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Category Archives: Openings

Openings: ROA – “Dominant Species” @ 941 Geary

Last Saturday, 941 Geary hosted the opening to ROA’s latest ambitious endeavor entitled, Dominant Species (previewed). This is the followup to his exhibition last year at the San Francisco gallery’s sister location, White Walls. This time around, ROA was given an even larger space and more time to transform the gallery into an urban wasteland where the animals depicted in his paintings roam. The works in the gallery include ones that can be physically manipulated and/or viewed at different angles to show different layers of […]

Openings: Bäst – “Germs Tropicana” @ Opera Gallery (NYC)

Last week, the Opera Gallery hosted an opening for a rare solo from Bäst at their New York location entitled Germs Tropicana. The show featured somewhat of a new direction for the Brooklyn-based street artist as he delivered pieces that were dense with his collage-style imagery, some of which were circular in nature. Teeming with his signature pop iconography, they resembled giant petri dishes – hence the title of the show. Along with his collaboration with Greek olive oil brand Eléia, rounding out the exhibition were a series of gun sculptures. Photo credit: Joe Russo for Arrested […]

Openings: Geoff McFetridge – “Around Us & Between Us” @ Ivory & Black

Last week, Geoff McFetridge presented a set of all new paintings at the Ivory & Black Gallery in London in an exhibition entitled Around Us & Between U. Working with the basic colors and shapes that he loves to use, the Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary artist is able to capture the human form and everyday objects with a fresh new perspective. Take a look at some opening night photos as well as a video below… Photos courtesy of the gallery. Discuss this show here. Discuss Geoff McFetridge here.

Openings: JR – “Pattern” @ Emmanuel Perrotin (Hong Kong)

After teasing his fans with updates from the setup of his show in Hong Kong as well as photos of a sweet new mural in the Asian metropolis, JR’s show at Emmanuel Perrotin finally opened last night. The French photograffeur has kindly sent AM shots from the opening of Pattern, where he unveiled his first sculptural creations ever in the form of crumpled photographs, originals featuring his signature eye, as well as a new photobooth for his Inside Out project. Discuss JR here.

Openings: Martin Wittfooth – “Empire” @ Corey Helford Gallery

A couple nights ago in Culver City, the NY-based Martin Wittfooth (interviewed) brought his dystopian visions to the Corey Helford Gallery with a new solo showing entitled Empire. Playing on themes of power, politics, greed, and more through his animal surrogates, Wittfooth surrounds them with bleak post-apocalyptic landscapes to further emphasize his points.  Check out more photos from the opening below… Photo credit: theonepointeight for Arrested Motion. Discuss this show here. Discuss Martin Wittfooth here.

Openings: Lucien Smith – “Seven Rain Paintings” @ OHWOW

Over the weekend, OHWOW in Los Angeles unveiled Lucien Smith’s first solo exhibition in the US – Seven Rain Paintings. As the simple title implies, the exhibition focuses on the NY-based artist’s signature rain paintings (first introduced in 2011 here on AM), created by filling an extinguisher with paint and then mimicking a pattern of precipitation in the application onto canvas. These works were displayed in stark contrast a wood chip floor that was laid down throughout part of the space. Photo Credit: theonepointeight for Arrested Motion. Discuss Lucien Smith here.

Openings: Mr. – “Metamorphosis: Give Me Your Wings” @ Lehmann Maupin

On Thursday, Kaikai Kiki artist Mr. returned for a second showing with New York’s Lehmann Maupin Gallery. The former protégé of Takashi Murakami put forth a more serious body of work entitled Metamorphosis – Give Me Your Wings that was reflected in a dense installation that literally littered the space with common pop & household objects. At the center of the exhibition space was a gigantic caterpillar created by these items, which is intended to convey the current state of Japan’s metamorphosis in contrast to the perceived […]

José Parlá – “Gesture Performing Dance, Dance Performing Gesture” @ BAM

Last week, AM attended the much anticipated unveiling of José Parlá’s new work – Gesture Performing Dance, Dance Performing Gesture – at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). José had the honor of being the first artist commissioned to create public art for BAM’s new Richard B. Fisher building. This magnificent painting, which measures 37 x 7 feet, took the artist four months to complete. The christening event was also accompanied by a mini showcase of Parlá’s paper based mono-tranfers and rag installations similar to what he put forth […]

Openings: RETNA – “New Paintings and Works on Paper” @ Michael Kohn Gallery

Last night, Michael Kohn Gallery hosted the opening for local graffiti artist RETNA (featured) and his solo show featuring New Paintings and Works on Paper. Both the outside and inside of the gallery were transformed by the MSK-affiliated writer with his urban hieroglyphics in the form of paintings on the interior and with his script directly on the exterior walls of the showspace. The new body of work spanned the diverse twists and turns his work has taken through the years – from the strong regimented monochromatic calligraphy to the embellished […]

Openings: Art Nerd New York – “George Hearts Maria” @ Helium Cowboy

Our friends at Art Nerd New York recently invaded Hamburg, Germany for a special group show at Helium Cowboy. The exhibition entitled George Hearts Maria is themed around the tale of forbidden romance between the Prince George of Wales and commoner Maria Fitzherbert. While separated, they each had miniature eyes (of each other) painted so they could stare at them without getting caught by the royal family. Artists such as Allison Sommers, Beau Stannton, Ian Kuali’i, Jon Burgerman, Molly Crabapple, Ryan Brennan, Zac Braun and […]