Aug 29, 2008

obama

Not sure how you all felt about the DNC, but i walked away pretty impressed. Hillary, Bill, Joe and Barack put on an amazing show - and gave us some powerful speeches. One way or another, this election seems more important than any i can remember - a real turning point for the nation.

In art news, Shepard Fairey and Friends put together a show echoing the Democrats rallying cry in Denver during the DNC at Adenken Gallery. Not sure what this does for the campaign, but i guess its pushing the message of "Hope" to a new audience:




Building Hope pt. 2 -

Building Hope pt. 3 -


It seems the street teams did some work in Denver as well.

fresh faces

We are getting ready for our annual "fresh faces" show that will open Saturday the 6th. Every year we like to pick four young artists and showcase them in their first big show.
Last year we trotted out Edwin Ushiro, Nate Frizzell, Rebecca Urias and Derek Albeck. This year we bring a Canadian quartet of Nimit Malavia, Yuta Onoda, Dominique Fung and Martha Chan. They were all recently in the "i am 8-bit" show and sold out quickly...

These emerging painters are still defining their styles, but clearly have bright futures.



Yuta Onoda "Rise" 24" x 36"

and below, one of Nimit Malavia's contributions to the show.



This show should be a great look at some future art stars. Let us know if you want to be on the preview list. info@projectgalleryLA.com

Aug 25, 2008

the deer tracks

Nordic band, "The Deer Tracks" just put out a new video featuring gallery artist Scott Belcastro's paintings as the backdrop for a wonderfully animated video.

Thanks to director Stephen Schuster, Belcastro's art comes to life in this enchanting little song.


The Deer Tracks "Slow Collision" from Stephen Schuster on Vimeo.


As Director Schuster puts it:

"Slow Collision" is such a beautiful ambient track with vocals that seem to touch that inner child within all of us. You close your eyes and feel as if you are floating through beautiful forests and lush landscapes. The video is a young boys journey from his house to the outer edges of "civilization". Star filled skies, forests of birch trees with rich colorful palettes that fill the screen. Moments of thought and introspection contrasted with exploration and curiosity. The boy finds a guide along the way that eventually brings him home...

sk8ology

Saturday night saw us taking a trip to the ISM Magazine show in Long Beach. Cruised down with Edwin Ushiro and Yoskay, and met up with Ken Garduno and Tom Haubrick, as well as several other project alums.





The show was a lot of fun, and all the skate decks are being auctioned off for charity. Members of le Maison du Project in the show include: Yoskay Yamamoto, Tessar Lo, Nate Frizzell, Nimit Malavia, Yuta Onoda and Scott Belcastro. Go look em up and bid on them - a good cause, and frankly probably some good deals...

Ill post some more skate deck images in a bit!

Aug 23, 2008

cultish

Friday night was the "Crazy for Cult" show at our friend Jensen's Gallery 1988. Started off with the traditional hot wing dinner across the street where we could watch the huge line slowly make its way into the gallery.

Fortunately we were on the "cut the line" list. Once inside we spent a few minutes trying to check out the show.



Nate Frizzell admiring something, and a stencil of Tessar Lo behind him on the wall.



Wifey and Kim attempt to determine what cult movies some pieces are inspired by. Yoskay Yamamoto looking awed behind them. Yosk had a great piece inspired by Akira - which I recently had watched inside the Vancouver Art Gallery a few posts back.



Luke Chueh's Monty Python inspired piece. Probably one of my favorites, only because its one of my favorite movies.

Thomas Han and friend.

Aug 22, 2008

what could this be?




Some friends are getting ready to launch something very cool...

Aug 21, 2008

the dark night

I continue to be impressed with my own roster of artists. Even something so simple as a quick drawing/study is turning out so full of emotion and energy. It gets my chi flowing.

Thanks to Tessar Lo for this wonderful gift as I left dinner the other night...




I also just got this progress pic of a commission that Nimit Malavia is working on. Do you see what i am talking about...? I mean this kid is just getting started. I don't even want to know where he will be in 5 years.

crazy for it

Dropped off some of our guys work for tomorrow's Crazy for Cult show at 1988. My man Jensen was looking sharp in his G&R vintage tee - and he and i both got excited about some of the work in the show.



Jensen and Katie have great eye's for artists and this theme show is no different.



You don't F with the Jeesus.



Akira anyone? If you remember old posts, i just watched this movie in a museum no less...

