INVURT

Invurt managed to get down to the latest Acclaim Magazine launch last night and got a couple of snaps from the party – lots of Drop Bear goodness on display, a BBQ sausage sizzle, beer, sunshine … how freakin Aussie is that?

If you haven’t got the latest issue of Acclaim yet, go and grab one now from any good mag outlet!

12►

Photos: Claudia Danby-Scott

 
From the awesome Ladies Lounge exhibition opening tonight to Amok Island, Zach Freshwater, Feks, Deej and ROA – well, it is without a doubt that Perth has had an amazing run of shows this year.

When we saw this flyer back when we were in Perth, we were slightly jealous – even though we’ve been to both their shows this year at RTIST Gallery in Prahran, it’d still be a grand thing to see their works together in the one place; so, luckily, those of you in Perth can.

Fintan Magee and Sofles are no strangers to our pages, but if you haven’t seen either of these two Queenslanders extraordinarily talented work, now’s the time to go and do so – you wont be disappointed.

Who: Sofles & Fintan Magee
What: Duo show
Where: Hole In The Wall Gallery, 3a/64 Adelaide St
Fremantle, WA
When: Show opens Friday 16th December from 6pm til 9pm and runs til 4th January

Check out the Hole In The Wall website for more info on the show.

The crew at Dangerfork just keeping coming up with pure gold – not long after they launched their summer popup shop, they’re playing host to the artists from Fitzroys illustrious Tattoo Magic.

The talent that comes out of a tattoo studio like TM is exquisite, and there will be original artworks at the show, as well as limited edition hand made screen prints from Dangerfork available from all artists.

If you’re after a glimpse into the world outside of flesh for these artists, then head down there next Thursday and check out this show!!

Who: Geordie Cole, Sean Jackson, William Yoneyama, Simple Sime, Caleb Walmsley, Danny Young, Adrian Krygsman
What: Tattoo Magic “Just In Time For Christmas” popup show
Where: Dangerfork popup Shop – 143 Johnston St, Collingwood, VIC
When: Show opens Thursday 15th December at 6pm and runs til 18th December

Check out the Dangerfork website, as well as the Tattoo Magic website for more info on the show and the artists!

The Yellow Sunshine event will be held on this coming Saturday, and it looks to be a feast of music and art on a pretty grand scale. A couple of artists from Rival Revolution studios and some of our friends and others will be in attendance, painting, playing and drawing up a storm as the beats filter through.

The Yellow Sunshine People Gathering will be held at the CERES Community Environment Park in Brunswick East.

“Ceres is a Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies, is an award winning, not-for-profit, sustainability centre located on 4.5 hectares on the Merri Creek. It is also a thriving community, an urban farm, Australia’s largest deliverer of environmental education, an event and conference venue and a place rich with social and cultural diversity. CERES is recognised as an international leader in community and environmental practice.”
This free Art Space, which is the first stop on festival arrival, incorporates live arts and music plus interactive adventure and installations, all amongst the outdoor freedom that is Ceres.

With a multitude of established and emerging street artists painting live, DJ’s pumping out tasty beats, kooky Carnival games and a pop-up gallery ta-boot there is heaps of fresh free fun for all.
Artists include: The Airbrush and acrylic Andrew Sieker, Mixed Medium Jianna Lucia, mixed media Mishke, illustrator, cartoonist, psychedelic Essig, freelance designer and illustrator Misprint, self taught digital Jemproduce, independent under-ground Amordios G-Smyth, mixed media James Flaxman, minimal muralist and screen-printer Max Well, Aerosol Acylic and Stencil ExRobot, and Psychedelic fine art Kuba Fiedorowicz.

Music provided by Techno/Minimal/Techhouse DJ and Producers: Steph Yeah, Starma (Hesperia), Craig James, Royce, Toby and Pete.”

If you like your beats, and love your art, what better way to spend a Saturday?

