OPENSPACE GALLERY Presents:

GRAFFUTURISM Paris Exhibitions series

35 Artists - 1 Group Show - 4 Solo Shows

Augustine Kofie | California Soul

May, 25 – June, 06, 2013

OpenSpace Galeri

56, rue Alexandre Dumas. Paris 11e France

09 80 66 63 94

* Facebook Invite

Official ‘CaliforniaSoul soundtrack by 4×4Tracktor/ Free download and stream here

#Califsoul 

I am very pleased to be contributiong to another international GRAFFUTURISM project. Samantha Longhi and Nicolas Chenus of GRAFFITI ART Magazine & OpenSpace Galeri reached out in early 2013 to begin talks on this extensive Graffuturism Paris exhibition, including 4 solo shows to follow the highly anticipated Group show in April. My inclusion marks my first true solo show outside of these United States as well as my first solo in Paris… A great personal accomplishment for me.  

As most of my shows I do my best to solidify a theme and a fitting title that best describes the works as well as continues to highlight my style. California Soul came to me as a perfect direction. A great way of bringing some of this progressive West Coast aesthetic and a costal cool sunwashed color pallette to Paris.

A little over a dozen new works on paper, wood and canvas will be on display from May 25 - June 6th, just a bit shy of 2 weeks. With all new works created since February, I continue my theme of finding balance with shape and form in each of the pieces, whether big or small. Contrasting soft color fields and washes with grid work and linear forms that speak of transition and structure. Themes touch on a golden state of mind, overcast optimism, southlandishness and the complexities of the good life in the rural paradise that he saw bulldozed into urban submission. 

About OPENSPACE GALLERY

Located in a popular and trendy area, close to Place de la Nation, Openspace is the new gallery of contemporary urban art in Paris. Founded in September 2012, this space aims to create a link between the artworks, artists and public. By inviting pioneer or rising artists of the graffiti and street art scene, the founders of Openspace, Samantha Longhi and Nicolas Chenus – also respectively editor/founder and publication director of Graffiti Art magazine – are keen to share their discoveries and their extensive knowledge of this art form. Pro176, Tilt, Stéphane Moscato, Jana & Js, Smash 137 and Yaze are the artists represented by the gallery. Openspace has also opened its doors for events with artists such as Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Rero, Katre, Btoy and the crew of VMD.

OpenSpace FBook

OpenSpace Insta

Openspace Twitter 

Greetings from LA [2013]

Screen print, acrylic and rub-on Letraset on 

reclaimed chipboard.

Finished in matte gel medium.

Greetings from SF [2013]

Screen print, acrylic and rub-on Letraset on 

reclaimed index card stock.

Finished in matte gel medium. 

Wider than a postcard

A group exhibition curated by Sven Davis

2 May – 1 June 2013

Breeze Block Gallery

Portland, Oregon

“It is not easy writing
someone a postcard.
The size and shape
of the card cut you
down to size…”
—Ron Padgett ‘Postcard’

[I will have 3 smaller posctcard size works on display at The Breeze Block Gallery for their next big group show on May 2nd, curated by the incomperable Sven Davis.  The lineup for the show is extensive and impressive to say the least, a much bigger and better line up of artists than last years Space//Form exhibition at the same gallery. ]

Email Paige Prendergast for pre-sales or press inquiries

paige@breezeblockgallery.com

Complete list of artists here

GRAFFUTURISM PARIS

This Group show will kick off 100 days of exhibitions, featuring work from the Graffuturist group including 4 solo exhibitions from Kofie, Rae Martini, Doze Green, and Pro 176. This is a huge event that will exhibit a Parisian survey of Graffuturism and its artists at Newly founded Openspace Gallery.

Graffuturism Paris will be another portion of the journey that the artists exhibiting as well as so many more have taken. Graffuturism continues to bring together like minded artists from around the world in a cohesive movement that is not defined by any theory only acts of action and moments. With past shows in Glasgow, London, Los Angeles and now Paris we stand appreciative of all the opportunities given to the artists. 

