Tag Archive | Shepard Fairey

Vandal Restaurant Launches Pop Art Gallery in its Vestibule!

Image Source for 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 inside Vandal 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.

Sean Sullivan’s Skull and Roses Signed Print

Redesigning Vandal’s vestibule entry as an art gallery perfectly reflects the restaurant interior’s decorative theme, as its walls feature large scale, site-specific murals and framed artwork by Street Artists from around the world. To celebrate their joint venture, Vandal and Pop held a fun launch party and yours-truly scored an invite. Yes! This event marked my first visit to Vandal, although I have been in the space during its previous incarnation as The General, an Asian restaurant by Top Chef contestant Hung Huynh, and I was also there many times when it was home to Crash Mansion, a night club and live music venue. Somehow, Vandal manages to exceed either of its predecessors when it comes to serving up a good time. Let me show you around a bit.

Once inside the restaurant proper you will find this guy, Icy Grape; an 11-foot tall breakdancing bunny custom designed for the vaulted entry hallway by Rockwell Group. The Bunny’s Icy Grape color is a reference to the discontinued Krylon spray paint color of the same name, which I understand is still coveted by the street artist community. Guests are encouraged to pose with Icy Grape for the Instagram feed, but you may not touch or crawl on him.

I explored every room of Vandal and took photos of all of the cool fixtures and artwork. I love these pendant lights that hang above the main bar, which are made from cut crystal liquor decanters. Gorgeous!

This array of porthole lights are installed against graffiti-covered walls of the stairwell between the restaurant’s main and lower levels. The arist is Apexer.

Vandal has a massive main dining room, which makes it an ideal destination for hosting any gathering from an intimate date to a huge group Birthday celebration! There’s lots of cool stuff to look at as well, and it is like eating in an art museum.

Here is a detail of the mural seen above, which is by Los Angeles-based artist Tristan Eaton. His stuff is all over NYC. If you look closely you can see that the mural is painted against background of gold-painted shelved books.

This concrete relief wall sculpture and the one seen directly below bookend the dining space. They are by Portuguese graffiti/street artist Vhils (aka Alexandre Manuel Dias Farto). Very, very cool.

The evening’s festivities took place in the lounge adjacent to the main bar as well as a roomy front lounge area. Featured artworks by the Pop-up aritists were exhibited alongside permanent works in the space.

Art By UR New York

Art By Flore

Art By Sean Sullivan

This lovely lady, and her friend below, are part of a triptych mural by Hush.

This might be a good time to mention that Vandal also features the delicious cuisine of Chef Chris Santos, select items of which were served at the event.

Wild Mushroom Pizza, yum.

Poke Bowl with fresh, sushi-grade salmon and tuna – excellent!

The front lounge features two wall murals by globally famous pop artist Shepard Fairy. His style is instantly recognizable.

Angel Mural by Eelus

Thanks to Vandal and Pop International Galleries for very fun evening! I can’t wait to visit again when my friend Mary has her Birthday party there in just few weeks!!

Vandal is located at 199 Bowery (at Spring Street), New York, NY 10002. For more information, please visit www.vandalnewyork.com.

Shepard Fairey’s Rise Above Mural, East Village NYC

Oct12

All Photos by Gail

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).

Shepard Fairy’s Obey Lotus Flower Stencil Lives On!

Sep29

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?

Photos: Shepard Fairey at Pace Prints and Jacob Lewis Gallery

Oct1

All Photos By Gail

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.

Visit the Coney Island Art Walls!!

Aug3

Art Wall By Lady Pink (All Photos By Gail)

If you haven’t been to Coney Island at least once this summer, you owe it to yourself to make the trip. Most residents of Manhattan who live, say, from midtown to the east village area, can make it from the door to the shore in under 90 minutes, depending on how the trains are running. And for half the ride, the trains run above ground, so that makes it a bit more interesting of a ride as well. Even if you are not a “Beach Person” (raises hand), and the rides at Luna Park make you barf (keeps hand raised) there is so much to see and do at Coney Island that all you need to have is an adventurous spirit, and maybe some sunblock.

