Friday was a big nite in the Midwest when SHEPARD FAIREY’s Ohio installment of his traveling retrospective “Supply & Demand” opened at the CINCINNATI CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER and shattered the institution’s all-time attendance record. Turning out in droves, fans streamed in from throughout the region to get a glimpse of over 250 pieces of Fairey’s artwork from all stages in his career, from the outset of the Andre the Giant campaign up to Obama’s Hope poster artwork, along with some new, site-specific paste-ups (and seven new street-legal murals throughout town). Ol Shep capped off the night (only a week after his 40th birthday) with a hardcore Serrato session that made the locals feel like they were in LA for one nite (or at least a couple hours anyway). HAVE A LOOK:

Photos by the homies Dale Doyle and Thadd…

Shep gives mini-me daughter Vivian a lesson in crowd control…

What has to be the final nail in the “Street Art” coffin was driven in last weekend by none other than MR. BRAINWASH (aka: “The Christian Audigier of Street Art”) when he opened his massive, self-produced “Icons” show in a rented space (which, ironically, was once a real art gallery, pre-recession) in the heart of Chelsea. As the subject of Brit Street Art king Banksy’s recent docu-parody film, “Exit Through The Gift Shop,” MBW has been the focus of much hype and speculation as his presence finally seeps into the fairly muddy stream of mainstream consciousness. Last week’s Wall Street Journal article articulated this particularly well:

“Fueling the buzz around Mr. Brainwash is that no one knows exactly who the 44-year-old is. Some Web sites have speculated that he may be an invented character, part of a performance-art hoax. Others think he may, in fact, be the popular British street artist Banksy, whose face has never been shown on camera … “Maybe I am Banksy,” says the enigmatic artist, who says his real name is Thierry Guetta and speaks in a thick French accent. “Maybe not.”

Of course, the most amusing part of all this dumbfounded hypothesizing is how real—and accessible—Mr. Brainwash actually is. Far from actually being Banksy or any other legitimately mysterious street art phantom, MBW is simply Thierry Guetta, aka “French Terry,” a Los Angeles-based French transplant who cut his teeth in recent years by following around the architects of the scene, Shepard Fairey and Banksy, camera in hand, capturing film of them in action for what was to be his own documentary on street art. In the process, Guetta was inspired to follow in the footsteps of his idols and ultimately passed through the looking glass, assuming the incredibly ridiculous moniker of “Mr. Brainwash.” Guetta then forged a visual identity for himself by mining literally every Pop Art gimmick of the past 50 years and running it through the stylistic filter of Fairey and Banksy to achieve his own heavily derivative results. Of course, this would all be an act of genius (or at least considerable humor) if French Terry was doing it as a grand act of parody, skewering the scene he had been so closely observing for all its inherent gimmickry and blasé appropriation. In the process of his conversion, however, French Terry, like the computers in so many Sci-Fi tales, became self-aware, and convinced that he himself was in fact a true artist and the bona-fide “next big thing” of street art. Enter Banksy…

Convinced that Terry—due to his own directorial ineptitude or self-possessed drive to become a street artist himself—would never finish the original film as planned and recognizing the inherent absurdity of the would-be filmmaker’s hilarious conversion, Banksy did what he does best and flipped the tables by taking possession of Guetta’s reels and creating a new documentary with his own team. Focused not on himself or Shepard Fairey as originally intended, “Exit Through The Gift Shop” would instead chronicle French Terry’s amazing transformation as a metaphor for the absurdity of the street art world and Banksy’s own brilliant “take a sucker for all they’re worth” ethos. The result was billed by Banksy as “The world’s first street art disaster movie,” with the film’s trailer showing footage of Terry spilling paint in his truck and walking into signposts while quotes like “in a world with no rules, one man broke them all,” flashed across the screen. You could almost hear the sound of journalists scratching their heads at screenings in Park City (Sundance) and Berlin.

