David Choe returns to the 415... FRIDAY Feb. 5th

Fifty24SF is proud to host “Character Assassination” - a solo exhibition by David Choe.

One of the most diverse and prolific living artists, David Choe combines his interest in American and Asian pop culture, graphic novels, and cityscapes to produce some of the most dynamic work seen today.

His often lewd expressions of the female form, considered offensive to some, is, in all actuality, the most raw and honest appreciation of the male/female sexual interaction. Erratic brushwork and wild compositions convey a superficial sense of anarchy and abandon while the delicate and exotic portraits betray the implied chaos, revealing a passionate love of women.

In Dave’s work, discordance and serenity exist in impossible harmony as proof to the truest constitution of life. His paintings are testament to the fact that the gritty and the perceived offensive are necessary constituents of raw beauty.

David’s disinterest in social conformity and lack of need for social approval allows him to exist in a realm of indulgence, allowing his creativity to abound unfettered. Whether he be painting murals, paintings, or quick street commentary, that raw honesty is the element that drives his work deep into the psyche of the viewer.  Truths that we as an audience are not always brave enough to admit, even to ourselves, fuels the mastery behind the work.  A subliminal stirring of still waters, his paintings are thought provoking and engaging in a way that cannot always be justified as simply, aesthetically pleasing.

A seasoned globetrotter, David Choe’s murals cover walls from his native Los Angeles to Vietnam. His intricate brush strokes and characters translate well to consumer products and he has worked with Marvel Comics, Levis and Nike. His art, photos, and writing have been featured in Giant Robot, Hustler and Vice Magazine. David Choe has also self-published comic/journals: Bruised Fruit, Cursiv and Slow Jams. Most recently, he was featured in the documentary about his work “Dirty Hands.”

We cordially invite you to join us for the Opening Reception of

David Choe's

"Character Assassination"

Friday, February 5th, 2010

7-10pm

248 Fillmore St, SF, Ca, 94117

****************************************************************************************** Upcoming Shows at FIFTY24SF Gallery: April: Jason Jagel

FIFTY24SF Gallery Contact Information: Gallery Hours: Tuesday–Saturday from 12–6 P.M. and by appointment Address:          248 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 Contact:           Lynzy Blair / Phone: (415) 252-9144 / Email: Lynzy@UpperPlayground.com

"Weathering the Storm" Epic leaps for Silly Pink Bunnies everywhere

Jeremy Fish's "Weathering the Storm" opened in November at the Laguna Beach Art Museum to a full house.Viewers of all ages were captivated by Jeremy's, seemingly effortless, ability to recount tales of social calamities through his iconic characters. His fresh color combinations and satirical imagery lent a lighthearted feel to a show which pointedly exposed the (hopefully temporary) derailment of American society.

hurricane

Evan Pricco, managing editor for Juxtapoz magazine, has offered up a preview of his January Show Stopper which covers the momentous occasion and the opening night sentiments more eloquently than I. I'll leave you with the words of Mr. Pricco. Happy Holidays from FIFTY24SF!

Jeremy Fish didn’t know what to expect the evening before his Laguna Art Museum opening. He had spent the prior week hanging the work in the gallery, nearly a full year creating the pieces, and was just now taking his first walk through the exhibit with an outside audience. A typical Jeremy gathering, stereotypes in full-effect, tending to be of the creative young adult set: skateboarders, surfers, sneakerheads, and SPBs. Among the best artists of our time to combine the lifestyles, over the years Jeremy has become one of fine art’s most renowned storytellers.

On the night of November 6, 2009, Jeremy Fish had to tell the story to the members of the Laguna Art Museum. Truth be told, one of the great advantages of aging is that (1) you can become a museum member and attend quiet previews, and (2) you can live in Laguna Beach. So Jeremy Fish walked what may have been his oldest audience yet through the nuances of his craft, explaining his intentions, inspirations, and the story of Weather the Storm. “I was a little nervous that maybe the members wouldn’t be into it,” Fish admitted. “But it turned out they were really into it. In fact, I think one man asked a question about every piece, sometimes asking more than one. I think it was a successful night.”

As the years have rolled on, Jeremy has been a confident builder of tales, concepts, and environments. His Barbary Coast show last year became a unique picture book experience on the history of San Francisco. Weathering the Storm explores the “transformation and rebirth through struggle,” a timely concept given that most people you know are out of a job or out a savings account. Through his bunnies, beaver, birds, and skulls, his world evolves despite adversity, creates new beginnings and says hello/goodbye to the past.

