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Tag Archives: ESPO

Videos: Steve Powers – “Flights of Genius” @ Ogilvy & Mather

Posted by sleepboy, November 4, 2011

Back in July, we told you about a series of commissioned pieces by Steve Powers, painted in the stairwell of Ogilvy & Mather in New York. ESPO’s love for signs and phraseology was definitely evident as he reinterpret the words and quotes of agency founder David Ogilvy into inspirational murals. Now comes this insightful video as the Philadelphia-based artist talks about his beginnings and his love for “advertisement,” albeit stripped of its commercial aspect and replaced by emotional content, and diverted to shed light on […]

Streets: Steve “ESPO” Powers – A Love Letter To Brooklyn

Posted by juggernut3, October 24, 2011

Following up on his Love Letters to Philadelphia and Syracuse, Steve Powers most recently transformed downtown Brooklyn with his witty and endearing public art. Powers was given the walls of Macy’s department store parking garage for his project, and instead of the colorful palettes of his previous Love Letters, for BK NY, he chose black and white, reminiscent of his early days with Exterior Surface Painting Outreach. And unlike his other work, which tends to combine text and images equally, this new project is almost all […]

Openings: Steve Powers / Barry McGee / Todd James – “Contemporaries” @ Galleria Patricia Armocida (Milan)

Posted by lowpro, September 28, 2011

A couple weeks ago, Patricia Armocida Gallery opened a group show curated by Steve Powers (aka ESPO) at their Milan location. For Contemporaries, the venerable Philadelphia-based street artist hand selected ten artists from both the East and West Coasts of the United States, balancing the artistic dialogue between the old school and the new school generations. Of course, taking center stage were Barry McGee (aka TWIST), Todd James (aka REAS), and ESPO himself, the trio being longtime friends and collaborators perhaps best known for their […]

Openings: Stephen “ESPO” Powers – “Flights of Genius” @ Ogilvy & Mather

Posted by juggernut3, July 21, 2011

Last Thursday, AM attended the much anticipated unveiling of Flights of Genius by Steve “ESPO” Powers. Created in association with Joshua Liner Gallery and held at the corporate offices of Ogilvy & Mather (see previous project there), the marketing agency commissioned ESPO to create a series of works that lined each floor of the stairwell for the historic building with direct quotes by legendary founder David Ogilvy. We walked the entire building to catch the comedic and still relevant sayings which compliment ESPO’s witty artistic statements nicely. We […]

Openings: Jeff Canham, New Bohemia Signs, and ESPO @ Guerrero Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, June 14, 2011

On Saturday night, the Guerrero Gallery in SF opened up their doors to a show celebrating the signmaking aesthetic. Included in the show were artists influenced by the their love for typography and signage – Steve “ESPO” Powers and Jeff Canham, as well as the crew of New Bohemia Signs. Powers brought with him a body of work consisting mostly of his metaltations series along with what looks to be his working desk as an installation. Photos taken for us by Berlin Tomas of the […]

Preview: Jeff Canham, New Bohemia Signs, and ESPO @ Guerrero Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, June 10, 2011

Steve Powers aka ESPO has been a busy man. First, came his part in the epic recreation of the immersive Street Market installation at the MOCA for the Art in the Streets exhibition. Then, he jetted to Copenhagen, where he opened his Days exhibition at the V1 Gallery (covered). Now comes word of a joint show involving Mr. Love Letter For You along with the artists at New Bohemia Signs and Jeff Canham, an artist whose work also utilizes the craft and traditions of sign […]

Videos: Steve Powers (aka ESPO) – “Days”

Posted by lowpro, May 21, 2011

Peering into the ESPO creative process as it relates to his recent exhibition, Days (covered), which revolved around his practice of producing a single painting – metaltations – every single day as form of artistic meditation, comes a new video, aptly dubbed Days. The footage illuminates Steve Powers as a father and as an artist, focusing on the creation of the 100th daily painting created in succession. A noble accomplishment and a testament to the dedication to his craft, evidenced firsthand by the sheer amount […]

Focus: Street Market – Barry McGee, Steve Powers, Todd James – “Art in the Streets” @ MOCA

Posted by AM Editor, May 16, 2011

As part of the MoCA’s Art in the Streets exhibition (covered), Todd James (aka REAS), Barry McGee (aka Ray Fong, Lydia Fong, Robert Pimple, Twist) and Steve Powers (aka ESPO) reunited to re-envision their legendary 2000 Street Market installation at Deitch Projects, which itself was a recreation of the trio’s Indelible Market at the Philadelphia ICA earlier that year. Although the installation is always different, the idea remains the same: an urban environment—complete with stores, streets and all—that reflects the artists’ idea of a hyper-real […]

Openings: ESPO – “Days” @ V1 Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, May 10, 2011

Steve Powers aka ESPO has had a busy few weeks. First, came his part in the time-consuming Street Market installation at the MOCA for the historic Art in the Streets exhibition. Then, last Friday in Copenhagen, he opened his latest solo show at the V1 Gallery entitled simply Days. A fitting title as the work in the show includes some of his daily metaltations ruminating on the complexities of everyday life with his poetic world play and signature visual language using enamel paint on metal. […]

Teaser: ESPO – “Days” @ V1 Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, May 2, 2011

After an epic recreation of the historic Street Market installation along with Barry McGee and Todd James at the MOCA, Steve Powers aka ESPO has already moved on to his next undertaking. This time, it will be a solo endeavor at the V1 Gallery in Copenhagen entitled Days opening on May 6th. The show looks like it will include many the legendary writer’s daily metaltations he posts on his blog that his fans will be familiar with. Via Vandalog. Discuss this show here. Discuss ESPO […]