It’s that time of year: the time when everyone is dropping their two cents on what they liked and didn’t like this year. Of course, we have some opinions–especially when it comes to what’s happening in the art world. Today through Wednesday (our last working day of the year!) we will be sharing our thoughts on “bests.” Today: our thoughts on art happening in Los Angeles for 2011 (in no particular order).

Read more: Los Angeles, I’m Yours

Above Second is pleased to present East West Connect, a group exhibition curated by online art magazine Arrested Motion, featuring the work of Luke Chueh, Faile, Shepard Fairey, Evah Fan, Stella Im Hultberg, Tat Ito, Akino Kondoh, Travis Louie, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Brendon Monroe, Edwin Ushiro, Nick Walker, and Yoskay Yamamoto. The exhibition will run from November 25th until January 12th 2012 with an opening scheduled for Friday, November 25th (6-10 pm).

East West Connect brings together 13 participants chosen carefully from a diverse selection of artists covered by Arrested Motion for their inaugural curatorial feature at the Hong Kong showspace. Despite differing ethnicities and nationalities of the participating artists, all of them either have an Asian heritage and/or have utilized imagery inspired by the Far East in the past. But despite this common interest in the region, most of the artists have not had major shows in Asia. By bringing their collective work back to its geographic “source”, the exhibition hopes to deal with themes of identity for those who have dual cultural allegiances, explore the melting and fusion of artistic influences, and foster the discussion of the work when brought into local context. No other place would have been more suitable to host this exhibition than the vibrant city-state of Hong Kong, long considered as the gateway between East and West and the epicenter of the region’s booming art market.

About Arrested Motion (http://www.arrestedmotion.com/):

Arrested Motion is an art culture hub started up in 2008 by a group of collectors who saw the opportunity to share their love for artists they knew through extensive online and onsite coverage. Along with the associated Artchival Forum (http://artchival.proboards.com/), the website has grown from its humble beginnings to over half a million hits a month while reporting on the contemporary, street/urban, and so called low brow art scene in all the major art centers of the world. Their goal is to provide unique and exclusive content while demonstrating that art is for people of all ages and socioeconomic groups.

Strictly RSVP: may@above-second.com

www.above-second.com
www.arrestedmotion.com

tel: +852-3483-7950
mob: +852-6330-7759
address: 31 Eastern St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
(between 2nd and 3rd st)
Mon-Fri 12pm – 7pm
Weekend by Appointment Only

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Hung-Hei Yung or Tanley Wong

Shepard Fairey
Faile
Luke Chueh
Evah Fan
Stella Im Hultberg
Tat Ito
Akino Kondoh
Travis Louie
Tomokazu Matsuyama
Brendon Monroe
Edwin Ushiro
Nick Walker
and Yoskay Yamamoto

On Tuesday night, Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theatre unveiled the documentary, Outside In: The Story of Art in the Streets, created in the Levi’s Film Workshop and directed by the talented Alex Stapleton. Shown in front of a packed theater, the film takes a closer look at MOCA’s groundbreaking Art in the Streets exhibit (covered) while focusing on a number of artists including Saber, Risk, Shepard Fairey, Mister Cartoon and Revok just to name a few……..

By Carlos Gonzalez

MORE WORDS AND MANY MORE IMAGES HERE

“Outside In” Trailer HERE

Mr. Fairey invited me to paint this wall on Melrose right across from Fairfax High. Of course I was exited about the challenge. It seemed perfect considering we both have been playing with the image of Old Glory.  Next Flag will be ten times bigger. The American Flag as an abstract image has endless possibilities……………..

Photography By Todd Mazer-

ARRESTED MOTION

HYPEBEAST

KNOWN GALLERY- Exclusive Black And White Shots

OBEYGIANT

This is one of the paintings I have in upcoming show at New York’s Opera Gallery, that I’m proud to be a part of.  Check it out.

NIMBUS VAPOR

AP v. Obey

The freelance photographer who took the Obama image, Mannie Garcia, joined the the AP/Obey Giant Art, Inc. lawsuit on Monday. His lawyer told the judge “The AP is aware — and was aware at the time of filing its copyright application in the Garcia photo — that it was not the true owner of the rights to that photo.” As stated in his court filing Garcia, claimed that he can’t be considered an AP employee, because he was on assignment for five weeks and wasn’t eligible to join a union or receive health, vacation or unemployment benefits. Important to note, that Garcia also claims Fairey wrongfully copied the photograph.

Is this triangular lawsuit a test between the cultural value of remix and adaptive use in the digital age, the perilous work life forced upon creative freelancers, and corporate control of all valuable intellectual property? Or are both Mannie Garcia and the AP trying to cash in on what Shepard Fairey brought to that image that they could not, the authenticity and viral intensity of an image coming up from the street?

Boston v. Shepard Fairey

A hectic week for Shepard Fairey as he pleaded guilty to vandalism in Boston on Tuesday. I wonder, has the Obama ‘Hope’ image put Shepard Fairey into one of the hubs of the digital age? The vandalism Fairey was convicted of is seen by his detractors as an assault on physical property; while detractors in the growing legal battle see theft of intellectual property. I wonder if anyone has considered that the vandalism he was convicted of has created much of what the AP and Garcia find valuable enough to sue for?

Posthumous Market in Graffiti Art

Also on Tuesday New York graffiti artist, Sacer IRAK, died of a drug overdose. The ghoulish art world respectfully waited until Wednesday to start asking what the posthumous market for Dash Snow’s work would be. As the Über-rich De Menil clan scion “who rejected his privileged upbringing in favor of an existence of drugs, sex, and graffiti,” his tragic story is art dealer gold. However, I can’t help wishing that they would actually look at the work. Graffiti art should not be valued or understood purely for its perceived lifestyle. On Friday one of Snow’s art was pulled from a benefit auction for Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center. Said to be pulled out of sensitivity to the artist’s family, the decision is “pending.”

Always Letters First

Evan Roth’s graffiti taxonomy project is on display at Foundation Cartier’s Born In The Streets – Graffiti exhibition in Paris points out the obvious; in graffiti IT IS ALWAYS LETTERS FIRST:

Graffiti Taxonomy: Paris, 2009 from Evan Roth on Vimeo.

Connecting to the Beginning of Art

Banksy’s murals have popped up Mali. Previously seen incorporated into a re-creation of his studio in the exhibition “Bristol Museum vs. Banksy” that opened in June. One of the images is of two figures hunting a bison with bows and arrows. There a strong allusion to the Great Halls of the Bulls at the Lascaux caves in this work, one that attaches it to the depths of art history, to a time when ancient graffiti saw the birth of art.

– Post by PS: the Public Square