemporary urban art works. To learn more about contemporary, urban, graphic, and lowbrow local artists, check out Thumbprint Gallery.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime

Urban Art Fair, London, Celebrates 10 Years

2012-06-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

London’s largest open-air art fair will be celebrating its 10th birthday this July. The Urban Art Fair is a free event hosted by the residents of Josephine Avenue, London. Approximately 2,000 works of art will be on display, by nearly 160 artists. Art of all mediums will be on exhibit, including paintings, prints, graffiti art, and photographs.

Local artist and Josephine Avenue resident Timothy Sutton established the Urban Art Fair in 2002. He realized his neighborhood was an ideal gallery space and knew that local artists were desperate for a place to show their work. The fair provides a unique opportunity for up and coming artists to exhibit their work for the public, often launching their careers as professionals.

The inhabitants of Josephine Avenue volunteer their time to transform the street into the alfresco fair. Besides having art on display, graffiti artists will also be creating art, live, on their Urban Art Walls for viewers to see. Food stalls with international cuisine will accompany the works. A Sound stage will feature music from local musicians. Ten percent of all sales will be donated to charity: Holy Trinity School, Jubilee Primary School, and the Southside Rehabilitation Centre. More than 8,000 people are expected to attend the fair this year.

The Urban Art Fair is a fantastic opportunity to see new and original art and meet the artists themselves. The fair runs from July 14-15th from 10am-6pm, on Josephine Avenue, London. For those interested in the urban art genre you may want to check out Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. The emerging gallery features high quality low brow and urban art.

Kandinsky: A Spiritual Artist

2012-06-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Written by Samantha Tutone

"Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul". – Vasily Kandinsky

Circles

Contemporary art is often abstract. This fact has not fazed viewers and critics for years. On occasion one artist produces some kind of expressionist art that not only pushes the boundaries of our artistic understanding, but also makes connections to broader philosophical questions. Vasily Kandisky was most definitely one of those artists.

Early Influences

Vasily Kandinsky was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1866. He studied law and economics at the University of Moscow, and became a professor at the University of Dorpat until he began to study painting at the age of 30. Kandinsky moved to Munich in 1896 to study art. During the early years of his artistic study, Kandinsky was influenced by Monet’s sense of color and thick use of paint. Richard Wagner’s melodic freedom and Blavatsky’s writing on Theosophy also influenced him.

Joyful Noise

Der Blau Reiter

Expressionist art was growing in popularity during Kandinsky’s time in Munich. Artists like Käthe Kollowitz and Egon Schiele were using art as a form of self-expression and to make a meaningful statement. Kandinsky began using his ideas on spirituality in art within his own paintings. He and a fellow artist, Franz Marc, became the founding fathers of an expressionist art movement dubbed: Der Blau Reiter (meaning “The Blue Rider”). The movement was named after the image of St. George on the Moscow city emblem. Both artists considered the color blue to be the color of (non-religious) spirituality. All other colors were considered “chaotic.”

Theosophy in Art and Imagery

Kandisky was preoccupied with apocalyptic imagery. His expressionist art was almost prophetic since his paintings were shown just before WWI. Chaotic lines and shapes combined with bright colors make the viewer feel an apocalyptic intensity. Kandisky never intended for viewers to understand his paintings. Rather he wanted to bring about a pure sense of spirituality through color. Wagner’s influences lead Kandinsky to believe that all musical notes had a color frequency. Kandisky never really titled his works; instead named them in similar fashion to musical compositions.

Kandinsky wrote extensively on the importance of spiritual art. He wrote several compositions including: "Der Blau Reiter Almanac," "Concerning the Spiritual In Art," and "Looks on the Past."

Kandinsky was a great influence on modern expressionist art and paved the way for many new artistic movements to come forth. Abstract art has flourished since the early 1900s and many abstract art prints are now widely available worldwide. Kandinsky’s work is shown in museums and private collections around the world, a large portion of them residing in the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Abstract art prints of Kandinsky’s paintings remain popular to this day.

To learn more about abstract art prints, urban, and lowbrow art, visit Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. Open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12-4pm.