Paris is an important city to the overall group as you can see in the amount of French artists in the exhibition. Paris seems to be a place for creative growth and emerging artists. Openspace has allowed us to be part of this scene with this exhibition and the others. By bringing in other artists from Poland, US, Germany, Britain and the Netherlands Openspace has allowed for dialogue and collaboration to take place during this event. 25 Artists will not only exhibit new work in the gallery but we will also do what we do best and that is leave murals and installations around Paris. Even if temporary these murals are key in the process of our art form. We hope anyone close enough to travel to Paris make the trip and see one of the shows.

A MOVEMENT OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Graffuturism is the term coined by the artist Poesia, founder of the eponymous website, in order to define sensitively the work of a group of artists from the graffiti world but using different techniques and mediums. A movement that is becoming increasingly important on the international scene. Since 2010, several events have already taken place between Glasgow, London, Miami and Los Angeles. From a discovery perspective, the Openspace gallery wants to enhance the richness of this movement, by showing a selection of artists that are rarely seen (if ever) in France.

THE ARTISTIC CYCLE OF OPENSPACE

Graffuturism-Paris is the first part of several exhibition cycles to come to Openspace looking at the different major movements inherent to contemporary urban art. From a historical perspective and in an educational format, Openspace presents its first collective exhibition showing the different aspects of the movement by highlighting 20 French and international artists. Following this, four solo exhibitions will show more deeply the relationship with this movement and explore the different stylistic issues. In this perspective, the gallery Openspace publishes the catalog of the exhbition introducing this selection of artists from Graffuturism introduced by an essay by Daniel Feral.

OPENSPACE GALLERY

Located in a popular and trendy area, close to Place de la Nation, Openspace is the new gallery of contemporary urban art in Paris. Founded in September 2012, this space aims to create a link between the artworks, artists and public. By inviting pioneer or rising artists of the graffiti and street art scene, the founders of Openspace, Samantha Longhi and Nicolas Chenus – also respectively editor/founder and publication director of Graffiti Art magazine – are keen to share their discoveries and their extensive knowledge of this art form. Pro176, Tilt, Stéphane Moscato, Jana & Js, Smash 137 and Yaze are the artists represented by the gallery. Openspace has also opened its doors for events with artists such as Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Rero, Katre, Btoy and the crew of VMD.

Augustine Kofie

Select Exhibition Works 2001 - 2012

This is best described as catalogue-ish type direct breakdown of very select studio works spanning 12 years of my art career. Being this is my first true publication I wanted to make sure that the first manifestation covered a body of works that can clearly show my evolution and growth. From my first true solo show at Frank Sosa’s infamous 33 1/3 bookstore [Banksy’s first LA show followed my solo there in 2001] to the Graffuturism show in Los Angeles to finish off 2012 and about 25 select shown in between.

Included excerpts from Jaybo Monk, Christina Ochoa, Justin Giarla, Nastia Voynovskys & Todd Mazer.

Photography from Michael Underwood, Todd Mazer, Mike Cuffe for Warholian, Theo Jemison, Ian Campbell, Paul Doubell , Ixchel Lara and myself.

Many thanks to everyone that came through on the words and images, and to Michael Hernandez for the layout and Toowee for her support.

LOS ANGELES:

A number of books are available at The Last Bookstore/ Downtown LA Starting Monday, January 13th.. This will be the only physical location to purchase the book.

453 S. Spring St, Ground Floor, Downtown LA  |  213.488.0599     MON-THURS: 10A-10P, FRI-SAT: 10A-11P, SUN: 10A-6P

2nd printing available for purchase here

Golden Growth/ Edifice Cache [2011/12]

38 3/4 x 35 1/2  x 1 3/4 inches

Acrylic, ball point pen, white-out & xerographic gel transfer on birch wood panel. 

Finished in a matte satin varnish.

