“THE URBAN ARTIST – paths from subcultural creativity to contemporary art”
A group show presented by Circleculture Gallery, Berlin
With Jaybo Monk, Christian Awe, Jonathan Yeo, Katrin Fridriks, Anton Unai, Helle Mardahl, XOOOOX, Marco “PHO” Grassi, Stefan Strumbel and Various & Gould
Soho House, Berlin
12.03. – 24.04.2011
Four modern saints from the silkscreen series “Saint Nimmerlein” by Various & Gould are part of the show.
Press release:
“Circleculture Gallery shows progressive urban art from all over Europe at Soho House Berlin. With large sized installations and paintings by Jaybo Monk, Jonathan Yeo, Katrin Fridriks, Christian Awe, Anton Unai, Helle Mardahl, XOOOOX, Marco “PHO” Grassi, Stefan Strumbel and Various & Gould. Alongside the exhibition curator Johann Haehling von Lanzenauer invites you to a panel discussion about urban art:
Since the turn of the millennium a new type of artist, the Urban Artist, has emerged. He has influenced the cultural scene as a creative thinker and leader of subcultural expressions taking on the role of album cover designer for progressive punk, electro or hip-hop bands, graffiti writing innovator, avant-garde fashion designer, or street art activist. Today these same urban artists have become indispensable to the world of contemporary art, as many more make the transition from applied arts to the field of fine art. In addition to the alternative forms of presentations such as that of city streets, they produce art works for galleries and museums who are increasingly putting together shows of urban inspired pieces.
Some urban artists have engaged with ideas in an academic context, while others celebrate international success as self-taught practitioners. What these artists have in common, however, is the prevalence of an attitude absent in the academies. They are brimming with innovative spirit and radicalism – employing differentiating concepts, aesthetics and techniques that can only be incurred by the exposure to a subcultural tradition. The most immediately obvious departure from a more classical practice is the illegal use of the streets as medium, mediator, and translator; providing the friction necessary to transform life experience into art.
The Urban Artist exhibition documents urban arts place today, bringing into focus its new directions and creating a dialogue between the practice, the artists and the audience. A panel discussion hosted in tandem with the exhibition will seek to define urban art and illuminate its potential for future development. The panel will host Dr. Ilaria Hoppe from the Institute for Art and Visual History at the Humboldt University of Berlin, the graffiti writer and artist Christian Awe and the exhibition curator Johann Haehling von Lanzenauer. The panel will be moderated by Jan Kage – presenter of ’Kunst Magazin art collector talks’ and head of the ’Radio Arty’ broadcast on MotorFM.”
Below the pictures there is a short clip about the exhibition with quotes by Johann Haehling von Lanzenauer and some of the artists. More photos of the opening can be found here.