Sources:

Art History, Revised Second Edition, by Marilyn Stockstad, Chapter 28, pgs. 1026-1031.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassily_Kandinsky
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theosophy
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/past/exhibit/3182

Banksy artwork on sale at Bonhams in Los Angeles

2012-06-19T23:02:00.001-07:00

Banksy is known for street art in public spaces

Bonhams will host an urban art sale for the first time in its Los Angeles location on Oct. 29, 2012. The exhibition will feature the works from the infamous street artist Banksy. Part of the exhibition will include newly discovered artworks which had been recovered in the Bristol area where the artist was raised in the 1980s. His provocative stencil-based imagery touches on a variety of social and political issues with an almost anarchist disdain for authority. The artist became famous for having his works appear in various unusual public places all over the city. Banksy since left his special brand of street art in public places without asking permission from authorities in cities all over the world.

The art sale is a follow up to Bonhams's highly successful urban art auctions in London. The auctioneer also held a street art sale in New Bond Street, London, which was incredibly successful. In the upcoming sale in Los Angeles, Banksy's famous piece “Precision Bombing” is estimated anywhere from $35,000 to $45,000. Some of the other works from the artist will include “Winnie the Pooh” which is valued from $50,000 to $80,000. Some of the other artists which will be featured include, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Blek le Rat and Beejoir.

In the meantime, while you are waiting for the action to happen in Los Angeles, you may want to check out Thumbprint Gallery, which features quality contemporary urban art. Many of the artists have been inspired by the likes of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, and some of the other artists included in the show at Bonhams. You can take a look at the art gallery's offerings by clicking here.

Source:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=55992

Michael De Feo: The Flower Graffitist

2012-05-16T15:28:00.003-07:00

"I'm continually amazed at how much fun and how many smiles a simple little flower can spread in such a big place." – Michael De Feo

De Feo's s silk-screened flower poster on a city's street

Written by Lucy Coker

The city’s streets have served as Michael De Feo's gallery for the past 20 years. De Feo is most recognized for his spontaneous scattering of flowers across New York, and any other city he visits. Since his street art days, he has dipped his foot into many gallery spaces, been on the cover of the New York magazine and published a children’s book titled, “Alphabet City – Out On The Streets.”

The Freedom of Graffiti Art

The graffiti artist gained a diploma from the School of Visual Arts in Graphic Design, although, oddly enough, his final portfolio didn’t included any graphic design. It was full of street art and paintings, yet De Feo still received top marks. He first began using the streets for his graffiti art as a way to avoid the high art gallery system. The gallery space confined him but on the streets anything was allowed. Furthermore, sporadically placed buildings and streets, anyone could witness his work even if the didn’t want or mean to see it.

His art embraced and explored the free world of urban and low brow art. Entering into the gallery space through the back door, De Feo side stepped the restraints of conventional fine art allowing more space for his spontaneity and resourceful inspirations.

Flower Power

Around 1992, Michael De Feo used silkscreen drawings from his high school art and began placing them out on the streets of New York. He initially used childlike imagery of moons, minnows, flowers and safety pins, cutting these images out of FedEx cardboard to make spray paint stencils. These images soon led to his single silk-screened flower image and eventually to his later paintings on found blueprint paper.

After finding his flower image, he printed hundreds before deciding to make them street art. He glued them on everything from from newspaper dispensers to city buses. Since the birth of the flower project, it has enjoyed exposure in countless news articles and media outlets including The New York Times, Time Magazine, The London Sunday Times Magazine, and on the cover of New York Magazine's "Reasons to Love New York" issue (three times). His work has also appeared in numerous music videos and film documentaries including Banksy's film, "Exit Through The Gift Shop."

Michael De Feo's cover of the New York Magazine

Alphabet City

Michael De Feo’s children's book “Alphabet City”: Out on the Streets", employs New York City as his canvas. He incorporates his graffiti art into the book by assigning each one to illustrate each letter of the alphabet. The book received rave reviews internationally, “De Feo's art evokes beauty and optimism with a childlike simplicity while paying homage to gritty Manhattan." (Newsweek International)

Michael De Feo’s experimental and free artistic spirit reflects that of many Thumbprint Gallery artists. You can browse and buy a variety of works at Thumbprint Gallery’s online store here.

