UPCOMING - URBAN IMPRESSIONISM : A MIGUEL PAREDES RETROSPECTIVE

Celebrated Miami-based pop and multi-media artist, sculptor and urban impressionist, Miguel Paredes, will unveil his latest exhibition “Urban Impressionism: A Miguel Paredes Retrospective” at Crewest Gallery.

VIP/Collectors/Media reception:
Wednesday, September 8th from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
rsvp@crewest.com

Beats by DJ Phyz Ed.

21+ over please.
Sponsored by:
Asahi, Jarritos, Juxtapoz, 944 Magazine, Fiji Water, SBE.com, PK Graphics

(Official after-party immediately following at new SBE nightlife venue The Colony.)
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Public Opening event during the September Downtown Atwalk:
Thursday, September 9th from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m

Featuring beats by DJ Phyz Ed.

Sponsored by:
FIJI Water, Roaring Lion Energy Drink, Jarritos, and KIND Healthy Snacks .

The artist is scheduled to be present on both nights. The retrospective will run through Sunday, September 26, 2010.

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More info on the artist:
Paredes was born in New York and is of a Latin American descent.

He is an artist who combines the exhilarating sense of New York City’s graffiti art with the skill and perceptiveness of a true exceptional artist.

Growing up on 72nd Street in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Paredes exuded early signs of artistic ability and accepted an invitation to New York City’s prestigious Fiorello La Guardia High School of Music and Art – immortalized in the musical and movie Fame – in the early 1980s.

His studies at Fiorello coincided with the explosion of street culture in the city. Paredes drew inspiration from notorious pop artists like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring and plunged into the world of graffiti and pop art taking the name “Mist” as his moniker.
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At Crewest Gallery, the artist will exhibit select pieces and sculptures from collections such as Boroughs, Digital Art, Urban Dreams and Los Niños.

Crewest Gallery is located at 110 Winston St. Los Angeles, CA 90013. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday: Noon to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: Noon to 8 p.m.; Sunday: Noon to 6 p.m. and Mondays are closed.
For more information, please call 213.627.8272 or visit www.crewest.com

For more information on Miguel Paredes, please visit www.miguelparedes.com

Please click here to view artwork by Miguel Paredes.




For more information on purchasing available artwork by Miguel Paredes, please contact us:
info@Crewest.com


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AVAILABLE ARTWORK: SCOTCH!

WE NOW HAVE ARTWORK AVAILABLE BY SCOTCH!

Scotch continues to push for new techniques/ideas that people of all ages & genres can enjoy.

About the Artwork:

ELDERS: Good and evil battle for an orb that represents consciousness, which controls life. Life is the result of the struggle between dynamic opposites. Form & Chaos, Light & Darkness, Substance & Oblivion, and all the different variations of Yin & Yang. When the pendulum swings in favor of one it eventually swings in favor of it's opposite thus the balance of the universe is maintained.

JUMP: –verb (used without object)
1. to spring clear of the ground or other support by a sudden muscular effort; leap: to jump into the air.

Growing up in the Star Wars culture, Scotch tends to use elements from Star Wars in his pieces; preferably the storm trooper. This is another silly mashup created to bring fun, push technicality and to make someone smile.


(ELDERS, 18x30 inches, Stencil, tape, spray paint, $1,800)


(JUMP!, 18x26 inches, Stencil & spray paint, $1,500)

IF INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A PIECE BY SCOTCH, PLEASE EMAIL US AT INFO@CREWEST.COM OR CALL US AT THE GALLERY AT 213-627-8272.

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AVAILABLE ARTWORK: BROKEN CROW

(TAKEN FROM BROKENCROW.COM)


NEW ARTWORK BY BROKEN CROW NOW AVAILABLE:

Broken Crow's art features various animals and anthropomorphic humanoids in crazy colors and extreme sizes. Through painting they seek to reintroduce wild animals back into urban habitats, writing their own mythologies as they go.

Most of Broken Crow’s works focuses on transplanting wild animals into the urban habitats in which humans live in (typically on a large scale), and these pieces are one of their first attempts at achieving their large scale ideas on a smaller scale.


("Unwanted", 24 inches wide, 30 inches tall, Mixed media on masonite, $900)



("Vacation", 24 inches wide, 30 inches tall, Mixed media on masonite, $900)

PLEASE EMAIL US AT INFO@CREWEST.COM IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A PIECE BY BROKEN CROW. OR YOU CAN CONTACT US AT 213-627-8272.

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS OF FRIENDS WITH KNIVES

Here is a little glimpse at the artists of Friends with Knives (Opening August 7th, 2010):

• Banksy in his unofficial biography famously said of Blek Le Rat, “Everytime I think I've painted something original I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it as well, only 20 years earlier'. Blek Le Rat often described as the Godfather of Stencil Art was the first to use stencils for silhouettes on the streets of Paris, he has been investigating the urban space for over 28 years and still continues to inspire urban artists all over the world.

