It’s the end of December and you’re still hungry after your holiday feasts? Well we’re glad that you’ve saved room for Second Helpings! The staff at AM has selected some of the best stories of the month that you should not miss.
Get served after the jump.
am Editor recommends:
1) Conor Harrington @ The New Art Gallery Walsall
Mr. Harrington never ceases to amaze the art world. This month, he delighted his fans with a stunning 16 x 85 feet mural that incorporated some of the most dazzling imagery to date. His mixture of urban and the abstract is as smooth as peanut butter and jelly. Can you pick out the “blood”, “duke” and the “soldier” in this masterpiece?
2) Takashi Murakami Retrospective @ MMK Frankfurt
Taskashi was really busy in December – with an off the hook party at Basel Week to being called upon by Louis Vuitton to “wrap” their 5th Ave flagship store. However, we wanted to bring you back to his amazing retrospective that is currently in Frankfurt, Germany at the Museum für Moderne Kunst. We had a chance to explore the 3rd stop and see some of the new goodies that he just added. (Just wait til the Bilbao, Spain exhibition; cause you know AM’s got you…)
Jose Parla and Shepard Fairey
Maybe I’m cheating a little bit, but this was like Lay’s Potato Chips… you can’t have just one. With a veritable optical cornucopia, Basel week seemed like the Olympics for Art. There were just so many quality events to see and experience. So AM created an “easy button” to gather all the Basel events right at your finger tips. So just click here.
Sleepboy recommends:
Judging from your response, this new feature we started was very well received. Check out the first two artists we worked with – Eric Fortune & Tin if you haven’t yet, and look for more in the future.
2) Jeff Soto @ Riverside Art Museum
We had very high expectations for Jeff Soto’s first museum show… Well, he definitely did not disappoint. From a monster installation to gorgeous paintings, everything was spectacular. Don’t miss this show if you are in Southern California; it runs until February 21st.
Custom Gold & Black Colorway
3) Yoskay Yamamoto’s Koibito release
Although I initially started out as a toy fiend, I transitioned to collecting art a whiles back. So, it takes a lot to capture my attention when a new toy is released. Yoskay’s Koibito is one of those rare figures that fits the bill. The fresh concept, carefully chosen colorways, and the effort he put into planning the release party (customs, installation, giveaways, prints) did not go unnoticed by AM.
AM Editor recommends:
2) Mizuma Art Gallery @ Pulse Miami
3) FriendsWithYou Fun House @ Scope Miami
Art Basel Miami 2008 was a blast this year—the art, the parties—and these three posts sum it up for me. Already looking forward to next year.
Marcus recommends:
It’s not often that you get the chance to see the work of an artist of Yoshitomo Nara’s caliber, let alone meet the artist in person. Yet, on December 20th, attendees of Blum & Poe were treated not only with a great display of Nara’s work, but also an amazing wagon installation by YNG. To cap it all off, Yoshitomo was in attendance to meet and greet his fans.
Stephen recommends:
Armsrock & Elbow Toe @ Thinkspace
Armsrock and Elbow-Toe exceeded expectations with their two person show and made their mark on Los Angeles by “getting up†all over the city. Armsrock pushed the bounds with his unrelenting portrayal of atrocity victims. The works were a gripping depiction of not so distant events which prompted viewers to pause for a moment of reflection. Elbow-Toe took his fine-art work to another level in this show. His characters were intricately rendered and flawlessly executed. The combination of his street work and fine art background were reflective in the emotional embodiment exhibited by his characters.