Sources

http://www.mdefeo.com

http://www.feedmecoolshit.com/interviews-archive/michael-de-feo/

http://www.marissaneave.com/2009/08/interview-michael-de-feo/

Invader: Mosaic Street Artist

2012-05-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

A Space Invader on a Parisian Statue

Written by Hilary Dufour

Across the globe, from Los Angeles to Mombasa, on statues and restaurants, even on the Hollywood sign, mosaic tiles have been carefully arranged and surreptitiously placed on city walls. These cities, of which there are now over 35, have been "invaded." The French street artist, so-called Invader, has arranged tiles to create various characters inspired by the first-generation arcade game Space Invaders. He started with the invasion of Paris in the 90's and has not stopped yet. As the urban artist has said, his space invaders are meant to symbolize "our era and the birth of modern technology, with video games, computers, the Internet, mobile phones, hackers and viruses."

Space Invaders

Invader is notorious for these often inconspicuous street mosaics. Though many people may not know much about the urban artist (his identity has also been purposefully hidden), many of us have seen his space invaders and have been filled with a sense of glee, feeling like we've come across something others have never noticed or given a second look. Sometimes Invader chooses to set his tiles in more visible places than others, while creating a juxtaposition between "legal" art on the walls of museums with illegal art, street art.

Space Invader art project is “more an experiment than a protest” but also that “the act itself is a political message, as 99% of the time I don't have authorization.” The legality of his work was brought into question in an incident last year in which the LAPD caught him with another French national hanging near a historic building with buckets full of grout and tiles. In April, the artist attached his tiles to the Museum of Contemporary Art's Geffen Contemporary and several other buildings in Los Angeles, while at the same time being featured in the museum's exhibition “Art in the Streets.” Invader was also ticketed for trespassing after attaching his mosaics to the Hollywood sign while with his cousin, the notorious Mr.Brainwash.

Space Invader invades Randy's Donuts in L.A.

“In Bed with Invader”

It is important to note, a lot of thought goes into the artist's placement of his beloved “Space Invaders.” Since each space invader is different, each is numbered, photographed and indexed. This dedication and execution can be glimpsed in the recently released video “In Bed with Invader,” which can be found online. The artist's detailed process certainly came into play when “invading” the French city of Montpellier. In this case, the location of the characters was such that when placed on a map, they formed the image of a space invader.

Besides engaging with the public by instructing admirers where his art is located, the artist also uses other methods. On the “faq” page of his website, he comes across as an earnest and unpretentious artist who is willing to share information about himself and his process. He shows an interest the act of his street art, and the concepts behind them, more than in the mystification and glorification of the artist. He has further shared his art by putting maps of different cities on his site which lead you to various sites that have been “invaded.” Seeing his art has become a hunt for lost treasure.

RubikCubism

In his newer project, “RubikCubism,” Invader has chosen Rubik's cubes to create art that is literally, cubist. According to the artist, “RubikCubism” is a “logical, and interesting, continuation of my work”. He has said that he “uses the Rubik's cube like an artist uses paint. I like the idea that it wasn't intended to be this way, and that ultimately it works really well.”

Mona Lisa in Invader's RubikCubism style

Invader is an artist who truly thinks outside of the box, or cube, to create art that is clever and engaging. These are characteristics shared by the artists who exhibit at Thumbprint Gallery. Thumbprint displays urban art that is created with an outsider mentality and an artist's eye.

You can view works by low brow and urban artists at Thumbprint Gallery’s online store here.

Sources

http://www.juxtapoz.com/Current/invader-attack-of-the-space-waffles-the-outsiders-london
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invader_(artist)
http://www.space-invaders.com/faq_uk.html
http://hypebeast.com/2012/04/in-bed-with-invader-short-film/
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5089/5727089604_c8eeca2ee2_z.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6d/Invader_Randys_Donuts.jpeg/450px-Invader_Randys_Donuts.jpeg
http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/37516/space-invader-becomes-first-artist-arrested-for-mocas-art-in-the-streets

Doze Green: B-Boy to Fusionistic Artist

2012-05-09T12:08:00.002-07:00

Written by Lucy Coker

Born on the upper west side of Manhattan, Doze Green is one of the pioneers of hip-hop movement in the 70s and 80s. Often compared to celebrated artists such as Basquiat, his urban background and involvement in the Rock Steady Crew, facilitated his unique style which allowed him to transition from graffiti art to the gallery. His works have been published in BlackBook, Anthem, Juxtapoz, Tokion, and Vibe and reviewed on CNN.

