Fleisher/Ollman Gallery in Philadelphia recently opened a group show titled Department of Neighborhood Services on the 11th of April. Showing new works by Isaac Lin, Dan Murphy and Barry McGee, the exhibition is yet another collaboration of artists who worked together on different projects for over a decade.
Aside from publishing and creating DFW zines, with their artworks, photographs, etc, these three artist have already showed their work together previously. If there is one thing that is in common among these artist, it is their love for graffiti culture in its rawest form. From its long lasting tradition and strict rules on the streets, to its passionate energy and sensibility, the impact of tagging and illegal graffiti is definitely noticeable in their works. We can see it in the way Lin combines it with calligraphy elements and comic-like characters, in the way Murphy manipulates his photographs of tagged up public spaces and street life, or in the way Mcgee purposely damages and buffs his paintings or sculptures. Even installing and presenting the works in cluster like forms is a way that imitates the surfaces covered with tags, stickers and other ways of leaving a mark in an outdoor or public space.
The show will stay on view until June 7th, so make sure you visit this unique exhibition if you’re in the area.
Photos courtesy of Fleisher/Ollman Gallery.
Discuss Barry McGee here.
