Fugees – ’94

Nas – ’93

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“THEN”
by Lisa Leone

Opening May. 11th to June 10th, 2012

Opening reception, 7 to 11pm.

rsvp: lisa_leone@hvw8.com

New photo exhibition documents hip-hop’s moments of truth.
Before hip-hop was an industry, it was a community.

THEN, a new solo show from photographer Lisa Leone, is a deeply personal portrayal of the last days of hip-hop’s innocence, of a culture caught between an intimate past and a global future.

Born in the Bronx and raised throughout New York City, Lisa Leone has been surrounded by hip-hop culture for virtually her entire life. By the late eighties, as a widely published photographer, she was in a unique position to capture a behind the-scenes perspective on the spirit of collaboration that fueled hip-hop’s early artistic triumphs. “To see a young Nas in the studio with Q-Tip, Premier and Large Professor was not only inspiring,” she reflects on one of the candid photos included in the show, “it is ‘the decisive moment’.”

THEN explores a series of such moments through the eyes of the young artists that would go on to become the hip-hop generation’s biggest stars: Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, Run DMC, Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, Rosie Perez, the Roots, Queen Latifah and many others.

But these are not mere portraits. Each image captures a unique interaction between an individual and their environment, and is supported with text drawn from new interviews with the subjects themselves.
“It was still fresh and we, the generation of that movement, still dictated what it was and meant to us and not the mass media. MTV wasn’t calling the shots. We were still telling them what the rules were.”
– Rosie Perez

“THEN is a testament to the natural eye and passion of a real New Yorker, presented now through the collected three decades of her work and experience.” – Eric Haze

“No one…can fail to be moved by Lisa Leone’s evocative portraits of Hip Hop legends captured in the midst of their young lives…set in those moody South Bronx scenes of abandonment that was their home.” – Henry Chalfant, producer of “Style Wars”

With Support from A.D.D.Martketing, Mumford Brewing Co., ICON and Vantage Process.

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery,

661 N. Spaulding Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Inquiries: 323-655-4898 or Info@hvw8.com
www.hvw8.com

View full press release

Lisa Leone_Press_Release

“We Was Them Kids …”
Group Exhibition

Kevin Lyons
Parra
Geoff McFetridge
Matt Irving
Winston Tseng
Yogi Proctor
Charles Munka
Brent Rollins
Alvaro Ilizarbe

A collection of works from friends of the HVW8 Art + Design Gallery.

Curated by Tyler Gibney

Opening Friday, Nov. 11th, 7pm to 10pm
Exhibition runs through Dec. 20th, 2011

rsvp to: WeWasThemKids@hvw8.com

We Was Them Kids -Press Release

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery

661 N. Spaulding Ave. L.A. Ca 90036

Hours: Tues to Sun, 1 – 6pm
www.hvw8.com
323 655 4898

Brent Rollins – Brooklyn, NY

Artist. Art Director. Designer. Author. TV Producer. ego trip co-conspirator. A libra. & always fashionably late.

http://brentrollins.com

Geoff McFetridge – Los Angeles

McFetridge is a artist based in Los Angeles California. Born in Canada, he was schooled at the Alberta College of Art and the California Institute of the Arts. He is part of the Beautiful Losers Exhibition, and makes solo exhibitions from Los Angeles, Berlin, Paris, London, the Netherlands and Japan. Instinctively ignoring creative boundaries McFetridge is a truely multidisciplinary artist, ‘an all round visual auteur’. From poetry to animation, from graphics to 3D work, from textile and wallpaper to paintings, McFetridge has complete control over these widely divergent disciplines.

http://championdontstop.com

Alvaro Ilizarbe – Miami

Alvaro Ilizarbe was born in Peru in 1981 and moved to Miami, FL when he was 9 years old. He attended the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, graduating with an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design in 2002. Alvaro’s artwork has a strong emphasis on black and white designs, intricate line-work and repeating patterns. His work explores space, energy, and tension. TRansforming the perceptions of space and dimension through large scale installations. Alvaro’s work has been exhibited in venues like MOCA in North Miami, and an APEX Art Foundation group show in Thailand, among many others.

