Click here to view the embedded video.

Jonathan LeVine Gallery
529 West 20th Street, 9th floor
New York, NY 10011

Through striking visual imagery, Jeff Soto communicates profound visions and fears, nostalgia of his youth, and themes of love, lust, and hope. Soto’s distinct color palette, subject matter, technique and bold themes resonate with a growing audience. Inspired by childhood toys, the colorful lifestyle of skateboarding and graffiti, hip-hop and popular culture, Soto’s representational work is simultaneously accessible and stimulating.

Environmental issues also take precedent for Soto, who is concerned with conflict of humans trying to harness, or take advantage of nature. His paintings exude this tension, as robotic creatures duel, organic tentacles and flower bouquets thrive, and black smog looms amidst floating, ominous skulls.

In 2002, Soto graduated with Distinction from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He currently lives in Southern California, with his wife Jennifer and daughter Shannon.

“Self Destructive” 20″ x 20″, acrylic on wood panel, 2008

“Rusty Swingset” 54″ x 36″, acrylic on wood panel, 2008

“Regretful War Machine“, installation, approx. 6′ x 9′, mixed media, 2004.

You will find a Spanish and an English version of this interview.

Spanish Version

ABG: ¿Si tuvieras la oportunidad de colaborar con un artista, quien sería y porqué?

STINKFISH: Admiro y respeto el trabajo de varias personas, no solo en el medio del street art y el graffiti, también en la música, la fotografía, el vandalismo, el comic, la autogestión, con las que sería muy interesante y enriquecedor colaborar. No podría nombrar a alguien en específico porque creo que las colaboraciones surgen de las coincidencias, de los accidentes, de los encuentros fortuitos, no solo con personas que admiro sino con aquellas que desconozco. He tenido la suerte de colaborar con varias personas en diferentes ciudades y momentos, a mí parecer las mejores experiencias y resultados han surgido del accidente, del toparnos en una esquina pegando un cartel o haciendo un tag, creo que ese es mi espacio ideal para colaborar y conocer a alguien: la calle misma. Espero poder seguir caminando calles y encontrándome con todo tipo de personas con las que pueda surgir una colaboración, tal vez me tope con uno de estos personajes que admiro y respeto.

Colaboración de Bastardilla/Stinkfish/Donxid

ABG: ¿Crees que es importante promover y respetar el arte callejero o efímero?

STINKFISH: Todas las expresiones libres y anónimas que nacen y ocurren en la calle me parecen importantes en la vida de una ciudad y sus habitantes, no solo desde el componente estético al que puedan pertenecer, sino por su carga social y política. Tanto el graffiti como el el street art son manifestaciones contundentes de política, nos permiten ver la ciudad en la que vivimos y como nos relacionamos en ella. Por una parte estas expresiones conforman un contrapeso y alternativa al sin fin de imágenes publicitarias e institucionales que atraviesan nuestros recorridos y lecturas, al estilo de vida dietético, prefabricado y consumista que circula entre esquina y esquina, entre un anuncio y otro. Es claro que la mayoría del graffiti y el street art no tiene un contenido directamente anti consumista y contestatario, pero también es claro que estas son imágenes libres, que no venden ni ofertan ningún producto, no te indican como debes lucir, ni como oler, como hablar o con quien hacerlo. Por el contrario, estas intervenciones hablan de personas que entienden la calle como un espacio para convivir y compartir, para transgredir y optar por otra forma de comunicación en la que el dinero y las apariencias no son lo más importante.

Creo que es importante detenerse a pensar que sucede en todo esto que algunos llaman street art, otros graffiti, otros vandalismo, pero no creo que la preocupación principal deba ser promoverlo y respetarlo, sin necesidad de ello seguirá existiendo y creciendo, es parte de la naturaleza humana intervenir su hábitat, transgredir y desplazarse, mientras esto siga siendo así, seguirá existiendo el graffiti.

