Art show - "Kaiju Monster Invasion" Miami Beach December 2008
I have been invited by Harold Golen of www.haroldgolengallery.com to participate in the 'Kaiju Monster Invasion' art show at Art Basel, Miami Beach. The show begins on December 3, 2008 and runs through to January 4, 2009. I will be exhibiting my new painting at the show!
What is Kaiju? The meaning of the Japanese word Kaiju is “Strange Beast” or simply a “Monster.” During the 1960’s in Japan, toy vinyl figures of popular Japanese films such as Godzilla (a radioactive lizard) and Gamera (a giant flying turtle) became popular collectables. Over the next four decades the popularity of Kaiju spread around the world, especially here in America, where renowned Lowbrow/Pop Surrealist artists such as Ron English, Coop, Kozik and Isobel Samaras amassed their own collections of the famed vinyl Japanese monsters. Recently the Kaiju have spread throughout the western world popular culture, their influence can be seen in the emerging popularity of the “art toy” movement, modern couture and in the artworks of many lowbrow artists from around the world. The concept of the Kaiju show at the art center will be to bring the most exciting and subversive artists from Japan (East) and the United States (West) in a single exhibition that will showcase the various interpretations of the Kaiju in both Eastern and Western cultures. This exciting exhibition, aims to break new ground in the Kaiju art form, while at the same time, honoring the Kaiju rich history.
Some of the featured artists:
Ron English - Acclaimed pop satirist. Ron English’s work has appeared on album covers (The Dandy Warhols) cars (Scion) books (Popaganda) toys and traditional canvas. Ron English’s work has been featured on many publications, and is considered one of the trailblazers in the Art Surrealist movement.
Coop - Known to the world simply as Coop, the L.A. based artist Chris Cooper has shot to international prominence through his love of American hotrod culture and devil inspired paintings. Coop’s Americana Pop flavored work is now the basis for the book “The Devils Advocate.”
Glenn Barr - The celebrated Detroit artists, Glenn Barr’s pop infused work has appeared in art journals such as Juxtapose, his sixties inspired urban landscapes have also made their way into DC Comics, and MAD Magazine.
Mark Nagata - One of the leading experts in Kaiju, Mark Nagata founded the influential Super 7 Magazine, introducing and furthering the Kaiju subculture in North America. Nagata is a painter and also the founder of Max Toy Co.
Nationally recognized art publication Hi-Fructose will sponsor the event. For more information: www.myspace.com/kaijumonsterinvasion