http://freegums.com/

Kevin Lyons – Brooklyn, NY

Kevin Lyons is a dad, designer, and creative director living in Brooklyn, New York. He has pimped his skills to many a corporation including Nike, Converse, Stussy, Stacks, Beams-T, SSUR and Girl Skateboards. He is the founder and creator of Natural Born.

http://www.naturalborn.com/

Yogi Proctor – Los Angeles

Yogi Proctor practices the proliferation of decoys. His works span a variety of mediums, appearances, and approaches, de-stablizing notions of “originality” and “artist” with wit, while expanding our perception of “sculpture” and “producer” in the process.

Yogi Proctor holds a BA in Visual and Critical Studies from The School The Art Institute of Chicago, and an MA in Aesthetics and Politics from CalArts.

Most recently his work has been shown at The Poor Farm in Wisconsin, La Gaite in Paris, Yale School of Art Gallery in Connecticut, and Seeline Gallery in Los Angeles.

http://yogiproctor.com

Winston Tseng – New York

Winston Tseng was born and raised in Redondo Beach, California where skateboarding consumed his life then and has shaped his artistic sensibilities now. He is a self-taught graphic artist best known for his work with Enjoi Skateboards, where he has been the company’s art director since 2005. Described as graphically simple, bold, humorous and slightly twisted, his artwork often polarizes the viewers to either “love it” or “hate it”.

http://winstontseng.com/

Charles Munka – Hong Kong

Born in Lyon, France, (1982). Charles Munka (a.k.a. QUES) lived and studied art in the city before spending much of his adult life in Asia. Spanning multiple continents and absorbing the raw data of his surroundings, Munka calls his work a type of mind map. He is renowned for his ability to seamlessly blend traditional aspects of graffiti along with his identification of contemporary and historical imagery from films, video games, ancient symbols and pop references. Munka’s style is strongly influenced by hip-hop and the progressive L.A. beat scene. Using mixed media, Munka’s work undoubtedly captures a new style of art. With his unique approach to street art, Munka’s work resembles carvings of music from the world that surrounds him; allowing the viewer into a new dimension of sound and sight, led by a distinctive visual voice.

http://www.lcp-united.com

Matt Irving – San Francisco

From his humble log-cabin up-bringing in the wild woods of British Columbia to a skateboard industry staple based in San Francisco, this hick has sure grown up. After migrating south to the promised land of California, Matt designed literally hundreds of graphics for Element Skateboards, later moving on to Stereo Skateboards where he further developed his creative sensibilities. Now, having blossomed into a fine man, he spends his days as a co-owner of Juice Design directing the creative identity of the Adidas Skateboarding program and guiltily neglecting his artistic brainchild, Delphi – named after the pet donkey of his youth. Along the way, Matt’s wife and son have learnt to adapt to these waves of dedication and have developed a shared appreciation for vintage wallpaper, bold imagery, solid craftsmanship, and Bauhaus architecture. It is very unlikely that Matt will ever enroll his son in team sports because Matt thinks baseball and football are for dickheads.

http://www.delphicollective.com/

Parra – Amsterdam, NL

Parra (b.1976) is best known for his curved post-Pop imagery, highly saturated colors, vibrant hand-drawn letters and worlds inhabited by hybrid, surreal characters. Celebrated by galleries and championed by an underground following from the outset, Parra has quickly become a respected and eclectic artist worldwide. Working across drawing, painting, animation and sculpture, Parra creates an enigmatic and instantly recognizable style that defies easy categorization. Parra is cofounder of cult apparel label Rockwell Clothing and a member of electronic music group Le Le. Parra lives and works in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

http://byparra.com/

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery – Los Angeles

In 2007, Tyler Gibney and Addison Liu opened the HVW8 Art + Design Gallery in Los Angeles. With a focus in supporting avant-garde graphic design, it soon became the premier underground gallery in Los Angeles and over the past three years has featured artists such as Parra, Geoff McFetridge, Kevin Lyons, Ed Templeton, Lance Mountain, Mos Def with Cognito, Charles Munka, Michael Leon and Alvaro Illizarbe.

www.hvw8.com

The How Original Show by Parra.