• PaperMonster’s vivid and intricate pieces explore the beauty behind the eyes and facial expressions of women.

• Broken Crow's art features various animals and anthropomorphic humanoids in crazy colors and extreme sizes. Through painting they seek to reintroduce wild animals back into urban habitats, writing their own mythologies as they go.

• Chris Stain’s work and its themes find a kinship with the American social-realist movement of the early 20th century.

• Kolezar experiments with things like color, detail and scale to challenge preconceptions of what can be accomplished with stenciling.

• Nathan Phaneuf focuses on more minimal pieces that accentuate the women he photographs for his pieces produced using the underlying wood as the main skin tone and negative space for his stencils.

• Shai Dahan is recognized for his talent of hand painting skateboards as well as creating his animalguns designs on the streets of Los Angeles and New York using stencils, wheatpastes and other mediums as well.

• Peat Wollaeger (stenSOUL) is internationally known stencil artist famous for his signature EYEZ , raw colorful characters and stencil videos.

• Dave Lowell works with a combination of multi-layer stencils and freehand spraying.

• E.L.K is fast becoming well respected amongst his peers and in much demand nationally for his approach to photo-realistic stenciling.

• By using multi-layered stencils of up to 60 layers HAHA’s work is a reflection of Austrailian popular culture.

• Joe Iurato just launched a new series of portraits featuring a selection of musicians performing the famous song “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess.

• Henry Quiara is an artist/designer of lowbrow, urban contemporary and counter culture art.

• Greg Boudreau specializes in making the ordinary extraordinary.

• Mefee, a true definition of an anomaly. Mefee works as a scarification artists providing surgical implants underneath the skin in which his skill with a scalpol is easily transfered into his stencil work creating precision cut pieces.

• Leckomio’s works deal with street art and graffiti as a subject, as shown by B-boys or the hyper-realistic representation of urban landscapes tagged for sky to bitumen.

• Scotch! continues to push for new techniques/ideas that people of all ages & genres can enjoy.


Hope to see everyone at the opening!

Questions:
info@crewest.com
213-627-8272
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Bacon Mad'l Toy Release and Sket One Signing

The Bacon Mad'l signing tour to arrive at Crewest!

Join us for an exclusive release of Wizard Sleeve Toy's Bacon Mad'l and a special signing with Sket One on Friday, August 20th, 2010 from 6-9 p.m.

5.5" Bacon Mad*L is an exclusive Wizard Sleeve Toy release. WST made 300 pieces of the regular and have a super-secret special chase that will only be available at the signing.

Sket One displays a passion for uniting distinct components of pop culture into pieces of art that are startlingly cohesive and original.

**These toys will ONLY be available
at Crewest for this one night event! So don't sleep on it!

Toy Images:





Websites:
www.sket-one.com (Sket designed the Bacon character)
www.madtoydesign.com (MAD designed the Mad*L figure)
www.solid-industries.com (Solid produced the toy)
www.wizardsleevetoys.com (WST, distributor)

For more info, email us at info@crewest.com.

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Chaz Bojorquez Book Signing

We will have a special book signing event with Chaz Bojorquez on opening night of the Friends with Knives exhibit on August 7, 2010 from 6-9PM.

Chaz Bojorquez will be present to autograph copies of his new book: "The Art and Life Of Chaz Bojorquez".
($50 each)







Also available, rare and hard to find Vans Syndicate shoes (low and high top in limited sizes and quantities), prints and posters and more!

Plus a never before seen mini-documentary clip of this legend in action.

Website:
www.chazbojorquez.com

For more info, email us at info@crewest.com.

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SNEAK PREVIEW: FRIENDS WITH KNIVES

With the opening just days away we want to proudly present you with this sneak preview of just some of the artwork which will be on display for the Friends with Knives Exhibition:


Your Best Friend
PaperMonster
24" x 30" x 1.5"
Stencil Collage on Canvas
$800

PaperMonster’s vivid and intricate pieces explore the beauty behind the eyes and facial expressions of women.


Lunatic
Blek le Rat
Stencil sprayed on canvas
$10,000

Banksy in his unofficial biography famously said of Blek Le Rat, “Everytime I think I've painted something original I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it as well, only 20 years earlier'. Blek Le Rat often described as the Godfather of Stencil Art was the first to use stencils for silhouettes on the streets of Paris, he has been investigating the urban space for over 28 years and still continues to inspire urban artists all over the world.


Summertime: Tom Waits
Joe Iurato
30" x 30"
$1,200

Joe Iurato just launched a new series of portraits featuring a selection of musicians performing the famous song “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess.

For artwork inquiries, Collectors should contact us at info@crewest.com or call us at the gallery at 213-627-8272.

We hope to see everyone at the opening!