Lo que creo bastante importante es entender todas estas imágenes como parte de la memoria personal y colectiva de barrios, ciudades y países. El graffiti narra la historia de una manera libre y directa, sin intermediarios, desde una historia de amor en una pequeña calle por la que pasan apenas unos cientos de personas al día, hasta la historia de un gobierno asesino y corrupto denunciado en una gran avenida transitada por millones de personas día a día. Es memoria efímera y en muchas ocasiones ignorada, por no pertenecer a un circuito legal, pero no por ello menos importante, todo lo contrario, es memoria e información que nace del sentimiento y la realidad. Muchos somos más cercanos a un rayón en una pared de nuestra ciudad que a una bandera, una iglesia o un himno de la misma.

Colaboración de Bastardilla/Stinkfish
Barrio la Merced*Bogotá*

Bogotá :: Febrero 2010*
Captura original por Bastardilla :: Bogotá :: Enero 2009*

El Quetzal era bastante conocido por los Mayas, quienes en su idioma lo llamaban KUKUL. El nombre con que se le conoce proviene del nahua Quetzali que quiere decir "hermosa pluma", lo cual viene a ser sinónimo de bello o precioso*

ABG: ¿Cress que tu trabajo inspira nuevas generaciones a seguir una carrera artística?

STINKFISH: No me considero un artista y en esa medida no pretendo que mi trabajo inspire o influya en artistas, diseñadores, publicistas, etc. Si ocurre está bien, si no, también. Me parece más importante que cualquier persona, independiente de su profesión, edad, sexo, religión, raza, gustos, repare en lo que hago y le genere alguna idea, pregunta, gusto, malestar, que se atraviese algo de lo que hice por su cabeza, así sea por un instante.

ABG: Actualmente estás colaborando con bastardilla, en tu opinión ¿cuáles son las ventajas de colaborar con otros artístas y específicamente con ella?

Las colaboraciones son fundamentales en el graffiti y street art, esa posibilidad de interactuar con otras personas y compartir el mismo espacio, mezclar ideas, aprender y conversar son razones que hacen especial para mí este movimiento. No es el caso de un artista, diseñador o arquitecto encerrado en su estudio, en la calle te topas con miles de personas cada día y trabajas con otras tantas en el mismo muro. Prefiero tener un equilibrio en ese sentido, realizar proyectos en solitario y otros en conjunto, pero las colaboraciones siempre son buenas experiencias, como decía antes, con personas que admiras y respetas o alguien a quien desconoces totalmente pero hay una buena conexión.

Con Bastardilla venimos trabajando hace 4 años más o menos en diferentes momentos y proyectos, desde salir a pintar mientras caminamos y hablamos, hasta crear proyectos de un año entero, como Memoria Canalla que realizamos el año pasado. Para mi ella es una de las personas que actualmente tiene uno de los trabajos más interesantes en el graffiti y street art a nivel mundial, construye sus propios caminos, sus propias ideas y técnicas. Ha sido una gran influencia en mi vida y trabajo en muchos aspectos, espero poder seguir presenciando sus intervenciones, compartiendo, pensando y trabajando junto a ella.

ABG: ¿Trabajarías en un proyecto a comisión or con fines comercials o prefieres ser un artista independiente?

STINKFISH: Definitivamente prefiero trabajar de manera independiente, no importa el lugar, el dinero, el tiempo… prácticamente no existen los trabajos comerciales que te den total libertad y de una u otra manera terminas convirtiéndote en un producto. Una de mis metas es lograr trabajar de manera totalmente independiente y autogestionada.

Colonia Doctores* México DF* Mayo 2010 | Foto original de  Luis Ricaurte*Valle del Cauca / Colombia*

ABG: ¿Hay algún aspecto en tu trabajo o proceso creative que te gustaría mejorar o cambiar?

STINKFISH: En este momento no. Después de un tiempo he comenzado a entender lo que hago y porque lo hago. He tenido la suerte de viajar a otros lugares y me gustaría hacerlo con mucha más frecuencia, ya veremos qué pasa. Aquí todavía hay y habrá mucho por hacer así que me concentro en eso.

