Relax in what the inside of MDV’s head looks like…

Following up on our previous sneek peek at one of MARK DEAN VECA’s new wall paintings for his retrospective show opening this Thursday, January 29th at the UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY/UCSD, we’ve got a first look at the show’s new interior “lounge” freshly painted by MDV himself. Providing a comprehensive overview of the Shreveport, Louisiana native & current Altadena resident’s creative oeuvre, “Mark Dean Veca: Painting, Wall Drawings and Collaborations” chronicles the diversity of the painter’s career from his early drawings and monochrome paintings to his creative collaborations with Nike, KAWS, Ford, and Burton Snowboards, before arriving at a selection of the artist’s stunning new work. The show will feature two intensely detailed wall paintings indoors & out exhibiting his signature style of graphic assault. In the words of curator Steve Mitchell, “Veca works in the meticulous tradition of the fresco painter to produce an image that paradoxically evokes the immediacy of the graffiti artist.” Keep an eye on ST for an MDV opening recap soon. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

“Objects in mirror appear closer than they actually are…”

Mobile communications-loving street artist SKULLPHONE went sky high in Echo Park last week when this aerial homage to his billboard hijacking rampage in Hollywood last summer. Anyone who blinked missed it, of course. It was buffed less than 24 hours later. Keep your eyes peeled for more “interventions” coming soon…

Mark Ryden at home in the wooly wilderness…

Worshipers of the formerly ultra-hairy beast known as MARK RYDEN can get their stalk-on up close and personal at MOCA this Saturday between 3—5pm when the reclusive artist will be onsite signing copies of his brand spankin new “The Tree Show” book. For the uninitiated unfamiliar with former Ryden appearances, prepare yourself for an epic line of otaku fanboys and girls all patiently waiting their turn to have the master sign all manner of objects and flesh. In short, it’s the people-watching event of the weekend bar none. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Some things that are should never be…

If the uninspiring lineups of previous COACHELLA festivals kept you from squinting through the 100+ degree temps of the desert venue for three days, this year’s epic roster of artists is sure to change your mind. Also, in a move that is an incredible sign of the times, tickets to this year’s festival will be available for purchase via LAY-AWAY!!!

 

Lance’s sweat will be included in a separate vial for the winning bidder. Photo by Liz Kruetz…

Having just wrapped up his official return to professional racing at this month’s TOUR DOWN UNDER in Adelaide, Australia, Supertouch buddy LANCE ARMSTRONG has made one of his TEAM ASTANA racing bikes available for bidding on EBAY, signed by none other than the cycling legend himself. The ultra high-tech exclusive team-issued 56cm TREK MADONE 6.9 PRO in Astana’s racing colors featuring Bontrager wheels and SRAM components (currently on display at the Adelaide City Council Tour Village, Victoria Square, Adelaide) would retail for approximately $12,442 USD if one could buy it in a store, and 100% of the funds raised by the eBay auction will be donated by Lance’s LIVESTRONG foundation to the CANCER COUNCIL OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Remember, every year almost 7 million people die of cancer worldwide with little end to the killer disease in sight. Cycling fans not crippled by today’s economy could do little better with their spare change for such a monumental return. Read more about the cancer burden HERE. Meanwhile, HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Neck simultaneously brightens and darkens up Melrose & Fairfax… 

NASTY NECK FACE has been a busy guy since touching down in Hollywood earlier this month, and today he unleashed his biggest bomb in LA to date on the front wall of Melrose streetwear hotspot BARRACUDA. Wrecking shop in a marathon eight hour painting session (almost like working a real job) in the subtropical weather that is our winter, the graffiti gremlin left behind a piece so bright it practically glows in the dark—and the day. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

CHICAGO has always been an art town, but one far removed from the electric grid of the New York “Art World.” In this Midwestern aesthetic vacuum, a surprisingly robust alternative art world has emerged, and ED MARSZEWSKI could very well be the king of Chicago’s underground art scene. He’s the founder of The Co-Prosperity Sphere, one of the largest alternative art spaces in Chicago, located in the south side neighborhood of Bridgeport. In addition to hosting regular exhibitions and occasional concerts, each year he puts on two weeklong festivals, Select Media in the fall and Version in the spring, showcasing experimental work from around the world (the theme of last year’s Select Media festival was “Infoporn,” and Version’s theme was “Dark Matter.”) Marzewski also runs Lumpen, a free local art publication, and his most recent project, the Chicago-centric but nationally distributed, Proximity magazine, connects this scene to the larger art community. Supertouch sister pub PAPER MAGAZINE has an in-depth look at the burgeoning local scene and its chief architect available to read online NOW.