#ADIDASUNDERGROUND: ROLLAPALUZA – DAY 1

Posted on 2012-07-31

The crew from adidas have transformed an unassuming warehouse space within the Shoreditch area of London as a means to play host to both locals and travelers looking for a nice change of pace from the other chaos that has hit the city.
While athletes are right at this moment prepping for various games, a unique competition began to take shape last night in Shoreditch, as the #adidasunderground-hosted event kicked off a bout of two-week-long festivities with a little bit of Rollapaluza Roller Racing madness.

Rollapaluza pits two stationary bicyclists together in a head-to-head round to see who is the fastest. With plenty of drinks to go around, music turned up, and no shortage of cycling camaraderie, the first day of #adidasunderground has set a good trajectory for what can be expected from the ongoing events.

adidasunderground.com

  

DAMIAN ORTEGA – TRACES OF GRAVITY

Posted on 2012-07-30

Furthering his exploration of man-made and organic systems and the transformative qualities of materials, Ortega’s new body of work employs salt as a narrative and metaphorical device to examine notions of human intervention, exchange and play and the ways in which these are dictated by physical forces.

In the ground floor gallery, Ortega will present Congo River, a new installation consisting of car tyres placed irregularly in the centre of the exhibition space. Ortega has drawn a delicate line in salt along their surface to dissect the gallery. The drawing appears like a topographical mark taken from a map but could equally reference a line of cocaine. Ortega is interested in salt for its historical importance both as a method of preservation – particularly of meat – and as a powerful symbol of economic exchange, of which cocaine could be seen as the modern-day equivalent. The title ‘Congo River’ relates to Joseph Conrad’s novel, Heart of Darkness, as well as to Francis Ford Coppola’s epic film Apocalypse Now, both of which use a journey along a river as a mythical and symbolic setting to examine notions of colonial repatriation, fear of the unknown and the ‘other’.

Opposite – Hollow/Stuffed: market law, 2012

Exhibition runs through to September 8th, 2012

White Cube
25 – 26 Mason’s Yard
London
SW1Y 6BU

whitecube.com

  

KEVIN APPEL – PAINTING

Posted on 2012-07-30

In his new work, Kevin Appel breaches new territory in exploring the tenuous relationship between the modes of photography, painting, and architecture and the incongruities that are produced at their collision.

As in earlier projects, Appel builds his compositions upon a narrative stream of constructing and dissolving architecture. For this series, he has moved from found photographs to those of his own, emphasizing his intimate relationship to the landscape in place of one mediated by an outside source. Appel’s photographs are of the Salton Sea, a complicated space of utopian collapse and a failed site of sorts. The photographs function as the basis of each composition – large scale images are being printed with UV ink directly onto the canvases which have been prepared with a porcelain finish. Acrylic, oil and enamel paints are then layered in complementary ways, creating a complex correlation between the painted and the printed surfaces. Evoking a sense of ordered chaos, the reclaimed landscapes featured in the photographs break down into the essential patterns, tones, and textures of painting.

“Paintings” is an investigation into the connections between different visual strategies and the story of collapse that forms at their intersection. Rooted in photographs that are compromised and compressed by paint, Appel’s current explorations evolved from the dissolution of the Pile Paintings from 2006. The exhibition pursues a trajectory of reassembly from that upheaval, where expanses of monochrome paint and intricate fields of textured abstractions push and pull against each other to shape a bittersweet optimism.

Opposite – “Salton Sea (heap)”, 2012

Exhibition runs through to August 23rd, 2012

Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects
6006 Washington Blvd
Culver City
CA90232
USA

www.vielmetter.com

  

MR. BRAINWASH UK SOLO ART SHOW

Posted on 2012-07-30

Mr. Brainwash, the artistic alter ego of Los Angeles-based Filmmaker and critically acclaimed Pop Artist Thierry Guetta, is pleased to announce his imminent arrival to London where he will stage the setting for his first official UK solo art show.
Mr. Brainwash will embrace the global art scene by taking over The Old Sorting Office, a colossal space centrally located next to the British Museum at the corner of New Oxford Street and Museum Street in London, during the Olympics this summer. The Old Sorting Office will act as a canvas for Mr. Brainwash’s latest original works in a larger than life exhibition that will be his first European show.

The show will comprise giant installations, murals, original fine art and many surprises. The artwork attributed to Mr. Brainwash emulates famous artistic and historic images, which immortalize popular culture and celebrate positivity.
Just like his previous art shows, this exhibition will be produced solely by the artist. In keeping with his motto “Life Is Beautiful” and “Never, Never Give Up”, there will be no cost associated with tickets and viewers will be given complimentary posters, postcards and more. In the lead up to the show, Mr. Brainwash has already marked his territory on the side of The Old Sorting Office, which is merely a taster of what to expect

Exhibition starts August 5th, 2012

The Sorting Office
21-31 New Oxford Street
London
WC1

www.mrbrainwash.com

  

RON ENGLISH X PUMA SUEDE COLLECTION

Posted on 2012-07-30

Renowned international artist Ron English, who was present at the 5th edition of Puma Urban Art, worked on the legendary and classic siloutte of the PUMA Suede, thus making them prized collectibles for fans of street art.

Ron English is considered one of the fathers of modern art in the street and is known for coining the term “popaganda” whit his photorealistic art and the inventive use of color. His creations connote a strong critique of consumerism and does so through the use of icons of American culture and history, such as actress Marilyn Monroe, the clown Ronald McDonald and President Barack Obama.

www.puma.com

  

MARRIED TO THE MOB – SUMMER 2 2012

Posted on 2012-07-30

The release consists of our classically bold short -sleeve tees, a soft graphic v-neck, and two adorable tank tops stamped with the MTTM lips & throwback clover logo. Plus we’ve got the fellas covered too, of course, adding a couple new styles to the current mens lineup. each available in two color ways. But perhaps the most exciting part of this second Summer drop is a tee selection created in collaboration with rapper CURREN$Y, lover of MTTM and homie to the brand. Inspired by his love of the Jet Life, and all things weed-related, each piece is a perfect blend of plyafulness and provocation- with pot leaves and dollar signs galore.

mttmnyc.com