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SWEET THINGS COMING TO AN END

Sweet Things is coming to an end and we wanted to share some of our most memorable moments:



The giveaways from Kid Robot were a smashing hit!



We had posters to give to guests as well.



Even the notorious bike riders dropped by.



You should have seen this huge ass bike. It was crazy!



Curator "Queen Andrea" flew out for the opening. We missed you Indie. We love you Indie and thank you both for bringing together a great show. You ladies are on fire!



Featured artist Sherm came through and represented in front of her installation.



Happy Friandise shipped some of her furry little purses all the way from France just for the occasion and just for the girls!



The live painting was totally cool.



And even sometimes the smaller things just like this truck who stopped by is enough to remember. Artful moments are always sure to happen, they can be planned or unexpected. Whatever the moments be, we love each and every one.

Big thanks to curators Indie and Queen Andrea, Aiko, Martha Cooper, Gillian Goldstein, Motel7, Koralie, Mickey, Jules Muck, Klor, Sherm, Jarritos, Roaring Lion, Kid Robot, Estria, M.I.S.S and all those who came out to support.

Till next time!

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I LOVE NEW YORK CITY

Put a kiss on New York City just like this large piece by Jules Muck. I Love New York City is still available and if interested contact us immediately at info@crewest.com or at the gallery at 213-627-8272.

SWAK!

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GET YOUR CUSTOM PAINTED HOT PINK BUNNY CANS

For those of you in love with spray cans and love when they become customs, we have available "Hot Pink Bunny Cans" by Aiko to add to your collection.



Custom spray cans are one of the coolest pieces one can add to their collection. Get yours today! These aren't the type of pieces you see everywhere.

Contact us via email at info@crewest.com or call the gallery at 213-627-8272 if interested in purchasing the above cans by Aiko.

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INSIGHT INTO THE WORKS OF MICK LA ROCK

Sweet Things is coming to an end and we would hate to not be able to share with you the following insight regarding the works of Mick La Rock which are available and ready for just the right collector:

“In both works there is lettering. It says my name (my heritage as a graffiti writer). The style I developed over the last 10 years.

In the first half of the 2000's I painted it on walls. Painting these lines is hard to do with spray paint: the result never as sharp as I have in mind. My urge to create lines by hand like they'd be computer vectors has driven me from the walls towards canvas.

The readability of the letters are minor importance than the shape and the composition of the word itself. Letters are rotated, pulled out of their basic shape. Letters are positioned and/or connected in unexpected directions.

Functions of the basic elements of a piece are changed: empty spaces between letters become letters themselves. The same can happen to the sections of fill-in colors.
The importance of the lettering in my work is emphasized by the four color palette. The use of black and white refer to (and show my love for) the traditional outline and highlight colors used in graffiti.” – Mick la Rock


"It's a long way"
Acrylic on canvas
100x120 cm
2010
$2200


"Sign of the Time"
Acrylic on canvas
100x120 cm
2009
$2200

Like mentioned before, these two pieces are still available and if you are interested in purchasing or would like to talk further please email us asap at info@crewest.com or contact the gallery at 213-627-8272.

Sweet Things is coming to an end tomorrow, don't miss out!

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BLEK LE RAT

We are very honored to announce a true pioneer and inspiration to many street artists around the world, Blek le Rat, who will be showing with us next month for the Friends with Knives Exhibition alongside other artists Broken Crow, Chris Stain, Dave Lowell, E.L.K, Greg Boudreau, HAHA, Henry Quiara, Joe Iurato, Koleszar, Leckomio, Mefee, Nathan Phaneuf, PaperMonster, Peat Wollaeger, Scotch and Shai Dahan.

On display by Blek le Rat will be his ever so stunning and clever piece "Lunatic" (shown below)



Blek le Rat is noted in his bio as follows:

Blek le Rat, widely considered as the Godfather of modern Street Art, was the first to use stencils for silhouettes on the street. He studied engraving and architecture at Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He would leave his mark in the world's biggest museum, the urban landscape through his life-size stencils. Inspired by graffiti he had seen on a trip to NYC in 1971 and a stenciled portait of Mussolini from WW2 which he had seen in Italy in his childhood, he sprayed small black rats running along the streets of Paris in 1981. The rats made him quickly known in Paris but it was only two years later, with the silhouette of an Old Irish Man, that Blek and his stencils became recognized all over France. Blek feels very close to his characters and always tries to link them to the environment in which he is working. The interaction created between the image, the space and the beholder is essential to understand Blek's approach.