The exhibit features wonderful literature provided by both Fish and Laguna curator Grace Kook-Anderson, bringing an essential academic outline of the work to an audience unfamiliar with the artist. One thing for certain, as Jeremy is coroneted into the museum world, he is becoming a subject worthy to write about in historical context. If a Cat with a Hat can change the world, why can’t a Silly Pink Bunny?

-Evan Pricco

Please conatct the gallery if you have any questions regarding this exhibition.

Lynzy@upperplayground.com

A short video from Sao Paulo from Herbert Baglione

Herbert Baglione's "The Dark Wave" Opening Night Recap...

Thanks to everyone who made it out for the opening reception this past Thursday.  The show came together beautifully and it was a great pleasure to see so many of you come through despite the ominous weather conditions. We strongly encourage everyone to see the show in person as Herbert's work is incredibly detailed and difficult to convey through photos alone.

If you weren't able to make it out, check out the shots below.

Enjoy!

Hebert Baglione's "Dark Wave" opens this Thursday...

Fifty24SF is proud to host “The Dark Wave”- a solo exhibition by Herbert Baglione.

Brazilian artist Herbert Baglione has been a strong interest in the South American graffiti movement for more than ten years. Inspired by Brazil’s street culture, Baglione started experimenting with new ways to look at his urban environment of Sao Paulo and provoked dialogue about his fresh perspective on urban artwork. Alongside these efforts are Baglione’s distinctive mural designs and stretched figures representing humans and aliens. These are often balancing elongated and rounded extremes with dramatic iconic symbols such as familiar urban architecture.

Influenced by his older brother, Baglione began painting at the age of three, and has found his greatest interest in provoking themes such as death, individualism, family, and chaos. These complex themes alongside his distinctive style have given Baglione deserved recognition in the international graffiti scene.

“The Dark Wave” features new sketches and paintings on canvas on display at FIFTY24SF Gallery from December 10, 2009  – January 28, 2010.

"The Dark Wave"

Opening Reception:

Thursday Dec, 10th, 2009

7-9:30pm

248 Fillmore St. SF

For information on the preview, please contact Lynzy@upperplayground.com.

"Darling, We're Leaving!" Extended for the Lower Haight Art Walk

This Friday the Lower Haight will be hosting the Holdiay Art Walk. The last Art Walk was a blast and this time there will be live music and we've heard rumor of free snacks!  Swing by the gallery to checkout Will's Barras' "Darling, We're Leaving!" which we've extended especially for the event.

Juxtapoz 15th Anniversary Benefit Party Recap

We'd been teasing you with set up shots from the Juxtapoz 15th Anniversary Benefit Party that launched on Sat Nov. 14th. ( the complete set of install shots can be found on the gallery Facebook page)  But, now it's time for you to check out the fruits of our labor. First of all, you know that feeling you got as a kid right before your birthday party was scheduled to start? Well that's generally the same feeling we get every time we open a new show.

So, surely, you can imagine the delight we felt when we looked around and the event space was packed! And as you've seen from the set up photos, that was quite the space to fill.

We'll let the pics tell the rest of the story.

Enjoy

Over 2000 people managed to make their way through the show. Though we made a valiant effort to touch base with everybody we wanted to, it was nearly impossible. The space was inundated with a sea of art lovers, artists and gallerists from all over the country.

There are so many things we would like to say about how incredible the entire experience was, but really, we think that the photos speak for themselves.

Needless to say, it was an immense pleasure working with Sa Studios and Juxtapoz.  Sa Studios' hospitality goes above and beyond. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have participated in this landmark event.

The first half of the Jux Benefit Auction has raised over $100,000 for the Detroit Powerhouse Project. The second round opens November 24th @ Charitybuzz.com. All proceeds from both auctions will go towards the goal of buying and renovating 5 houses in Detroit. In an effort to stimulate their local economy, all renovations will be handled by local craftsmen. (Check out PowerHouse Project here).

Progress... Setting up for the Juxtapoz show

Blogging has been a bit difficult since the week has been jammed packed with activities.  But we're catching up. So, here we go... "Weathering the Storm"

Saturday Jeremy's show opened in Laguna. It was beautiful. His work just keeps getting better and better, he's using a lot of colors and the statues are impressive as always. It was especially wonderful to see so many people come down from SF, and all over the place really, to support the silliest of pink bunnies, Mr. Fish. Will Barras even drove down from SF with Lidia, his lovely lady! Check out works from the exhibition here.

