Photos By Gail
It’s been a long time since I wrote about one of the murals that pops up ever now and then at the corner Elizabeth and Prince Streets in the village, but when I passed that corner on a recent Friday evening this piece by artist L’Amour Supreme really got my attention.
Continue reading L’Amour Supreme Mural at Superplastic Store
Clutter Media Group launches a new online experience as they join forces with internationally famed artist Ron English. One of the most prolific and recognizable artists alive today, Ron English’s rebranded website – www.popaganda.com – features a full art gallery, up to date news and a full service webstore with exclusive signed merchandise designed by the artist.
POPaganda is the ultimate online destination for Ron English’s rabid fans, collectors and admirers. On Thursday June 28, 2012 POPaganda is releasing a brand new color variant of FAT TONY, English’s satirical jab at over-sugared breakfast cereal and US corporations’ complicity in the obesity epidemic plaguing American children.
“Fat Tony”
Ron English is known the world over for consistently creating art with a message and has bombed the global landscape with unforgettable images. He has coined the term POPaganda to describe his signature mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, from superhero mythology to totems of art history, populated with his vast and constantly growing arsenal of original characters, including MC Supersized, the obese fast-food mascot featured in the hit movie Supersize Me, and Abraham Obama, the fusion of America’s 16th and 44th Presidents, an image widely discussed in the media as directly impacting the 2008 election. Recently, Ron English has created art in partnership with South Park, pop star Chris Brown, and has even been featured on an episode of The Simpsons.
“We’re honored to be working with such an amazingly talented artist like Ron English,” says Miranda O’Brien, Founder of Clutter. “Working on Popaganda.com is a key part of our mission: providing artists with direct access to their public on a whole new level.” As the creators of the Designer Toy Awards, Clutter is a power influencer, a conduit to one of the key trendsetting subcultures in contemporary pop culture. Designer vinyl toys are quickly becoming a trending international art form, attracting a fan base that spans a convergence of demographics – from sneaker pimps to high art collectors to music fans and fringe enthusiasts.
To keep up-to-date on new information and news, please visit Clutter Magazine Dot Com.
Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Julian Schnabel Are Part of The Art Army Royalty
Holy Cow, am I ever excited to tell you about a new art show that is must-see caliber material! The Jonathan Levine Gallery is currently hosting what may just be the coolest art exhibit in Manhattan! Michael Leavitt’s Art Army Royalty is a mind blowing collection of 11-inch ‘action figure’ sculptures based on some of the world’s most popular contemporary artists, as interpreted through their particular distinctive art medium. The detail in these miniature sculptures is just amazing. I had fun examining each one and trying to guess, based on all of the meticulous details, who it was, before looking at the name – most of the time it was easy, but not always!
Chuck Close
According to the exhibit’s Press Release, each figure is sculpted from scratch in polymer clay, surface-finished and texturized with acrylic paint and mixed media. Leavitt engineers the miniature sculptures with articulating joints, assembling moving body parts with elastic cord so that the figures can be posed. Leavitt’s Art Army is a satire on consumer culture, reducing the collector compulsion of two markets —art and product — into a miniature scale. Using the vinyl toy industry as a vehicle to convey the phenomenon of idolization and celebrity status in contemporary art and culture, Leavitt transforms the subjects into caricatures, along with the work they are best known for. Examples include portrayals of Damien Hirst as a bisected shark, Jeff Koons as a balloon animal, and Kara Walker with a paper-thin silhouette.
Matthew Barney As Depicted in His Cremaster Series Films
While Levine does not have Leavitt’s full collection on display (Ron English was conspicuously absent), you can preview what’s in store for you when you do visit the gallery at This Link. Definitely, this was the most fun I have had at an exhibit in a long time! Don’t miss it!
Michael Leavitt’s Art Army Royalty Runs through October 8, 2011 at the Jonathan Levine Gallery, located at 529 West 20th Street, 9th Floor (West of 10th Avenue) in New York. Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 6 PM.
My Plastic Heart Vinyl Toy Boutique and Art Gallery is currently hosting a small but fun exhibit by artist Ken Keirns, featuring a selection of oil paintings as well as sculptures, toys and mixed media pieces, many of which feature monkeys or other pop culture icons/references. Keirns’ work mixes pop art with classic portraiture infused with a serious side of humor. Here are a few pieces you’ll see in the show:
“A Force To Be Reckoned With” By Ken Keirns
“King For a Day (TGIF)”
“Rawk” (Oil Paint on 8-Track Cassette)
“Sesame Street Walker”
All of the art is for sale and prices range from $300 to $1200, so this might be a good opportunity to add a Ken Keirns original work to your collection !
Monkey in the Middle is on exhibit through July 17, 2011 at My Plastic Heart, Located at 210 Forsythe Street just below Houston. Store Hours are Tuesday – Saturday Noon -7 PM and Sunday Noon -5PM.