#CH3LA

#CREATIVITYHEALS

Creativity Heals  |  Launch Event & Fundraiser

Saturday 4.27.13 at KESSPRO Studios

6 - 11PM

Golden Growth will be in a slilent auction the evening of April 27, 2013 in Downtown Los Angeles to benefit Creativity Heals, an LA based non-profit organization providing artistic outlets for childhood victims of complex developmental trauma and abuse. More on Creativity Heals HERE.

FBook Page

Elective cargo [2013]

8 x 10.5 inches

Found paper, ink, and spray paint on chipboard. 

Bound with 3m adhesives, finished in archival matte varnish.

New on inside/ New on outside

8 x 10.5 inches

Found paper, ink, and spray paint on chipboard. 

Bound with 3m adhesives, finished in archival matte varnish. 

SCHWALBE & SCHWALBE | Galerie München
Baldestrasse 8
80469 München

Public opening 3/ 21/ 2013

22.03. – 23.3.2013

Complete overview of the catalogue here

Group exhibition with Robert Proch, Chazme, wants bar-races/Yuske Imai/Tilt/Dave Kinsey/Twoone/Stephen Tompkins/Kofie/Sitni/Ben Slow/Shaka/James Reka/Titifreak/Low Bros/Seacreative/Saddo

Paper the medium- a journey “back to the origins” ? 

Which signification (what role) has analog working in a world full of digital networks, powerful computers, and smartphones? (What are the results) How does this development changes the ….creative work? Our life is accelerating increasingly and most people are used to switch pictures “on / off” in a fraction of a second, or rather simply click them away. In everyday life of „media overflow“, it seems, that pictures are loosing their value and get reduced to a commercial available mass product. This progress, certainly changes, how people look at the art behind the pictures.

With their new exhibition „Strictly Paper“ Munich gallery „Schwalbe & Schwalbe „ (former „Intoxcated Demons Gallery “) is taking a counter position. Instead of presenting perfect and elaborated works,  this group exhibition will show the imperfect, the unfinished and the fugitive character of creative expression to point out that no other medium has managed to replace paper as base of creative work essence. 

Different artists from Spain, Romania, Poland and the USA and many other countries will show delicate illustrations, sketches, detailed paintings, collages and high quality prints – but all on paper, the “ephemeral” medium, in our “high-secure-backup-saved” period.

[ This will mark my second showing with the Intoxicated Demons collective based in both Munich and Berlin, Germany. I have contributed 4 recent collage works on paper, all at 8 x 10.5 inches. All the works incorporate found paper ephemera, my line work as well as over sprays of spray paint and each is coated in an archival mate finish.] 

FBook post 

Circulatory System No. 24, 2012

60 x 60 x 2 inches, stertched.

Acrylic, spray paint, white-out & bitumen on canvas.

Finished in matte satin varnish.

Urban Art Biennale 2013

Weltkulturerbe Völklinger Hütte

World Heritage Site, Völklingen Ironworks

Germany

March 24, 2013 to November 1, 2013

Europäisches Zentrum für Kunst und Industriekultur
Generaldirektor Dr. Meinrad Maria Grewenig
66302 Völklingen / Saarbrücken, Germany

Since 2008 a new, young trend has splashed onto the international art scene: Urban Art. In the meantime Urban Art proponents have conquered museums and galleries commanding high prices for their works. In 2011 the World Cultural Heritage Site at the Völklingen Ironworks presented the internationally regarded exhibition “Urban Art – Graffiti 21”.

From 2013 the World Cultural Heritage Site at the Völklingen Ironworks is to provide a regular platform for Urban Art. Every two years, the European Centre for Art and Industry Culture, will display new and significant positions of art that has developed from graffiti. The first “Urban Art Biennial” is to begin on Sunday 24th March 2013, with stars from the scene in Europe and America.

[I was invited to participate in this biennial held in an old ironworks factory in west Germany. Circulatory System No. 24 was last on display in London for the FUTURISM 2.0 Exhibition at Blackall studios. Many thanks to and RESO and Frank Krämer for this invitation.]

More info on their Facebook page

Video press of the opening event 

#ARTSHARE LA 

Billboard is located south of Santa Monica Blvd. on Vermont in East Hollywood near Los Angeles City College.

