butterfly « Arrested Motion

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Les Bains Douches artistic residency (Paris)

Posted by butterfly, April 14, 2013

Paris is a city full of mysterious places. A year after the Mausolee project was revealed (covered here), the mythical Bains Douches, cradle of the Parisian night life, has been transformed in an ephemeral artistic residency curated by Magda Danyz. Closed since 2010, the site is due to be demolished on April, 30 2013. For the past four months, graffiti artists and others have been invited to perform and reinvent the 3000 square meters. Due to safety reasons, it can not be open to the public but luckily AM has been […]

Ben Slow Mural tribute to Ruth First in Soweto

Posted by butterfly, September 30, 2012

British artist Ben Slow has painted a large mural of Ruth First in Nomzamo Park informal settlement in Orlando East, Soweto. Starting on National Heritage day, the 12 foot tall painting was completed in five days using ink and brush and spray paint. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Ruth First by a letter bomb in Mozambique. The spot where the painting is located is only a few kilometres from Kliptown where in 1955 the Freedom Charter was adopted by the Congress […]

Openings: José & Rey Parlá – “U.T.O.P.I.A.” @ colette

Posted by butterfly, September 3, 2012

Parisian house colette in France just opened the eagerly awaited new exhibition titled U.T.O.P.I.A. (previewed) featuring new collaborative works from the Parlá Brothers. The Brooklyn-based siblings placed a series of paintings on the walls featuring a melding of José’s urban calligraphy and Rey’s playful arrangement of colors and lines as evidence of their artistic dialogue. The show runs until 22nd, but check out our opening photos if you can’t make the show in person. Photo credit for Arrested Motion: Butterfly. Discuss this show here. Discuss José Parlá here.

Openings: “Unnatural – Natural History” @ Royal West of England Academy

Posted by butterfly, July 20, 2012

Curated by Coates and Scarry, the exhibition entitled Unnatural-Natural History recently launched at the Royal West of England Academy with many of the participating artists present at the opening. Featuring paintings, photography, drawings, sculptures and installations, 38 local and international artists are currently displaying their artistic interpretation of an alternative world. Following genetic mutations and environmental pressure, natural objects have been metamorphosed into unexpected forms in a place no longer ruled by humans. At the entrance, guests are greeted by feathered installations by Kate McGuire. The viewer’s mind is then immediately […]

Previews: Dreweatts Urban & Contemporary Sale

Posted by butterfly, July 1, 2012

On the 3rd of July, Dreweatts London will be hosting their Urban and Contemporary sale. The auction presents some pieces from a strong mix of urban and contemporary artists including Banksy, Nick Walker, Paul Insect, Adam Neate, and Damien Hirst. International artists are also featured, facing the French side, with works by Blek Le Rat, Speedy Graphito, Jef Aerosol, Kan/DMV, and the American side with artworks by LAII, Cope2, Faile, Michael De Feo, just to name a few. See more info about the sale here as well as more down below. […]

Openings: JAZ @ RAS Barcelona

Posted by butterfly, June 6, 2012

Following his recent participation to the Open Walls Baltimore (covered here) Franco Fasoli aka Jaz recently opened his first European solo show at RAS Gallery in Barcelona, curated by Maximiliano Ruiz and produced by Suben. Through a broad selection of works on paper and large scale canvases, the new body of work focuses on the duality of elements, clashes of forces with a mix of constellations. A large scale mural depicting a confrontation between two giant bears adorns the back wall of the gallery. The energy coming out […]

Studio Visits: Nick Walker – “TMA Paris” Print

Posted by butterfly, May 24, 2012

Throughout the past year we’ve been liaising with British artist Nick Walker as he worked on a vandal theme with a Paris focus. From accompanying him on Paris rooftops to get some inspiration, to following the different steps of the creative process, it’s been a very exciting journey and we’re glad to be able to share some behind the scene pics. The Morning After Paris print will be a very limited edition, available in person only at Opera Gallery Paris on June 23rd at 2PM – […]

Update / Streets: Jorge Rodrigez-Gerada in Manama (Bahrain)

Posted by butterfly, May 12, 2012

Recently, Cuban American artist Jorge Rodriguez-Guerada was invited to the Alwan 338 festival put together by the Al Riwaq Art Space in Manama (Bahrain). While there, he completed a mural of a traditional Bahraini fisherman ‘Yousif’ using his trademark charcoal technique. Jorge shares his experience in Bahrain in more details: “Knowing the current situation there, I was a little apprehensive but a good friend working with the gallery explained the special nature of what the Al Riwaq Art Space was doing. I met some truly extraordinary […]

Opening: Blek Le Rat @ Opera Gallery (London)

Posted by butterfly, April 27, 2012

Xavier Prou aka Blek Le Rat opens a new exhibition of work to the public at the Opera Gallery in London on Friday 27th April 2012. Despite exhibiting all over the world, this will be the French artist’s first London exhibition since 2008. With this being his 30 year career anniversary, the new body of work pays tribute to the people that inspired him from his childhood including figures from the Renaissance era as well as people he met during his travels. He also celebrates “Street Art” […]

Mausolee: Lek x Sowat (Paris)

Posted by butterfly, April 7, 2012

Imagine an abandoned four storey supermarket in the North of Paris occupied by squatters, then deserted again. On August 12, 2010, French graffiti artists Lek and Sowat discovered the place much to their delight. For a year, in the greatest of secrets, both artists continuously wandered in this 430,000 sq ft monument to paint murals and organize an illegal artistic residency. They invited forty French graffiti artists to collaborate, from the first to the last generation of the graffiti movement. Together they built a Mausolee, […]