ABG: ¿Con tu experiencia en diseño gráfico, sientes que la tipografía es un componente importante en tu trabajo. ¿Has trabajado alguna vez escribiendo las palabras de otros, por ejemplo un poeta?

STINKFISH: Siempre he sentido afinidad con la tipografía, no creo que tenga que ver con el diseño gráfico, me siento más cercano a las tipografías de los rotuladores callejeros, los avisos improvisados, los miles de tags que veo cada día, esa creo es una gran influencia en algunos de mis trabajos. Gran parte de mi experiencia en el graffiti la he tenido con personas cuyo principal objetivo es perfeccionar y hacer una y otra vez sus propias letras utilizando aerosoles y marcadores en la calle, han sido una gran influencia y compañía.

En compañía de Don Xid – Saga (apc) * Deimos – Vekt (sbc) *

ABG: ¿Qué libros estás leyendo? ¿Alguna película que hayas visto últimamente?

STINKFISH: Subway Art 25^th Anniversary Edition (Martha Cooper / Henry Chalfant) and Hip Hop Files (Martha Cooper)

Todavía no he visto este documental, pero espero hacerlo pronto: PIXO

Click here to view the embedded video.

ABG: ¿Cuáles son los desafíos mas grandes cuando trabajas en la calle?

STINKFISH: Lo inesperado de la calle es un gran desafío, personalmente me atrae mucho esta cualidad de la calle que a la vez es un gran reto. No tienes seguridad de nada, puedes terminar el día tomando una cerveza con los amigos o detenido en una estación de policía, puede llover, hacer sol, frío, te pueden robar o puedes conocer a alguien que termina siendo un buen amigo, te insultan o te agradecen por lo que pintas, pueden pasar muchas o pocas cosas para bien o para mal, pero nunca va a ser aburrido. No resulta fácil adaptarse a lo inesperado en esta sociedad y normas con las que vivimos, en mi trabajo es parte fundamental, rara vez planeo totalmente las imágenes que hago en la calle, muchas veces tengo un día entero para hacerlas y otras tantas tengo que acabarlas en 5 minutos.

ABG: ¿Cómo y dónde te ves en 10 años?

STINKFISH: No pienso mucho en eso. Espero estar trabajando en algo que me guste, no importa el lugar, espero que sea en la calle. En buena compañía y amor en el pecho.

Gracias por la entrevista, un saludo desde Bogotá*Colombia*

English Version

ABG: If you have the opportunity to collaborate with any artist, which one would be and why?

STINKFISH: I admire and respect the work of several people, not only on street art and graffiti field, also in music, photography, vandalism, comic and people that produce their own work. Which each one of them would be very interesting to collaborate. It’s hard to name one, because I believe that collaborations are a product of a coincidence and a fortunate encounter, not only with people that admire rather with unknown people. I have been lucky enough to collaborate with several people on different cities and times, and truly believe that the best of those collaborations are being the result of an accident, to run to each other on a corner pasting a poster or tagging.

The street is my favorite space for collaboration and to meet people. I hope I can continue walking streets and finding all kind of people where collaboration can be ignited. Maybe I will find one of these characters that admire and respect.

ABG: Do you think is important to promote and respect street/ephemeral art?

STINKFISH: All free and anonymous expressions that are born and happen on the streets, I think are important in the city life and its people, not only from a aesthetic point of view, rather of  its social and political dimension. The graffiti and street art art deep political expressions that allow us to see the real city where we live and how we interact with it.

These street expressions are a valid alternative to the big amount of advertising, consumerism and corporate world that we encounter every day, which promotes a dietetic and pre-made lifestyle. It’s clear that the majority of graffiti and street art don’t have a direct rebel and anti-consumerism content, but at the same time these images are free, don’t sell anything, don’t promote any product neither show you how to look, smell, talk and do. Street interventions talk about people that understands the street as space to live and share, and to look forward another type of communication where the money and the looks are not really important.