Ill be there tomorrow night. First person to spot me, say hi, name 5 artists on our roster and ask nicely gets a free mini print.

Aug 19, 2008

new work : eric fortune

Not sure if everyone saw this piece we teased a few weeks ago. The artists name is Eric Fortune and he is new to team project, but we expect big things quickly (with shows booked in Seattle, LA and NY in 09)

This piece sold almost immediately, and we had to answer some very angry emails from collectors that missed out...



...so while he was visiting us we made him give us this second piece titled "the escapist" which he just finished...



It is 24" x 30" on paper - and frankly pretty amazing. After seeing it, a quote from Mr. Yamamoto: "I am going to just quit right now..."



and a close up.

If you like it, email me! info@projectgalleryLA.com

new work : jeremy lynch

Analog Color creator Jeremy Asher Lynch just dropped off this great new piece, and i thought I just had to show it off. Lynch is really coming into his own as a painter, and his style is really growing on me...




"Gefuellte Tauben"
18"x 36"
acrylic on canvas

For those that missed out on Eric Fortune's piece a few posts back - better hit me up soon if you want this piece from Jeremy...

hometown invasion?

I just jacked this from fecalface, but i thought it was too sweet not to pass around. Plus you can almost see my old house...


Aug 18, 2008

devour this

A friend in SF just sent me this. She goes by the handle "Devours" and is currently devouring anything Yoskay Yamamoto...it looks like she has all but one of Yoskay's prints.



There is the very elusive "beast from the east" print which went into circulation in 2005. Only a few were made, and only a few were signed...

opening night

Saturday night was the opening for the Friends United Network curated show: Buried Beneath Me. The turnout was great, and we were actually able to hang out a bit and have some fun with our artists and friends.



Artist Ian Mailhot was instrumental in making this show happen, building both the window installation and acquiring the tree that is now suspended from our rafters...



A slightly different show than our normal direction, but I couldn't be happier with the overall feel of it. I almost feel like the gallery was transported to the Pacific Northwest, because it has a really organic and creative flow going right now. If you want to check out the show, go online to projectgalleryLA.com



Thanks to the artists who made it out Tom Haubrick, Ken Garduno, Ian Mailhot and Derek Albeck...

Aug 15, 2008

8 Bit

After Royal/T we made our way past a massive line and to "i am 8bit" where we were greeted by Derek Puleston and Jon Gibson - the co-curators of the madness.



Jon and Derek did an amazing job setting up a real spectacle of a show. Games, installations, media everywhere...it was nutso.



Nate Frizzell got all pretty, but became a real diva about not having his make-up person on hand for his interview. He calmed down a bit after selling yet another one of his recent pieces.



Intern Martha - so well behaved at Royal/T - started in on the Colt 45.



Team project: really lit it up last night for the show. The whole team sold out - Yoskay, Scott, Nate, Tessar, Nimit, Yuta and even intern Dom. I am so proud of my kids!



More Colt 45 madness...and even more surprisingly we got a smile out of Scott Belcastro. Everyone was havinng so much fun even wifey decided to get in the picture.





On the way out we realized the 8 bit girls started to get a little extra frisky. Nice show Jon!

I can't guarantee this kind of madness, but we have a F.U.N. show in store tomorrow night, so come say hi in the gallery or check it out online: projectgalleryLA.com

but its a school night...

Thursday night was a big night for hi and lo art, with the openings for Royal/T and I am 8-bit. Generally wifey and I avoid going out on school nights, but we really had to get out for these two shows.

The last Royal/T opening we got a little loopy from all the espresso martini's so we eased up a bit for this one.

Dom, Kim and Martha seemed to be taking our lead...



Ms. Hancock changed all the work around, adding more of her personal collection to the walls. If only she would put one of the "sleepwalkers" on loan to me...



Huge Chiho Aoshima print....if you saw her show at Blum and Poe you would appreciate how awesome she is.



project: artist Mari Inukai (coming up next month!) and Kent Williams (also coming up next month!)





Not sure who did these, but they were very well executed and were perfect for the smooth concrete floors.

We managed to leave Royal/T in one piece. Off to 8bit...

Aug 14, 2008

i am 8 bit

Still getting ready for our show on Saturday, so no time for in depth post, but will see everyone tonight at the i am 8 bit show.

