ARTE: RETNA

Earlier this week I paid a visit to RETNA's studio. He has some amazing new paintings he's working on, different from what he showed at Michael Kohn Gallery. I am loving the new paintings with the diamond shine and glitter to them.  The black on black paintings in particular seem to take on a 3-D effect if you look at it for a while.  Peep the video below as he breaks down creative influence, inspiration and what feels good to him.

 

ARTE: Wayne Thiebaud

Acquavella Galleries on the Upper Eastside is having a Wayne Thiebaud Retrospective and it ends tomorrow. If your in NY go check it out...looking at the ice cream paintings and ladies from the 60's in bathings suits will make you a little happier than when you walked in.

 

ARTE: #ATOM

DPROS is finally releasing his first mixtape #ATOM, I've heard it, its incredible! He released a teaser trailer and the album comes out 12.12.12

Update on Friday, December 14, 2012 at 7:50AM by PAPILLION ART

Its finally released! Find the download links and other info at his site getatom.tv

ARTE: ODDISEE

Ran into the very impressive musician/photographer Oddisee in the airport, how appropriate given one of my favorite records is Travelling Man!

ARTE: Olafur Eliasson

Olafur Eliasson has a great exhibition on view in Chelsea at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery the best parts were the installations upstairs, the water sculptures and the obsidian.

"Your disappearing garden" 2011

"Object defined by activity, now" 2009"Object defined by activity, then" 2009"Object defined by activity, soon" 2009

Olafur's TED Talk: Playing with space and light

ARTE: C-STUNNERS

I discovered Cyrus Kabiru's C STUNNERS on Maker Faire Africa 2010 and instantly fell in love!

From Maker Faire Africa's site:

Maker Faire Africa is a celebration of African ingenuity, innovation and creation. Here you will find the Makers who showed their work at the 2010 event in Nairobi Kenya. Work ranges from time saving devices for agriculture to alternative energy sources from design with recycled objects to social media applications for mobile phones. Per maker you will find a short synopsis of their work, their contacts details plus a possibliity to collaborate with them. Match your skills with one of the Makers.

Cyrus is a self taught painter and sculptor. This glasses series have no glass but are made with found objects. Each has its own story. The artistic series of once off pieces is inspired by his father who once broke his own glasses and refused to fix them.

Update on Monday, March 4, 2013 at 10:45AM by PAPILLION ART

Cyrus is a 2013 TED Fellow!!!

ARTE: Kilamanjaro Magazine

Olu Michael Odukoya of Kilamanjaro Magazine speaks about the creative process and explains why he choose to work with Ben Hillwood-Harris at Artwords Bookshop.

ARTE: Mabeo Designs

Peter Mabeo is the creator and owner of a brillant furniture company in Gaborone, Botswanna.  When you visit Mabeo Furniture's website you will find four basic principles that make the company; good design, use of sustainable materials, craftsmanship and people & community development.  Producing some of the highest quality and best furniture pieces in the world, Mabeo Furniture works with the top desingers and exports largely to clients in Europe and America.

mabeofurniture.com

Naledi Tables designed by Patricia Urquiola

Thuthu Stools designed by Patty Johnson

Kalahari Table designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune

ARTE: Christian Bordey

Christian Bordey is an amazing portrait photographer living and working in Paris, he sent this photo today! He is in Nantes, France shooting for a client and tested the lights with our logo! We LOVE <3

ARTE: Theaster Gates

Of all the amazing and interesting people I met this week none were more exciting than Chicago based artist Theaster Gates! I met Theaster at MOCA LA, he was there to check Glenn Ligon's artist talk. We discussed a number of things about his art, the Bank project in Chicago, my gallery and programming and this wonderful new exhibition that just opened in Miami at Locust Projects.

The most intriguing component to this exhibit are all the other things planned around it. The Soul Manufacturing Corporation creates relationships between the aesthitics of art, labor and race. He creates a factory like installation where skilled makers come in and produce things that are being made for commerce.  They have weekly programming where a DJ, a Yoga instructor and a Reader come in to provide relief and care for the makers and the audience.

Click the link below for a schedule of the programs and go be apart of this project!

THEASTER GATES SOUL MANUFACTURING CORPORATION NOVEMBER 10 - DECEMBER 21, 2012

ARTE: Barry McGee x Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair + Cadillac + MOCA LA got together to present ART IN THE STREETS: Brooklyn Style! SF native and street artist Barry McGee debuts an amazing, huge mural across the street from BAM.  They had the social media savvy photo booth in full effect at the party and everyone took advantage of it ;-)

MJPArtist Barry McGee & crewBarry's mural across the street from BAMSculptor Julie Schenkelberg & Larry Ossei-MensahAnt Demby & Singer Jenna AndrewsEVIAIR

ARTE: Mark Bradford in NY

Mark Bradford's show has re-opened at Sikkema & Jenkins.  The gallery opened this solo exhibit the night before Hurricane Sandy came and ravished the Chelsea arts district.  I was able to check it out and it is AMAZING! My favorite thing in NY at the moment. 

Click the thumbnails for better view of the paintings.

    

   

   

ARTE: Charles Ray

Charles Ray delivers at Matthew Marks Gallery in Chelsea