I think is important to have moment and think about what is happening with street art and not necessary to promote and respect it, because regardless it will exist and grow. It’s part of human nature to impact its habitat, transgress and move. As long as this happens, the graffiti will exist. In addition I deeply believe that all these street images are part of personal and collective memory from neighborhood, cities and countries. The graffiti tells a story freely and direct, without intermediaries, from a love story on a small street to the story of a murderer and corrupt government denounced on a big avenue, which it is seen for millions of people a day. It’s a ephemeral memory and sometimes ignored because doesn’t belong to a legal system, but still is memory and information that it’s born from a feeling and reality. Most of us feel more close to scratch on a wall from our city, than a flag, the church or a national anthem.

ABG: Do you think that you work is inspiring young generations to pursue a career as artist?

STINKFISH: I don’t consider myself an artist and in that sense I’m not expecting that my work can inspire artists, designers and ad professionals. If this happen or not it’s OK with me. I think is more important that anybody can be touched by my work and produce on them a question, generate an idea, a feeling or simply allow them to think about it.

ABG: Currently you collaborate with Bastardilla, in your opinion what are the advantages of collaborating with other artists, and specifically in your case with her?

STINKFISH: The collaborations are fundamental in graffiti and street art, the possibility of interaction with other people and share the same space, mix ideas, learn and talk are the reasons that make this movement special. It’s not the same for an artist, designer or architect working alone in its studio, on the streets you run into thousand of people a day and work with many others on the same wall. I prefer to have a balance, work individually and collectively, but collaborations are good experiences, as I said before with people that you admire, respect or somebody unknown but with a good vibe.

I have been working with Bastardilla during the last four years on diverse type of projects, from going out to paint as we walk and talk to a one year long project, as “Memoria Canalla” (Rogue memory), which was realized in 2009. In my opinion she is one of the most interesting artists on the street art scene, she builds her own paths, ideas and techniques. Has been a big influence in my life a work and I hope I can continue seeing her interventions, sharing, thinking and working with her.

ABG: Would you work on a commission or commercial assignment, or do you prefer to be an independent artist?

STINKFISH: Definitively I prefer to work independently, regardless the place, the money or the time… Practically do not exist any commercial work that can  give you 100% freedom and at the end you become a product as well. One of my goals is working independently and with my own funds.

ABG: Are there any aspects in your work or creative process that would you like to improve or change?

STINKFISH: Right now none. After a while I have learn what I do and why I do it. I have been lucky enough to travel to other places and I would like to do it more often. Here (Bogota, Colombia) still is a lot to do and I’m focused on that.

ABG: With a graphic design background do you feel that typography is an important component of your artwork? Have you ever worked writing the words of others, per example a poet?

STINKFISH: I have always feel affinity with typography, but I don’t think is related to my background as graphic designer, I feel closer to the street fonts, the improvised ads and the thousand of tags that I see everyday, that I believe is a big influence in some of my work. Big part of my experience working on graffiti has been with street artists with the main goal of improving their own calligraphy/fonts using spray and markers.

ABG: What book/s are you reading right now? Or any favorite movies that you have seen lately?

STINKFISH: Subway Art 25^th Anniversary Edition (Martha Cooper / Henry Chalfant) y Hip Hop Files (Martha Cooper)

I’m looking forward to watch the documental PIXO

Click here to view the embedded video.

ABG: What are the biggest challenges when you work on the streets?

STINKFISH: The unexpected of the streets is a big challenge, personally I really like this because become a big test. You don’t have any control on what can happen, you can end the night drinking beer with your friends or maybe arrested at a police station, may rain, be sunny or cold,  you can be robbed or you can meet somebody that become a good friend, somebody can insult you or say thank you for the work that you are doing. It can happen many things or not, for good or bad, but it’s never boring. It’s not easy to adapt to the unexpected of this society and the rules of it, on my work is a fundamental ability because rarely I do plan the images that I do on the streets, sometimes I have an entire day to work and another time I have finish them in 5 minutes.