Dutch artist Parra returns to Los Angeles’ HVW8 Art + Design Gallery with The How Original Show. An exhibition consisting of all new work in the form of drawings and paintings, revealing the process of sketch to final piece. Each work is an original, a departure from his well known numbered silkscreen editions.

Parra (b.1976) is best known for his curved post-Pop imagery, highly saturated colors, vibrant hand-drawn letters and worlds inhabited by hybrid, surreal characters. Celebrated by galleries and championed by an underground following from the outset, Parra has quickly become a respected and eclectic artist worldwide. Working across drawing, painting, animation and sculpture, Parra creates an enigmatic and instantly recognizable style that defies easy categorization. Parra is cofounder of cult apparel label Rockwell Clothing and a member of electronic music group Le Le. Parra lives and works in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Exhibition opens Thurs, Sept 15th at 7pm.

RSVP at parra_original_show@hvw8.com

Show Runs Sept. 15th – Nov. 6th

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery
661 N. Spaulding Ave. L.A. Ca 90036

JUNK FOOD ART HOUSE PRESENTS ANTHONY LISTER

Junk Food Clothing is pleased to announce Junk Food Art House Presents Anthony Lister, celebrating the launch of its innovative new platform Junk Food Art House. Following a 3-week teaser campaign of poster art throughout Los Angeles, this unique gallery exhibition at famed HVW8 Art + Design Gallery, will feature Lister’s street art on the subject of lost superheros. Complimentary food, beverage, and valet will be provided.

Friday, July 29, 2011

RSVP required: rsvp@charmschoolcie.com

Public Reception
8-11pm

HVW8 art + design gallery
661 North Spaulding Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
hvw8.com

Anthony Lister

Anthony Lister’s tireless approach to living is an unrelenting approach to art. His name and imagery are on street corners worldwide, accessing a massive audience by way of stickers, aerosol paint and all manner of markers. His paintings, drawings, sculptures and happenings pull from his experiences as a youth in Australia and as a father of two. Super Heroes, skateboarding, graffiti, Australian gangster celebrities, television, jail birds, tattoos, the internet, pop and advertising resurface in his art practice. With invitational residencies in London and New York, a mentorship under Max Gimblett, a CV as long as your arm—including shows at Elms Lester London, New Image Art L.A., Metro 5 Gallery Melbourne and K Gallery Italy—numerous awards and monographs, Anthony Lister’s renown among peers, curators and collectors is testament not just to his extreme productivity but his work’s exceptional potency.

Dust La Rock Presents “Joking Victim”
At HVW8 Art + Design Gallery

Opening Reception April 14th, 2011, 7:00-10:00 p.m.

On View April 14th – May 8th

RSVP : rsvp_jokingvictim@hvw8.com

LOS ANGELES – April 2011 – Joshua Prince, aka Dust La Rock, makes his Los Angeles gallery debut with the new exhibition Joking Victim, an intimate, stark exploration into the themes of pain versus pleasure, free will versus destiny, fetishism, the occult and mortality. A true mixed media collaboration, Joking Victim consists of works on paper, photographs, and a short film in which La Rock teamed with a team of innovative artists to help bring his vision to life, including photographers Angela Boatwright, Kareem Black and tattoo artist JK5. The opening reception will feature music by Jokers Of The Scene and culminate with the Los Angeles debut of Bruce LaBruce’s queer cinema horror film L.A. Zombie.

Hailed as a “cult NYC designer” by Dazed and Confused, La Rock’s work has greatly influenced the current landscape of urban fashion and music. As co-founder and creative director of Fool’s Gold, the taste-making record label called an “indie visionary” by Billboard, La Rock’s unique aesthetic has been sought out by MTV, Nike, and Hennessey. La Rock’s latest creative endeavor in psycho-surreal expressionism takes him to the gallery walls of HVW8 for Joking Victim.

