chumpchampion

Last week (March 3-7) Los Angelenos were treated to Manifest Equality, the massive group art show in support of equal rights awareness. Throughout the week the gallery was open to the public where the works of over 200 artists were on view, Aaron Rose taught a Make Something!! DIY workshop, musical performances by Ben Lee, Seawolf and Modest Mouse and more rocked the opening and closing night parties where stirring speeches were delivered by activists such as Cleve Jones and actors Marissa Tomei and Heather Graham among others.

Click here or on photos to view entire Manifest Equality set on Flickr.

Barry McGee

Robbie Conal

Shepard Fairey

Aaron Rose

Curtis Kulig

Trey Speegle

Jesse Spears in the Make Something!! workshop room

Also…read more on Yosi Sergant’s Manifest Equality brainchild from our Gelatobaby friend Alissa Walker in her article for Fast Company.

Tweet This Post 

As The Armory Show and PULSE art fairs make their annual return to New York this weekend, a couple of Los Angeles galleries have joined in on buying and selling art fun with Roberts & Tilton of Culver City and West Hollywood’s M+B.

• Roberts & Tilton will be showcasing stalwarts such as Barry McGee, Ed Templeton and Kehinde Wiley among others at the aforementioned Armory Show.

Martin Denker

Alex Prager

Tweet This Post 

Lovers of art and equal rights have plenty to be excited about this week as the massive art show/equal rights event MANIFESTEQUALITY opens this Wednesday and continues through this weekend in Hollywood (*complete schedule of events listed below). Featuring a lineup of artists and friends who’ve donated their time and creativity to championing equal rights for all including Aaron Rose, Barry McGee, Cali Dewitt, Carlos Ramos, Chris Johanson, Clare Rojas, Friends With You, Gary Baseman, Jesse Spears, Keith Scharwath, Luke Cheuh, Ron English, Sage Vaughn, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Tim Biskup and many, many more.

See full lineup of artists here and check some of their work here on the MANIFESTEQUALITY blog.

Also…a Busy-Being pop up shop with curated artist made goods will be on hand with a porton of the proceeds going to support for the cause.

But first, more from the Manifesters:

“The MANIFESTEQUALITY Gallery, issues an inspiring, visual call-to-action, with hundreds of artists motivating public energy toward true reform on a local, state and national level.

MANIFESTEQUALITY will be open to the public, Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 through Sunday, March 7th, 2010 between the hours of 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM with extended hours Friday - Sunday.”

• March 3, Wednesday

10am - 6pm      Gallery Open to the Public
8pm - 1am        Opening Night Party:

Musical Guest:  Uh Huh Her, Fitz & the Tantrums, and more
DJ Sets by: Tim Biskup, Chris Holmes, and Booby Trap

• March 4, Thursday

10am - 6pm       Gallery open to the public

• March 5, Friday

11am - 10pm     Gallery open to the public

• March 6, Saturday

10am - 6pm       Gallery open to the public
11am - 5pm       Make Something School with Aaron Rose
8pm - 1am         Closing Night Party

Musical Guests: Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse, Sam Sparrow,
DJ Sets by: Crystal Method and Kelly Cole

• March 7, Sunday

10am - 5pm       Gallery open to the public

photo by Elisabeth Scooter Fried

Tweet This Post 

Creatively collaborative artist based T-shirt designers 2K by Gingham has teamed up with the equally imaginative New Image Art on Santa Monica for 2THEWALL, a “showcase the work of 40 artists from the t-shirt line for their premiere US Exhibition and Pop-Up Shop.” Featuring works by Barry McGee, Clare Rojas, Albert Reyes, David Shrigley, Kime Buzzelli, Michael Leon and Frohawk Two-Feathers among many more.

More info from New Image Art here.

