BLACK MARKET AT BLACK MARIA: SKIP THE MALL SIGNING

In conjunction with an art exhibition opening at Black Maria - Kathie and I will be in LA this weekend for a signing at the same gallery... Kathie also has her official release of the "vintage" colorway for her Benny and Red Bird set from MINDstyle... And if you missed out on getting a Slap-Happy! and Mr. Muggles set from SDCC - there should be a few of those rare and hard to find sets left...

Here's the info:

November 17th through January 5th, 2008
Opening Reception: Saturday 17th November, 7:00 – 10:30pm

Exclusive release of Kathie Olivas’ Benny and Red Bird – Vintage Colorway.

Artists: Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters, Brooks Salzwedel, Jennybird Alcantara, Katherine Chiu, Billy Reynolds, Patrick Haemmerlein, Sam Saga, Jenn Porreca, Renee Lawter, Grace Chee, Sarah Stephens, Caitlin Keegan, Paulo Vinluan, Aaron Hitchcock, Jeremy Pruitt (Thinkmule), Darryl Blood, Alex Noriega, Ronald Llanos, Miss Withers, Melissa Contreras (Axel Honey), Angie Mason, Jon Measures, Takara, Jarrod Eastman, Casey O’Connell, Glory Tsui, Jay Wittenberg and teRk.

The “Black Market at Black Maria” exhibition will carry a bazaar theme, complete with some of the accoutrements of the shopping experience: paintings suspended on clothing hangers, displayed in shoe boxes and on display stands holding a variety of artworks.
The idea is to both poke gentle fun at the cosmopolitan shopping experience and, on a serious note, remind ourselves of the spiritual rewards of appreciating and owning great art. In keeping with the shopping mall theme, patrons will also be able to take with them whatever they purchase, just as they would in a store.

A painting can be as satisfying as wearing a sexy dress or owning a feature-laden barbecue, except there is an actual, sometimes life-changing meaning waiting to be derived from a work of art. Hence the subtitle of the exhibition: Skip the Mall.

“Black Market” is quintessential Black Maria, showing the work of emerging artists and established artists side by side. It is a great opportunity to see work by artists with international collectors as well as by artists who will be showing their work outside of an academic environment for the first time.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters will at the gallery’s store, Under the Table, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm for a signing. The opening is also the official release of Kathie Olivas’ Vintage Colorway of her Benny and Red Bird vinyl figures. Both Kathie and Brandt will be signing their vinyl figures as well as prints made exclusively for Black Maria Gallery. A raffle of one of Kathie Olivas’ custom vinyl figures will be one of the highlights of the evening.

Be there in a few - B

FRANCESCO LOCASTRO'S: NO ONE BELONGS HERE MORE THAN YOU EXHIBITION

SECOND SKIN (24" x 48") Oil on Canvas

I just finished this brand new piece for Gen Art Miami's VANGUARD event, its highly anticipated art exhibition and party during Art Basel. This unprecedented show will feature works from 30 of the most widely recognized, cutting-edge Urban Contemporary and Pop Surrealism artists from around the world.

The exhibition, curated by Francesco LoCastro, is entitled No One Belongs Here More Than You. Housed at Palm Court, 23rd Street just off of Collins in Miami Beach, it will include paintings, sculptures and artist installations and will be complemented by the newest
series of works from Miami artist Lebo, entitled Infinite Echoes and Supersonic Soul Stories.

To celebrate, Gen Art will host one of its legendary parties in the exhibition space on Friday, November 7th, complete with interactive art installations, cocktails, and DJ Ray Milian to keep guests in the groove all night long.

Rooted in a vast array of styles, from pop surrealism and urban contemporary, the exhibition exemplifies global emerging art culture at its finest. Though diverse, the artists and their work present a cohesive force  the most vital part of the complex social structure of the 21st century  that is pushing the envelope of visual perception as we know it.

Among the participating artists from Europe and the United States are:

Adam Wallacavage, AJ Fosik, Alex Gross, Brandt Peters, Chris Ryniak, Colin Christian, Dalek, Dennis Hayes IV, Don Shearer, Ender Delaney, FEEDtank, Francesco LoCastro, Grant Barnhart, Harif Guzman, Heidi Taillefer, Kathie Olivas, Ken Garduno, Korin Faught, Kris Lewis, Lebo, Lola, Maite J. Horta, Matthew Bone, Marcela Aguero, Moki, Nathan Spoor, Ray Caesar, Robert Craig, Sas Christian, and Xiaoqing Ding.

The exhibition will run from Wednesday, December 5 through Sunday, December 9th and is open daily from 12pm-8pm.

ART BASEL
GEN ART: The VANGUARD Exhibition
No One Belongs Here More Than You Exhibition (curated by Francesco LoCastro)
Party: December 7 : 2007 (8 pm-Midnight)
Exhibition: December 5-9 (12 PM-8 PM)
Palm Court
309 23rd Street (just off Collins Ave)
Miami Beach : FL