Here at Supertouch we get sent a LOT of reader photos of art tattoos, but this week’s BARRY McGEE half sleeve takes the cake. And since we’re talking about Mr. TWIST, let’s have a look at the rare walk-through the reclusive artist filmed in conjunction with his recent show under the pseudonym “Lydia Fong” at cutting edge San Francisco gallery RATIO 3:

In what can easily be described as the most unexpected artist product collab of the year, the elusive SF-based artist ROBERT PIMPLE (aka: BARRY McGEE) has teamed with OAKLEY—official eyewear provider to Dog the Bounty Hunter—to create a signature pair of shades reflecting his own unique fashion sense. Featuring wraparound styling and polarized lenses for maximum protection on Mr. Pimple’s lengthy fixed-gear runs through the streets of San Francisco, the extremely limited-edition eyewear comes in custom R. Pimple designed packaging and are also officially certified beer goggles. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Street art legend and notorious shapeshifter BARRY McGEE (aka: Ray Fong) surprised San Francisco art fanatics last Friday nite when an unexpected show of his work appeared at RATIO 3 gallery credited to the artist “LYDIA FONG” (his dress-wearing alter ego). For the most part an assemblage of pieces from several recent smaller shows, “A Moment for Reflection: New Work by Lydia Fong” is an amazingly comprehensive survey of all of Barry’s recent stylistic modes with a few new geometric and abstract twists thrown in for good measure (and even an installation of drawings by his gearhead father). HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

The above two pieces of artwork by CLARE ROJAS (left) and BARRY McGEE (right) were recently stolen from the RVCA x CINELLI “Pressure” art exhibition at RVCA’s San Francisco shop at the corner of Haight & Asbury. Both pieces are from private collections and RVCA asks that anyone with any information about their whereabouts please contact shop staff at 415 701 7822. There will be no questions asked of anyone phoning in with information and if the person in possession of the works wishes to return them, no legal action will be taken against anyone. They just want the art back. Anonymous tips can also be emailed to Supertouch staff at Supertouchart@gmail.com. DO THE RIGHT THING…

Phil Frost’s wheels of fury… 

The corner of Haight & Asbury was ground zero for San Francisco’s track bike & messenger culture when RVCA opened their “Pressure” exhibition of collaborative art bikes with esteemed Italian cycle maker CINELLI. On board to customize the premium two-wheelers was an all-star lineup of artists including BARRY MCGEE, ASHLEY MACOMBER, CLARE ROJAS, C.R. STECYK III, DAN MURPHY, DMOTE, JESSE GELLER, JOSH LAZCANO, KAWS, MADSAKI, PHIL FROST, PM TENORE AND STEPHEN POWERS who added their unique touch to an array of new and vintage Cinelli frames and components. While many of the bikes remained rideable works of art, some artists like KAWS, Clare Rojas, Josh Lazcano, and Ashley Macomber transformed their cycles into nonfunctional (or in the case of Lazcano, hyperfunctional) sculptural pieces. With artwork prices escaping the reach of most lowly city peddlers, RVCA created a limited edition series of T-shirts by all artists in the show and debuted some pieces from the new Barry McGee apparel and accessory collection set to drop this fall. Also up for grabs was the eagerly anticipated special Barry McGee production art bike. Available as an edition of 50 pieces worldwide in three frame sizes (54, 56 or 58), the cycle is available as 25 complete bikes and 25 frame-only kits with pricetags of $3,700.00 and $2,100.00 respectively. The run will be available for sale only through RVCA and LANCE ARMSTRONG’s MELLOW JOHNNY’S bike shop in Austin, Texas where the art show will make a stop in late September. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

The must-have art cycle…

Cycling fanatics are no doubt counting the days until the opening of RVCA’s collaborative art show with renowned Italian cycle company CINELLI and an impressive lineup of modern artists including Barry McGee, Ashley Macomber, Clare Rojas, C.R. Stecyk III, Dan Murphy, DMOTE, Jesse Geller, Josh Lazcano, KAWS, Madsaki, Phil Frost, PM Tenore and Stephen Powers on Thursday, June 19th at RVCA’s flagship store in San Francisco and now we’ve got a look at the full run of BARRY McGEE’s special production art bike to be sold at the event. Available as an edition of 50 pieces worldwide in three frame sizes (54, 56 or 58), the cycle will be available as 25 complete bikes and 25 frame-only kits with pricetags of $3,700.00 and $2,100.00 respectively. The run will be available for sale only through RVCA and LANCE ARMSTRONG’s Mellow Johnny’s bike shop in Austin, Texas where the art show will make a stop in late September. Stay tuned for more details to come. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

One of Barry McGee’s loyal legion of tree people at work…

“Are we alone in the Universe? Do aliens exist? Or are we, ourselves, the strangers in our own worlds?” These are the questions asked by curator Douglas Fogle who has organized “LIFE ON MARS,” the 55th Carnegie International Exhibition at the CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART featuring visionary artists like David Shrigley, Wolfgang Tillmans, Mike Kelley, Cao Fei, and perennial Supertouch favorites BARRY McGEE and DOUG AITKEN, to name a few. While the show has been criticized by the art press for failing to look beyond some of the art world’s most recognized young (and old) talents for the unknown visionaries that biennial exhibitions like this are supposed to champion, it’s still a daunting show in culture-starved Pittsburgh, or any major metropolis, for that matter. Reflecting his graphic direction of the past few years, Barry McGee’s installation might be one of the last looks at this particular mode of thought before the artist switches gears for his next round of shows in 2009, while Doug Aitken’s “Migration” series of images projected onto various walls of the institution’s façade proves to be one of the most visually stunning (especially after dark) elements of the show. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

The track bike of the gods… 

Here’s a first look at the production sample of BARRY McGEE’s highly anticipated track bike collaboration with RVCA & Italian cycle makers CINELLI. Available as part of the company’s upcoming collaborative “Pressure” art exhibition featuring an array of Cinelli bikes built and designed by such modern artists as Barry McGee, Ashley Macomber, Clare Rojas, C.R. Stecyk III, Dan Murphy, DMOTE, Jesse Geller, Josh Lazcano, KAWS, Madsaki, Phil Frost, RVCA founder PM Tenore and Stephen Powers, the show will debut at RVCA’s flagship store in San Francisco on Thursday, June 19th and will be followed by a second September showing in Austin, Texas at cycling legend LANCE ARMSTRONG’s new bike shop, MELLOW JOHNNY‘S (so named for Armstrong’s cycling nickname derived from the French term “maillot jaune,” meaning yellow jersey), with more future tour dates to be announced. Limited to 50 pieces worldwide and available in three frame sizes (54, 56 or 58), the Barry McGee signature cycle will be available as 25 complete bikes and 25 frame-only kits with pricetags of $3,700.00 and $2,100.00 respectively, and will be available for sale only through RVCA and Mellow Johnny’s. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates to come, in the meantime, HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »