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The dirty hands of David Choe return to LA to sign copies of his comprehensive, 10 year in the making, self-titled art book as well as his signature whale-inspired Munko vinyl figures at Giant Robot’s Sawtelle gallery space GR2.

From the Giant Robots:

“Giant Robot is proud to host a reception and book signing with artist David Choe to celebrate the release of his 288-page, self-titled monograph published by Chronicle Books.

In addition to signing his brand-new book, Choe will be autographing his newly released Munko figures, which are based on his whale paintings and made by Japan’s Good Smile Company.”

More on David Choe:

• FRIDAY (July 30): David Choe Signing @ Giant Robot SF
• FRIDAY (April 30): The Dirty Hands of David Choe Return to Theaters
• COVERAGE: David Choe’s Nothing to Declare
• FRIDAY (April 23): David Choe’s Nothing to Declare at LAzarides
• The Art of the Lost Art of Inglorious Basterds
• THURSDAY (Feb. 18): The Lost Art of Inglorious Basterds
• Giant Robot Biennale 2: 15 Years Final Weekend

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Our fine friends with the finest of tastes at Family Bookstore on Fairfax host another incredibly entertaining evening of intellect and good humor as Spike Jonze joins Dave Eggers for some conversating, book launching and signing and a bit of hand shaking. They’ll also be accompanied by the lovely sounds of our lovely friend ASKA as she performs an acoustic set to start the night’s festivities.

From the Fam:

“Family Bookstore is pleased to host the launch of two new books by Mcsweeney’s:

It Is Right to Draw Their Fur is Dave Eggers’s first collection of drawings. Most of these works are of unusual mammals, most often accompanied by slogans with ancient, heroic, or just plain odd overtones. This full-color package will be a combination of 26 large-sized prints and an accompanying booklet.”

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Pasadena’s master painter Mark Ryden heads north to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to sign copies of his book based off his sultry Snow Yak Show which opened in Tokyo, Japan last year.

From Ryden’s Porterhouse Fine Art Collectibles:

“Mark Ryden will be signing copies of his new book “The Snow Yak Show” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The book signing is free and open to the public.

The Snow Yak Show will be available for purchase at the SFMOMA Museum Store during the book signing.”

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Get your Choe on in the bay as David Choe travels north to Giant Robot’s GRSF store to sign copies of his recently released, 10 year in the making, self-titled book as well as scribble doodles for the peoples.

From Giant Robot:

“Giant Robot is proud to host a reception and book signing with artist David Choe to celebrate the release of his 288-page, self-titled monograph published by Chronicle Books.  Raised on comic books, affected by street art, and inspired by crime, women, and music, Choe has developed a unique and restless style that is effortless yet meticulous and focused yet dirty. Since the artist contributed his first illustration to Giant Robot magazine in 1997, he has gone on to become an international fixture in the worlds of street art and indie comics, and has had hugely successful solo shows in high-end galleries in Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, and Los Angeles (not to mention all three Giant Robot locations).

In addition to signing his brand-new book, Choe will be autographing his newly released Munko figures, which are based on his whale paintings, made by Japan’s Good Smile Company, and distributed by Giant Robot.”

More on David Choe:

• FRIDAY (April 30): The Dirty Hands of David Choe Return to Theaters
• COVERAGE: David Choe’s Nothing to Declare
• FRIDAY (April 23): David Choe’s Nothing to Declare at LAzarides
• The Art of the Lost Art of Inglorious Basterds
• THURSDAY (Feb. 18): The Lost Art of Inglorious Basterds
• Giant Robot Biennale 2: 15 Years Final Weekend
  

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You may not remember the name Ed Emberley but it’s more than likely that his iconic imagery from his classic childrens’ books (Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Animals, Ed Emberley’s Big Green Drawing Book, etc.) have had an impact on you during your young creative lives. Emberley’s work has also influenced some very influential artists because Raul Gonzalez, Seonna Hong, Matt Leines, Christopher Kline and Saelee Oh are all part of the generational group show Ed Emberley & Friends at the Scion Space in Culver City.

Also…new works and limited edition prints from Emberley himself!

From Scion:

“For “Ed Emberley & Friends,” each artist will create a six-foot-by-six-foot wood panel that is a mash-up of their own style and that of Ed Emberley’s instructional drawing books. The tribute paintings will be exhibited alongside examples of each artist’s individual work. After the show, each of the large painted panels will be donated for long-term display in children’s hospitals around the United States. Emberley will have the largest presence in the show, contributing work from his archives including dozens of pages from the 1970s original mockups of his books. He will have recent drawings of his classic characters for sale, as well as a limited-edition print made especially for the show.”