Fusion artist and original Rock Steady Crew member Doze Green

The Rock Steady Crew

From a young age, Doze Green was a member of The Rock Steady Crew, the creators of a new style of dance known as breakdancing or B-Boying. The crew first started dancing at art exhibitions and galleries of Soho and the Lower East Side of Manhattan. During this time Doze Green was also attending the High School of Art and Design, where many talented graffiti artists studied.

Green began tagging the hallways of South Bronx projects to working as a graphic designer designing clothing line such as Kikwear and Ecko. However, he soon found himself unfulfilled and ventured back towards his street art roots. Gradually, he received more attention and Green started painting in a studio in Brooklyn. In 1982, he showed his artwork in a group show at the Fun Gallery. At this same time after appearances in major movies such as Flashdance, Style Wars, and Wildstyle, the Rock Steady Crew was launched into action and the limelight.

Energy and Matter

Today, Green has become a leader of the "fusionistic"art movement. This style developed form his roots in graffiti art and is based upon metaphysical and ethereal ideologies. His paintings strive to materialize complex metaphysical concepts, such as the possible “manipulation of energy and matter to create a timeless space. He explores meditations on matter and anti-matter, layers of consciousness, and different possibilities based on cosmology.” Through stream-of-consciousness painting, Doze creates “fractured imagery that implies an ever-changing narrative.” His stereotypical multi-dimensional planes and illusion of time are presented through fragmented, incomplete figures.

There is a strong sense of cubist influences in his work. The compositions are constructed through “ascending and descending planes and repetitive, overlapping, and concentric lines in an otherwise undefined landscape.” Another key influence has been Edo period paintings. Doze Green mixes black gesso with Sumi ink and applies “creatively chaotic, and intuitive brushstrokes,” in an interesting fusion of calligraphy-inspired art and street art techniques. Green’s signature aesthetic results in an advanced approach to organic cubism.

A section of the Las Vegas mural "Crossroads of Humanity" by Doze Green

Aside from his gallery exhibitions, Green has stayed true to his street art roots and has worked on a number of murals all over the world. Namely, two large-scale public murals which commissioned by "City Center" in Las Vegas, titled “Crossroads of Humanity.” The set of murals cover several walls each measuring 80 feet wide by 20 feet high.

Many artists at Thumbprint Gallery share Doze Green "fusionistic" style combining graffiti and street art techniques with other mediums, creating distinct contemporary styles. Works by Thumbprint Gallery artists can by viewed and purchased at our online store here.

Sources

http://www.dozegreen.com/pages/bio

http://jonathanlevinegallery.com/?method=Exhibit.ExhibitDescriptionPast&ExhibitID=AD88E01C-115B-5562-AAA98DC2E480C8BE

http://articles.cnn.com/2005-03-21/us/otr.green_1_graffiti-artists-trains-graphic-designer?_s=PM:US

http://www.juxtapoz.com/Current/doze-green-new-works

The Birth of Pop Art

2012-05-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Written by Hilary Dufour

Popular culture has inundated the individual with myriad images revolving around notions of fame, fortune, sex appeal and consumerism. The pop art movement has drawn from this truth and created art which responds to and mimics popular culture. From pop culture, comes pop art. In some ways they are one in the same and in other ways they are drastically different.

Edouardo Paolozzi, "I was a Rich Man's Plaything"

"Pop Art and the Cult of Cool"

The history of the pop art movement is both rich and diverse. On the other side of the Atlantic in Great Britain, Pop art was emerging in the 1950s. Members of the Independent Group met to discuss topics of Western culture including the significance or misappropriation of mass culture in fine art, as well as science, technology, and cinema. One member, Edouardo Paolozzi was the first to incorporate the word “pop” into his artwork. In his "I was a Rich Man’s Plaything," from 1947, various popular icons and imagery are collaged to form an exploration and representation of popular culture, while remaining detached or “emotionally distant” from such culture. In the article, "Pop Art and the Cult of ‘Cool’," it is said that Paolozzi’s piece exemplifies pop art’s incorporation of “subjects like sex, romantic love, and patriotism” which “are all treated with exaggerated superficiality, and are thereby deliberately made to seem trite and shallow”. These words, “trite and shallow” are integral to the creation of pop art.