Art Wall By Kenny Scharf

If you are a street art lover, you will absolute want to plan a visit to see the Coney Art Walls, a public art project conceived by art dealer and curator Jeffrey Deitch, which is going to be up until Halloween. Coney Art Walls features more than 25 colorful murals created by some of the most well-known street artists in the world. We spotted many of our favorites artists including How & Nosm, Roa, Buff Monster, Kenny Scharf and Ron English, as well as a selection of artists who are still up-and-coming. It’s a great mix of talent.

Art Wall By Ron English

The walls are interspersed with re-purposed cargo containers to create a pop-up truck food village, with food sold by vendors organized by Smorgasburg. Concerts are also held in the space.

Art Wall By Sheryo

Belgian artist Roa gets two adjoining walls to create a juxtaposed Rat and Rat Skeleton.

Art Wall By Maya Hayuk

Art Wall By Shepard Fairey

Art Wall By Buff Monster

Coney Art Walls are located at 1320 Bowery Street right behind the original Nathan’s on Surf Avenue.

Hours and Behavioral Guidelines are Listed Below.

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Artist Shepard Fairey to Release Limited-Edition Art Prints: Poster For George

Oct23

Poster for George: Silver Edition (Images Courtesy of Big Hassle PR)

There is no denying that George Harrison was a ridiculous babe, as evidence by the above poster, which was created by Shepard Fairey based on a photograph by Astrid Kirchherr. I want to own it.

Poster For George will be offered in two editions — Red and Silver — as a tie-in with the recent release of the CD Box Set, George Harrison: The Apple Years 1968-75. Both editions are limited to 400 signed and numbered copies. The posters are being sold one day apart and via separate webstores, as detailed below.

The Silver Edition (pictured above) is an 18×24″ Screen Print, which be released October 24th, 2014 at 10:00 AM PST through the George Harrison web store located: This Link.

The Red Edition will go on sale on October 23rd, at a random time between 10:00 AM and 12 Noon PST through Fairey’s Obey Giant Web Store. Both poster editions will sell for $65 each and here is a limit of 1 print per household/person.

About the posters, Shepard Fairey remarked: “My parents were Beatles fans and introduced me to them at a young age. In college, I grew to especially love the later Beatles albums like Sgt. Pepper, The White Album, and Abbey Road. George Harrison started to contribute more songs to the later Beatles albums that were just as strong as any Lennon-McCartney compositions.

I got George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album a long time ago, but even as a kid listening to the radio I reacted very emotionally to the song “My Sweet Lord.” The song has a profound beauty and melancholy that is unique and powerful. I love George’s solo material musically, but what speaks to me most about George’s music and actions is his humanity and his soulfulness.

I think George looked at himself as a world citizen, and not only brought international influences into his music, but was sensitive to human rights and politics around the globe. I’ve always seen music and art as amazing pleasures, but also as relatable vehicles to deliver a point of view. Art and music can invite people to think about something they might ordinarily not be interested in.

George put together the Concert For Bangladesh as a way of using his music to benefit humanity. I admire that he went beyond just writing songs addressing issues, and used his significant cultural weight to be an activist and put something noteworthy together, both as a way of raising money for Bangladesh, and of publicizing the situation there. George is a hero.”

Obey Mozart Poster

Oct18

Photo By Gail

Oh, there is just so much to say about this Obey Mozart poster, which I spotted on Bowery near Spring Street over the weekend. First of all, the poster was not designed by artist Shepard Fairey, although it was sanctioned by him. The design is a knock off of the poster you see below:

This Obey Thoven (Beethoven) poster was designed by New York Ad Agency Eyeball for classical radio station WQXR’s Beethoven Appreciation Month, which runs throughout November 2013. Oh, the cleverness!

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Tag Archive | Shepard Fairey

Vandal Restaurant Launches Pop Art Gallery in its Vestibule!

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Shepard Fairey’s Rise Above Mural, East Village NYC

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Shepard Fairy’s Obey Lotus Flower Stencil Lives On!

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Photos: Shepard Fairey at Pace Prints and Jacob Lewis Gallery

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Visit the Coney Island Art Walls!!

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Artist Shepard Fairey to Release Limited-Edition Art Prints: Poster For George

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Obey Mozart Poster

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