As the “victim” or protagonist in a number of pieces, La Rock utilizes his body as both medium and canvas. In his works on paper, including the central piece “Joking Victim,” the artist uses his own bodily fluids combined with ink and paper for a textured, provocative effect. In the photography series “Skin Canvas,” La Rock becomes the subject as Boatwright documents him receiving a tattoo from JK5. The images capture needle against flesh, as art is turned visceral. Using paper towels to soak up the blood and ink, La Rock displays the resulting patterns in a hanging collage. In the short film “The Ritual,” shot by Black, artist becomes subject once again as La Rock submits himself to a dominatrix.

Other works on display further address the themes of BDSM, death and the religious philosophy of magick. A vessel for experiencing both pain and pleasure, “Joking Victim” is a study in duality, exploring the multitude of ways in which people use and abuse their bodies to satisfy divergent impulses.

The opening reception will feature music by Fools Gold producers and DJs Jokers Of The Scene. Acting as artist and muse, the Toronto duo’s moody, experimental single “Joking Victim” inspired the title of La Rock’s exhibit, and their music also serves as a soundtrack to “The Ritual.”

An exclusive 7” vinyl single featuring a new version of Jokers Of The Scene’s “Joking Victim” along with a remix by Vin Sol will be available for purchase at the opening. A limited-edition collaborative print by La Rock and LaBruce, featuring L.A. Zombie star Francois Sagat, will also be made available in honor of the film’s screening during the reception.

The opening takes place on April 14th, 7:00-10:00 p.m. at HVW8 Art and Design Gallery, 661 N. Spaulding Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. The reception is open to the public w/ RSVP at rsvp_jokingvictim@hvw8.com and runs until May 8th. Artists will be in attendance.

The official Joking Victim afterparty will take place at LA’s long-running Dance Right weekly at La Cita, featuring DJ sets by Jokers Of The Scene, Nick Catchdubs and Vin Sol. RSVP at www.danceright.net.

About the artists:

Dust La Rock has helped create a visual identity for an entire scene as co-founder and creative director of the independent music powerhouse Fool’s Gold, home to artists like A-Trak, Kid Sister and Duck Sauce. The Brooklyn based graphic designer, illustrator and “part-time savant” got his start in 1997 as a self-taught designer for Ecko Unlimited, helping the company emerge as a key brand in the early streetwear movement. His work has been featured in art and lifestyle publications worldwide including Swindle, XLR8R, Mass Appeal, Dazed and Confused, Beautiful Decay, Playboy, and Quest (Japan). www.dustlarock.com

Kareem Black is a New York-based, Philly-born photographer and director. After attending SVA on a scholarship, Kareem began to shoot almost immediately for publications like The Fader and Vibe upon graduation. Since then, Kareem has won numerous awards, including a feature as one of the PDN 30. Along with his commissioned work, Kareem keeps occupied with a variety of personal projects including a series of images inspired by the works of Guy Bourdin and a new website, feelsgoodletsgo.com, that captures the downtown New York culture he inhabits. Kareem also loves sushi, steak, karaoke, Star Trek and beer. www.kareemblack.com

Angela Boatwright cut her teeth as a teenager shooting Kurt Cobain in a closet-sized venue and capturing the grittiness of the underground New York hardcore and skateboarding scenes in the early-Nineties. The Ohio-born photographer has since worked her way into major campaign ads for Rock Band, Roxy, Converse, Miller Genuine Draft, American Express and Urban Outfitters. She’s photographed musicians and celebrities such as Nicki Minaj, Depeche Mode, the Black Crowes, and Interpol, and her photos have been featured in major international print media such as New York, Spin, and Nylon. Angela is currently working on her life project: a full-length documentary movie in which she is directing, filming and producing about heavy metal bands that tour relentlessly throughout the year. www.angelaboatwright.com

JK5 aka Joseph Ari Aloi is a Brooklyn based designer, writer, toy creator, media franchiser, filmmaker, Flowbot leader, and tattoo artist. He has collaborated with brands such as Nike, Kid Robot, Converse, Saks 5th Avenue, and Mishka NYC, and his work has been exhibited in galleries across the globe, including Deitch Projects, Laforet Gallery in Tokyo, and Alife NYC. For the last three years, JK5 has been tattooing at the legendary Williamsburg shop Saved. www.jk5nyc.com

