Robert Crumb, otherwise known as R. Crumb, is one of the leading figures of the 1966/ 67 underground comic movement. Philadelphia-born Crumb exploded onto the scene in the late 60's, heralding a renaissance of underground sex and drug comics. His LSD-inspired characters Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural quickly established him as a counter-culture icon.
27th of October 2009 – Scream Gallery, 34 Bruton Street W1J 6QX
The exhibition will feature all the iconic characters including; Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural. Frisky Fritz the Cat is up to his old tricks in 'Fritz the No-Good'. An original drawing for the cover of Motorcity Comics features a typically Amazonian Crumb woman, putting the boot into a bulky New York cop. His rendering of a 'girl commando' has a visceral impact as she shouts Join the world - family revolution or die!!! A drawing of legendary singer and comic book fan Janis Joplin, singing into a phallic microphone, is printed on a sheet of acid tabs and signed by Timothy Leary.
"I had this big change in 1965 and 66 and it was visionary you know. I took this weird drug. Supposedly it was LSD but it had a really weird effect where it made my brain all fuzzy...I started getting these images of cartoon characters I'd never seen before, and drawing these stream of consciousness comic strips." Robert Crumb
Crumb's iconic character 'Mr. Natural' is featured in "on the bum again", a strip where a cowgirl lasso's him, sits on top of him and demands 'Just tell me real quick what the secret of the Universe is". This interest in the universe illustrates his spiritual leanings, which have come to the foreground with the recent international publication of his latest and most epic project - an illustration of The book of Genesis. Hardcore fans may be surprised by his new topic, although this time it's not a satire, it's a beautiful depiction of the Bible in the mould of William Blake that he created over a period of 5 years, in isolation in a shepherd's hut in rural France. The original Genesis pages will be on display in The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb's book of Genesis at the Hammer Museum in LA from 24 October 2009 to 7 February 2010. Crumb was raised as a Catholic and admits that he believes in God, and spiritual forces in the Universe. Maybe the psychedelic sex-obsessed Crumb of the 60's and 70's has mellowed in his old age.
The exhibition at Scream Gallery will be part of Comica, the London International Comics Festival, which takes place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) from 5-26 November.
ROBERT CRUMB EXHIBITION
12th of October 2009
Symbollic Collection are proud to present Robert Crumb 'Uncovered' from the 12th November - 12th December 2009.
Monday, 9 November 2009
ROBERT CRUMB UNCOVERED
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Affordable Art Fair
The Affordable Art Fair is the place to discover and buy paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography and original prints – all priced between £50 and £3,000.
Battersea Park, London:- Thurs 22nd - Sun 26th Oct £12
With 120 carefully selected galleries from across the UK and Europe exhibiting there is contemporary art on show to suit every taste and budget.
The forthcoming Autumn Collection (22 – 25 October) in Battersea Park, London, marks AAF’s 10th anniversary.
When Will Ramsay founded the fair in 1999 his aim was to make contemporary art accessible to everyone, and to show you don’t need to be an art expert or a millionaire to enjoy and buy art. Ten years on the fair is still a relaxed and fun way to browse a huge variety of art at one time.
AAF is a great place to spot fresh, new talent – look out for the Recent Graduates’ Exhibition at the front of the marquee which features our selection of this year’s fine art graduates.
The Education Programme offers free activities suitable for all ages, including hands-on printmaking workshops, sculpture demonstrations, an open access drawing space and kids activity packs. And for those who prefer to listen The Contemporary Art Society are running a series of talks about collecting art.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Ed Ruscha at The Hayward
This is the first retrospective to focus exclusively on the paintings of the Los Angeles based artist Ed Ruscha, one of the most influential and pioneering American artists of the past half century. The exhibition reveals the depth and breadth of Ruscha's achievement as a painter and highlights the conceptual underpinnings of his approach to painting. In addition to exploring the impact of print and graphic media on the artist's aesthetic strategies, it also focuses on the incisive portrait of American culture that is presented through his imagery.
Ed Ruscha: Fifty Years of Painting
Sunday 10 January 2010 - Sunday 10 January 2010
The Hayward Southbank Centre, London, SE1 8XX
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Obey - European Invasion
While we're on the subject of Obey, Shepard was in Europe a few weeks back DJing round Europe and he found time to throw some new paste up's around town.
This one was in London along the Thames by Chelsea Bridge.
MORE PICS HERE
Friday, 9 October 2009
COMICA FESTIVAL NOV 2009
The sixth Comica Festival will take place between 5 to 26 November 2009 down at the ICA. Confirmed guests include Eddie Campbell, Tara Mcpherson, Ben Templesmith and Bryan Talbot.
Loads going on across various locations with Talks, Signings, Films & Exhibitions.
Superstar artists Brian Bolland and Dave Gibbons and comics retailers Phil Clarke and Derek ‘Bram’ Stokes do the timewarp with Mike Lake, co-founder of Forbidden Planet and Titan Distributors, to bring to life the startling story of how American comic book fandom exploded in the 60s.
£6 / £5 Concessions / £4 ICA Members.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Museum of Everything - London
The brand new Museum of Everything’s first show is called "secret art". Jarvis Cocker and co promise to unveil some of the greatest artistic secrets and secret artists of the contemporary world.
Corner of Regents Park Road & Sharpleshall St, NW1
10am–6pm daily
In tiny crevices and under dusty beds, there lies a secret creativity by the unknowns of society. Unexpected, delicate and profound, this democratic work has inspired the world’s greatest artists.
In Exhibition #1, the museum presents over two hundred drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations, selected by leading contemporary artists, curators and cultural figures.
Come see their discoveries revealed for the very first time - at London’s only public space for art by the untrained, unintentional and unseen creators of this, our modern world.
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Wish You Were Here - NYC in London
What in NYC is going on here, this Saturday from 11am see's the launch of 'Wish you were here'. London's Newburgh Quarter (I didn't know it existed either) trades places with NYC's Lower East side for a month of city swapping, bagel poppin, hot dogging fun shopping. With pop up boutiques, free Bagels & Coffee then munch down on some Bodean's BBQ.
Wish You were here ends the month Bobbing for apples and jack-o’-lanterns galore! The Newburgh Quarter will feature a New York style Halloween Party themed: Famous New Yorkers! So come down as Woody Allen, Sammy Davis Jr, Edward Hooper or any other New York great for a street-wide Halloween party. The party will include a street food fest, live performances, and prizes for the best costumes of the day.
The Wish You Were Here Pop-Ups in the Newburgh Quarter can be found at:
8 Newburgh Street and 3 Lowndes Court (Open daily, 11-7 Monday to Saturday; 12-6 Sunday)
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Mutate - One Foot In the Grove
Mutate Britain is back 8th - 25th Oct, Under the Westway Ladbroke Grove, W10 5YU. Open Fri/Sat & Sun 2-10pm.
It's back! Mutate Britain is returning west; to the Westway in fact, with its One Foot in the Grove exhibition featuring some of the most diverse and cutting edge sculptures, paintings and installations seen yet.
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