akive

○Exhibition Information
Title: THIS IS NOT GRAFFITI
Duration : Sep. 21 - Oct. 20, 2011
Opening Reception : Sep. 21 Wednesday 6:30pm

○Exhibition Introduction

‘Graffiti’ comes from the Italian word ‘graffito’ meaning ‘images or letters scratched, scrawled, painted or scribbled on property’. It gained popularity when large cartoon-like symbols started flooding the streets of Harlem, New York in the late 60s and early 70s. Today, graffiti can be defined as street art which has since settled down to become the essence of underground culture mixed with hip hop. It mainly drives messages that defy society or sharply criticize the disadvantages that many poor people face (such as racial discrimination); graffiti is characterized by its use of public walls, buildings and trains as a canvas. Its most popular medium is the industrial spray paint used in painting automobiles.

Graffiti art has since evolved, its style changing and adapting to various regions of the world. It gradually appealed to the younger generation because it rejects art codes and standards and challenges pre-established rules. It now exists in the mainstream as a legitimate art form. To respond to the public’s growing interest, Opera Gallery Seoul is proud to present its first exhibition devoted to this form of urban art: “This is not graffiti”.

This new and exciting exhibition displays more than 30 pieces from various collections. Featured are the humorous works of Thierry Guetta, otherwise known as Mr. BRAINWASH, as he enjoys the beautiful life, major works by SEEN, a leader of the graffiti trend since the 1980s, revered as the godfather of graffiti art, as well as the works of Vincent POOLE, so popular with collectors around the world for his pieces combining vivid colour and mixed media (including painting, sculpture and commercial design).

Opera Gallery’s exhibition also includes the works of Jean-Michel BASQUIAT and Keith HARING so that the spectator can immerse himself in the essence of graffiti art and understand its social context. “This is not graffiti” is a spectacular opportunity for Seoul to discover various works of world-class artists who have raised graffiti to the ranks of high-quality art that has surpassed what people may have originally thought was mere scribbling.

GILLES DYAN
FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF OPERA GALLERY GROUP
EXPERT REGISTERED WITH THE EUROPEAN CHAMBER OF EXPERT-ADVISORS ON FINE ART
GEE CHAN KWON
CHAIRMAN OPERA GALLERY SEOUL
CHAIRMAN WEARFUN INTERNATIONAL GROUP
BELLA JUNG
GENERAL MANAGER OPERA GALLERY SEOUL

○ Artists Introduction
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988)
Born in Brooklyn in 1960, Jean-Michel Basquiat, became one of the key figures of the neo-expressionist movement. At 17 years old, he started writing cryptic graffiti in the New York subway and then moved on to integrate the underground East Village art scene where he met Andy Warhol in 1983. Basquiat, successful in his own right, became at 23, the youngest artist exhibited in the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Keith Haring (1958-1990)
Born in Pennsylvania in 1958, Keith Haring is one of the key figures of the 80s underground art scene. Early on he was influenced by Jean Dubuffet, Pierre Alechinsky, William Burroughs, Brion Gysin and Robert Henri’s manifesto “The spirit of art”. What matters most in art is the line.

Mr. Brainwash (1966- )
Born in 1966 in France, Thierry Guetta, aka Mr. Brainwash, is a filmmaker and pop artist based in Los Angeles. Considered as one of the most prolific and talked about artists of today, with his remarkable solo shows (“Life is Beautiful” in Los Angeles and “Icons” in New York amongst others), Mr Brain­wash is also the subject of Banksy’s documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop. Major collectors acquired Mr Brainwash’s works followed by some of the most prestigious auction houses such as Christie’s and Phillips.

SEEN (1961-)
Bronxite, regales us since the mid seventies with his stunning street art. He first picked up an airbrush aged 11 and went onto customise the cars in his uncle’s garage a couple of years later. But it was his painting of “whole cars” in the New York subway that projected him to worldwide fame and made him the undisputed leader of the graffiti scene in the 80s.

Vincent Poole (1960-)
Vincent Poole was born in 1960 and lives and works in London. After studying fine art and design at Goldsmith’s College and obtaining a sculpture degree from Kingston University, Vincent Poole’s focus shifted to graphic design which subsequently fostered his successful decade-long career in creative advertis­ing agencies. Poole’s taste became eclectic – incorporating interiors, furniture design and collage – leading to some fascinating frictions, such as the use of advertising imagery in his collages, or broken matt slate alongside polished chrome cast iron in his furniture. Poole’s work is featured in corporate, public and private collections and has shown at art fairs worldwide.