Several of our guys are showing including Scott Belcastro, Nate Frizzell, Yuta Onoda, Nimit Malavia, Tessar Lo and Yoskay Yamamoto. Everyone will be there, so dont miss out.

Aug 13, 2008

buried beneath me



The kids from Friends United Network are gearing up for a sweet installation in the gallery this weekend. Here is a teaser of the beginning stages...please don't ask why there is a 25 ft birch tree hanging from the ceiling. Just come see the show this Saturday...

Some great new pieces in from Derek Albeck, Ken Garduno, Rebecca Artemisa Urias and more...

Aug 11, 2008

8 bit preview

I know I said I wasn't going to any art shows this weekend, but I stopped by as Jon and Derek were setting up the "i am 8bit" show. Most of the work was in, and they were preparing to hang...



So really nice pieces, and some work that was a bit more subtle as theme shows go. Here is Derek getting in the mood for Mario:



and a self portrait...



You can see Tessar's piece in the background behind me. Beautiful piece, and if you didn't know better it would fit in perfectly without the 8bit theme...

Invader apparently hit up the store's front wall.



Jon and Derek let me know that Paper Tiger will be doing all the exclusive prints from the show, and I see a teaser is up. Check it out.

fire?

So skipped the weekend art shows, but i did go to an artistic wedding, or at the least the wedding of an artist.

There were these crazy fire dancers as part of the entertainment. It was fairly awesome. One girl's hair caught on fire, but they put it out quickly



Aug 8, 2008

bored...

Off to a wedding tonight, but generally pretty bored with the LA art scene this weekend. Might sound rude, but not really loving anything this August...the traditional month of art low tide.

Got reminded by an article in Men's Vogue of probably one of the most memorable things from Art Basel last year. A robotic sculpture from Arcangelo Sassolino...basically a giant claw that just dragged itself around a concrete floor.




The YouTube clip does not do it justice. You had to see this thing in person. Anyone who saw this last year spent at least 20 minutes watching it. Amidst millions of dollars in fine art NOBODY forgot the claw!

See you in Miami this December...

Aug 6, 2008

lolita tea @ Royal/T

Was supposed to go to this Lolita Tea Party last Sunday at Royal/T - my new favorite cafe.

I missed the event, but fortunately for me our friend Ken Tanaka made it through!




Ken is becoming a very accomplished reporter...

bury this...

Going to be gearing up for next weeks Friends United show. One of project:'s favorite daughters just moved up to Portland, but we are excited to have her back...

...Rebecca Artemisa Urias is coming home, and here is a teaser...



We expect a really fun show - as the FUN crew generally gets pretty wild with their installations and I do not expect this show to be any different. Last show they built an entire "shanty town," so the only question is how they will top that?

Aug 4, 2008

august updates

Couple things going on this morning...

Just want to let people know you have one last week to view Edwin Ushiro's show in the gallery, and then we get ready for a FUN curated show. When I say FUN, i mean the Friends United Network's second LA curated exhibit.



"Buried Beneath Me" is going to be a great summer show. The group show has several project: regulars including Rebecca Urias, Derek Albeck and Ken Garduno - as well as new artists to project: ian mailhot, seth neefus, tim karpinski, david wien, mark warren jacques and scott ferguson.

The show opens on the 16th, but I am sure you will see some teasers here....

Aug 3, 2008

big things...

...are happening at project:gallery. Keep your ears to the ground...


Aug 1, 2008

the infamous roman cho

Stopped by my friend Roman's studio this afternoon. He and partner Tatiana Wills are photographing a series of artists for a soon to be released book "heroes and villains." Liz McGrath featured below...



Roman is an amazing photographer, but I had no idea how particular he was...and its definitely a trait i would like to see in more artists. Case in point:
What do we see here? Inside the SF Shooting Gallery exhibition of Roman and Tatiana's H&V show?



Or is it inside the CHG exhibition in LA?




No. Its Roman's scale model of both galleries. You don't see them, but my man rocked little to-scale people and furniture to match what was in the gallery. All i can say is that i was very impressed with his attention to detail - and it was no wonder the 2 shows looked so perfect.


something new to look at

One of our wunderkid's Nimit Malavia just rocked this piece out for a show in Toronto. He is getting ready for our "fresh faces" show in September...



...but lets just hope he has some work left, as some of his show pieces are already claimed...

Here is another piece of goodness from an artist on our 2009 lineup. Waaay early preview, but I am pretty excited. Want to know more...email me.