Dateline, February 12, 2010: Following up his self-produced June 2008 one man show in LA (that was itself a direct copy of Banksy’s epic solo show there two years earlier) that was held in a cavernous old abandoned TV studio facilitated by his family’s extensive real estate holdings and chronicled in depth here on Supertouch, French Terry unveils the East Coast installment of his street art apocalypse with the opening of “Icons” at a massive rented defunct gallery space in Chelsea. Featuring an equally absurd array of Warhol-derived celebrity portraiture (using silkscreen and splatter paint along with broken 45 records as his prime medium), mixed with Claes Oldenburg-style object sculpture, and exact replicas of Banksy-style found old master hotel room paintings featuring modern ironic interventionist touches (ie: P-Diddy raising the roof in a Renoir style oil painting) with prices ranging up to the—hold your breath—$300,000 mark, the show was pure MBW through and through. And while serious art collectors scoffed, knowing that the only reason French Terry was going rogue to such extent in NYC (aside from the obvious financial gains of having no gallery to cut in on the take) was because no serious art gallery would touch him, new money suckers and socialites were lining up to fork over the green to invest in the street art equivalent of Bear Stearns. Of course, MBW loyalists would cite his sold out show of work at SoHo’s Opera Gallery late last year as evidence of a real art career, but Opera is simply a tourist art gallery dabbling heavily in so-called “lowbrow” and “street art” of late (with a heavily funded/deluded client base, no less).

So what’s the take away here? Do we love French Terry for what he is? Deride him for who he thinks he is? Embrace him for bringing laughter to our hearts and lips? In the end, we at Supertouch are left to mine our own previous coverage of MBW’s Los Angeles show to deliver an apt closing moral:

“To call last nite’s opening of newly minted and ridiculously named “artist” MR BRAINWASH an “art show” would be a disservice to artists everywhere and even Mr Brainwash himself. Instead, let’s call it what it really is: a grand art prank of epic proportions. A heist. A spoof. A joke. Or maybe just the biggest, funnest, sloppiest high school art fair of all time … In the words of one of LA’s most pioneering street art provocateurs, Skullphone, “if Disneyland wanted to open a street art ride, this is what they’d have done.”

Our prediction for French Terry’s next big project? Our money’s fully on the Mr. Brainwash clothing line by Christian Audigier. It’s just too bad Michael Jackson’s not around to see it (or this show), he would have eaten it up…

HAVE A LOOK:

Photos by Rich Drogpa, Brian Jung, and D-Knatt

KAWS, anyone???…

MBW maximizes profit on his commissioned Madonna portrait…

…and lays rightful claim to the title of “Boy Toy”

MBW rakes it in off the Material Girl…

The best piece in the show…

French Terry holds court before his masses…

One of the fashion world’s foremost visionary designers and couture fine artists ALEXANDER McQUEEN was found dead today in his London apartment, an apparent suicide just days after the death of his mother, and the suicide of one of his close friends Isabella Blow, who discovered the young designer and helped forge his early career:

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN IN APPARENT SUICIDE AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER
David Brown, Sadie Gray and Laura Pitel | TIMES ONLINE

The British fashion industry lost one of its brightest stars yesterday with the apparent suicide of Alexander McQueen, who was found hanged at his Central London home.

The designer, 40, had been grieving over the death of his mother, Joyce, who died on February 2. He had been due to attend her funeral today.

The loss of one of the most commercially successful and respected British designers has cast a pall over next week’s London Fashion Week. Friends said that he had been under pressure to complete his autumn/winter women’s wear collection for next month’s launch in Paris. One of his lines, McQ, was due to be shown at New York Fashion Week yesterday but was cancelled. The designer was also known to be upset that a recent relationship had ended.

McQueen recently described the suicide of his mentor — the style icon Isabella Blow — as “the most important thing he had learnt in fashion”. During a newspaper interview conducted by his mother, McQueen was asked what was his most terrifying fear. He replied: “Dying before you.” Click HERE to continue reading…

Despite MOCA’s financial woes of late and near collapse last year amid the chaos of the economic holocaust, the veritable Southland institution seems on to a bright future now, having secured ST buddy JEFFREY DEITCH as its new director (starting June 1) and financial security (for the moment). If ever there was a time to celebrate, it is now.

“Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years” does just that, simultaneously paying homage to the museum’s storied history while looking ahead towards what seems like a newly bright horizon (thanks to Eli Broad there might just be another 30 years in store). Spread evenly across the Grand Avenue and Geffen locations, the true depth and brilliance of MOCA’s holdings is laid out chronologically, to staggering effect in this must-see two part exhibit.