Who: ExRobot, Andrew Sieker, Jianna Lucia, Mishke, Essig, Misprint, Jemproduce, Amordios G-Smyth, James Flaxman, Kuba Fiedorowicz, Max Well.
What: Yellow Sunshine festival Arts Precinct
Where: CERES Environment Park, Brunswick East
When: From 2pm, Saturday 10th December 2011

Check out the Yellow Sunshine website for more information.

The thing we most love about aMBUSH Gallery is the fact that they are not afraid to push the boundaries with shows – case in point with both their curation of Outpost Project as well as the recent Surface Tension exhibition.

Next up from this talented team, is something that we don’t see a hell of a lot of – a showcase of collage artists!

“Collage, originally a French word, derived from the word coller, meaning “to paste” is an art form very much reflective of our omnipresent consumer culture and a compelling medium in the contemporary art practice that seeks to interrogate it.

The cut-up aesthetic, the chopping up of found imagery and the reshuffling of the fragments, invests new meaning in familiar imagery. Themes of anarchy, instability and heterogeneity emerge as everyday images are deconstructed and reassembled.

Sampling and tapping into the ubiquitous scraps of modern life Alterations, Disturbances and Rips is an exhibition that suggests an investigation around the Collage medium and the various techniques employed by artists Danilo Brando (Brazil / NSW), Hilary Sloane (VIC), Joel Lambeth (NSW), Kareem Rizk (VIC) and Mauro Palmieri (VIC).

With each artist engaging with the medium from a different perspective the resulting assemblage of artworks will present as a complex tapestry of investigations – joined in the gallery space to become an extensive and multifaceted collage in itself.”

Another grand idea, and it looks fantastic – as if we needed yet another reason to get to aMBUSH Gallery!

Who: Kareem Rizk, Mauro Palmieri, Joel Lambeth, Danilo Brandao, Hilary Faye
What: Alterations, Disturbances & Rips group show
Where: aMBUSH Gallery, 4a James St, Waterloo, Sydney
When: Show opens Thursday 15th December from 6pm til 9pm and continues til December the 18th

Check out the aMBUSH Gallery website and the facebook event page for more info.

This one really piqued our interest when we saw it – renowned illustrator Ben Brown will be holding his next solo show at The National Grid this week, and the theme looks to be right up our alley.

Taking popular idols who have passed before their time, Ben has delved into the darker path, splitting them in half to represent both their images in life, and as they would appear if, well, dug out out of the grave …

“Ben’s obsessive-compulsive artistic relationship with skulls and bones is clearly a consequence of being born with super human illustration skills and x-ray vision.

His latest series of candy coloured portraits split Kurt Cobain, James Dean, Sid Vicious, Jimmy Hendrix, Buddy Holly and music’s most recent victim, Amy Winehouse, quite literally, in half. The Andy Warhol inspired comical renders, are part morbid tongue in cheek (or skull) and part eternal depictions (flesh). Die Young salutes popular idols with untimely deaths. As Ben puts it…”the celebrity life-style that we seem to aspire to, had killed them all by the age of 27″

An illustrator for over twenty years, Ben Brown is a regular contributor of comics for editorial, including the notorious surfing publication ‘Stab’. He has designed extensive clothing graphics for brands such as Mambo, Insight, Globe, O’Neill, Rip Curl, Ocean & Earth, Nice Produce and Supply, and he has designed music and festival posters for the likes of Nirvana, Frenzal Rhomb, Silverchair, Fat Boy Slim, The Hoodoo Gurus, Big Day Out, Good Vibrations Festival, Homebake and The Falls Festival.”

Macabre? Yes. Intriguing and awesome? Most certainly.

Who: Ben Brown
What: Die Young solo show
Where: The National Grid, 24 Chard Road, Brookvale, Sydney NSW
When: Show opens Friday 9th December from 6pm til 10pm, and runs til 24th January.

Check out Ben Browns website, as well as the National Grid website for more info.

We do love the Charles Street artists markets, so when we got this news in the mail we were double excited – they’re going to be holding a h=”Half Light” market up in Brunswick, which is great! Looks like it’ll end up being an annual xmas event for them, and what better way to end a Saturday before heading out than an artists market?