American Pop Art Movement

In the United States, the work of Jasper Johns anticipated the American pop art movement. Johns’ art incorporated references to “things the mind already knows”, as he put it, which included flags, letters, and numbers. With the use of everyday objects as subject, Johns questions notions of representation and meaning in art.

Referencing and incorporating different aspects of pop culture was essential to the pop art movement. At the heart of the pop movement was the idea that anything from culture could be borrowed and that no object was any more important than another. Comic books were one source from which artists borrowed. Images by the prominent artist Roy Lichtenstein came from mass-produced comic book images.

Roy Lichtenstein, "Hopeless", 1963

Andy Warhol's Icons

Another famous pop artist, Andy Warhol, replicated a variety of iconic images to create art that spoke to notions of both consumerism and aesthetics. In the 1960s, he began silk-screening portraits of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe. His Campbell soup can series also examined the prevalence of certain images within pop culture. As aforementioned, there was no hierarchy in what artists could borrow, which Andy Warhol asserted in this series. With his Campbell’s series he sought to blend the boundaries between high art and low or “popular” culture.

Pop art’s blurring of the boundaries between high and low art, and its incorporation of popular culture into art has had an inconceivable impact on the art world. So-called Lowbrow art, which originated in L.A. in the 60s, also seeks to critique popular culture and stand in opposition to fine art. Further connections can be made to urban art and graffiti art which blur the boundaries between fine art and “low” art. Many of the artists displayed at Thumbprint Gallery fall under one of these categories and entice the viewer to look at art with a more inquisitive eye.

You can view and purchase works by Thumbprint Gallery artists at our online store here.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowbrow_(art_movement)

http://www.arthistory.net/artists/andywarhol/andywarhol1.html

http://www.nettonet.org/Nettonet/101%20Painting/Studies/pop.htm

http://www.theartstory.org/movement-pop-art.htm

Keith Haring: Street Artist and Social Activist

2012-05-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

Written by Hilary Dufour

Much of the late great Keith Haring’s art is characterized by bright, bold primary colors and lines that create frenzied patterns and scenes of humans and creatures. Themes such as AIDS, drugs abuse, and religion were prevalent throughout his career. His patterns have appeared on shoes, clothing, subway stations, cars, you name it. He also teamed up with Absolut Vodka and Swatch to display his patterns. The Keith Haring art legacy is indeed prominent in the international art world.

Pop artist Keith Haring in 1984

The Independent Artist

Born in Pennsylvania, and interested in pop art and culture at an early age, Haring was an ambitious art-school dropout with a passion for public art. Keith Haring was influenced by the public nature of European artist Christo’s work and the manifesto written by author and artist Robert Henri, The Art Spirit, which asserted the independence of the artist. With these inspirations in mind, he wanted to reach the masses with his message and naturally got involved with graffiti art. In the 1980s, Haring started decorating the walls of New York Subway stations. The unused panels covered in black paper that were usually intended for advertising became public canvases for Haring’s white chalk and dramatic bold lines. He developed a style of “graphic expression based on the primacy of the line.”

The 80s and the Berlin Wall

His talent and penchant for likable and versatile designs helped him gain international recognition for his pop art designs. He participated in a number of group and solo exhibitions in the 1980s that furthered his popularity. He also participated in the famous Whitney Biennial and designed sets for clubs and theaters. Additionally, he created murals worldwide and indeed succeeded in his goal of creating public art. In 1986, on the Western side of the Berlin Wall he created a 300 meter mural that illustrated the division among the political world and the city itself, which had been divided in half. The subject of the mural as described by Haring is “a continuous interlocking chain of human figures, who are connected at their hands and their feet – the chain obviously representing the unity of people as against the idea of the wall.”

