"The
Streets of Europe
A Playground for Urban Story-Touring"
Jonathan Levine Gallery
529 West 20th St. 9E
New York, NY 10011
Dec. 1, 2007 - Dec. 29, 2007
Written by Mindy Hyman
Photos Courtesy of Jonathan Levine Gallery
Opposite
Photo: Artist Blek Le Rat
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Jonathan Levine Gallery’s latest exhibit is
a tour into the creative and satirically playful
minds of six contemporary European artists. The
theme of street life is explored through each artist’s
work in very distinct and vivacious ways. By means
of paint, ink, stencil or tile, each artist, in
turn, demonstrates how s/he is a curator of street
culture. Their work elevates street art to glorious
levels reminding us that urban storytelling is universal;
what one feels on a different continent may be closer
to our own thoughts and struggles as we connect
through urban experience. The artists succeed in
creating an awareness that allows the viewer to
see new and progressive means of viewing art.
D*Face literally defaces and retraces the portraits
of famous political and celebrity icons. Many of
the paintings depict a skeleton in place of the
face. Queen Elizabeth, George Washington and Che
Guevara are brought back down to the level of the
everyday homosapien once we see that they are made
of bones, just like us. It seems as though the artist
is attempting to unmask their status by making folly
of their heightened status. Perhaps, as viewers
of art, we need to reveal the idolatry that accompanies
the world of fame.
Space Invader
Space Invader creates
two mosaics out of rubik’s cubes. Space Invader
explores how to create a portrait and profile of
a man by the usage of scattered pieces of colored
tile-or a piece of a rubik’s cube-in a specific
point on the piece. The second work of art is of
three ghost characters from the game, Pac Man, floating
across a peaceful lake in a beautiful, mountainous
landscape. The effect is surreal and brings the
child out in the viewer. One can’t help but
laugh with delight at this large, game-influenced
art.
Blek Le Rat
Blek Le Rat
Blek Le Rat uses stencil-like art to portray street
life in Europe. He uses humor in contemporary life
when we see a young girl holding up a graffiti artist
and a stencil of David with an M-16. The statue
is definitely more readily equipped in this rendition.
Bo130 incorporates imagery of a man immersed in
street life. The artist uses colors of teal, olive-green,
bubble gum-pink and black designs in an abstract
fashion.
Blu
Blu
Microbo
My two favorite artists
from the exhibit were Microbo and Blu. Microbo’s
art looks like a playful universe of biological,
microbial-looking creatures swimming in an oceanic
world of black and while flowered wallpaper. The
colors in this piece are calming and satiating.
The browns, tans, blacks and whites compliment the
total nature-effect of being immersed in a world
of hair follicles and friends.
Blu draws phrases and instills a sense of playful
humor through his art. Particularly funny was a
drawing of men pick-pocketing each other in a circle.
The piece draws on notions of big business and the
rat race in the Western world, namely, that we are
all trying to steal from each other and that in
the end, the whole deal is a big game of cheat.
In another sketch, Blu draws a butthead- a man that
smokes so many cigarettes, that the ashtray is his
head.
This exhibit exemplifies the notion that we are
more universally connected and that urban life in
Europe rings true for New York life and style. A
free tour to Europe’s finest cities and viewpoints
is always a plus. Catch this cool exhibit while
you can.
For more information on
the Jonathan Levine Gallery, log onto: http://jonathanlevinegallery.com/
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