ABG: How and where do you see yourself in 10 years?

STINKFISH: I don’t think about that. I hope that I will working on something that I like, the place doesn’t matter, hopefully on the streets. With good company and love on my chest.

Thanks for the interview, regards from Bogotá*Colombia*

Catalina Schliebener. Nace en Santiago de Chile en 1980. Es licenciada en Filosofía en la Universidad de Arte y Ciencias Sociales ARCIS. Posteriormente estudió Licenciatura en Bellas Artes en la misma casa de estudios. Ha trabajado como profesora ayudante en las cátedras  de “Lenguaje y comunicación”, “Diseño y critica”, “Filosofía del arte” y “Teoría del arte” en distintas Universidades de Santiago de Chile.

Vive y trabaja en Santiago de Chile y Buenos Aires.

Jorge Opazo. Nace en Buenos Aires en 1970. Artista visual, docente y dibujante de comics. Estudió Comunicación Visual en el Instituto ARCOS y Licenciatura en Bellas Artes en la Universidad ARCIS de Santiago de Chile. Ha realizado exposiciones y residencias en la Universidad de Artes de Berlín UdK, en la Universidad Torcuato Di Tella de Buenos Aires, en el Festival FIX de Artes Visuales en Irlanda del Norte y en el “International Comic Arts Forum ICAF” en Chicago. Como autor de comics ha publicado en libros y revistas de Chile, Argentina y Francia.

Vive y trabaja en Santiago de Chile y Buenos Aires.

When he was 21 Brett moved to San Francisco to study motion pictures at the Academy of Arts. Soon after enrolling in school, Brett took his first drawing class and was introduced to his passion for the arts. Around the time Brett turned 24 he tried his hand in painting. In 2002 Brett switched his major to fine art and started his first body of work called “Waiting” a series of paintings about the anticipation of the next moment.

Brett graduated from the Academy of Arts in 2005 and has shown his work all over the country. In 2006 Brett along with five other artist published a book called “Convergence” and had book signings in New York, La and at the SFMOMA in San Francisco. Brett Currently works as a graphic designer at an environmental company in San Francisco and continues to show his work in galleries across the country.

Click here to view the embedded video.

At the Think Space from June 11th – July 2nd.
6009 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 558-3375

More at Brett’s website

Art Battery Group Blog interviewed him via email in June 2010.This will be the first of a series of interviews that ABG Blog will be launching during summer 2010. Stay tuned for more.

More at his website and Flickr account

Opening Reception May 22, 2010, 7-10 p.m.
On view May 22 Through June 12, 2010

If cooking is an art form, then food is the most common medium of artistic expression in the world. Opening May 22, Scion’s Installation L.A. Gallery presents “Palate,” a group exhibition of internationally lauded artists in which food takes its rightful place inside the gallery.

Curated by Zio Fulcher, “Palate” features new works and installations by Clare Crespo, Jeph Gurecka, Scott Hove, Tamara Kostianovsky, Alan Macdonald, James Reynolds, Martha Rich and Jeff Vespa at Scion’s 4,500-square foot Installation Space in Culver City.

“Palate,” which means the sense of taste, but also references an artist’s palette, will showcase a wide array of food-related art from Martha Rich’s feminine, cake-laden illustrations to Alan Macdonald’s classically rendered paintings of pilgrims that feature the unlikely additions of grocery bags, baked beans and chips. “Palate” will also include James Reynolds’ series of photographs documenting Death Row inmates’ last meal requests, as well as Jeff Vespa’s giant Polaroids of fast food burgers. Scott Hove’s monstrous cake sculptures will be on display, as will Tamara Kostianovsky’s realistic sculptures of slabs of meat, which she makes with articles of clothing. Clare Crespo will crochet a smorgasbord of fun foods, and Jeph Gurecka will build an installation out of bread he bakes himself that explores the idea of food as sustenance.

The show will also include a large exhibit of retro candy wrappers, courtesy of Darlene Lacey of the Candy Wrapper Museum, a vintage cookbook library, and a wall of vibrantly colored hard-to-find sodas.

The opening reception takes place on May 22, 7 – 10 p.m. at the Scion Installation Space, 3521 Helms Ave. (at National), Culver City, CA 90232. The reception is free with complimentary valet parking and an open bar. All artists will be present, and available for interview. A number of local chefs will also be in attendance.

On opening night, there will be a raffle to win a free cooking class from EATZ. Located in Los Angeles, EATZ offers extremely personal cooking classes in a fun dinner party environment.

The exhibit will run until June 12.

About the Artists

Clare Crespo wrote the popular and wildly creative cookbook/art books The Secret Life of Food and Hey There, Cupcake. Both books received enthusiastically positive reviews in magazines such as Vanity Fair, Food and Wine, Life Magazine, Newsweek and The New York Times, among others. The books’ success led to appearances on programs such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Food Network’s Extreme Cuisine and Throwdown with Bobby Flay. Crespo recently completed a set of children’s DVDs called The Yummyfun Kooking Series.

Jeph Gurecka has exhibited worldwide, and his work is in numerous international collections. Gurecka has been awarded many fellowships and residencies, including The Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant and the FUTURA Projects’ residency in the Czech Republic.

Scott Hove is a self-taught artist from the Bay Area. His work encompasses a broad variety of media, from sculptural installations to painting. These works reflect on the relationship between the natural world and mechanical civilization, and the drama that occurs during this interaction.

Tamara Kostianovsky was born in Jerusalem, Israel, and grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was awarded grants from NYFA, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and was a finalist for the Pew Fellowships in the Arts. Solo exhibitions include Black and White Gallery, The Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art, and El Centro Cultural J.L. Borges. Her work recently appeared on the cover of the journal of food and culture, Gastronomica.

Darlene Lacey started collecting candy wrappers 33 years ago. She has since founded the Candy Wrapper Museum, an extensive archive of candy wrappers and related ephemera that has been featured on the Food Network’s Unwrapped. Lacey maintains the website candywrappermuseum.com.

Alan Macdonald was born in Malawi, Central Africa, and currently lives and works in Scotland. He has exhibited around the world, and his paintings are in public, private and corporate collections worldwide, including EMI, Kayley Hong Kong and WorldCom.

James Reynolds is a London-based artist specializing in graphic design, advertising and photography. His work will appear in the upcoming book Urban Interventions, and he is due to exhibit at a human rights exhibition for Amnesty International.

Martha Rich’s work has been shown in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, San Francisco, Portland and Chicago. She is currently studying for an MFA in painting at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jeff Vespa is an artist, celebrity photographer and co-founder and executive vice president of the global digital photographic agency, WireImage. In April 2009, he was named the editor-at-large of the new incarnation of LIFE Magazine, LIFE.com. Vespa’s photos appear regularly in publications including Vanity Fair, Vogue, Time, Newsweek, People, GQ and the Wall Street Journal.

About the Curator

Zio Fulcher is a Los Angeles-based writer and editor, art and culture specialist and gastronome. Zio served as managing editor of Swindle magazine, the definitive pop culture publication co-founded by Shepard Fairey, and has contributed to numerous books including Saber: Mad Society, Juxtapoz: Illustration and Juxtapoz: Poster Art, as well as the upcoming book The History of American Graffiti.

More information on this exhibition is available at www.scion.com/space.

About Scion Installation L.A.
Dedicated to fostering independent artistic expression, Scion Installation L.A. is space that allows artists to explore their creative visions. Scion Installation L.A. hosts art shows and art-related events for cutting-edge contemporary artists from across the globe. One-hundred percent of all sales go directly to the artists. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment: 310.815.8840.