After Jeremy's Show, Evan Pricco (managing editor for Jux) and I began the grand task of prepping for the Jux Anniversary Benefit party.  This event is going to be amazing. Seriously.

On Monday we scoped the space and sat down with  SA studios to discuss details.  If you're not familiar with Sa studios, they are the creative agency for Mr. Cartoon and Estevan Oriol. The guys over there are some of the raddest guys of all time. And Mr Cartoon's cars are just unbelievable. Drool Worthy. More than drool worthy.

Now for some shots of the venue pre Jux/UP/Sa studios/ FIFTY24SF   magic......

Later Evan and I took the crane out to do some donuts in the parking lot.... or not. But, we considered it.

Ok so now we've brought you up to speed. Check back for more progress. A week with the Sa boys, Evan, and over 100 pieces of art to get hung...things will be getting interesting in the coming days.

LB

FIFTY24SF out and about for First Friday

First Fridays

FIFTY24SF was out on the town last Friday night, pushing our pedals to the max. From China Town to the Mission and back up through the Haight, we hit every show we could to bring you a taste of what's up on Fridays.

The Skullz Press

First stop- Mike Giant's,  The Skullz Press.

Giant released some new works from the "Las Cholas de Frisco" project and some fresh new illustrations. Check it out...

Next stop...

Popstars and Cokeheads @ The Medicine Agency

Greg Mike's solo show at the Medicine Agency in the China Town was downright impressive. Greg came and threw it down like nobody's business.

Tri- Product @ Fabric 8

Show after show we continued on. We next ventured to Fabric 8 to get a peak at Brett Amory, Adam Caldwell, and David Choong Lee's newest works. This is a must see show. All three artist have distinctly different styles,which is always a plus.

The Infinity Solution @ D-Structure

We ended the night with Joshua Mayes show The Infinity Solution. Mayes has got  a super fly style and absolutely killed it at D-Structure friday night. Stop by to see the works in person.

FIFTY24SF heading to LA for the Juxtapoz Benefit Party!!

Yesterday FIFTY24SF piled into various vehicles and headed south for the winter. Err... the week. Our first stop is the Laguna Art Museum to support our dear friend Jeremy Fish and then we're off to help set up for the Juxtapoz 15th Anniversary and Benefit Party!!

We popped in late night at Sa Studios to drop off some final works for the benefit auction and to check out the lay of the land for the event.  Things are looking seriously good.  And by "good" we mean pool in the middle of the event site,  copious amounts of mind blowing art, and badass DJ's  good.

The Juxtapoz Benefit Party will be hosted next Sat. November 14th and is open to the public.

So, If you're in the La area next weekend, first on your list should be the Jux event.  If you know the magazine, you know they've got great taste. Pair that with the go big or go home attitude of Sa Studios and you've got a recipe for greatness...

"Darling, We're Leaving!" Opens tomorrow! 7pm

We certainly can't give away the whole enchilada but here are some more sneak peak shots of what's in store for tomorrow. Enjoy!

7 pm people! See you there!

248 Fillmore St.

Sf, Ca, 94107

FIFTY24SF wishing you a Happy Halloween! We don't have any candy for you...

But we do have some sneaky sneak peak shots of Mr. Barras killin' it in the Gallery. Check it out.

Happy halloween!! He's not finished yet so... check back soon for more from "Darling, We're Leaving!"

muahahahahaaha

FIFTY24SF proudly presents "Darling, We're Leaving!"

A collection of new works by Will Barras. Opening Reception NOVEMBER 5th.

check out FIFTY24SF.com for more information.

Move #19, last day to check out the show is this WEDNESDAY.

This hump day (aka tomorrow) will be the last day to come explore Move #19.  With over 20 artists, this is a show that tickles the brain.  Rich Jacobs has a knack for mixing things up and for the 19th time he's hit the nail on the head. So you've been warned. Tomorrow is the last day to check out MOVE #19.

Tell your friends.

Even More From Move 19 - Chris Shary and Jeff Canham

Chris Shary: If asked to describe Chris in a single word, one's only option is "delightful."  Chris and his work invite you into a world of joy and laughter.  The soundtrack to this world is written and performed by the punk rock bands and its color-scheme is as vivid and exciting as that of Chris's boots (see Move #19- Opening Reception Recap).  His fun-loving personality is transferred onto paper in his beautifully strange linoleum prints.