Tweet This Post 

ATTENTION CREATIVE ARTISTIC TYPES: Just one more week left to have your artwork considered to be shown alongside a virtual who’s who of contemporary artists in Los Angeles MANIFESTEQUALITY show in March! Among the many talented and inspired artists joining the cause for equal rights are Aaron Rose, Barry McGee, Cali Dewitt, Carlos Ramos, Chris Johanson, Clare Rojas, Friends With You, Gary Baseman, Jesse Spears, Keith Scharwath, Luke Cheuh, Ron English, Sage Vaughn, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Tim Biskup and many, many more.

See the entire list of artists here and check out some of their work here on the MANIFESTEQUALITY blog.

From the Manifest Equalizers:

“Art plays a pivotal role in creating cultural momentum, and this is your chance to get involved.  The MANIFESTEQUALITY Gallery invites you to join artists from across the nation who are using their voices and talents to amplify and motivate the grass roots movement to fight for full & unrestricted equal rights for all Americans.

Submission is simple and quick. Just click here to submit images of your original artwork. You can submit any kind of visual art: painting, illustration, sculpture, collage— 2D or 3D. MANIFESTEQUALITY will be accepting submissions from Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 through 11:59 a.m. PST on February 19, 2010.

Our amazing panel of JUDGES will select up to thirty works of art from among those submitting to the art contest. FIVE First Prize Winners pieces will be shown along side some of today’s most respected contemporary artists, onsite, at the MANIFESTEQUALITY Gallery in Los Angeles, which will run from Wednesday, March 3rd to Sunday, March 7th, 2010.

TEN Second Prize Winners will be selected by our judges and displayed along with the FIVE First Prize Winners in the MANIFESTEQUALITY Online Gallery.

The MANIFESTEQUALITY Online Contest will center on six themes: EQUALITY, JUSTICE, RESPECT, UNITY, CIVIL RIGHTS, and LOVE. Artworks on any one, or all of these themes, will be considered for inclusion.”

Tweet This Post 

Now that the excess known as Art Basel Miami Beach is all but wrapped up and ready to ship to rich art collectors around the world, the most interesting piece of Basel news I’ve come across was Barry McGee’s (TWIST) venture down to the Southeast. Barry’s reluctant art star status is well documented, so seeing him join in on the Miami madness was surprising at first but upon seeing the project he was working on it made more sense: a group of 15 influential artists from around the world brought together by long-time supporter Jeffrey Deitch of New York’s famed Deitch Projects to do what they please on warehouse walls in Miami’s Wynwood art district for The Wynwood Walls Outdoor Mural Project.

Joining McGee in the mural making were respected street artists and legends including Futura, OS Gemeos with Nina and Finok, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, David Ellis, Clare Rojas, Kenny Scharf, Aiko, Jim Drain, Stelios Faitakis, Nunca, Ara Peterson, and Ben Wolf.

(all photos courtesy of Martha Cooper and Deitch Projects)

Also there documenting the artistry was another legend, photographer Martha Cooper best known for exposing the world to the New York graffiti scene during the 70’s and 80’s. You can see more of her photos on Deitch here. And also more Martha photos of Barry here on Juztapoz.

one of the OS Gemeos twins

Futura

Shepard Fairey

Swoon, David Ellis and Ben Wolf

Kenny Scharf

Although the art fair has passed, The Wynwood Walls remain for public viewing ongoing on Tuesday through Saturdays from 12–8pm at NW 26th Street & 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33127.

Tweet This Post 

Now that Beautiful Losers is available on DVD through Adam Yauch’s (MCA of the Beastie Boys) film distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, your holiday shopping is now officially over (or at least made easier). With an inspiring message of how outsiders helped shape today’s pop culture landscape, I think our film is a great gift to give this year especially if you’re interested in the arts, DIY thinking, documentary films, graffiti, good music, skateboarding, and of course, these losers: Barry McGee (TWIST), Ed Templeton, Geoff McFetridge, Margaret Kilgallen, Harmony Korine, Stephen Powers (ESPO), Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson, Thomas Campbell, Mike Mills, Shepard Fairey, Deanna Templeton, Clare Rojas, Cheryl Dunn and Aaron Rose.

Buy it now and inspire someone this holiday season!