“Please join us at our 1st Annual Charles St ‘Half Light’ Artists Market. One week before Xmas, it’s the perfect opportunity to get the perfect gift. Heaps of new stall holders and regular favourites showcasing their amazing arts and crafts.

It’s a Saturday night special! Music jam and live art workshop open to the people, food, drinks and the fun loving vibe you have come to expect from a Charles St Artists Market. Bring your family, friends and party tricks and get involved!!”

You never actually know what you’ll see at an artists market, or what new talent you’ll discover – and that’s half the fun. So head to Brunswick and check it out on the 17th December.

Who: An assortment of artists and creatives ..
What: Half Light Market – Charles St Artist Markets
Where: 27 Weston St, Brunswick
When: Saturday 17th December from 5pm til 9pm

Check out the Charles Street Artists Market blog and the facebook event page for more info.

Well, it was a pretty epic night, for an epic show. Stormtroopers, imperial officers, and one hell of a lot of amazing science fiction related artwork at the Artboy vs Fanboy: Science Fiction exhibition in Prahran.

Check out the opening photos below!

12►

Of course, being that time of year, everyones having their Xmas parties, and the Blender studios crew really know how to throw one!

With Dark Horse Experiment holding the show itself, and with lots of performances and installations happening in conjunction with the show, this is one of those studio bashes that you just have to go to if you’re in Melbourne. Good times, good times!

“The Blender Studios Christmas exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate the art and party with the artists of Blender Studios. The hard work and dedication of the artists is evident in this annual event with 20 artists showcasing their work.

The exhibition will be hosted by Dark Horse Experiment and the studios will hold a series of performers and installations. The opening night is sure to be a stunning example of current practice in Melbourne right now. The opening night will include DJs, cutting edge performance artists, traditional works on canvas, live graffiti events, strange objects and dislocated renderings of suburbia.

After ten years the Blender Studios still hold true to the values of research, energy, independence and the solidarity.

With strong links to Melbourne Street Art and some of the most recognised and prolific artists calling the Blender home, the opening exhibition will attract a wide audience.”

Such a talented pool of artists, and such a great event – we’ll see you there!

Who: Adi (Adrian Brierley), James Bonnici, Christopher Hussein Bril, Maxwell Burns-McRuvie, Toni-Ann Dowd, Adrian Doyle, Geoffrey Carran, Michael Fikaris, Drew Funk, Joel Gailer, Heesco, George Manioudakis, Kristin McIver, Michael Meneghetti, Kristy Milliken, Aubrey Rhodes, Georgie Smith, Tim Sterling, Haha (Regan Tamanui) and Rebeccka Wetzler.
What: Blender Studios Christmas Exhibition
Where: Dark Horse Experiment, 110 Franklin Street, Melbourne
When: Opening night and associated party on Friday 20th December, and the exhibition runs until February 4th. The Gallery will be closed between the 25th December and January the 9th.

Check out the Darkhorse Experiment website and the Blender Studios website for more information.

Browsing through this list of illustrators in the upcoming show “Off The Wall” we’re in pretty high anticipation – it’s one of those shows with just about something for everyone, at affordable prices – with the bonus that you can take it home with you right away!

We love simple group shows like this that display craploads of talent, and it looks to be one of those great end of year group shows. Head over to Brunswick and check it out later this week!

Who: Ben Butcher, Celeste Potter, Civil, Georgina Ekert, Ghostpatrol, Hawkins, Jo Waite, Lachlan Conn, Lauz, Loretta Mui, Marc Martin, Mandy Ord, Meera Sethi, M P Fikaris, Nicole Hurtubise, Rachel Jessie-Rae O’Connor, Rose Turtle-Ertler, Sam Wallman, Sarah McNeil, Snotrag and others
What: Off The Wall Illustration and Drawing Group Show
Where: Brunswick Bound, 361 Sydney Road, Brunswick
When: Show opens with an afternoon tea party – 2 – 4pm, 10th December, and runs til Jan 31st 2012 or until all the work is gone!