Bruce LaBruce is a Toronto-based filmmaker, writer, director, photographer, and artist. He began his career in the mid eighties making a series of short experimental super 8 films and co-editing a punk fanzine called J.D.s, which begat the queercore movement. He has contributed his stories and photography to a host of magazines ranging from Vice, to the National Post, Purple Fashion, Butt, and US porn magazines Honcho and Inches. His film, L.A. Zombie, starring French star Francois Sagat, is a hardcore zombie splatter/gore porn movie. The film premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival in August, 2010. www.brucelabruce.com

Jokers Of The Scene have ranked amongst the brightest, weirdest lights of Canada’s dance music renaissance of the past several years. Between their Fool’s Gold originals and their enviably deep remixography, the duo have passed on a “signature sound” to craft an unpredictable approach that’s as cerebral as it is speaker-decimating. Their music has fueled sweat-soaked gigs from Brazil to Berlin, while providing direction for countless remixes (from Kid Cudi and Passion Pit to Brodinski and Count & Sinden) and signature originals like the anthemic “Baggy Bottom Boys” and the kinky piano monster “Revolting Joks.” www.soundcloud.com/jokers-of-the-scene

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery
The HVW8 Art + Design Gallery was founded by Tyler Gibney and Addison Liu in 2005 with a mandate of supporting avant-garde graphic design. It soon became the premier underground gallery in Los Angeles, and over the past three years has featured exhibitions with artists suchas Parra, Geoff McFetridge, Michael Leon, Kevin Lyons, Ed Templeton, Lance Mountain, Mos Def with Cognito, Charles Munka, Bill McMullen, Noah Butkus, Brent Rollins, Raif Adelberg, Alvaro Illizarbe (Freegums), and Marc McKee.

The Ritual from Dust La Rock on Vimeo.

Short film created by Kareem Black and Dust La Rock for La Rock’s 4.14.11 exhibition “Joking Victim” at HVW8 Gallery in Los Angeles. Featuring Gillian Bowling, Tina Le Noble and Dust La Rock. Edited by Todd Thoenig from Mother New York. Musical score curated by Jokers Of The Scene.

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery
661 N. Spaulding Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
T: 323 655 4898

MARC MCKEE EXHIBITION AND BOOK RELEASE
at HVW8 ART + DESIGN GALLERY
MARCH 19th, 2011
Show Runs March 19th to April 10th.
Book signing from 7:30-8:30pm.

RSVP : Marc_McKee_Opening@hvw8.com

Marc bio:
In 1989 Marc McKee started creating skateboard graphics for World Industries and many of its subsidiaries, like Blind, 101, Menace, A-Team and Almost. Spearheaded by McKee, this era is considered the golden age of skateboard art, touting funny and offensive graphics that were hugely popular then and remain so today. McKee was also the editor of Big Brother Magazine during its first four years and later worked on the Blunt Snowboard Magazine, before selling both to Larry Flynt Publications. Today, McKee continues to make art for skateboard companies.

Book info:
The Art of Marc McKee marks the first installment of the Seen Unknown series edited by Winston Tseng, art director for Enjoi Skateboards. Tseng has worked with some of today’s most genre-defying visual artists and designers whose work extends well beyond skateboard culture. From sneaker and apparel design to product packaging, posters, high-profile ad campaigns, and fine art galleries, the work of Seen Unknown artists is often recognizable, though their creators’ names remain unknown—until now. With Seen Unknown, Tseng unifies the diverse range of work by some of his favorite artists, putting it all in once place for readers to enjoy.

Exhibit info:
The exhibit will consist of a selection of McKee’s personal favorites from over 20 years of legendary skateboard artwork. From old classic decks to new limited edition prints to never-before-seen original drawings and paintings, McKee’s work is a must see for skateboarders and art enthusiasts alike.

