This Image By Chris Lavado, All Other Images By Gail
New York is an influential state and city, with millions of tourists flocking there year after year so that they can experience the Big Apple. This is because New York is known for and famous for a variety of things such as its iconic Statue of Liberty, exciting Broadway performances, and exclusive shops. The state and city have captivated people all over the globe, and it’s showing no signs of lessening its grip and influence on the rest of the world.
What about New York and the music scene, however? New York and music go hand-in-hand, with some of the biggest bands and musical performances coming from this high-rise city. In 2021, New York is still influencing the music scene.
Image Sourcefor Above Photo. All Other Photos By Gail.
Opening an art gallery inside a restaurant may not be an entirely original idea, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t happen more often. In fact, I think it’s a spot-on idea whose time as arrived! In a thrilling and logical partnership, TAO Group and Pop International Galleries have joined together to create a new art gallery in the vestibule of Vandal, one of the coolest contemporary pop art-themed restaurants and lounges in New York City.
Art by Dom Pattinson (Left) and Flore (Right)
It’s worth noting that Pop International Galleries’home base is located just a few doors down the street from Vandal, and the Pop gallery insideVandal features works by a select handful of popular street artists that the gallery represents. Along with original artworks by UR New York, Sean “Layercake” Sullivan, Flore, Dom Pattinson and RESO, a portfolio of ten very affordable, signed and numbered limited-edition prints by this group of artists are on exhibit and available for purchase.
There’s a brand new Shepard Fairey mural now covering the southern exposure of the building on southwest the corner of First Avenue and 11th Street; former home to Schnitz, and the Viennese bakery Something Sweet before that.
Work on the Rise Above mural was finished as of October 2nd and it took Fairey only about 4 or 5 days to complete. The model is Fairey’s eldest daughter, at age 3 years (she’s now 11).
Fives years is forever in the life of a piece of NYC Street Art, but Shepard Fairey’s Obey Lotus Flower Stencil, which first went up at the end of June in 2011, is still loud and proud on the southern facade of 213 Bowery, at the corner of Rivington. I passed by it over the weekend and it looks darn good for its age.
Here’s a view of that corner from the traffic island in the middle of Bowery. And doesn’t This look familiar?
Pace Prints is currently hosting an exhibition of new print editions by Shepard Fairey, running concurrently with Shepard Fairey: On Our Hands at Jacob Lewis Gallery, the artist’s first solo exhibition of paintings in New York City in five years.
In his new series of prints on handmade paper, Fairey takes on the issue of corporate influence in government and the resulting inaction toward environmental concerns by the powers that be.
In Enjoy Paradise, a 3-color relief print, what at first appears to be an advertisement for a relaxing beach getaway quickly reveals itself to be a bleak landscape where the water flows like an oil slick, and towers loom forebodingly in the background.
In his signature black, cream and red color palette, Fairey combines imagery and text in a tongue-in-cheek manner to speak about serious economic and political issues. Paint it Black, pays homage to the history of rock and roll, using Russian constructivist-inspired graphics to depict a hazardous paint can of “Oil Based Policy,” jutting out into the viewers’ space.
Although, as you can see by the above photos, there was a good deal of breathing room on the 3rd floor during the show’s opening reception, it was a different story on the 4th flo0r, where Fairey was present and signing for fans as well as posing for photos. He is very friendly and accommodating.
Here is the artist being mobbed by fans.
The exhibit also contains some cool sculptures, all of which carry the strong message against the USA‘s “War for Oil” policy. It is very sobering.
Eagle Pearching on a Fist-Enclosed Gas Pump
Detail from Above Sculpture
These exhibits are definitely Must See Art for Shepard Fairey Fans!
Shepard Fairey’s Prints and Paintings will be on Exhibit Through October 17th, 2015 at Pace Prints (on the third floor) and through October 24th at Jacob Lewis Gallery (on the fourth floor) at 521 West 26th Street.
