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Category Archives: Low Brow & Pop Surrealism

Baby Tattooville ’09 – Reverse Studio Visits – Greg “Craola” Simkins

Coming to Baby Tattooville equipped with a blank canvas and some paint, Greg “Craola” Simkins treated BT attendees with the ultimate in “tabula rasa” art experience.  Creating coats upon coats of background texture, Greg spent hours building the foundation of what will undoubtedly become another masterpiece.  Expect to see the completed painting at his upcoming show “The Pearl Thief” opening November 3rd at Gallery 1988 (LA).  Pictures after the jump.

Highlights: Recommended Openings For Oct 22-24

In 1994, Giant Robot was born with the purpose of documenting and promoting new, up-and-coming, underdog, overlooked, and hybrid Asian and Asian-American popular culture. Fifteen years later, the self-published magazine has not only evolved from a stapled-and-folded zine into a full-color, glossy publication with an international following, but also opened trend-setting shops and influential art galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City. To celebrate the magazine’s longevity, energy, and loyal readership, the second Giant Robot Biennale is being hosted by the Japanese […]

Openings: Peru Ana Ana Peru “…And Then We Jumped Into the Abyss of Numbers” @ Brooklynite Gallery

AM was invited to Bed Stuy’s Brooklynite Gallery this weekend to witness Peru Ana Ana Peru putting the finishing touches on their gallery debut “…And Then We Jumped Into the Abyss of Numbers.” Up until now, the enigmatic duo have mostly been known for their cryptic eponymous tags found throughout Brooklyn. With this exhibition, however, PAAP show that their art goes beyond merely a puzzling name. It turns out that the pair are film-makers, who were enticed in recent years by New York’s street art […]

Releases: kozyndan – “Spring in Nakano” for Giant Robot Biennale 2 @ Japanese American National Museum

Famous for their panoramics, kozyndan created one just for the Giant Robot Biennalle (teased) opening next weekend at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM).  Entitled “Nakano in Spring,” the piece will be released as a print (limited to 1200) sized approximately at 39″ x 8,” each is signed and numbered.  Take a look at this nice 360 degree QuickTimeVR that they created of the image. Pics of the entire panoramic plus detailed views after the jump…

Openings: Nate Frizzell – “Lost in the Thicket” @ LeBasse Projects

“Lost in the Thicket” opened last night in Culver City and AM was on hand at LeBasse Projects to take in Nate Frizzell’s solo show. Our first impression of this new body of work (during an earlier studio visit) was one of appreciation at the increasing maturity in this young artist’s talent. Seeing the paintings in the gallery setting definitely fortified our opinion, especially after seeing how all the work played off each other and the installation (a tree branch from Nate’s parents’ backyard fashioned to […]

Baby Tattooville ’09: Travis Louie’s “Creature Parade”

Baby Tattooville‘s Secret Society was taken into Travis Louie‘s gorgeously illustrated Victorian and Edwardian world of human oddities and mythical beings with “strange grooming habits” for one weekend. What was even better was that lucky attendees this year were able to take home the experience with a original portrait by the man himself. Yes, not just a print, not just an ordinary multiple, but a unique, hand-drawn piece of art that you may have witnessed with your own eyes created in person. More after the […]

Baby Tattooville ’09: James Gurney’s Explorer’s Journal

Although he may not be a familiar name among the roster of Pop Surrealist and Low Brow artists that are typically identified with Baby Tattooville, James Gurney is a highly accomplished artist and author known for his illustrated book series Dinotopia, as well as his plen-air landscape paintings. He has been an illustrator for National Geographic Magazine, has illustrated over seventy science fiction magazine and book covers, and was a scenic background painter (he produced over 500 paintings) for the animated film “Fire and Ice,” […]

Highlights: Recommended Openings For Oct 14-17

Brendan Monroe returns to Los Angeles this weekend after recently moving to Sweden. The word is there will be a huge wall installation described as a portable mural and another installation featuring an array of hanging wood sculptures. The notion of a slew of Monroe wood sculptures up for grabs has us here at AM very excited. Be sure to get down to Bergamot Station in Santa Monica this Saturday bright and early and welcome Brendan back to LA, even if only for a short […]

Openings: Lori Earley “Laments & Lullabies” @ Opera Gallery London

We recently showed you a couple of preview images from the wonderful Lori Earley’s debut UK solo show, “Laments and Lullabies,” and the teaser images got our expectations rising high to see Lori’s work first hand. AM went along to the private view reception at the Opera Gallery to take a look for ourselves – check out our pictures after the jump.

Preview: Brendan Monroe @ Richard Heller Gallery

Time flies. It seems we had just told you about Brendan Monroe’s (interviewed) solo show at Richard Heller and it’s already time for the opening this weekend. After making good on the plans he told us about during our studio visit in May to move to Stockholm with his wife and fellow artist Evah Fan, he’s back in Los Angeles with a new body of work.  He plans on having a big wall installation that’s a little like a portable mural and another installation with […]