Blek has been investigating the urban space for over 28 years and still continues to inspire urban artists all over the world

He also has an amazing history of solo shows and group shows he has participated in at galleries around the world. See below to see for yourself:

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
May 2010 show at White walls gallery San Francisco
2009 Solo show at Metro Gallery Melbourne Australia
2009 Installation at Phaiz, Chicago
2008 Paris—NY, NY—Paris. Jonathan LeVine Gallery. New York, NY
2008 Art Is Not Peace But War. Subliminal Projects Gallery. Los Angeles, CA.
2008 Blek Le Rat Retrospective. Black Rat Gallery. London, UK.
2006 Blek Le Rat in London. Leonard Street Gallery. London, UK.
2002 Blek Was Here. Urban Art Gallery. Berlin, Germany. (1st show since since 1993)
1993 La Belle et la Bête. Galerie Arnaud Brument. Paris, France.
1993 Grafitti in the Castle. Castle Paul Ricard. Paul Ricard, France.
1991 Blek le Rat from Paris to Tokyo. Takarashi Gallery. Tokyo, Japan.
1991 Stencils on Wood. Galerie Christophe. Paris, France.
1991 Exhibition Schabonen Graffiti Blek le Rat. Ephemere Gallery. Leipzig, Germany.
1991 Performance. Concert Hall of Elysée Montmarte. Paris, France.
1990 Permanent Exhibition. Galerie Christophe. Paris, France.
1990 Installation. Galerie Patrick Riquelme. Vannes, France.
1989 Installation. Huber Volker Gallery. Lisbon, Portugal.
1988 Exhibition. French Institute of Mainz. Mainz, Germany.
1988 Nuit du Palace. Le Palace. Paris, France.
1987 Performance. Salon du Livre. Sainte-Etienne, France.
1986 Installation. Forum of Rock. Montreuil, France.
1985 Peinture Sauvage. Galerie Saint Claude. Paris, France.


SELECTED GROUP SHOWS

2010 5th anniversary Jonathan Levine gallery NYC
2009 A Whole In The Wall (NYC) Galerie Helenbeck Paris
2007 Streets of Europe. Jonathan LeVine Gallery. New York, NY
2007 White Noise. Black Rat Press. London, UK
2007 Eleven: Group show of eleven contemporaries, Leonard Street Gallery, London.
2006 11 Spring Street. Curated by Marc & Sara Schiller of Wooster Collective. New York, NY
2005 Urban Wallpaper. Taipei Artist Village. Taipei, Taiwan
2003 Workshop in The Open City: Models For Use. Kokerein Zollverein. Essen, Germany.
2002 Installation with Lee Quineones. Reitschule. Bern, Switzerland.
1992 L'Art Vif, la Revue Parlée. Centre George Pompidou. Paris, France.
1992 L'Art Vif. Espace Carnot. Lille, France.
1992 Un Regard sur l'Art. Musée Creusot. Creusot, France.
1992 Fin de Millenaire. Espace Belleville CTFD. Paris, France.
1992 Graffiti in Cavern. Galerie Le Cailar. Le Cailar, France.
1991 Street Art. Globus Gallery. Leipzig, Germany.
1989 Les Rencontres de Marrakech. French Institute of Marrakech. Marrakech, Morocco.
1989 And der Wand (On the Wall). Kunstverein Wiesbaden. Wiesbaden, Germany.
1989 Schablonen Graffti (Stencil Graffiti). Kunstverein Heildelberg. Heildelberg, Germany.
1989 Schablonen Graffiti (Stencil Graffiti). Gemeentemuseum. Helmond, Netherlands.
1989 Cannes Biennial. Palais des Festivals Cannes. Cannes, France.
1989 Art Urbain (Urban Art). Hotel de Ville Buffemont. Val d'Oise, France.
1988 Graffiti in the Street, Exhibition in the Institute. French Institute of Naples. Naples, Italy.
1988 Histoire des Rockers. La Villete. Paris, France.
1988 Shadow and Light. Lara Vinci Gallery. Paris, France.
1987 Musée International de Graf. Galerie L'Autre Rive. Paris, France.
1986 Pochoirs (Stencils). Agnes B Gallery. Paris, France.
1986 Emotion. Ministry of Culture. Saint Quentin, France.
1986 Stencil Graffiti in Tulles. Peuple et Culture. Tulles, France.
1986 Urban Art Show. Galerie Jean Marc Patras. Paris, France.
1986 In Between Out. Palais des Papes. Avignon, France.
1986 Verbes d'Êtats. Centre National des Arts Plastique. Nice, France.
1985 Les Artistes au Téléphone. Galerie Pierre Lescot. Paris, France.
1985 Affiches Détournees. National Center of Contemporary Art. Paris, France
1985 Frescoes on Walls. French Ministry of Culture. Paris, France.

In addition to an amazing show history, Blek le Rat has been featured in top publicatations such as Time Magazine, New York Magazine, Juxtapoz, Swindle and more.

We can't say enough when it comes to Blek.

To check out more on Blek le Rat, you may visit him online at:
http://bleklerat.free.fr/

If you are a serious collector and have any questions, email us at info@crewest.com .


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