Gallery Info:
HVW8 Art + Design Gallery represents and facilitates the spirit and collaboration between art, music and design. In 1998 Tyler Gibney founded HVW8 in Montreal and in 2005 he and Addison Liu opened HVW8 in Los Angeles. With a focus in supporting avant-garde graphic design, it soon became the premier underground gallery in Los Angeles and over the past three years has featured artists such as Parra, Geoff McFetridge, Kevin Lyons, Ed Templeton, Lance Mountain, Mos Def with Cognito, Charles Munka, Michael Leon and Alvaro Illizarbe.

Marc McKee Interview in Vice

  ]]> http://hvw8.com/exhibitions/2010/inner-city-avant-garde-curated-noah-davis-opens-nov-11th/feed/ 1 http://hvw8.com/exhibitions/2010/fk-i-love-you-los-angeles-by-raif-adelberg/ http://hvw8.com/exhibitions/2010/fk-i-love-you-los-angeles-by-raif-adelberg/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 17:03:02 +0000 Tyg http://gallery.hvw8.com/?p=124  

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery presents: Original Installation and Work by Raif Adelberg

F**K I LOVE YOU LOS ANGELES

October 2, 2010- November 1, 2010
Opening Reception Saturday October 2^nd 7:30 -10pm

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery
661 N. Spaulding Ave. Los Angeles, California
p. 1 323 655 4898
www.hvw8.com

www.raifadelberg.com
www.fuckiloveyoushop.com

with Support from American Rag Cie, the Standard, PBR

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 1 PM – 6 PM & by appointment

Step inside the HVW8 Gallery and see artist / designer Raif Adelberg transform the space into a punk rock flophouse. Channeling CBGB, Barbara Kruger, and Vivienne Westwood, the space Raif creates is called Dead Boys Clubhouse. It’s an environmental space that pops up around the world and creates this incestuous gang.

Bratty, caustic, and in-your-face, that’s the surface of Adelberg’s art, pop imagery that comes together in paintings and silkscreens on canvas, wood, paper and clothing. But look a little closer and you will see that FUCK I LOVE YOU is all about perception and free will. “To look at things in a negative light is a choice. When you get upset you’re really relinquishing your power to the subject matter. It’s all about the power of choice,” he says.

While Adelberg’s intent isn’t to shock you, he also won’t mind if you are…and you wouldn’t be the first. At a recent show in London (Doyle Devere Gallery) he grabbed the attention of the local bobbies who demanded that the words “FUCK I LOVE YOU” on the gallery walls inside be covered up. “It’s interesting that such a positive message can be viewed in such a negative light, I think more people need to say FUCK I LOVE YOU. Its amazing to me a simple gesture can receive such a reaction either way,” says Adelberg.

Statement

DEAD BOYS:

The Dead Boys were an American punk band from Cleveland, Ohio. Among one of the first bands to play punk rock, the band was initially active from 1976 to 1979, they reunited several times until a so far permanent break-up in 2005. Moving to New York City at the encouragement of Joey Ramone, the Ramones’ lead singer, the Dead Boys quickly gained notoriety for their outrageous live performances. They frequently played at the legendary rock club CBGB and in 1977 they released their debut album, Young, Loud and Snotty, produced by Genya Ravan. Their song “Sonic Reducer” is often regarded as one of the classics of the punk genre, with Allmusic calling it “one of punk’s great anthems.”

CLUBHOUSE:

Main Entry: club·house Pronunciation: /klŭbhous/ Function: noun Date: 1746

1. A sort of community center for people with mental disabilities. Ideally, people can reside somewhere

else and go to the clubhouse during the day for practice in basic skills that might get them a job – yard

work, secretarial skills, cooking and cleaning, etc…

2. A building that is occupied by a social club

PUNK:

Main Entry: 1punk Pronunciation: /pŭngk/ Function: noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1596

1. Archaic: PROSTITUTE

2. [probably partly from 3punk]: NONSENSE, FOOLISHNESS

3. a. A young inexperienced person: BEGINNER, NOVICE; especially: a young man b: a usually petty

gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian

4. A young person, especially a member of a rebellious counterculture group.

5. A style or movement characterized by the adoption of aggressively unconventional and often bizarre or

shocking clothing, hairstyles, makeup, etc., and the defiance of social norms of behaviour, usually

associated with punk rock musicians and fans.