Keith Haring painting at mural on the Berlin Wall in 1986

“Pop Shop”

This goal of his to create public art was developed with the opening of his Soho retail store, “Pop Shop,” which held similarities to contemporary pop artist Haruki Murakami’s retail shops and mass-production. Wandering through “Pop Shop,” one would come across a variety of items including buttons, magnets, toys and posters with Keith Haring’s trademark design. The walls were painted by the artist himself, an abstract black and white mural that aided in the creation a retail haven for consumers and art appreciators alike.

Social Activist

Aside from his involvement in the commercial and fine art worlds, the artist was active in literacy and public service programs. One such project of his in 1986 was a mural commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. For this mural, Haring worked with 900 children. Following his diagnosis of AIDS in 1988, he created the Keith Haring Foundation which merged art with AIDS organizations and children’s programs, again furthering the visibility of his art and thus becoming “a universally recognized visual language of the 20th century.”

Many artists at Thumbprint Gallery were similarly inspired by graffiti art and pop art and now display distinct styles within the low brow and urban art scene that aims to connect with the general public.

Works by Thumbprint Gallery artists can be viewed at our online store here.

Sources

http://www.haring.com/about_haring/bio/index.html
http://keithharingfoundationarchives.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/794/
http://www.haring.com/cgi-bin/essays.cgi?essay_id=30
http://artworksgallery.com/blog/keith-haring-art-biography/#more-33
http://www.haring.com/cgi-bin/art_lrg.cgi?date=1982&genre=Painting&start=0&id=00141

Takashi Murakami: Superflat and Pop Culture

2012-03-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

Takashi Murakami infront of his Superflat artwork

Written by Hilary Dufour  

When someone says Murakami, a lot of people, fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, may think of the handbags he designed for famed fashion house Louis Vuitton. It was after all, artist Takashi Murakami’s stint with Louis Vuitton that gained him international popularity and “rockstar status.” From an artistic standpoint however, Murakami was not so pleased. He commented in an interview, “I need to rebuild the wall between commercial art and the fine art I do. I need to focus on the fine-art side of me for a while”. Undoubtedly, Murakami’s influence in the Japanese contemporary art scene runs far deeper than his commercially successful handbags.  

Mass-produced Pop Art

Murakami is often considered to be a pop artist because of his keen interest in popular culture, particularly that of his birth country of Japan. Pop art’s main goal is to bridge the divide between art and everyday life, bringing everyday life into the art world and vice versa. Murakami has indeed succeeded in bridging this gap with the production of his countless mass-produced consumer products which include t-shirts and mousepads. The Murakami founded Hiropon factory is essential to the production of these various goods as well as the creation, or more like mass-production of his art.

Murakami and Kaikai Kiki Co.

Murakami’s methods as an artist share many similarities with those of the late pop artist Andy Warhol, whose influence on the art world is immeasurable. He works in a Warholian technique which involves employing many assistants to aid in the making of his certainly not one-of-a-kind artworks. As was emphasized in Andy Warhol’s factory, an original hand-created piece of art was not valuable to the artist. Though Murakami does often supervise his assistants, like Warhol, he rarely does any of the painting himself. Murakami is the founder of Kaikai K iki Co. which was originally a way to manage his many assistants, however it has evolved to become a collaborative of like-minded artists.

The lack of importance placed on one-of-a-kind artworks within Takashi Murakami’s art practice is significant to his being a pop artist. As aforementioned, pop art was and is inherently interested in bridging the gap between high/fine art and commercial/low culture. If an artwork is replicated, or in this case mass-produced, it loses its value and becomes less expensive, and thus more accessible to the greater public. Another characteristic of Murakami’s art is its plastic-like and flat surface, which has been named “Superflat.” Superflat describes art which is purposefully two-dimensional and lacking depth or perspective. However, Superflat can also be attributed to this blurring of the boundaries between high and low culture and art.