In addition to his prints, Chris has put out a punk/hardcore skate zine and done cover art for The Descendents, All, Armchair Martian, and The Stupids, and more.  He also enjoys passing his creativity along as a high school art teacher and play director in Sacramento, CA.

Jeff Canham:

Jeff Canham is easily one of the most talented designers in San Francisco.  His brilliant use of color and typography are rivaled only by his ability to think outside the box.  The combination of these traits has resulted in Jeff's success as a sign painter at the world-renowned New Bohemian Signs, as an art director at Surfer Magazine from 2000 until 2005, as a designer, illustrator, and painter.  The flags, waves, and other intriguingly odd design elements will leave you staring endlessly, through what originally seemed relatively simple, into the perfectly constructed paintings.

fifty24sfgallery

Familiar Ghost @ Lowerdeck, Tomorrow Night.

Familiar Ghost: An artistic representation of old family stories.

Tomorrow night Lowerdeck will be hosting an opening reception for Familiar Ghost. Everything starts at 6:00 and continues till 9:00 p.m. Featured work by Adam Flores, Dan Vee, Damian Fagan, David Garvey, Lawrence Yang,  and Matt Delight just to name a few. Fifty 24 SF will be there covering the action, and hopes to see you there as well.

The Show runs from October 22, untill November 17th, 2009 2295 3rd Street @ 20th Street San Francisco, CA, 94107 (below Sundance Coffee, entrance on 20th Street)

Upper Playground releases 10yr Anniversary book.

We are taking a short break from our "Move #19 up close tour"  to bring you news about Upper Playground's ten year anniversary book.  Simply put: it's bad ass.

Weighing in at 3 pounds and 10" thick with 612 pages of graphics and artist commentary, this is a better investment than most college text books. Seriously.  A straight up catalog that tracks the evolution of both the company and the work of the artists involved.

Here are some between the sheets shots.

Available at UpperPlayground.com  and for only $40. Congratulations and thanks to Upper playground for bringing us over ten years of  the best artists and graphic tees on the planet.

More from "Move"... Melinda Beck and Jason Polan

As promised... two more "Move" artists for your viewing pleasure.

Melinda Beck

Melinda Beck is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and graphic designer who received her BFA in graphic design from Rhode Island School of Design in 1989.  Her clients include: Nike, MTV, Nickelodeon, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, Time Magazine, The Progressive, New York Times, Newsweek, and Island Records.  She has received awards from publications such as Print Magazine, Communication Arts, Society of Publication Designers, American Illustration, The Art Directors Club, The AIGA, ID Magazine, and The Society of Illustrators.

Melinda has most recently been featured in a new acquisitions show at The Library of Congress.

Jason Polan

Jason Polan currently lives in New York City and is a freelance artist from Michigan. His work has been exhibited around the United States and Europe with work appearing in ARTnews, Metropolis Magazine, and The New Yorker.

Jason is a member of the 53rd Street Biological Society and the Taco Bell Drawing Club.  It has been said that he is attempting to draw every person in New York.  His books have been very successful, with the highest acclaim given to Every Piece of Art in the Museum of Modern Art.

Stay tuned for more close ups.....

Move #19- opening Reception Recap

Thank you to everybody who came out last Thursday for the opening reception of Rich Jacobs " Move #19"- "He said he was enjoying the donuts for the most part, and laughing hysterically." Some of the art community's most innovative illustrators,  photographers, graphic designers, music makers, writers (JockoWeyland), and all around good people gathered to celebrate the opening of "Move #19".  With wine from Bear Flag, fresh donuts from Bob's in the tenderloin (rumored to have killer fresh donuts at midnight), and milk for your donuts, and rad art how could you go wrong.

The stories flowed like wine as the artists, most of which are old friends, shared anecdotes about each other, and caught up on current happenings.

Images courtesy of Robynne from Bear Flag wine.

Check back this week for close ups on the artists involved in this show...

Sneak peak...Move #19- Opens Tomorrow! 7-9:30pm

We don't want to give away the whole enchilada... but we can spare a tortilla or two...

Rich Jacobs' "MOVE #19" opens TOMORRROW Oct. 1st, 2009

7-9:30pm

If you like art and/or donuts join us tomorrow for the opening reception of

Move #19 "He said he was enjoying the donuts for the most part, and laughing hysterically."