READ MORE:

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. They created fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY (do it yourself) ethic, with many bands self-producing their recordings and distributing them through informal channels.

By late 1976, bands such as the Ramones, in New York City, and the Sex Pistols and The Clash, in London, were recognized as the vanguard of a new musical movement. The following year saw punk rock spreading around the world. Punk quickly, though briefly, became a major cultural phenomenon in the United Kingdom. For the most part, punk took root in local scenes that tended to reject association with the mainstream. An associated punk subculture emerged, expressing youthful rebellion and characterized by distinctive clothing styles and a variety of anti-authoritarian ideologies.

The classic punk rock look among male U.S. musicians harkens back to the T-shirt, motorcycle jacket, and jeans ensemble favored by American greasers of the 1950s associated with the rockabilly scene and by British rockers of the 1960s. The cover of the Ramones’ 1976 debut album, featuring a shot of the band by Punk photographer Roberta Bayley, set forth the basic elements of a style that was soon widely emulated by rock musicians both punk and nonpunk. Richard Hell’s more androgynous, ragamuffin look—and reputed invention of the safety-pin aesthetic—was a major influence on Sex Pistols impresario Malcolm McLaren and, in turn, British punk style. McLaren’s partner, fashion designer, Vivienne Westwood, credits Johnny Rotten as the first British punk to rip his shirt, and Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious as the first to use safety pins. Early female punk musicians displayed styles ranging from Siouxsie Sioux’s bondage gear to Patti Smith’s “straight-from-the-gutter androgyny”. The former proved much more influential on female fan styles. Over time, tattoos, piercings, and metal-studded and -spiked accessories became increasingly common elements of punk fashion among both musicians and fans. The typical male punk haircut was originally short and choppy; the Mohawk later emerged as a characteristic style. Those in hardcore scenes often adopt a skinhead look.

In eastern Canada, the Toronto protopunk band Dishes had laid the groundwork for another sizable scene, and a September 1976 concert by the touring Ramones had catalyzed the movement. Early Ontario punk bands included The Diodes, The Viletones, The Battered Wives, The Demics, Forgotten Rebels, Teenage Head, The Poles, and The Ugly. Along with the Dishrags, Toronto’s The Curse and B Girls were North America’s first all-female punk acts. In July 1977, the Viletones, Diodes, and Teenage Head headed down to New York City to play a four-day showcase at CBGB. Punk rock was already beginning to give way there to the anarchic sound of what became known as No Wave, although several original punk bands continued to perform. Leave Home, the Ramones’ second album, had come out in January. September saw Richard Hell and The Voidoids’ first full-length, Blank Generation. The Heartbreakers’ debut, L.A.M.F., and the Dead Boys’, Young, Loud and Snotty, appeared in October; the Ramones’ third, Rocket to Russia, in November. The Cramps, whose core members were from Sacramento by way of Akron, had debuted at CBGB in November 1976, opening for the Dead Boys. They were soon playing regularly at Max’s Kansas City. The Misfits formed in nearby New Jersey; by 1978, they had developed a style known as horror punk.

WELCOME TO DEAD BOYS CLUBHOUSE

About HVW8 Art + Design Gallery

Established in 2005 in Los Angeles by Tyler Gibney with Addison Liu, the HVW8 Art + Design Gallery is a studio/gallery space for HVW8 and friends, and based around the spirit of collaboration. The current mandate is supporting avant-garde graphic design such as Dutch designer/illustrator Parra (April 2007 + April 2009), American designer Brent Rollins (August 2007), Swedish design SSON (Sept 2007), Kevin Lyons (June 2008), Ray Noland (August 2008), the Enjoi Pop-Up Shop (March 2009), Michael, Kevin and Geoff (Michael Leon, Kevin Lyons and Geoff McFetridge Nov. 2009), the Megane Zine exhibition featuring Ed Templeton (Jan. 2010), Mos Def Ecstatic Moments (Feb. 2010) and most recently The Disaster show featuring Lance Mountain, Thomas Yu and Skypager.