Check out the facebook event page or the Brunswick Bound website for more info!

There’s just something about art and backyards that go together – drinks, bbqs and good weather makes for a pretty ideal day, and, when you couple that with a bunch of highly creative friends, you often get art jams that are second to none.

Taking it one step further, Primo! Mag and The Outsiders decided that just hanging out and doing art wasn’t enough – they wanted to share it with everyone, and so Backyard Play was born!

"PRIMO! Magazine & The Outsiders are two like mind crews who have already established a place in the local Art scene. They have joined forces to create a burgeoning new collective called BACKYARD PLAY. This collective aims to cultivate a greater sense of community amongst Street & Graffiti Artist. They hope to break down the stigma that surrounds their beloved chosen Art forms.

The idea, to bring together Artists, friends & community in a way that personalises the medium of their Art as well as promotes creativity & collaboration in their very own backyards. Through shared experience, BACKYARD PLAY hopes to bring more understanding of the process of creating Street Art & Graffiti as well as the shared experience of childhood play & the shared experience of a dedicated day of painting together. The first of these days took place on 6.8.2011 in a backyard in Sydney & the result is the first BACKYARD PLAY exhibition.

6 Artists created works inspired by the theme Backyard Play using a range of media such as aerosol, pen, paint and texta. They barbecued, drank beer & painted together, making Art in the same place at the same time they influence each others work & created an inspiring work environment. This day also held a deeper message of reflection for the Artists, with a loose theme of nostalgia & ‘childhood’, which encouraged them to draw upon their background & influence in order to convey their message. This is all reflected in the show in what we hope to turn into a regular playtime.

BACKYARD PLAY is a celebration of the things that hold a community together & knit you to your community like pride, nostalgia, diversity & notions of home."

You probably even recognise a few of the names from the Sydney Secret Wars list – there’s quite a few of the competitors taking part in this event.There will also be a really cool doco of the event on show, which was made by Will Hodgett & Daniel Repetti – along with the photography that’ll also be on display you’ll be able to get a great sense of how the show developed. Put it all together, and this looks mad – get to it!

Who: Cam Wall, Sprinkles, Kon, Mr. Sweet, Teem, photography by Hannah Wang and doco by Will Hodgett & Daniel Repetti
What: Backyard Play collaborative exhibition
Where: 240 Enmore Road, Enmore, Sydney, NSW
When: Opens Thursday 8th December and runs til Wednesday 14th December

Check out the Backyard Play facebook page as well as the facebook event page for heaps more info on the event.

We knew this one was coming up, and damn we’re looking forward to it. Since interviewing the man himself earlier this year, we’ve been hankering for a chance to see this Perth artists work in a full blown solo show – and it’s almost here, thanks to Prahrans RTIST Gallery.

"A composite mesh of graffiti, illustration, fantasy and photo-realism. Light and complex, with a hint of lustful attitude.

Still Under The Influence exhibits a new selection of pieces capturing Daek William’s world of influence and appreciation. Throughout his career, an obsession and fascination with the female form has been the strongest theme in Daek’s monstrous and detailed canvases. This new exhibition brings his classic work to view and enters into a new period for the artist.

“I wanted to show the world my appreciation of the geniuses that have pushed, pulled and influenced my own thoughts.” says Daek.

Using a unique style of laying origami crowns on the heads of his subjects, Daek new work depicts the artists who he admires and collaborates with. As the founding member of Last Chance studios in Perth, Daek works alongside names like Creepy, Kid Zoom and Yok . Daek’s deeply personal paintings take on the subject of the influential artist he admires, shares friendships with, and the stories that they have to convey.

“His new work is so f@#king amazing.” – Kid Zoom

Still Under The Influence will see Daek create his own play land within RTIST Gallery. Viewers can expect an experience filled with pink flamingos, BBQ’s, sand, lasers and dry ice. “This will be our last show for the year and were going out with bang”, says Jeremy Gaschk Head Curator RTIST Gallery."