"Flower Ball" by Takashi Murakami

"My Lonesome Cowboy"

Alternatively, Takashi Murakami’s Japanese contemporary art is certainly not being sold on the cheap. Though less well-known than his happy cartoon-like characters, Murakami’s less popular art is not to be ignored. His 1988 larger-than-life sculpture "My Lonesome Cowboy," which depicts an aroused male, was sold in 2008 for an astonishing $15.2 million at Sotheby’s in New York. Though many at the auction were surprised at this sale, Murakami commented to his art dealer “Oh, it’s not surprising.”

Many lowbrow urban artists affiliated with Thumbprint Gallery are largely influenced by Murakami’s Japanese contemporary art. Elements of his style are witnessed in contemporary urban artworks by EZ Rock and Surge.

Visit Thumbprint Gallery's online store to see works by more urban artists.

Sources  

http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Li-Ou/Murakami-Takashi.html#b
http://www.picassomio.com/takashi-murakami.html
http://english.kaikaikiki.co.jp/artists/list/C4/
 http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/artist.html
http://www.vulture.com/2008/05/takashi_murakami_watches_from.html 
http://www.takashimurakami.net/index.php?/site/biography/ 
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-11/-scary-art-market-overprices-my-works-says-takashi-murakami-interview.html

Os Gêmeos: Brazilian Graffiti Artists

2012-03-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

Written by Lucy Coker

Os Gemeos are notorious for their dreamlike surreal graffiti art that adorns the streets of numerous cities across the world with yellow faced figures. Now the leading artists in the Brazilian street art community, these identical twin brothers have a distinct style that incorporates everything from folklore to the current political struggles of Brazil.

From the Streets of São Paulo

In 1987 the Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo began painting graffiti and soon became a leading influence in the local street art scene. Starting out as break-dancers and then turning to street art, Os Gêmeos were influenced by a range of areas including hip-hop, the Brazilian graffiti movement pixação and Brazilian culture in general. For Brazilian graffiti artists street art was an escape from the city as well as being a way to express their ideas to the vast population of São Paulo. "We turned to graffiti," says one of the brothers, "to escape the chaos of life in São Paulo. The city is a beast that is growing out of control." With the vast divide between rich and poor, the brother’s art gave a voice to the citizens of São Paulo who had no opportunity to speak for themselves.

Initially, it was difficult for the Brazilian twins get their hands on information about hip-hop and street art culture that was developing outside of Brazil. It wasn’t until in 1994, when they met Barry McGee aka “Twist,” the renowned San Francisco street artist, that they had a further insight into the graffiti elements and styles that were being used in America. Following their first interview with "12oz Prophet Magazine" in 1998, Os Gêmeos began to get recognition outside of South America and quickly became a celebrated duo within the street art world.

Yellow Skinned Creatures

Os Gêmeos are most renowned for their almost alien creatures with yellow skin. According to the brothers, this inclination to a certain color is in connection with a tradition of São Paulo writers who each have their own color identification: “We started that a long, long time ago, its like identification, like some people do black and white, there is the mystical part too, we believe that we born in the “orange time”, 1974.”

The brothers’ distinctive style combines elements of graffiti, including "spray paint and a counterculture aesthetic," with precise attention to detail in each piece. They incorporate images and concepts from Brazilian folklore whilst addressing current political messages to create not only stunning work but graffiti art with meaning. The strange figures and adaptation of folklore result in the creation of surreal images and suggest an influence of magical realism, a prominent aesthetic style in Latin America during the 60s and 70s.

Os Gemeos' yellow figures on a street mural in Brazil

L.A. Exhibition

The Brazilian graffiti artists recently exhibited their work “Miss You” at Prism Gallery in Los Angeles. Their newest gallery work stunned visitors with elongated yellow heads growing from the floor to become lanterns. The gallery floors and walls were painted a vibrant red which created a dream world of Os Gemeos, unleashing new yellow-faced characters up to their old tricks.

Many artists at Thumbprint Gallery in San Diego share elements of Os Gêmeos’ style. The urban artists affiliated with Thumbprint exhibit unique low brow urban artworks that range from surrealism to stencil art.

You can view and purchase works by Thumbprint Gallery artists at our online store. Check it out here.

Sources

http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/03/from_brazil_to_wonderland_a_do.php

http://ilovegraffiti.de/eng/2010/04/09/osgemeos-interview-2/

http://www.prismla.com/exhibit/os-gemeos/inst7/