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Come for the comics stay for the pie, Octopus Pie that is. Silver Lake’s Secret Headquarters hosts comic book author Meredith Gran as she doles out heaping servings, and book signings, of her famously delicious Octopus Pie.

From the SHQ:

“Meredith Gran’s OCTOPUS PIE (www.octopuspie.com) debuted in 2007 and quickly developed
a large fan base, making it one of the most popular comics on the Internet. The webcomic follows the adventures of nerdy and acerbic Eve Ning, who lives with her long-lost childhood friend (and perpetual happy stoner), Hanna, in Brooklyn. Initially published three times a week, and now posted in collected “episodes,” the stories and world of OCTOPUS PIE have developed over hundreds of strips. Now the first two years of the comic are collected in the beautiful Villard trade paperback OCTOPUS PIE: There Are No Stars In Brooklyn.”

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You’ve seen his work in print form at some point, from comics to magazines to newspapers, now’s you’re chance to meet and find out what makes the man draw so damn well as the illustrious Drew Friedman stops by Family on Fairfax for an evening discussion with Ben Schwartz.

From the Fam:

“The “Vermeer of the Borscht Belt”, Drew Friedman, has been blowing our collective minds for years. Getting his start in Art Spiegelman’s Raw Magazine, he has been published in just about every magazine you can imagine, and done some of the most iconoclastic celebrity portraits this side of Hirschfeld. No artist alive brings as much craft, humor, personality and timelessness to portraiture like Drew Friedman.

Friedman is making a rare trip out to LA, and we are psyched to be having him over at Family where author and journalist Ben Schwartz will host a conversation with the artist, followed by a book signing.”

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Family on Fairfax brings the slightly-out-of-focus photography of Brazil’s Marcelo Gomes to their fine family establishment with his first Los Angeles show Exploding, Still. Additional music performance from Eddie Ruscha’s 70’s sounding Secret Circuit.

From the Family:

“Brazilian photographer Marcelo Gomes’ photos tend toward the blearily-focused and askew, his landscapes, nudes, and abstract forms awash with sunlight and saturated color. The work has the foggy nostalgia of a photographed memory, with flashes of blissed-out transcendence. Exploding, Still is Gomes first solo exhibition in Los Angeles.”

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A belated R.I.P. goes out to the mad man of film, Dennis Hopper who unfortunately passed away on Saturday after a long bout with prostate cancer. Whether he was onscreen as a motorcycle riding hippie (Easy Rider), a burned out soldier in Vietnam (Apocalypse Now), a gas-huffing psycopath (Blue Velvet), or a protective dad enjoying his last Chesterfield (True Romance), it was near impossible to not pay attention to Mr. Hopper.

Hopper enjoyed life to the fullest as a self described “compulsive creator”, occupying time as an actor, writer, director and accomplished photographer. Dennis Hopper was a true artist in every sense of the word (read the LA Times piece on Hopper’s photography here).

Below is a video of the legend in 2008 as he lightheartedly recounts his days with fellow Ferris Gallery artists from the art doc Cool School during a panel discussion with artists from our own doc Beautiful Losers. (A few months after the following presentation we were fortunate enough to be bestowed the CineVegas Documentary Jury Award from Mr. Hopper himself at an afternoon awards luncheon in Las Vegas.)

Thanks to the incredible Mr. Lim for the Vimeo reminder.

above: Dennis Hopper by Andy Warhol

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Let your inner child run free for an evening filled with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote, the Roadrunner, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy Gonzalez, Yosemite Sam, the Tasmanian Devil and the rest of the Looney Tunes you love as cartoon historian Jerry Beck offers up The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons at The Cinefamily to commemorate his upcoming book of the same name (available June 1).

Click here for more on Beck’s book “The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons”.

From the Cinefamilia:

“To commemorate the publication of animation historian Jerry Beck’s new hardcover book “The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons” (Insight Editions), we’ve got for you (what else?) one hundred Looney Tunes — we’ll screen ten full-length shorts, as well as present a specially-edited reel featuring the other ninety, and if we’re lucky, advance copies of the book may be available for Jerry to sign! The book is based on a survey taken of thousands of cartoon fans, film historians and renowned movie critics, and celebrates the best of the best, the fastest and funniest Warner Bros. cartoons you must see before you die. The program features classic works by Tex Avery, Frank Tashlin, Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng and others — and stars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy Gonzales and dozens more. “Kill da Wabbit!” “Hassan Chop!” “I Tawt I Taw a Putty Tat!” “What’s Up, Doc?” “Pronoun Trouble!” Which ones made the cut? Join us on June 1st and find out! That’s all, folks!”

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