“Black buff, one colour fill and all style. 30 reasons why SWET is one of the best.
All painted in The Hague, South Holland – 2012.
Taken from: 010fuss’ photostream.”

Check out ALL 30 @ Artillery

For obvious reasons I try to keep up with my favorite artists, for unobvious reasons I completely missed out on hearing about Reader’s newest gallery show (granted it was in Springfield, OR (?)). Luckily, better late than never, I came across a post about it at Vandalog. Reader, Read More, OYE, Rancour, Boans, Books etc. etc. is killing it, inside and out.

You can also check out photos of the whole show at Ditch Projects.

The Two Sisters

Mr. Wiley is back with the same style, different subject. Some may have said “Okay, his portraits are epic and novel in the treatment of their subject matter and decorative background, but where does he go from here?” (I said this, I wasn’t sure how he could move on or what his next step would be w/o being redundant.) Well, it was one of those obvious ones, instead of doing classic portraits of men taken off the streets of Harlem, do them of men from around the world, such as the political hotbed of Israel and Palestine. Good, but still men and too similar. Boom. He goes back to the streets of nyc but flips the script and changes the subject matter to the female. The ladies get their due, their well deserved due. Enter, “An Economy of Grace,” his latest show at Sean Kelly Gallery in New York.

If you haven’t had a chance to see any of Kehinde Wiley’s work in person, do it. Like I said they really are epic and I mean that in the truest sense of the word not like “duuude, that burrito’s epic, bruh.” They’re enormous and overpowering in size and detail. I first saw his paintings at the Deitch Projects and being in a huge, open room with these massive paintings was awe-inspiring (couldn’t use awesome cuz I already used epic.)

Anyway, check out more coverage on “An Economy of Grace” over at OkayAfrica and at the Huffington Post.

And if you are unfamiliar with his work here are some examples of his previous paintings, and don’t forget these are like 106in. x 83in., that’s almost 10′ x 8′!-

I’ve had a crush on Maya Hayuk for a long time. It first started when I discovered her art through Barnstormers. For the longest time I had no idea what she even looked like but I didn’t need to cuz her work did something to me and made me a giggling little school boy. It’s been years and she continues to gift the world continuously with pieces of her explosive self, big and small (murals on barns to record covers for Savath & Savalas).

The Universe II

I was super stoked to see the awesome folks at Cinders Gallery make her the artist of the month and do an interview with her. They’ve done a tremendous job of giving support/exposure to true artists like Maya and others of her ilk.

"Cinders: what is your spirit animal? Maya: a chrome dolphin."

In the interview Maya succinctly sums up her work as “play.” Which is so true. But as simple as that is so is the complexity of her patterns and lines and color. As is the implicit meaning woven into her work, subtle, not having to scream “MESSAGE!” Politics and humanity are intrinsic without labeling itself “Political”, femininity is a presence without having to state the obvious. Cinders asks her about being a female artist and she puts into words what i’ve always felt-

Cinders: can you talk about being a female artist specifically?

Maya: well, as long as women still remain second class citizens in our society, we will be referred to as “female artists” and not simply as “artists” (which implies a white male normal). i mean, how many times are male artists asked “can you talk about being a male artist?”. until women are respected as equals and their rights to proper healthcare, education and equal pay are secured, we’re still going to be living in a broken society. this affects us all (male and female).

There is so much more to Maya than could ever fit in this little ol’ blog post and I claim no part of doing her any justice, so go read the INTERVIEW for another small glimpse into her psyche!!!

And check out-

Cinders Gallery.

MayaHayuk.com

She has also put out a book out with Upper Playground, Just Good Vibes, has a segment in The Run Up DVD and an awesome zine with Nieves, Round the Way (with a two disc soundtrack!)

(I’ve yet to meet her but I was really stoked when I got asked to contribute art to a group show based on The Pat Roberston & Friends Coloring Book and she was amongst the other artists)

(junes187 Flickr)

 (Till C Flickr)

 (Sabeth718 Flicker)

 (The Fatboys Flickr)

 (Omsk 167 Flickr)

 (Molotow and Friends Flickr)

 (Till C Flickr)

 (Swet monument collabo by LECKOmio76)

 (Swet spray paint can installation at Public Provocations, Carhartt gallery. Photo  by .ParsProFoto*)

(Photo: Soundwaves on Flickr)

(Photo: ExcuseMySarcasm)

(Photo: ExcuseMySarcasm)

(Photo: http://causeineedit.wordpress.com/)

(Photo: ExcuseMySarcasm)

(Photo: Cannibal Holocaust)

(Photo: JSinghur)

(Photo: http://causeineedit.wordpress.com/)

(Photo: Smash137.net)

Check out more @ Smash137.net

This is for Trayvon Martin. I didn’t know him. I don’t know the man that shot and killed him. I don’t know exactly what happened and no one ever will. Regardless, this teenager is dead. And it’s ashamedly not really anything new.

When people with guns make bad choices there’s no turning back. None.

I’ve gotten my ass beat down, badly. But guess what, I healed. And I would take a beat down again and again and again and never would I be justified in taking someone else’s life.

Recently in Slinger, WI a 20yr old, Bo Morrison, was also shot and killed when he ran from a underage drinking party to hide from the police on a neighbors enclosed back porch. The homeowner went out on the porch and shot him. Obviously situations like this are never cut and dry. I’m all for protecting your home and family but there’s smart ways to do so and shooting to kill is not justified unless you are in immediate, imminent, absolute danger.

To keep it real, bad choices were probably made by all parties involved but in no way should either of these young men had to pay with their lives.

(The hoody print is from OG New York street artist Dan Witz, check him out and buy from DanWitz.com)