Grayson Perry - Prints Charming

Liberty are currently holding the exhibition 'Prints Charming' on the 4th floor - as you can see from the below picture they covered this wall in their classic 'Betsy' print, (which also appears on their staircases too). They commissioned six artists - Grayson Perry, Paul Morrison, Mike McInnerney, Michael Angove, Anj Smith and Simon Hart to design some Liberty inspired patterned fabric - which they're selling in their wonderful fabric and haberdashery department.

Grayson Perry (as 'Claire') opened the exhibition by drawing some sketches in the window (which included one saying 'help me - if you buy my fabric they'll let me out'). While a few fans, bemused passers by and his wife, and daughter watched on.

I had heard he wasn't very well the day before, so I was extremely pleased he appeared. After the window display, he made his way up to the exhibition, checked out his fabric and posed for some official photo-taking (see pix below).

Paris on the Hillgrove

This empty shop on Hillgrove Street has inadvertently caused a couple of problems to the PRSC in the Croft, as it has been 'officially' sprayed and then the Council will come and black it out the next day. This has happened a couple of times, with interesting comments sprayed back onto the shop, including the email address of a councillor for whom to complain to.

So this is the latest update...

Jody - Weapon of Choice

Bristol native Jody began painting at the now infamous Barton Hill Youth Club under the wing of the legendary John Nation in the late 1980’s. After a long break from the graffiti scene he has resurfaced following the success of Felix Braun’s Children of the Can book launched last year.

Returning to the Bristol scene refreshed and reinvented, Jody’s first solo show draws inspiration from the barrage of slick and cynical imagery portrayed through fashion and advertising. No picture can be truly trusted - we are subjected daily to hyper retouched, overly sexualised and false imagery, making us feel aspirational, but at the same time, insecure about own selves. Jody digs just below the polished surface of magazine spreads, movie posters and advertising to uncover a sinister world of false idols and hopes.

Blank and hollow eyes stare back where once perfectly made up faces once did – imagery that was meant to be flawless is subverted, changing the intended meaning into something darker, disturbing and more powerful.

The show opens at the Weapon of Choice Gallery on the 14th August and runs until 13th Sept 2009.

(text ripped from WOC site)


(and how much do I love love this flyer)

Random Love - Klaus Kinski

The first in an occasional series of random finds.

I have big love for Klaus Kinski - I just wish I could give big air and ride a half pipe - oh well. It would sit very nicely next to my Futura deck though.

And it's only €65 from Alllikestore.com

Will Barras - Green Day tour

A big shout out for Will Barras, who will be one of the artist featured on Green Day's roving art gallery tour. I've reposted this from Eelus' blog as it's a pretty interesting music/art crossover (press-release info below).

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GREEN DAY’S UPCOMING U.S. TOUR TO FEATURE A ROVING GALLERY SHOW OF INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AT EACH VENUE

ARTISTS SUCH AS RON ENGLISH, THE LONDON POLICE, AND C215 CREATED WORK INSPIRED BY EACH TRACK ON BAND’S LATEST ALBUM 21ST CENTURY BREAKDOWN

DATELINE - Burbank, CA - Green Day have a special treat in store for fans attending their U.S. tour this summer. A roving art gallery will be set up at each venue to display work by a collection of eclectic artists from around the world, each of whom has been asked to create an original piece inspired by a track on Green Day’s new album 21st Century Breakdown.

The show is curated by New York-based stencil artist and die-hard punk-rock fan Logan Hicks, whose portraits of band members Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool, and Mike Dirnt will also be on display. A passionate art and music lover, Hicks has assembled an impressive group of noted artists - including world-renowned New York-based painter Ron English, Amsterdam-based street artists The London Police, French stencil artist C215, and British illustrator Will Barras - to show the connection between music and art.

“I chose artists whom I felt had a similar visual approach to art as Green Day does to its music,” Hicks says. “Although most of the artists represented are well-established in their careers, they embrace the same emotional rawness with their art, which speaks from the heart and swings with the fist. Their subject matter is struggle and injustice-they shoot from the hip and their art is their weapon.”

“We are really excited to be touring with this incredible show,” says Armstrong. “Seeing the pieces that our new album has inspired is very exciting. Many of the artists Logan has chosen show their work on the street, and we feel a strong connection to that type of creative expression. We think the fans coming out to see us on the road will love it.”

Graffiti Gravestones - Sickboy

This sorta rocks my world, not sure why.
From Sickboy's blog.

Here's more of an explanation about his work from Bristol Graffiti blog.

Synesthesia by Terri Timely

I'm loving the network of recommendations by Twitterfolk - here's one by graff artist Fake. Strange but awesome.

Synesthesia from Terri Timely on Vimeo.