Beginning at the Grand Ave space, curator PAUL SCHIMMEL traces the years 1939 to 1979, juxtaposing works by Barnett Newman and Mondrian with pieces by Ruscha, Billy Al Bengston, and Johns, among others. The pace picks up quickly beginning in 1980 at the Little Tokyo Geffen Contemporary wing where Chris Burden’s massive motorcycle sculpture decidedly sets the tone. Prime offerings by Raymond Pettibon, Wangechi Mutu, Catherine Opie, and Neo Rauch vie for attention amid the visual overload.

It’s been a long time since the LA area has seen a survey so comprehensive and overwhelming and this show should be considered essential viewing for all but the most sight-deprived public. If ever there was an exhibit worty of busing every grade school in the region to, it is this. Luckily, the show is also viewable online with interesting text accompanying every image, providing a bit of art history 101 for the uninitiated. HAVE A LOOK:

Read the LA Times review HERE

JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT

FRANZ ACKERMANN

DIANE ARBUS

BILLY AL BENGSTON

WALLACE BERMAN

CHRIS BURDEN

WILLEM DE KOONING

DAN FLAVIN

CARROLL DUNHAM

SAM FRANCIS

NAN GOLDIN

MARK GROTJAHN

ROBERT IRWIN

JASPER JOHNS

MIKE KELLEY

JEFF KOONS

FRANZ KLINE

BARBARA KRUGER

PAUL McCARTHY

ANA MENDIETA

LOUISE NEVELSON

WANGECHI MUTU

NEO RAUCH

BARNETT NEWMAN

GABRIEL OROZCO

RAYMOND PETTIBON

LARI PITTMAN

JACKSON POLLOCK

KENNETH PRICE

RICHARD PRINCE

ANDY WARHOL

JAMES ROSENQUIST

CHRISTOPHER WOOL

MARK TANSEY

HIROSHI SUGIMOTO

By now it’s no secret that JEFFREY DEITCH is closing shop in downtown NYC to head West for the sunnier confines of the MoCA Director’s office, starting June 1st. That leaves SHEPARD FAIREY’s upcoming portrait show as the farewell exhibition at one of the city’s most legendary and influential commercial art institutions in the city’s history. And that’s saying a lot, given SoHo’s storied art legacy. As Shepard toils away in his LA painting studio logging long hours behind the spray can and paintbrush, DEITCH PROJECTS ST’s own Jamie O’Shea dropped by the spot for an exclusive look at the work in progress (portraits of artists, musicians, gurus, and politicians), easily some of his finest to date. Since we couldn’t reveal most of the new works in full, cropped eye shots of the large canvases will have to do for now. Stay tuned to ST for a comprehensive first look as May draws near. Meanwhile, HAVE A LOOK:

Last weekend saw the DAMIEN HIRST’s first grand spectacle of 2009 when his daunting career retrospective “Requiem” opened at the PINCHUK ART CENTER in the unlikely city of Kiev, Ukraine. Not exactly known as an epicenter of fine art (unless you count the Ukrainian girls, that is), resident steel billionaire and obsessed Hirst collector VICTOR PINCHUK aims to change that by launching the epic visual spectacle that includes over 100 works (a vast amount of which came from Pinchuk’s private collection) by the British artist from 1998 – 2008 in his own privately funded art palace that holds the title as the largest private museum in the former Soviet Union. The fact that this grandiose show of power comes at a time when the Ukraine is especially compromised economically as a result of the crippling global economic downturn seems to only heighten the poignancy of the show which includes a great number of pieces overtly—and quite graphically—devoted to the theme of the perverse effects of money and power. HAVE A LOOK:

It is truly with a heavy heart that we must break the news that one of Supertouch’s dear friends, photographer SHAWN MORTENSEN, passed away last nite. A kinetic force of optimism and seemingly limitless positive energy, Shawn’s hearty career as a photojournalist and artist took him around the world several times over, unselfishly spreading his endless supply of good vibes as he went. Particularly renowned for his portraits of musicians, artists, and entertainers, Shawn photographed a stunning array of pop culture demigods in his 20+ year career including Keith Haring, Tupac, Henry Rollins, James Brown, The Notorious BIG, Bjork, Jun Takahashi, Leo Fitzpatrick, Christopher Wool, Mark Gonzales, Ed Ruscha, Vivienne Westwood, The Bad Brains, Dash Snow, Grandmaster Flash, Neil Young, MIA, John Lee Hooker, Nigo, Sofia Coppola, Agnes B., Sonic Youth, The Beastie Boys, Keith Richards, Chloe Sevigny, The Foo Fighters, Everlast, Kraftwerk, Wu Tang Clan, and The Sex Pistols, to name but a few. Shawn was also a successful commercial photographer who worked with clients like SUPREME and NIKE, and publications like VIBE, and I-D Magazine, where his streetwise eye was a highly prized commodity. Within the artistic community of his homeland of Los Angeles, Mortensen was a local legend whose constant presence at weekly art openings was a staple of the scene, his favorite Polaroid camera always in hand. At the time of his death, 43-year-old Mortensen was working on a series of new artwork titled “M.O.R.= Monsters!, Outlaws, & Renegades” set to debut at SPACE15TWENTY in Los Angeles in June of this year, and a collaborative photo-based T-Shirt line with Hollywood fashion brand BARRACUDA. Our hearts go out to Shawn’s family during this difficult time. Needless to say, Shawn may be gone, but he will not be forgotten. For newcomers to Shawn’s work, his excellent book, “Out of Mind” is a must-have reference. HAVE A LOOK:

SOME OF THE LAST PHOTOS EVER TAKEN OF SHAWN WITH FRIENDS MIGUEL DE LA BARRACUDA AND SHEPARD & AMANDA FAIREY:

As a director of some of the most acclaimed highbrow B-movies of all time, Supertouch amigo JOHN WATERS needs no further introduction. Quietly working the night shift as a fine artist for years now, the Baltimore-bound obsessive’s hard work has finally landed him a spot in the most hallowed hall of the modern art world, namely, the GAGOSIAN GALLERY, where the artist’s solo “Rear Projection” show opened to a throng of Hollywood players, weirdos, fanboys and girls, and well-wishing lookie-loos on Saturday nite. Comprised largely of C-prints of photos Waters has taken of TV screens bearing his favorite stills from movies of all kinds, the works pulse with the raw humor and dry wit that is Waters’ hallmark. Of particular note in this top notch collection of works are several large-scale Pop “object” sculptures that include a giant roach motel, a reproduction of the $250-a-jar La Mere face cream (this is Hollywood, after all), and a monster bottle of poppers big enough to keep all of LA bugging for a month. The crown jewel, in Waters’ epic display, however, is the beyond-lifelike sculpture of a dapper Ike Turner circa 1965, kneeling before, and holding the strings of, a marionette doll version of Tina Turner. Quipped Waters on our private exhibition visit about the headlines in the NY Post after Ike Turner’s death: “You know what they wrote when Ike died?: “Ike Beat Tina to Death!” HAVE A LOOK:

To officially launch the LIVESTRONG “Stages” benefit art show (full details below) powered by NIKE that will debut during LANCE ARMSTRONG’s run in this year’s TOUR DE FRANCE, an epic kickoff celebration was held on Saturday nite at Nike’s MONTALBAN THEATER in the heart of Hollywood. The evening began with a massive public charity ride from Children’s Hospital—after Lance spent part of the day visiting with pediatric cancer patients—to the theater where he then took the stage to formally announce the charity art show with the help of BEN STILLER, Nike’s MARK PARKER, Livestrong CEO DOUG ULMAN, and SHEPARD FAIREY. Speaking before a packed house of loyal yellow-clad followers and Livestrong soldiers, Lance eloquently detailed his plan to expand the global scope of cancer awareness through his return to professional cycling and engaging the creative community more closely in the battle with “Stages.” Closing out the nite was surprise musical guest BEN HARPER who performed a full set with his new band THE RELENTLESS SEVEN before a truly stunned crowd. Exhibited throughout the venue were Lance’s new TREK “art bikes” designed by BARRY McGEE and KAWS, as well as his twin Tour of California cycles, most notably the now-infamous stolen time trial bike. Onlookers crowded around displays of Nike’s stunning new NSW Livestrong gear (proceeds from the sale of which go directly to Livestrong) that included offerings by artists MISTER CARTOON and FUTURA, and mingled with some of the “Stages” artists in attendance like ROSSON CROW, ERIC WHITE, and Mr. Fairey (who might have signed more autographs than Lance by night’s end). Keep an eye on Supertouch for more exclusive details on the show coming soon. Meanwhile, HAVE A LOOK:THE STAGES ART SHOW:
“Stages” brings together nearly 30 of the world’s most unique and diverse artists to create original works of art inspired by Lance Armstrong and his mission to raise awareness of the global cancer burden. This unique project coalesces the worlds of art, philanthropy and sport in a way never before seen to exhibit world-class artwork representing the power of human potential in overcoming adversity.