Now, we always say this about the shows on at RTIST, and many others, but this one really is something you should get to! As their last show for the year, its sure to be off the hook. Daek is already making his mark the world over, and we’re predicting even bigger things for him over 2012 – so if you’re in Melbourne, make sure you go,and we’ll see you there!

Who: Daek William
What: Still Under The Influence solo show
Where: RTIST Gallery
When: Show opens Friday 9th December at 7:30pm and runs til Friday 23rd December.

Check out Daeks website, the RTIST Gallery site, as well as our interview with Daek earlier in the year.

Ah Perth, we had a great time hanging out with you over the weekend, and as always, we’re pretty sad that we wont be able to attend a show you’ve got happening soon! Ladies Lounge brings together a whole bunch of rad female street art and graffiti practitioners from Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide in what can only be described as a whole lotta awesome.

Many of the names are ones you’d be familiar with from some of the Lady Killerz rosters, the six artists, SEARious Jones, Joske, Ishk, Isis, Ladie Poise, Lady Bna-Nas  are all highly talented, and this is definitely a show to be reckoned with!

Nicely done Perth, nicely done.

Who: SEARious Jones, Joske, Ishk, Isis, Ladie Poise, Lady Bna-Nas
What: Ladies Lounge group show
Where: Queen Street Gallery, 28b Queen Street, Fremantle
When: Show opens Friday 9th December from 6pm til 9pm and runs til 23rd December

Check out the facebook event page for more info on the show or the Queen Street Gallery website.

In the next instalment of the quarterly Season Of Change shows over  Prahran this Friday night, Revolver have something pretty fine cooking (besides Colonel Tans that is, one of the best Thai spots south of the river we reckon).

Two of our favourite artists here, Cam Scale and Aida Sabic, will be next up on the roster – opening up the Summer show "Hell Hath No Fury" ..

"‘Seasons of Change’ is an exciting new event that will showcase new and established artists both local and international. Seasons of Change is held at Revolver Upstairs on the first Friday of every third month, coinciding with the change of season.

Each event will be totally different to the last dictated by that event’s artist/s. All events will feature a large scale mural on outside wall lasting for three months, a one night only exhibition featuring two limited edition prints (editions of 30) and paintings on canvas. Following the event prints will then be available for sale on the DangerFork online store (if not sold out)."

New mural, great food, lots of affordable art and prints from two of Melbournes and amazing street/artists? Hell yeah!

Who: Cam Scale & Aida Sabic with tunes from Hans DC and Who
What: Seasons of Change – Summer "Hell Hath No Fury"
Where: Revolver upstairs, Chapel Street, Prahran
When: Show opens Friday 2nd December from 6pm til 9pm

Check out both Cam Scale and Aida Sabics websites, as well as the facebook page!

It’s been over a year and a half since Beastmans last solo show (about the same amount of time since we last interviewed him!), but in during that time he’s been one damn busy dude. Thankfully, his Sydney fans now have a chance to get excited, as he rolls out his next show at Kind Of Gallery in early December – and it promises to be everything they’re hoping for.

"Our seeming dominance over the world is illusory and ephemeral. We consider ourselves masters of all creation, but as a species, humanity is insignificant on a cosmic scale, our limited perceptions allow us to only see a fraction of the full range of reality. ‘Cosmic Nature’ is a refreshing new series of paintings by Sydney based artist Beastman which explores the futuristic and overwhelming idea of nature coming to life in a way we could have never imagined. The artist’s new colour palette reflects the different elements of our young world, and his further developed distinctive style is influenced by the organic lines and often symmetrical geometric patterns found in nature. Whatever meaning or purpose may or may not be invested in Beastman’s paintings, the deities featured in his ambitious new works are a representation of what lies beyond the boundaries of our imagination, and what could result when the cosmic forces of nature eventually reveal the irrelevance of humanity in the universe.

