Rudimentary Perfection - Graffuturism

Matt W Moore (Portland, Maine)

It's starting to hit me just how significant this exhibition is shaping up to be. Already cited as "one of the finest to take place anywhere in the world this year", international graffiti artists have been flying into Glasgow all this week ahead of Recoat Gallery's ground breaking "Rudimentary Perfection" Graffuturism exhibition. 

Curated by the one of the invited artists, the acclaimed Scottish graffiti artist Mark Lyken, this ambitious project also encompasses a number of walls throughout the city. Maps are available from Recoat.

Here's a visual hint of what we can expect from each of the 10 featured artists...

The founder of Graffuturism himself, Poesia (San Hose, CA). 

Who's being picked up from Glasgow airport as I type. Word!

SheOne (London)

Mark Lyken (Scotland)

Mr Jago (Bristol)

Morten Anderson (Denmark/Berlin)

Derm (Edinburgh)

Jaybo Monk (Berlin)

Nawer (Poland)

Augustine Kofie (LA)

July's Rudimentary Perfection opens this Friday evening, 1st July 7-10pm, at Kelvinbridge's Recoat Gallery and runs throughout July.

Let's show these guys some Glasgow love, you can just turf up - all welcome!

Rudimentary Perfection Facebook page.

The New Piccadillys

The New Piccadillys are: Michael Goodwin, Mark Ferrie, Keith Warwick and George Miller.

Here's a little bit of footage I shot of their remarkable rendition of Ramones classic, 'Judy is a Punk', it's a bit shakey because my foot was tapping...

Catch them for a rare gig at Blackfriars this Sunday (3rd July) at 9pm, it's absolutely FREE... fab!



The New Piccadillys Facebook page.

Samantha McEwen Fashion Designer - "Voodoo Zumbies"

Designer Sam McEwen at last Friday's Heriot Watt University 2011 Graduate Fashion Show in Edinburgh.

I'd been following Sam McEwen's work online but hadn't met her in person until moments after the show, which had once again been curated by Mark Eley of Eley Kishimoto. Sam explained that when Mark viewed her already layered collection he immediately instructed her to get a taxi back home and bring everything else she'd made - including all the masks. Sam's 'Voodoo Zumbies' collection ultimately opened the show with a wild four minute performance.

A jubilant Sam McEwen and models after the show.

Ahead of the show, having recieved a flurry of requests about her graduate collection from some top publications, Sam realised she needed some strong images of her work and chose Scotland's Barker McLean Fashion Photography to capture the spirit of her collection. The results are wonderful...

Image: Barker McLean Fashion Photography.

Image: Barker McLean Fashion Photography.

But it doesn't stop there, young filmmaker Emma Noble (one to watch!) made the short film below to showcase the 'Voodoo Zumbies' collection and it's effing superb...

Personally, I think Bernhard Willhelm should scoop Sam McEwen up but in the meantime, she's working on a collection of bomber jackets, available online soon.

Samantha McEwen's blog: Isolated Heroes.

Gary Wilson - No Love Lost

Featuring the wonderful model Lauren Andrew,  former Cardonald College graduate Gary Wilson has just presented his latest work in this film by Emma Noble.  If you hadn't guessed already, Gary has worked closely with Gareth Pugh.

Adieu Yoann...

Nicky and Yoann.

The first time I properly met artist Yoann Reininger was at a party, he was looking pretty "gangsta" in a full length ladies fur coat. 

Leaning over, he confided in a thick French accent "I'm feeling a little bit tipsy - and I plan to stay zis way." Knew instantly we'd make an auld alliance.

"The Glaswegian" by Yoann Reininger.

Fell in love with this painting as soon as I saw it and it still makes me smile like no other painting ever has.

Natalie, Nicky and Amy.

Nicky's recent Birthday dinner ended in Nice and Sleazy's which turned out to be the last night out I had with Yoann, who left Glasgow for France yesterday. After four years, he's decided to go back to Marseilles to focus on his painting.

Nicky with Omar.

Steven and Fangs keyboard player Lloyd.

Forget those Sleazy imitators Yoann - this is what a real "Glasgow Kiss" should feel like!

Amy with JoJo Doll, whose band Fangs play alongside Primal Scream and The Horrors this Thursday at the Eden Sessions.

Late one night, after dinner and sufficient wine, I persuaded Yoann to make Yves Saint Laurent his Facebook profile picture.

Can't resist a lookey-likey!

Bisous from all of your friends here in Glasgow Yoann, tu es toujours le bienvenu ici  x

Yoann Reininger.

Marie

Event Manager Marie Stewart at Thunder Disco Club.

Thunder Disco Club Facebook page

Mutant Veneer - Ben Fist

Last chance to see Ben Fist's brilliant Mutant Veneer exhibition at Recoat Gallery this weekend, Ben really has made the space his own. He's also done a snazzy 360 'scrolly thingy' of the exhibition, which you can see here.

 Ben Fist on Flickr

Sven Werner and his outlandish productions

Filmmaker, pianist, composer and installation artist Sven Werner. 