Artists participating in the “Stages” art tour include Christopher Wool, Tom Sachs, Rosson Crow, Shepard Fairey, Raymond Pettibon, José Parlá, Ed Ruscha, KAWS, Dzine, Eric White, Barry McGee, Kenny Scharf, Os Gemeos, Marc Newson, Taryn Simon, JR, Yoshitomo Nara, Suejin Chung, Lari Pittman, Aaron Young and Jules de Balincourt, to name but a few. All artists will begin working on their pieces between now and July, leading to an exhibition at the world-renowned Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery in Paris on July 16th, 2009. All artwork will be exclusive to the show and sold with all profits being donated to Livestrong.

To draw further attention to the show while on the road to his potential 8th Tour de France Win, Lance will be riding a large series of special Trek “art bikes” throughout his upcoming races. Created by the likes of Marc Newson, KAWS, and Damien Hirst, the cycles will be exhibited in the “Stages” art tour before ultimately being auctioned to benefit the Livestrong Foundation.

Ben Harper will play guitar better than you and then kick your ass…

The stolen Tour of California TT bike. “Ride it like it’s hawwwt, ride it like it’s hawwwt…”

A-list actor Tugg Speedman & Lance catch up after a quick game of pickup dodgeball…

Shepard Fairey’s Livestrong call to action…

Lance’s legion of Livestrong cyclists awaits his starting gun…

Lance and LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa rally the troops for an epic bike ride…

And they’re off…

While the riders storm the streets of Hollywood en masse, Lance’s art buddies Tim Biskup and James Jean constructed an epic Livestrong chalk drawing outside the Montalban Theater as the culmination of the “Open Roads” cancer awareness campaign…

LA’s finest usher in Lance and his legion of loyal hope riders…

Tim Biskup, Nike’s Sandy Bodecker and Mark Parker, and artist Eric White catch up after the ride…

Meanwhile, a packed theater awaits Lance’s return..

Which gets a rousing intro from Lance buddy/Livestrong ally Ben Stiller…

…who compares Lance’s bike ride with President Bush to his grueling cancer treatment.

Lance and Livestrong CEO Doug Ulman storm the stage…

Where Lance underscores the theme of the evening…

And waxing philosophical on the battle ahead…

Sitting down with Nike’s Mark Parker, the trio unveil the details of the “Stages” art show…

And Lance talks big picture about engaging the creative community with his anti-cancer mission…

Next up is artist Shepard Fairey…

Who reveals the inspiration for the Livestrong Montalban mural…

And interviews Lance about his plans to engage artists worldwide in the Livestrong fight…

Shepard’s glorious middle aged physique gets him confused for Lance all the time…

Top secret musical guest Ben Harper blew the crowd’s mind…

And tore up the stage with his new band The Relentless 7 in their first-ever LA gig…

Shepard and Amanda Fairey discuss action plans with Juan Pelota…

The stolen TOC TT bike kept the crowds transfixed in the lobby…

And might just be the most photographed bike in the world (in addition to being the most famous one)…