Photo: Todd Mazer

Ed Fuentes at KCET explains more on the project HERE

Baby Minto Transformation [2013]

42.5 x 31 x 1 5/8 inches.

Found paper, acrylic, ball point pen, white-out & spray paint on wood panel.

Coated in archival matte varnish. Finished in matte gel medium. 

Framed in mahogany lattice & found yardsticks.

Circulation of a spring cleaning convenience [2013]

31 1/2  x 31 1/2 x 1 5/8 inches

Found paper, acrylic, ball point pen, white-out & spray paint on wood panel.

Coated in archival matte varnish. Finished in matte gel medium. 

Framed in mahogany lattice & found yardsticks.

Motherly circulations [2013]

19 1/2 x 19 1/2  x  1 5/8 inches.

Found paper, acrylic, ball point pen, white-out & spray paint on wood panel.

Coated in archival matte varnish. Finished in matte gel medium. 

Framed in mahogany lattice & found yardsticks.

White Walls Presents:

10 Year Anniversary Show

Opening Reception – Saturday, March 9, 7-11 pm

On View Through April 6, 2013

886 Geary, San Francisco, CA

White Walls is pleased to present the 10 Year Anniversary Show, an exhibition of artists that have provided the backbone of our success and artists we look forward to growing with. Selections from Curator Justin Giarla’s personal collection will be on display alongside new works. Join us for the opening reception Saturday, March 9, from 7- 11pm. The exhibit will be open to the public for viewing through April 6, 2013. Directly following the grand opening of our new building at 886 Geary, the 10 Year Anniversary Show will be an expansive group exhibition, filling both White Walls and Shooting Gallery with influential artists that have changed the face of urban contemporary art, a scene that White Walls was created to give a home to a full decade ago. What was once an underdeveloped and oft-ignored part of the art world has grown into an incredibly diversified cornerstone of the contemporary market. The 10 Year Anniversary Show will reflect the breadth of talent that made such a change possible with range of work that will include everything from Russel Young’s ‘diamond dust’ screen prints on linen to Gronquist’s sculptural take on taxidermy.

Artists featured will be Shepard Fairey, Mark Whalen, Herakut, Augustine Kofie, Jet Martinez, DAL East, Faith 47, Fahamu Pecou, Robert Williams, Niels Shoe Meulman, Greg Gossel, ROA, Apex, Ferris Plock, C215, Casey Gray, David Grant, Peter Gronquist, Miss Bugs, Shawn Barber, Russell Young, Logan Hicks, Helen Bayly, Lauren Napolitano, Rene Gagnon, Gregory Euclide, Robert Christian Malmberg and Sean Murdock. 

White Walls Gallery has worked for a decade to exist as the premiere destination for urban art in the Bay Area. Combined with the Shooting Gallery and two project spaces, this 5,000 sq ft space is one of the largest galleries on the west coast. Justin Giarla founded the gallery with a commitment to furthering the urban art movement, drawing

directly from street art and graffiti culture. Named for its plain white walls, the gallery takes a backseat to the real focus: the work of our artists.

Triangulation of the everyday power alignment [2012-2013]

31 1/2  x 31 1/2 x 1 5/8 inches

Found paper and chipboard, ball point pen, 

pencil, white out & acrylic on wood panel. 

Framed in mahogany lattice & found vintage yardsticks.

The Seventh Letter presents #ARTSHARELA

Art Share LA

801 E 4th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90013
info@knowngallery.com

Opening reception: March 1, 2013 | 8 - 10pm
Show runs: March 1 - April 7, 2013

A celebration of Street Art curated by Casey Zoltan of Known Gallery, featuring gallery pieces & outdoor billboards from noted Los Angeles artists: Saber, Patrick Martinez, Rime, Victor Reyes, Pose, Sage Vaughn, Willie T, Shepard Fairey, Risk, Push, Revok, Zes, Sever, Augustine Kofie and Vizie.

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