Openings « Arrested Motion

Category Archives: Openings

Openings: ESPO – “Days” @ V1 Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, May 10, 2011

Steve Powers aka ESPO has had a busy few weeks. First, came his part in the time-consuming Street Market installation at the MOCA for the historic Art in the Streets exhibition. Then, last Friday in Copenhagen, he opened his latest solo show at the V1 Gallery entitled simply Days. A fitting title as the work in the show includes some of his daily metaltations ruminating on the complexities of everyday life with his poetic world play and signature visual language using enamel paint on metal. […]

Openings: Marci Washington – “For Forever I’ll Be Here” @ Rena Bransten Gallery

Posted by rhinomilk, May 9, 2011

Thursday night saw the reception of Marci Washington’s latest exhibition at the Rena Bransten Gallery. Her work typically consists of illustrations telling the narrative of a story that does not exist, which gives the work a supernatural, haunting and cinematic feel. For this show For Forever I’ll Be Here (which is based off of a Fever Ray song), she explores the common thread throughout time that stays constant, and forever influences our attempts at making the world a better place. This is achieved by producing […]

Openings: Crash, Freedom, and Risk – “Blurring the Lines” @ Corey Helford Gallery

Posted by Susie Lee, May 9, 2011

With the overwhelming success of Art in the Streets, it seems like LA can’t seem to get enough of street art lately. And for hardcore graffiti fans, one couldn’t ask for more than a group show curated by Roger Gastman, featuring New York legends CRASH and FREEDOM, alongside historic LA pioneer and figurehead RISK. Last Saturday, AM attended the opening of Blurring the Lines at Corey Helford Gallery, which features new work by these East and West Coast graffiti masters. This exhibition marks a moment […]

Openings: Hideaki Kawashima – “Turning” @ Richard Heller Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, May 8, 2011

Last evening, AM stopped by the Bergamot Station complex to check out what looks to be the first US exhibition of Hideaki Kawashima at Richard Heller Gallery. As referenced by the title of the show, Turning, this wonderful collection of emotive paintings from the Tokyo-based artist represents an exploration of a new direction that we first saw at Art Basel Miami last year. Labelled “developmental” modestly by Hideaki, these more realistic full body (or at least upper body) works are a departure from his previous […]

Openings: Rockin’ Jelly Bean & Sketch – “The Monsters Showcase” @ Sunday Issue

Posted by rhinomilk, May 7, 2011

On a rainy Tuesday night in the Shibuya district in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday Issue (gallery/lounge) hosted the opening of Rockin’ Jelly Bean and Sketch’s joint exhibition, The Monsters Showcase. Rockin’ Jelly Bean (who is also known for his illustrations/paintings of sexy women and merchandise through his store, Erostika) was spotted in his signature lucha mask and groupies in tow. Both artists decided to do a series of monster paintings as a nod to their early influence from the LA Low Brow art scene. This exhibition […]

Openings: Ai Weiwei – “Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads” @ Pulitzer Fountain (Central Park)

Posted by lowpro, May 7, 2011

To mirror the images we brought you a few days back of the Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads still wrapped up, we can now bring you coverage of the impressive installation of Ai Weiwei’s massive bronze sculptures in all their larger than life glory. Delayed by two days due to the capture of Osama Bin Laden, Mayor Bloomberg was able to officially unveil the public art installation on a drizzly Wednesday morning, the ominous weather subtly underscoring the somber tone of the event as […]

Openings: SABER – “The American Graffiti Artist” @ Opera Gallery (New York)

Posted by lowpro, May 6, 2011

Continuing the near relentless barrage of street inspired exhibitions arranged to coincide with Art in the Streets, SABER (interviewed) opened The American Graffiti Artist (previewed) at Opera Gallery in New York last night. While his impressive efforts within MOCA (covered) paid homage to his roots within Los Angeles graffiti lore, his newest body of work riffs on a more recent manifestation. In an aesthetic chapter first penned in 2009 when he created a video for the “Organizing For America’s Health Care Reform Video Challenge” (covered) that […]

Openings: Jacub Gagnon & Yosuke Ueno – “Elements and Oddities” @ Thinkspace

Posted by sleepboy, May 6, 2011

Last Saturday night, Jacub Gagnon and Yosuke Ueno opened their joint show Elements and Oddities at the Thinkspace Gallery in Culver City. As we touched on in our interview with him last week, Jacub brought with him a series of surrealistic still-life paintings set against a background of black vacuum of space featuring clever interplays between the subjects he choses. As for Yosuke, his signature rainbow colored creatures were present in this new body of work and interestingly enough, some of the paintings featured a […]

Openings: Matt Small – “Recognition” @ Merry Karnowsky Gallery

Posted by Susie Lee, May 5, 2011

Last Friday, Matt Small (interviewed) opened his first U.S. exhibition at Merry Karnowsky Gallery, as part of the BritWeek Art Program in partnership with the British Council and the L.A. Art Machine. Recognition is a collection of paintings, drawings, and mixed media, depicting vibrant portraiture of what the artist views as “the marginalized and voiceless in society, those who are socially excluded.” Small portrays those on the fringes of society, drawing attention to those who may be overlooked, challenging prejudices and bringing forward a shared […]

Openings: Kevin Cyr – “Home in the Weeds” @ 941 Geary

Posted by sleepboy, May 1, 2011

Last night, 941 Geary hosted the opening of Kevin Cyr’s (interviewed) solo Home in the Weeds in San Francisco. The last time he showed at the Bay Area, it was a two-person show at sister gallery White Walls (covered) and featured his popular depictions of the vandalized vehicles. This time around though, the Brooklyn-based artist brought along some still life paintings featuring everyday objects like old radios or pen knives. And, it looks like he further explored his camper-bike concept with other unique living structure […]