D*FACE & ARMSROCK
RockFace D’Arm
Installation, drawings & collage paper pieces
AND
ORCHESTRATED ODDITIES
Installation, paintings and mixed media by
Brian Barneclo, Romanowski, and Sean Somers
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 8, 2008 from 7-9:30 p.m.
Runs Through May 8th – May 29th, 2008
FIFTY24SF Gallery is pleased to present two openings: RockFace D’Arm – the two-man exhibition of work by acclaimed contemporary urban artists, D*Face and Armsrock and Orchestrated Oddities, a group show featuring the work of three Bay Area artists: Brian Barneclo, Romanowski, and Sean Somers. Armsrock and D*Face will present work in a variety of media including paper collage, installation and original drawings. Barneclo, Romanowski, and Somers will be presenting new sculptures, installations, and paintings that center around the theme of music.
D*Face is one of the most prolific and notorious contemporary urban artists of his generation. Working with a variety of mediums and techniques, he uses a family of dysfunctional characters to satirise all that falls into their grasp. His recent work includes a collaboration with H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II on a series of bank notes put into circulation as well as a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI commissioned by the Vatican. His sell out shows ‘Death & Glory’ in London 2006 and the show EyeCons in Brighton 2007 firmly founded D*Face’s presence within the contemporary art market. Additionally, his work is now being sold in Bonhams & Sotheby’s auction houses.
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Armsrock currently lives and works in Bremen, Germany. Living in a smaller city provides him with a solid platform from which to operate with focus. His main source of inspiration for his work is from the streets. It’s there that he retrieves the moments that he interprets into his drawings that deal with urban stories, the nature of life, and interaction between humans. Armsrock has shown extensively in Germany and Denmark and nationally with shows in New York. His work has been published by Wooster Collective in the 2007 book release, “All My Friends Are Made of Paper”, that featured an introduction by Swoon.
Romanowski has made his name in the art and music worlds as artist, co-founder of The Curators, DJ and founder of Trouser Trout Records. As part of The Curators, Romanowski introduced two, noted exhibitions: “My Adidas” and the “Eames Chair Project”, both of which went on to travel at international venues. He has shown extensively and taken part in numerous live painting events.
Sean Somers draws inspiration from his travels, traditional Japanese paintings, antiques, unusual noises, and nature. His work explores the dualities that exist in the perpetual chaos that is life. He has been commissioned by international collectors and has done extensive commercial work for various snow/skate, apparel and sneaker lines. His work was recently featured in Riviera magazine.
Brian Barneclo is best know in San Francisco for his large-scale murals in restaurants, bars, hotels, homes, and on the streets. Most remarkable is the massive "Food Chain" mural, which spans 225 feet and was created in just three weeks, he credits his experience as a sign painter as a major technical influence. Jazz, signage, and a Beatnik aesthetic are seen in his work. Barneclo describes it as “Picasso with a graffiti ethic”.
Runs Through May 8th – May 29th, 2008
Gallery Hours are 12pm-6pm Tuesday-Saturday or by Appointment
"Behind The Black, Behind The White"
Runs through May 31st, 2008.
FIFTY 24PDX Gallery presents "Behind The Black, Behind The White", an exhibit of new paintings and illustrations from Japanese artist Usugrow. Featuring a dramatic signature style in black & white, Usugrow creates his work from the foundations of organic contrast and dignified beauty. Since the early 1990s, he has been at work honing his craft for the Japanese Hardcore music scene, developing an easy reputation for meaningful, stunning artwork in support of the scene. Backed by strong community accolades, Usugrow soon branched out to the Hip-Hop and Metal scenes, as well as developed his own clothing line.
Skating, tattooing, graffiti, music – Usugrow absorbed elements from all of these environments to create his signature style of art. He is currently working in his Tokyo studio, doing album covers and merchandise for foreign hardcore and metal bands and hip-hop groups, as well as domestic bands. He has been also working on art for several clothing brands and skateboard companies, including Upper Playground, Adidas, The Hundreds, Famous Stars & Stripes, Consolidated, Skull Skates, and Burton Snowboards.
For his first exhibition in Portland, Usugrow brings together a selection of new works on paper and new paintings in his signature style. He will also exhibit a selection of classic works in screenprinted form. White and Black – in other words, the light and dark sides of life; Usugrow explores the minimalist methodology of black ink on white paper, creating his own world of organic contrasts. His contemporary subject matter is infused with traditional attention to craftsmanship and detail, adding a spirituality and dynamic tension rarely associated with the genre.
"Behind The Black, Behind The White" runs through May 31st, 2008.
Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 12:00-7:00PM, or By Appointment.
