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Category Archives: Low Brow & Pop Surrealism

Showing: Kaili Smith // Thinkspace Gallery @ Moniker Art Fair

Another show to check out at the Moniker International Art Fair in London is a solo from Kaili Smith at the Thinkspace Gallery booth. The new series of “Le Petit Prince” paintings from the  Netherlands-born and Australia-raised artist deal with the issues of youth criminality through the lens of his experience hearing the famous childrens’ story from his French mother as a child. Smith, who himself spent jail time for graffiti while young, wanted to present works that explore the perspective of the children who find […]

Previews: Amy Sol – “Lore” @ Spoke Art (SF)

On Saturday night (October 6), Spoke Art in San Francisco will be opening a solo show from Amy Sol (interviewed). Lore sees the locally-based artist continue her more recent use of a darker and smokier palette for paintings as well as her forays into sculpture. Sol’s elegant renderings of her female characters and their animal companions seem to have taken on a more meditative tone, frozen moments of time seemingly giving glimpses of some delicate ritual. Discuss Amy Sol here.

Album Covers: Kris Kuksi x T.I. – “Dime Trap”

Even without the unveiling of album cover for rapper T.I.’s new album thru Kris Kuksi’s social media recently, fans of the sculptor will have recognized the characteristic aesthetic utilized. Dime Trap will feature one of Kuksi’s surreal assemblages, created from found objects, hand sculpted elements, and for the first time, involve 3D modeling. Take a look at more of the details below.. Discuss Kris Kuksi here.

Previews: Erik Jones // Spoke Art @ Moniker International Art Fair (London)

Continuing to expand on his color infused portraiture, Erik Jones has prepared a surreal new body of work for the upcoming Moniker International Art Fair in London. Scheduled to be shown at the Spoke Art booth from October 4-7, the new vibrant paintings feature some of his familiar geometric patterns surrounding his subjects, but it seems like some of the palette has bled into their bodies and limbs. Elongated legs and arms (ala Mr. Fantastic or Elastigirl) seem to be sprouting from his characters, blending abstract […]

Upcoming: Josh Keyes & Lisa Ericson – “Tempest” & “Border Crossing” @ Thinkspace

Coming up on October 13th, Thinkspace will be opening separate solo shows from artist couple Josh Keyes (interviewed) and Lisa Ericson. Both of the Portland-based artists’ work reference the environmental issues our world faces, something that will be evident again when they unveil new paintings in Los Angeles. Keyes’ imagery (seen above) often features a post-apocalyptic world where creatures are confronted by the results of actions by humans, often creating tension by bringing nature into an urban setting while Erison (seen below) has been continuing to explore […]

Previews: John Brosio – “Recent Paintings” @ Arcadia Contemporary

Tomorrow night (September 15th) in Los Angeles, Arcadia Contemporary will be presenting some recent paintings from John Brosio. The new body of work includes many of the locally-based artist’s suburban landscapes, tinged with surreal features in the background like dinosaurs, natural disasters, and the monsters – with unsuspecting people in the foreground going about their daily life. Brosio also intriguing injects some two dimensional elements into his imagery, such as trees that look like flat props or creatures that are nothing more than childlike drawings. Discuss John […]

Openings: Luke Chueh – “ANTHROPOMORPHUCKED” @ Corey Helford Gallery

This past weekend at Corey Helford Gallery, Luke Chueh (interviewed) opened his first major Los Angeles show in over three years. ANTHROPOMORPHUCKED is a collection of 24 paintings which showcases themes such as Luke’s love of Asian mythology (including a series of rabbit on the moon pieces – explained here, here, and here) and pop culture. Chueh elaborates further on the new body of work – “When I started painting with my characters, I admittedly felt bad for them. It was like I was God, […]

Previews: Cinta Vidal – “Viewpoints” @ Thinkspace Gallery

This Saturday night (September 15th), Cinta Vidal will be presenting her new solo show at Thinkspace Gallery in Los Angeles. Entitled Viewpoints, the exhibition features the Barcelona-based artist’s wonderful gravity-defying and Escher-esque imagery. Spanning complex architectural compositions, the natural world, as well as clusters of people, pets, and furniture, Vidal’s imaginative paintings draw the eye in. The viewer begins to trace the different perspectives that are interconnected in each piece, trying they hardest to resist turning their heads sideways or upside down to match each vantage point. […]

Previews: “THE 13th ANNUAL BLAB! SHOW” @ Copro Gallery

Hard to believe it has been 13 years already, but tonight (September 8th) at Copro Gallery, the 13th annual BLAB! SHOW will be opening it’s doors. Curated by Monte Beauchamp, the roster once again features many familiar AM favorites as well as some new names… Participants include: Amy Crehore, Banjo Glass, Chris Mars, Joe Sorren, Mark Garro, Adrian Cox, Ana Bagayan, Renee French, Scott Listfield, Brian Smith, Jon Ching, Edith Waddell, Jana Brike, Femke Heimstra, Glenn Barr, Peter Ferguson, Robert Steven Connett, Candice Tripp, Danny Galieote, Nicoletta […]

Previews: Mike Davis – “Fate Of The Union” @ Spoke Art (New York)

After a 10 year break from exhibiting in New York, Mike Davis returns on September 10th for a solo show at Spoke Art’s location in NYC. Entitled Fate Of The Union, the San Francisco-based artist will be exploring themes of social and political dichotomies through his surrealistic paintings that take influence from the work of Flemish Primitives such as Bosch, Bruegel and van Eyck. Steeped in symbolism, Davis’ imagery features reoccurring motifs like keys, ufos, birds, snakes, ladybugs and butterflies which inhabit his bizarre world filled with hybrid creatures and […]