Tonight, in the middle of a hot NYC summer, Jonathan LeVine Gallery will be opening a group exhibition entitled Cruel Summer. Curated by collector, graffiti historian and urban anthropologist Roger Gastman, the exhibition is inspired by the summer of 1984 and the song Cruel Summer by Bananarama.
The show will take place in both locations (557C West 23rd Street & 529 West 20th Street, in Chelsea) and will feature works by over 20 artists. The list of participating artists include both well know and emerging young talents from around the globe, but with one common thing – graffiti/urban art background. The full lineup includes Ben Venom, Blade, Caleb Neelon, Cleon Peterson, Cope2, Dabs Myla, Eric Haze, Finok, Freedom, Horfe, HuskMitNavn, Mark Bode, Maya Hayuk, Mike Ballard (Cept), Mike Giant, Niagara, Pose, Revok, Rime, Risk, Sam Friedman, Shepard Fairey, Tim Conlon and Victor Reyes – all presenting their different styles of works on canvas, panels or paper with the idea of the exhibition to freshen up the hot summer and review all the possibilities in which graffiti can evolve.