Tim Biskup sports his Barracuda “Lance Armstrong” gear…

The message reigns supreme…

KAWS‘ anxiously anticipated new show “The Long Way Home,” opened its doors to an absolutely massive crowd at HONOR FRASER gallery in LA last nite, with a queue that wrapped entirely around the block (and then some) for the duration of the frenzied two-hour opening. KAWS’ incredibly well behaved legion of faithful followers did their best to make the Brooklyn-based artist feel welcome in his first west coast solo exhibition that featured new paintings (the largest of which went to collector and Supertouch buddy Lance Armstrong), sculptures, a 20″ solid bronze Chum figure and a new series of “Kurfs” and “Kawsbob” package paintings that were all spoken for well before the opening festivities kicked off. The evening’s attending “A-list” included Everlast, Todd James, Robert & Suzanne Williams, Lupe Fiasco, Rosson Crow, Eric Elms, Miguel de la Barracuda, Shepard & Amanda Fairey, Scott Campbell, actor & Iron Man II screenwriter Justin Theroux, Cassette Playa’s Carrie Mundane, LAMJC’s Michael Dupouy, ANP Quarterly’s Brendan Fowler, legendary Pop artist Kenny Scharf, and the incredible Chrome Hearts/Vice “Dont’s” column guy with the crusty egg whites in his spiked hair (see below). Of course, a lot of KAWS’ less savvy enthusiasts didn’t quite understand that a proper art opening is not the place to ask an artist to sign your entire toy collection carried along in plastic grocery bags and the message boards will no doubt be ablaze this morning with unwarranted hate mail from a wave of unsatisfied eBay flippers (along with the 200 or so fans who couldn’t get into the show because of mandatory time & fire marshal capacity constraints). A 600+ collector waiting list for the show’s 18 paintings, however, proved testament to the pure heat of KAWS’ unfulfilled demand in the art market and a huge story in the day’s LA Times was just icing on the cake. HAVE A LOOK (and tune in for opening photos tonite):

The queue an hour before show time…

The style council: LAMJC’s Thibault Choay, Michael Dupouy, and 12 Bar clothing’s Nick Jackson prove that the English and French can get along. Sort of…

The show’s masterpiece and title work: “The Long Way Home,” acrylic on canvas, 84 x 96 inches.

(detail)

(detail)

Mrs Elms, Todd James/REAS, Brendan Fowler, Mr Elms, and Lupe Fiasco plot world domination…

The big guy…

Everlast provided impromptu security against some of KAWS more rabid autograph-seeking fans…

“Gatekeepers,” acrylic on canvas, 86 x 136 inches. (colleciton of Lance Armstrong)

(detail)

(detail)

(detail)

Shepard Fairey explains to KAWS and REAS how he’s gonna beat the AP because “like, Obama totally doesn’t have a case.”

The 8 footer meets his match…

“Eleven Bones,” acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 inches.

KAWS with LA art legend Robert Williams and wife Suzanne…

Suzanne Williams’ Marc Newson “swiss cheese” shoes…

Miguel de la Barracuda with Cassette Playa’s Carrie Mundane…

“Ruled Out,” acrylic on canvas, 68 x 86 inches.

“Without an Agreement,” acrylic on canvas, 68 x 68 inches.

“Floating the Rumors,” acrylic on canvas, 68 x 86 inches.

Painter Rosson Crow with KAWS…

“Kurf (Tangle),” acrylic on canvas, 72 x 96 inches.

“Kurf” package paintings.

“Kurf” package painting, acrylic on canvas in plastic packaging, 18 x 15 x 3 inches.

“Kurf” package painting, acrylic on canvas in plastic packaging, 18 x 15 x 3 inches.

“Kurf” package painting, acrylic on canvas in plastic packaging, 18 x 15 x 3 inches.

“Kurf” package painting, acrylic on canvas in plastic packaging, 18 x 15 x 3 inches.

“Kurf” package painting, acrylic on canvas in plastic packaging, 18 x 15 x 3 inches.

“Kurf (Hot Dog),” acrylic on canvas, 68 x 68 inches.

“Kurf (Shhh…),” acrylic on canvas, 68 x 68 inches.

(detail)

“Kurf (Spilt Milk),” acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches.

Regular sightings like this are still the single best thing about living in LA…

Sometimes words just cannot express…

“Kawsbob” package paintings, acrylic on canvas in plastic packaging, 18 x 15 x 3 inches.

“Chum,” painted bronzes, series of 6 colors, 20 1/2 x 13 x 6 inches.

REAS and Lupe Fiasco brainstorming their next Complex magazine cover…

Honor Fraser with her radioactive security guard…

Closing time and the vast unsatisfied queue prepares to break down the door once and for all…

Rosson Crow closes out the nite and proves why she’s the baddest girl in the room…

The line that never ended…