Also available on iTunes.

Tweet This Post 

Our little film that could, Beautiful Losers, is coming to DVD next week (Dec. 8th) courtesy of Adam Yauch’s (MCA of the Beastie Boys) film distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories. To commemorate the films release our trusty leader/director Aaron Rose will be coming back to LA to introduce Beautiful Losers Shorts, rare films by the artists and friends of the film. Screening at The Cinefamily on Fairfax, this special presentation features works Mike Mills, Harmony Korine, Thomas Campbell, Geoff McFetridge, Cheryl Dunn, Chris Johanson, Stephen Powers, Spike Jonze, Clare E. Rojas, Tobin Yelland, Jo Jackson and more!

Buy tickets here.

Brought to you by Oscilloscope Laboratories and Amoeba Music.

(flyer design once again creatively crafted by Keith Scharwath)

From our family at the Cinefamily:

“In celebration of the DVD release of Beautiful Losers, Aaron Rose will be showcasing short films by key artists in his critically acclaimed documentary, as well as never-before-seen interviews with artists from the scene, sharing personal stories behind one of the most influential cultural moments of a generation.”

Tweet This Post 

The day after Thanksgiving, a.k.a. Black Friday, is upon us which of course means the holiday shopping season has officially begun (in the United States). Let the commerce commence!

• In a novel approach to bring the art to the people, artist/designer Parra drives around LA with his mobile pop-up truck where he’ll be peddling both his art and clothing from his Rockwell Clothing line including various Stones Throw collabos. Truck stops at UNDFTD in Silver Lake from 12-2pm, HVW8 Gallery on Melrose from 3-5pm, and Archrival in Little Tokyo from 6-8pm. Take a peak at what items you may find via Freshnessmag.com.

• Giant Robot stores in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and on the interwebs go the more traditional route as they conduct their salesmanship in-store.

• Possibly the best place to do your gift shopping on the east side of LA is at the uniquely school themed boutique, Reform School. They may not have the crazy sales that many other chain stores are having today but they certainly have an abundance of those not-so-common gifts that are the hardest to find.

• And last but certainly not least is this little show I failed to mention last week and I can’t forgive myself for missing this one. Barry McGee (TWIST) and Phil Frost, two masters of graffiti-to-gallery art opened their group show Mind the Gap at the Prism gallery in West Hollywood last Friday. Curated by RVCA founder and fight aficionado PM Tenore.

Tweet This Post 

Nothing more I can say about the most special film I’ve edited to date other than it’s now available for digital download on iTunes for only $9.99!!! Directed by Aaron Rose with a score by Money Mark, Beautiful Losers features artists Barry McGee (TWIST), Ed Templeton, Geoff McFetridge, Margaret Killgallen, Harmony Korine, Stephen Powers (ESPO), Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson, Thomas Campbell, Mike Mills, Shepard Fairey, Deanna Templeton and Cheryl Dunn-people who have helped shape the pop culture landscape as we know it today. Watch a heartfelt story of outsiders and misfits, see some amazing art being created and most of all, get inspired! (DVD with deluxe extras coming in December!)

Click the film’s poster below (designed with care by Keith Scharwath) to go to iTunes.

Beautiful Losers film trailer from beautifullosersfilm on Vimeo.

Beautiful Losers celebrates the spirit behind one of the most influential cultural movements of a generation. In the early 1990’s a loose-knit group of likeminded outsiders found common ground at a little NYC storefront gallery. Rooted in the DIY (do-it-yourself) subcultures of skateboarding, surf, punk, hip hop & graffiti, they made art that reflected the lifestyles they led. Developing their craft with almost no influence from the “establishment” art world, this group, and the subcultures they sprang from, have now become a movement that has been transforming pop culture. Starring a selection of artists who are considered leaders within this culture, Beautiful Losers focuses on the telling of personal stories…speaking to themes of what happens when the outside becomes “in” as it explores the creative ethos connecting these artists and today’s youth.

Tweet This Post