Sven's latest "walk-in" cinema production is happening at 10pm this Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Finnieston.

Here are some pictures I took at the performance he did with Outland Productions in February. We were warned there would be a strict 10 minute window to get in, after which the doors of the secret location would be locked.

I know it's not very clear but this was a huge home-made looking projector. Someone slowly turned the large handle and what looked like long abstract patterns painted onto acetate became a magical projected skyscape..

Here's Sven playing the moving piece he'd composed for the show from a train carriage which we were invited to walk through. Singers sang, train announcers announced and we were all spellbound...

An atmospheric art/performance/film/music crossover. 

"Tales of Magical Realism" happens this week at 10pm on Th 16th, Fri 17th and Sat 18th June.

Tickets are £10 and available from the GFT, Coffee Chocolate and Tea in Finnieston and Merchant City Cameras. The secret location is on your ticket which must be bought in advance and doors will open for 10 minutes only - then get locked!

I highly recommend this.

Sven Werner - Outland Productions.

Facebook event page.

Cardonald College 2011 End of Year Show

Models waiting their turn to 'walk' amidst the grand setting of Kelvingrove Art Gallery. I became rather captivated by how reminiscent of the dancers in a Degas painting they looked.

Cardonald College has just been named 'The Scottish College of The Year' at The Business to College Awards and has also scooped the Workforce Development Award for its collaboration with Harris Tweed.

Sanjeev Kohli

Look who I bumped into at the Gibson Street Festival yesterday, it's the actor, comedian, writer, presenter - and gigolo... Sanjeev Kohli. 

Sanjeev is guest presenting STV's The Hour all this week from 5pm - 6pm

(P.S. I don't think he's really a gigolo...!)

The Art World: A Tragedy

"Only one in a hundred of you will ever make it as a career artist" ~ Tutor

I bring you 'The Art World: A Tragedy', Omar Zingaro Bhatia's latest art film which premiered at our Figments/Omarina exhibition - it even had its very own gallery.

Inspired by the pessimistic prognosis of an art school tutor, the film was executed entirely by Omar and his brother Ally.  I rather think it's one in a million and just goes to show what you can achieve if you put your mind to it...

Read more about the film's back story here.

.....

Type Casting...

Not for the first time, fast talking New Yorker Camille Lorigo hit me up with a proposition I couldn't refuse. 
In truth, all I really caught over the busy din of Stravaigin was "...old typewriters...stream of consciousness...Hope Street Studios...let's write a book in a weekend." 

Hey, this could be a kick, I was in. Completing our beat writing troika was the actor and writer Stephen Sheriff. 

But after what seemed a respectable amount of time spent 'thinking very fast and typing very slow', we completely ditched the troublesome typewriters and went "back to mac - daddy-o". 

To be continued... just as soon as us squares can get our shit together once again!

Made in The Shade - on the road

Carrie and Clare are affectionately referred to as the Made in The Shade girls but from now on, may also be known as "that pair from the TV advert".

Here they are in action...

You can see a slightly longer 3 minute film of their bonkers journey by clicking here.

And of course, their fantastic De Coursey's Arcade shop, Made in The Shade.

ALLEY CATS featuring Nadia Scullion

Brand new fashion film by Marcy and starring Stephen Sheriff. Marcy told me she's drawn to using 30s film scores because she likes the way the sound works against the modern imagery. I love the way her films look like an editorial fashion spread come to life, this one features pieces by Nadia Scullion.

The British Art Show 7 @ Hotel Gilchrist

 Artists and hosts, Luca George and Alex Misick.

To coincide with The British Art Show 7, 'happenings' have been happening, in the DIY spirit, at Glasgow's 'Hotel Gilchrist'.

I spot sculptor and film maker Ailsa Margot Mackenzie the second I arrive at last weeks opening. As we supp our (cucumber packed!) gin and tonics in the cramped hallway, a girl appears with armfulls of freshly made donuts, nice touch. It's only when she walks away I notice she's naked from the waist down.

Rather wish I'd seen the donut making facilities before accepting one!

I resist a further invite to help 'communally' mix the next batch. I'm told it's a very "sensuous" experience but can see a chap in the corner who's been left awkwardly trying to conduct introductions whilst having to hold a previously 'battered' arm aloft in the air. 

Last week's artists, Chris Macintyre, Luca George and Phoebe Amis.

After a performance piece over the ping pong table, a man wearing a snorkel and jaunty Tyrolean hat stands on a chair to do a reading and everyone drops to the floor.

These exciting exhibitions at Hotel Gilchrist run for the next 2 weeks.

49 West Princes street

 G4 9BS

Next is 'Episode 7' featuring Sam Derounian.

Opens this Thursday 2nd June 7pm-11pm, (then open 3rd-5th June12-5pm).

Then it's 'Episode 8', the final one, this time featuring Alex Misick's work.

Opens Wednesday 8th June 7pm-11pm, (then open 9th-12th June 7-10 pm) 

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