About Scion
Scion, from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., was developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind. Scion’s mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level. The Scion brand features three groundbreaking models with a wide array of standard features: the xD urban subcompact five-door, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, and the tC sports coupe. The brand often applies new practices in all aspects of its business and pushes the creativity envelope with non-traditional advertising and marketing to engage young customers. Scion also supports originality through its programs in the artistic community. For more information, visit www.scion.com.

Alan Macdonald

Martha Rich

OPENING RECEPTION
Thursday May 27^th

General Public: 6-10PM

Press/VIP: 5-6PM

Please RSVP to Hanaleigh.production@gmail.com

Curated by Tanya Rosenstein, Jillian Leigh Federman, and Kevin Bourgeois

FEATURING:

Adam Wallancavage, Alex Rickard, Alliah Sophia Morad, Andreas Laszlo Konrath, Bob Geile, Brandee Brown, Brian Ermanski, Buddy Nestor, Curtis Kulig, Casey Neistat, Chaw Ei Thein, David Komurek, DAZE, Edda Hansen, Edouard Nardon, Elisa Jimenez, Gordon Stevenson, Harry McNally, Heidi Hartwig, Jake Cohen, Jake Lavin, Jeffrey Robbins, Jeremiah Mandel, John Kolbek, Jordan Seiler, Justin Solitrin, Kevin Bourgeois, Maripol, Mint and Serf, Niki Sabet, Pasha Radetski, Pork and Spam, Robert Waltzer, Sebastian Black, Shawn Regurto, Suzette Lee, Tristan Eaton, Van Neistat, William Robbins, and Yuri Shimoj

THE PUFFIN ROOM,

located in SoHo

435 Broome St.

NY,NY 10013

212-343-2881

www.puffinroom.org

Wednesday to Sunday from 12PM-6PM

Hanaleigh Productions is pleased to present “Public Consumption”, a group exhibition curated by Tanya Rosenstein, Jillian Federman, and Kevin Bourgeois. This exhibition will be examining and exploring the rise of voyeurism in popular culture, the violation of the individual and by extension, the artist, and the potential cause and effect of its prevalence on our generation. Opening May 27^th, 40 New York City based artists will explore the notion of voyeurism in our society using various mediums ranging from video to photography, painting and sculpture.

We have become a world of voyeurs, a voyeur generation. We like to watch others intimate moments revealed, and compare those moments to our own. Although spectatorship is far from new phenomena, today a confluence of factors – legal, social, political, and technological – has pushed voyeurism to the forefront of our image-based society. What will the lasting effects of societies increasing need to reveal and compare be?

Much of our social reality today is generated through mass-media and public content, such as television shows, video games, inter-web communication and motion pictures, rather than by direct first hand experience with people, places and practices.

Today’s fascination with peering and gazing into places, from which we typically are forbidden, has created a society of self-voyeurs. We engage in activities where we volunteer ourselves to becoming the subject and object of spectatorship.

The Puffin Room invites you to see our take on the cause and effect of the voyeuristic nature of our generation that will undoubtedly have a lasting effect on generations to come.

Stare at us staring right back at you.

NY Studio Gallery on the Lower East Side
154 Stanton St. • New York, NY 10002
PHONE: 212.627.3276 • EMAIL: info@nystudiogallery.com

April 24 – May 15, 2010

Built out and divided into eight separate spaces, ROOMS allows an unlikely group of artists to show together. The artists’ work will not only be hung on the walls, but each artist will design their own themed room, so that their work literally comes off the walls. The possibilities are endless, and sure to be inspiring.

Featuring “Rooms” by:

Adam Wallacavage, Bill Daniel, Chris Stain, Dan Monick & Caitlin Reilly, Dueling VHS, Justin Van Hoy, Kime Buzzelli, and Rocky Grimes

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 24, 2010 | 7-10pm

Complimentary Valet & Open Bar

scion.com/space

Scion Installation L.A.
3521 Helms Ave (at National)
Culver City, CA. 90232
Gallery Phone: 310.815.8840

Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 11 AM – 6 PM & by appointment

Click here to view the embedded video.