art

While we're preparing for our upcoming show "Move #19"....

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We are rapidly unpacking artwork and preparing our gallery space for our up coming show "Move #19"  with over 20 artists participating things are pretty hectic over here.  We will be posting some sneak peaks soon. In the meantime, we thought you might enjoy this stop motion film that Dave Ellis and Blu worked on while at Fame Fest this year. I can't imagine how intense this must have been to execute.  Well done boys. Very impressive.


Rich Jacobs' "Move #19"- Opens next Thursday, Oct 1st.

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MOVE #19

"He said- he was enjoying the donuts for the most part, and laughing hysterically?”

FIFTY24SF is proud to host the 19th installment of Rich Jacob’s renowned “Move” series.

“Move” is an ever evolving group exhibition that boasts a myriad of artists from across the U.S. Everyone one from Jordin Isip and Evan Hecox to Dave Ellis and Barry McGee have been involved in one or more versions of the “ Move” movement.  Rich Jacobs, the founder and curator, has been keeping the “Move” alive for over ten years and continues to bring some of the best artists together for the eclectically composed event. Mixing various styles and mediums to the point of (what would seem like) chaos, Rich builds an orchestra of sensory stimuli.

Who is Rich Jacobs?

This internationally renowned artist is recognized as much for his distinctive illustrations as his role as a successful and innovative curator for more than a decade. Jacob’s natural ability to unite the best talent under one roof stems from his genuine nature and, the desire to expose the public to good art and artists. He has a unique way of cherishing the everyday details of life, and recreates the chaos of the daily hustle by engaging over 20 artists to participate in each new edition of “MOVE” Rather than stick to one aesthetic, Rich pulls from a well of talent, mixing photographers and writers to graphic designers and illustrators for a well rounded experience.

We cordially invite you to join us for the Opening Reception

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

7-9:30pm

248 Fillmore St.

SF,CA,94117

The Date Farmers... need we say more?

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Well, we will anyway...

FIFTY24SF Gallery Presents “Strange Fruit” New Works by The Date Farmers

Fifty24SF is proud to host “Strange Fruit”- a solo exhibition by The Date Farmers.

Returning to Fifty24SF Gallery, the Date Farmers is a collaborative work between artists Carlos Ramirez and Armando Lerma. Originally from Indios, California, the two attribute their paintings, collages, and three-dimensional pieces to inspiration from Mexican-American traditional values and contemporary west coast culture. The artists look to graffiti, Mexican street murals, traditional revolutionary posters, sign painting, prison art and tattoos for their influence.

The Date Farmers prefer to use scavenged materials, often found near their desert homes in southern California and nearby Mexico. “Using stuff that was thrown away is Mexican ingenuity. People’s idea of art is that it’s really expensive and [made of] nice materials, but found objects are so abundant, they’re much easier and freeing for us.”

Exploring a range of emotions, from humorous to disturbing, “Strange Fruit” is influenced by “the everyday stories, social politics and myths that take place and unfold around us on a daily.”  The show represents the wide spectrum from which they draw inspiration, and the duo uses materials that allow them to be resourceful, yet abundant with character.

The Date Farmers have had International gallery exhibitions in Tokyo, London and Stockholm.  They appeared at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado for the Manifest Hope Gallery.

“Strange Fruit” features new works on display at FIFTY24SF Gallery from September 3 – September 24, 2009.

http://thedatefarmers.com/

Opening Night "Faces of Life" Recap -MAC

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Wow, What a show! Thank you to everybody who came out to the show on Thursday . And a huge THANK YOU to Paperworks Laboratories for their absolutely stunning print "Song of Songs" For those of you that were not able to score a print  at the opening there are still a few available at Paperworkslab.com.

As for the opening Reception- the show of support was amazing. 7 o'clock rolled around and a crowd was already forming in front of the gallery doors. By 8 the place was packed to the brim! Fans flocked from far and wide to give props and take in the sights.  Friends flew in from Mac's hometown Phoenix, drove up from La, San Jose, Seattle, and every major graf artist in the city stopped by to say what's up to the man of the hour El Mac.

Visitors had to maneuver their way through the massive crowd swarming Mac to say 'hello' and have their advanced copies of Mac and Retna's new book "Alianza" signed. Mac patiently signed autographs for close to two hours straight. His patience and humility won the crowd over and everybody left more enamored than ever.

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Shots from the madness for your enjoyment:

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A very special thanks to Juxtapoz Magazine  for providing copies of the subscriber issue # 103 for fans

Upper Playground for releasing advanced copies of "Alianza" ( now available online at Upperplayground.com)

Thomas at Paperworks for his generosity

Alex at Montana Paints for hooking up the supplies

Dan at 1AM gallery for saving the day with the last two cans of black Montana in the entire city!

And everybody who came out to make the show a great success.

Check back for pics of Mac's new mural going up on the side of FIFTY24SF Gallery.

New Print by MAC Advance Release

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Our good friends over at Paperworks Laboratory have generously sent us a few advanced copies of  Macs newest print "Songs of Songs" to be released at the Opening Reception...

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A 7 color hand pulled serigraph edition of 50

Printed on black Stonehenge 310 gsm 100% cotton archival deckled edge paper

30"x40" inches.

Only five of these massive prints will be available at the opening reception  this Thursday August 6th, 2009.

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Check out these progress shots...

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See you at the show!!

Please contact Lynzy@upperplayground.com for more information regarding El Mac's "Faces of Life"

Well that was fun...

