Art Photography: Capturing Urban Creativity

As you maybe know, Portuguese artist Pedro Matos opened his solo-exhibition called “Reality Show” four days ago in Lisbon. Today he sent in some first photos from the opening evening at Montana Shop & Gallery… In my eyes, Pedro’s style is really mad! I love these dirty backgrounds and the highly detailed portraits in the foreground. It’s a very special combination of quick spray-painting and marker techniques on the one hand and traditional oil and acrylic painting techniques on the other hand. ...

Last Friday, the slightly different street art exhibition by urban artist 1010 opened in Berlin and presents really interesting, strange and minimalistic paper artworks. For about 15 years, 1010 is an active part in Germany’s street art scene. Therefore, the Hamburg-based artist is one of the last still active street art veterans. Although the media he uses ranges from wall paint to paste-ups and paper cuts, you can find similar elements in each of his artworks. ...

Lisbon-based street artist and blogger Target is maybe the biggest agitator of the current graffiti art exhibition by worldwide popular graffiti artists Os Gemeos. He recently visited the show and took some photos: I got there quite late as it was less than an hour to close, and between meet and greets and taking some pics, the actual art visualisation got lost in the time. I can without a doubt asure you I’ll be back for a more relaxed view of the show, since there’s always so many details going on, it’s impossible to find every line they draw on a single hour. (by Target) ...

Have you ever heard about the Art Stars project by Ralph Lauren’s Polo Jeans brand? Although the project, which collaborates with some of the most exciting young artistic talents, is already running for some weeks, today was the first time I read something about it… Polo Jeans Co. is proud to present Art Stars, a showcase of work from 51 of Europe’s most recognized up and coming contemporary artists. Inspired by the iconic American Star Spangled Banner and synonymous with the Polo Jeans Co. brand, the artists will create 3D pieces on stars made from the finest American denim. These will be displayed in select Polo Jeans Co. stores in key cities across Europe, before coming together in a public exhibition in London in late 2010. (Introducing Art Stars) ...

Two days ago, I was invited to visit the opening of the “Source/ Resource” group-exhibition at Wilde Gallery in Berlin. In addition to some works by contemporary artists like Antonio Santin and Awst&Walther they show new artworks by two of my favorite stencil artists, Evol and Pisa73! As always when I take a look at their very detailed and amazing artwork, I was really flashed, but also the artworks by Mirko Mielke, who presented a photo on concrete and a photo on a found wall, were very inspiring! ...

For right now seven days, the art show by famous urban painters Gate and Lake is running at Café Nest in Berlin-Kreuzberg… The two artists from Berlin show urban art pictures and canvases. Gate is known for flat letters and forms, Lake for large-scale figures in the mosaic style. (press release) Two days ago I visited the great show room where artworks by Pisa73 and Czarnobyl as well as 1% Streetfiles were already shown. ...

Yesterday, the graffiti event “Art Monument” (Turmkunst) started with a lot of hoopla in Berlin. As I mentioned, four of the most well-known urban artists, Honet, Flying Förtress, Sozyone and KR, will repaint with about 2,000 spray-cans the the 2,000m² facade of the old “Bierpinsel”. Inside the tower, artworks by KR, Dave Decat, Dave the Chimp, Form76, Flying Förtress, Honet, Mr. Nonski, Nils Kasiske, Olivier Kosta Théfaine, Poch, Sozyone, Stefan Strumbel and Keramik are shown in a unique “Turmkunst” exhibition. After the first impressions from outside the tower, here are now some photos and insights of the exhibition. ...

When I visited Hamburg some days ago, I got a copy of the “Being Alex Diamond” art book by Jörg from the Heliumcowboys Art Space - Thank you for that! After I wrote that post about Alex Diamond’s Demon Circus exhibition in Barcelona, I’m a big fan of the style and the intentions behind the artworks: The Alex Diamond project clearly calls attention to the dangers of cultural myths and the process of constructing aesthetic consensus and value, it also makes a tender attack on the vacancy of celebrity culture and the market’s role in determining so-called quality. (Harlan B. Levey) ...

Today is - as I told you - the opening of Carmichael Gallery’s “Re-Creation” urban art exhibition in New York! In addition to Berlin based stencil artist Boxi, also the internationally well-known urban artists Mark Jenkins, Aakash Nihalani, WK Interact and other great contemporary artist like Will Barras, Simon Birch, Ethos, Labrona and Nina Pandolfo will present their artworks. In collaboration with Carmichael Gallery, Ogilvy & Mather New York will host Re-Creation II, a global exploration of emerging art, from March 5th through July 2010. […] Large-scale murals, installations and original canvas, sculpture and mixed media works will be on display… The exhibition will run through July 31, 2010. (ogilvy.com) ...

Yesterday evening, the urban illustration exhibition “Catharsis Impossible” by Gogoplata started at the ATM Gallery in Berlin. I visited the well-frequented opening and took some shots of these really grandiose and amusing artworks! Growing up in Berlin the comic book enthusiast Gogoplata taught himself the craft of drawing early on. On the streets of Berlin he developed his skills as a graffiti artist for years while at the same time working as a professional cartoon designer and animator. (ATM) ...