"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age."
H.P. Lovecraft – ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ 1927

In his first solo exhibition in 18 months and over 2 years since his last Sydney solo show, Beastman has hit a new stride with this latest body of work. Travelling around Australia and the world painting large scale aerosol works has noticeably evolved his unique and well recognised style, which he is taking from the street and into the gallery. Recently named Best Artist at the Sydney Music Arts and Culture (SMAC) Awards, and fresh from participating in the Outpost Project on Cockatoo Island, Beastman is one of Australia’s most distinctive and prolific artists. He has exhibited his work and painted large scale murals all over Australia and New Zealand, as well as London, Berlin and New York. Beastman has also designed skateboards and graphics for brands including Element, Mingo Lamberti, T-Bar, The Art Park and Lowlife of London, he has also been commissioned to create artwork for Hyundai, Smirnoff, Red Bull, Tiger Beer and Huawei."

Not only that, but Beastman will also be releasing his first zine at the show!

"The ‘Cosmic Nature’ exhibition will also act as a launch for Beastman’s first publication. ‘Suburban Nature’ is a limited edition 60 page zine featuring street art, murals and collaborations created by the artist over 2 years throughout 10 different countries, documenting the journey and development of the artist’s unique and distinct style."

Apparently there are only 500 copies of this limited edition signed an numbered book available – so either get to the show, or get to his website afterwards.

Who: Beastman
What: Cosmic Nature solo show
Where: Kind Of Gallery, 72 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney
When: Show opens Thursday 8th December, 7pm and runs til 18th December

Check out Beastmans website and the facebook event page for more info.

You would think that the boys from aMBUSH Gallery would have their hands full with the ongoing Outpost Project, but no – these guys just keep powering on, and the next show up at aMBUSH Gallery sees a bunch of our favourites smashing it down in Sydney with an awesome group show, Surface Tension.

"Australia’s new wave of street art is already here. Following on from their curatorial hit Outpost Project at Cockatoo Island, aMBUSH proudly presents Surface Tension, featuring artists E.L.K. (Luke Cornish,
VIC), Heesco (VIC), Shida (QLD), Slurpree Slug (NSW), Sofles (VIC) and Sprinkles (NSW).

The artists will paint and transform the gallery walls, integrating the space itself into their body of works. Hailing from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, the stellar emergent line-up represents the next epoch, the next movement. Come and see where it all starts.

The opening will take place on Friday 25 November from 6-9pm at aMBUSH Gallery, 4A James Street Waterloo. Join us for complimentary drinks provided by Absolut and future leaning beats and Hip-hop
between provided by Zwelli.

On the billing will be Brisbane born, cut-back king, Sofles, recently returned from the San Francisco all-Australian show ‘Young and Free’ – himself one of the country’s finest graffiti exports. Also from Brisbane,
Shida’s vicious extra dimensional figures will grin across the concrete backdrop.

Moving further down south, representing Sydney will be Sprinkles, co-founder of Half-Star clothing, with his hyper-cartoon skulls stalking the back of your thoughts. Marking his exclusive gallery appearance is the mysterious street thrasher, Slurpee Slug, with his raw psychedelia a cross between whizz fizz characters and acid. From the Melbourne camp, and representing Blender studios we have Heesco and E.L.K.

Heesco, the current Sydney Secret Wars champion, has a talent in creating anguished faces and loose figures caught in motion.
E.L.K. (Luke Cornish) is widely regarded as a National stencil treasure, able to bring photorealistic portrayals in muted tones through painstaking execution of layering, deconstructing and reconstructing his works with his own flair. E.L.K. was the winner of the 2010 Australian Stencil Art Prize, and made the cover of Monthly Art Magazine, April 2011.

The exhibition will also run alongside an online catalogue with works for sale from Saturday 26 November and runs until 4 December, allowing interstate buyers to remotely buy works. Information regarding this will be available on the aMBUSH website from the opening night."

Damn. We love aMBUSH more and more every day – and you should too!

Who: E.L.K., Heesco, Shida, Slurpee Slug, Sofles, Sprinkles
What: Surface Tension group show
Where: aMBUSH Gallery, 4a James St, Waterloo, Sydney, NSW
When: Show opens Friday 25th November, and runs til Tuesday 29th November.

Check out the aMBUSH gallery website and the facebook event page for more info on the show.