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If you missed Word to mother's show then you missed out on some good shananegans. Arrseted motion snagged WTM before the opening and scored some prime interview time.  Check it out here

And now for a visual recap

Photos below by Michael Ojeda

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Photos below by Alex Tarrant

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After the festivities came to an end, WTM and crew hopped to the nearest bar and began to celebrate the 4th of July early. Resulting in...

some of this...

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and then, some of this...

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:)

Behind the Brush: Che Jen

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 I recently had the pleasure of spending a week with Che Jen, one member of the art duo currently presenting "Reverberations” at FIFTY24SF. Che Jen is an admittedly an abstract painter. What is an "admittedly abstract painter"?  It means that Che Jen chases the abstract.  She is an enigma, an exception to the rule. Singled out as a child to be a painter, Che Jen's life not is typical, nor are her paintings. Che Jen is as slick as the graceful and piercing line-work she uses to cut through a sea of typical.

She told me once that her paintings had to move, describing the feeling as "similar to catching that perfect line when you surf." Jen paints as if she is carving through stagnant energy.  Though she does admit, “Sometimes you don’t get to ride the wave as fluidly as you want, you get many thrashings before you even ride one out – I would imagine that’s how it would feel. I don’t know I never surfed."

I asked her what she's thinking about while holding the brush, and she told me that she was just being.  She was being every moment, every thought and life she had ever lived and she simply let her brush translate the ephemeral, to the concrete.

 “Painting is a lot of breathing out my thoughts and working through my words.  Trying to recall an experience and working that out on the wall.”  She laughed a lot, and told stories about her life while she painted the gallery walls. Watching was comforting and hypnotizing; you got lost in how easy she made it look.

Che Jen's paintings, though not landscapes or portraits, tell stories,  they tell the story of a woman who grew up in the epicenter of the hip hop and graffiti revolution. They tell they story of what it's like to cut through the b.s with grace and force.  Avid collectors of her work know they are not simply collecting a piece of beautiful art but,  a piece of a beautiful life. 

I wondered if her father had singled her out because he saw her gift long before she would ever grasp it... I asked her if she looked back on her classical training and was now grateful for where it led her.  She said that it was at times a hard road to accept but it has brought her to a place in life that is as unique and complex as she is, and for that she is grateful.

Sam Flores, up to some new tricks...

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I recently braved the 6 hour drive down to LA to check out Sam's new show "Ego, Addiction, & Other Bedtime Stories" at Subliminal Projects.  The show was phenomenal. It's always heartening to see  artists that are constantly striving to expand on his or her already well developed skill set, and Sam is no exception. Apparently, he spent the past year developing  a new style and has very clearly been able to add an immense level of depth to his new body of work. I was impressed to see such dark imagery mixed seamlessly with the familiar characters and vibrant color palette that we know and love from Sam. Some of my favorite works from him are the deeper, more emotionally charged ones. And in the past i have only seen a handful of  pieces that reflect what his new work openly celebrates. 

"Lonely"

Self Destruction 1, 16

Hats off to you Mr. Flores,  "Ego, Addiction & Other Bedtime Stories" is a very thoughtful and well executed show.  Weren't able to make it to LA?... Click here to get a more extensive look.

USUGROW and CREW

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Usugrow presents :SHINGANIST:

Wow, what a whirlwind, Usugrow and his crew were some of the most entertaining artists that have hit FIFTY24SF. If you stopped in the gallery after the opening reception, you were surely greeted by one or five of the participating members of the  show. The sidewalk was temporarily converted into a skateboard parking lot,  and the boys spent the week sitting on the neighbors' stoop enjoying the sunshine and signing autographs. Usugrow brought his hand crafted incense holder as an added detail for the show and Bene supplied the i-pod to ensure the the ambience was just right in the gallery. These boys are immensely talented and know how to hold their own in the world of art. As I walked through the crowd during the opening, it was clear to me that these men were one of a kind. Awe inspired praise fell from the mouths of the spectators without pause. I felt like we had brought gods to earth and we mortals were were only beginning to grasp their greatness.

Right before the show opened, I sat down with Usugrow to ask him a few questions about his work process.  I asked him what he thought about while he was drawing and he said, " Well, nothing really. No, that's not true...sometimes I am thinking...hmmm I have to pay my rent...must work harder!" Ususgrow is a really genuine, funny and down to earth guy who is happy to be living the life he wants to live.  He continued,"Even though I thinking about paying rent sometimes; I am mostly thinking nothing. Drawing is my time to relax, I just draw."  When I asked him about what type of music he listens to while he draws he said he enjoyed listening to everything, but that he preferred punk rock. He threw up a punk rock sign and said, " I am the lead singer of a punk rock band back in Japan!" Seriously, this guy had me in stitches most of the time we were together.

 His decision to include his friends in his new book and on his international tour with :SHINGANIST: is based on his own passion for art, he looked at me seriously for a moment and he said, " You know...i want to tell you one thing... i love art. I love all art. Good art is good and well, bad art is bad, my friends are good. I respect them very much." 

SF and Hollywood legends alike seem to agree that Usugrow, Toshikazu, Mozyskey, Bene and Jun are extremely talented young men. Their work ethic and dedication to their craft is uncanny. If you ever have the great fortune of meeting them, don't be shy, walk up and say hello. As Usugrow says, "We are here for the public, we make art for them, this is who we are."