Upcoming Artists/Exhibitions include Charles Munka (Ques), Noah Butkus, Bill McMullen, Brent Rollins, Dust La Rock, Grotesk, Free Gums and Swifty.

The Gallery is located at 661 N. Spaulding Ave., West Hollywood, Ca. 90036. Ph. 323 655 4898, Tuesday through Sunday, Open 1 to 6pm.

Artists:
Parra
Geoff McFetridge
Kevin Lyons
Michael Leon
Brent Rollins
Lance Mountain
Skypager
Winston Tseng
HVW8 Art Installation
Thomas Yu

To purchase or inquire about any works please contact Tyler Gibney at Tyg(at)hvw8.com

Celestial Beings by Alvaro Ilizarbe / Freegums

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery
661 N. Spaulding Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

with support from adidas and the Standard.

Opening: August 21, 2010, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

http://gallery.hvw8.com/category/current/
http://www.freegums.com

HVW8 presents Celestial Beings a solo exhibition by Alvaro Ilizarbe / Freegums. For this show Alvaro painted large wooden pieces portraying large forces that lie in the space around us. With a variety of finely painted lines Alvaro draws upon space and shapes to transform the gallery into a a portal to a parallel dimension.

###

Being #2
marsh ink on wood
33″ x 50″

Bill McMullen:

Checks Cashed

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery

661 N. Spaulding Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Opening: July 31, 2010, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Closes: August 20, 2010

http://gallery.hvw8.com/category/current/

www.billmcmullen.com

“Bill McMullen wields a light-saber wit all his own… Think Bruce Nauman meets blaxploitation: funky but chic, subversively milking high art for cheap laughs.”

– Flavorpill

Checks Cashed is the new gallery show by beloved/notorius artist Bill McMullen, opening July 31^st, 2010 at Los Angeles’ HVW8 Art + Design Gallery. Checks Cashed is all about subverting history with absurd pop-cultured imagery. The new work from the Southern California bred, NYC-based McMullen embraces both Situationism and situation comedy, landing in between with its confrontational black-and-white monochrome language of punk rock flyers and escort-service ads. It’s at once familiar, entertaining, and disturbing, especially to a new generation of consumers who’ve never had to deal with anything like the economic failure, war, or the environmental disasters of today.

McMullen is renowned for his witty, pointed combination of high art presentation, graphic design immediacy, and street art’s confrontational boldness. He’s as well known for his KidRobot toys, Adidas designs, and Beastie Boys album covers as he is for his gallery shows, and he blends that provocative sensibility into Checks Cashed. Rooted in the visual language familiar to those living paycheck to paycheck, Checks Cashed picks up where McMullen’s previous exhibition at L.A.’s Constant Gallery, 2009’s Hype, Hustle, Rip Off, left off (“Fantastic cutting-edge art – definitely worth seeking out,” SlamXHype raved; “McMullen’s work ultimately resonates because it does more than brand, copy, market, and elevate,” noted Limité). But where Hype… demonstrated McMullen’s multimedia ADD (turning R2D2 into a boombox, reconfiguring Starbucks and Coca-Cola logos into camo combat gear) in his new work, McMullen strips away his relentless, Times Square-meets-Roppongi color palette. Instead, he focuses on the iconic, harsh black-and-white half-tone of old-school newspapers and pre-Internet Xeroxed ‘zines –

even down to painting the exhibition walls black, contradicting the traditional gallery “white cube.”

Here, McMullen combines the radical photomontage of Barbara Kruger and John Heartfield, the pop appropriation of Richard Prince and Andy Warhol, and the irreverent cut-and-paste sampling of hip-hop – all with the flavor of someone known for, say, designing Method Man album covers. Ultimately, Checks Cashed compels because of that same contradiction: putting his money where his mouth is, McMullen balances conceptual toughness with advertising’s seductive surfaces and the irreverence of urban culture. – Matt Diehl