Jason Jagel at FIFTY24SF Gallery

Image from FIFTY24SF
A Massachusetts native, this extremely talented, unique, and contemporary artist has been shown around the world in cities including New York, Barcelona, Tokyo, Seattle, Los Angeles, and more. Certainly not his first show, Jason Jägel opens yet another solo exhibition at FIFTY24SF in collaboration with Upper Playground. I'll Fly (Into Your Heart) opened April 1st and runs through May 26, 2010 in the gritty heart of San Fran. His work is heavily influenced by the music of today and the past decade, referencing not only the movement of today's underground music scene but his childhood loves of records and comic books.

His bold, vibrant colors and slashing edges juxtapose across his canvases in a flurry of controlled desperation and haunting facial expression. His multi-layered universe speaks volumes about the trials of today and nostalgia for years past. Don't underestimate the street artist of today; what strength they have in numbers doesn't directly correspond with the level of merit seen, but Jägel rises above his counterparts to truly shine an exquisite light on what artists are capable of today.

I'm partial to his paintings and drawings, but don't miss his album artwork as well. You're sure to recognize big names there, and perhaps even find some gems in your own collection. His installation work reminds me of the Mexican artist installations from the designers in the Azteca Series with a splash of watercolor palette sensibility, but that's just me!

Drunk At My Own Party

I've known Tim Skirven just shy of a decade, and I'm consistently amazed at his creativity and dedication to art and design. As a young twentysomething residing in various parts of Virginia, he's a photographer, printmaker, designer, webber, blogger, painter, jack-of-all-trades who is an inspiration and challenge to us all. I like to think of myself as an artist, but with a full-time job and a list of excuses a mile long to not sit down and get to work, it's people like Tim that remind me there's a LOT of time that needs to get put in to be a real artist.

Check out his site Drunk At My Own Party and p33p the video below. True to form, he took the time to do a walk through of his latest show so us minions who couldn't make it could still appreciate the work.

What's The Word, Thunderbird? from Tim Skirven on Vimeo.

Three Apples

To the millions of Sanrio fans out there, LISTEN UP. This weekend kicks off what should prove to be a great show in LA titled "Three Apples"; in honor of the 35th anniversary of Hello Kitty, this phenomenal event is unlike anything that America has seen before, taking place at Royal-T (LA's first Japanese-style cosplay café). Unless you've had first hand experience of the Japanese mania surrounding this iconic figure, you have no idea the impact it has made in our country and around the world. The fact that this cutesy cat has lasted through over three decades of worldwide fame and is recognizable in virtually every country in the world is a testament to the designer who created her, and her entire band of Sanrio friends!

Come view the work of many of the big contemporary artists today, including Amada Visell, Buff Monster, Frank Kozik, Friends With You (FWY), Gary Baseman, Huck Gee, Luke Chueh, Natalia Fabia, Ron English, Simone Legno, Tara McPherson, and more! Don't miss the Happy Hour specials on Saturday after the opening; the show runs from October 23 through November 15. Plenty of time to stop by and getting cheered up/ creeped out by the perpetually perky feline!

8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
T 310 559 6300
F 310 559 6633

Benjamin Jones at Quirk

Every city with any sort of arts community has their version of First Fridays- the nights when wine flows, friends gather, and galleries open their doors for monthly openings and small shows. Quirk is always the toast of the town in Richmond with their ongoing commitment to unknown artists and big names alike, as long as they are innovative and bright stars in their niche.

Friday, September 4th from 6-10 Quirk opens their Main Gallery to Benjamin Jones, "an internationally acclaimed artist whose small drawings are full of deep emotion and intricate, yet ambiguous, story lines. The images walk a line between humor and horror, seducing the viewer as he sees bits of themselves, the artist, and the fictional collide." His show of small works runs until October 17th, so there is no reason why you should miss this great show.

Japanese Young Artists' Book Fair

Last year I was lucky enough to be at Printed Matter in NYC for the 2nd annual Japanese Young Artists' Book Fair, and let me just tell you there are some SHARP book artists coming out of there right now. I picked up a few gems, and I'm sure this year is going to be just as spectacular. I actually caught it at 2 locations, the second being Spoonbill and Sugartown in Brooklyn, and this year it'll be in a variety of locations across the city as well (Kinokuniya Bookstore and St. Marks Book Shop along with the two aforementioned). Over 100 artists are participating, and it's going on from February 15 – March 8, 2009.

If you plan on being in the NYC area during the show, be sure to stop by one of the four locations. Book art is underappreciated and overwhelmingly beautiful to anyone who hasn't really experienced anything like it. I took a class about Book Arts at VCU last year, and it really opened my eyes to the entire world of tangible art that can be held and appreciated physically. There's definitely something to be said about the ability to hold something created in your hands. It's a great feeling.

rival schools cultivates friendships

It's becoming rarer for me to want to go to a show anymore. It used to be something that I did much more frequently, but jaded cynicism, age, and just a general lack of enthusiasm over the last few years has brought me to a point where it has to be A) a band I am a superfan of, B) a band I've never seen and always wanted to, or C) the biggest social event of the year where I know I will have fun, dammit, whether I like it or not!

Rival Schools fits solidly into choices A and B. I love love love this band, and since their ONE full length album came out when I was in high school, I've never been able to see them play. When Ashton told me that they were playing in San Diego down the street in 2 days... this cemented my love for both him (for seeing it the listing) and San Diego (for hosting this momentous event).

I also love Rival Schools for the part they had to play in the meeting of my female counterpart, the lady herself, the one and only Annie Duffy, whose fate and mine became intertwined one night in Newport News. It involved a dance, a water cooler, a hemp necklace, Kid Dynamite and Rival Schools. Nuff said.

The show was, in a word, indescribable. There couldn't have been more than 60 people in a total Nanci Raygun-esque venue, and the fact that California is completely non-smoking is another total plus. AND, to prove the stars were aligned in our favor, the drink special was PBR. Obviously the gods were smiling upon us this evening. Walter is someone who definitely holds a place on my list of "people that if I had a chance to meet and hang out with would definitely try to seduce". You know how sometimes you go to a show for a band you really like, and even if you've seen them before, you sit at a small table with friends in exciting anticipation, knocking back beers faster than you mean to because you are literally salivating with excitement, and then the lights suddenly dim, and everyone rushes forward and the first note of the first song rings out? That moment is always a resonating one, and this was no exception.

What made it even better was that both Ashton and I had been scoping the crowd, coming up with desperate ploys to engage people in conversation, hoping to result in new friends. As it turns out, we didn't even have to try, because as I was getting up to grab another beer, I felt a tap on my shoulder and lo and behold, a septum-pierced, tattooed, adorable cherub of a lady inquires about Ashton's Texas is the Reason hoodie. Needless to say, we bit hook line and sinker and didn't let this golden opportunity slip by. By the end of the night we had been invited to a secret show in LA and camping this coming weekend. STOKED. For as outgoing as Ashton and I are, we are clumsy weirdos when it comes to making new friends.

The point of this is that Rival Schools has once again played a part in what might prove to be the start of a great friendship. Walter... thanks.

Oh, and the show was life-changing. Their second encore was "World Invitational", which is my absolute favorite song on United by Fate. The set was mind-blowing in itself, but the addition of this was just the proverbial cherry on top. Definitely on the list of top 10 favorite show experiences of all time.