Photos by Jose Enrique Montes Hernandez

Makeshift’s “No Doze Vol.2″ Hosted by Terry Urban is ready for the masses. Always holding it down for SD… supporting JSLV and SK8MAFIA. Don’t sleep on this production!

20 tracks of 100 percent untainted Hip-Hop with original and classic/borrowed productions, featuring Convinced, PCH, Jorge Luna, 7Day + more…  DOWNLOAD NOW – FREE OF COST!

The Seventh Letter : graffiti artists at heart.

After Barcelona, Milan, Miami and New York, it is now Montreal’s turn to welcome the members of the artist collective from California « the Seventh Letter » : graffiti artists at heart, Revok’s, Push’s, Norm’s, Pose’s, Reyes’ and Retna’s artwork is currently exhibited at the Yves Laroche art gallery until September 15th.

Just because they were all graffiti artists in the past (indeed the 7th letter of the alphabet is G) does not mean that their works happen to be tags or huge art pieces made up of arabesques that we all have already seen around (as well as my garage door has).

These street artists who are well-known in the rap community left the underground world in order to join the more conventional gallery scene. They already have loads of experience and create high quality art pieces thanks to their mastering art techniques. Their artwork is still exhibited in their Los Angeles gallery.

« After increasing their visibility on the internet, their works are now sold to a new wealthy social elite (or “jeunes riches”), to the fashion industry and so on” , says Louis Coupal, curator of the exhibition WILL RISE. Coupal discovered their work in California and worked with them in 2007 and 2008. They are among the most influential artists throughout the world. The Seventh Letter has even become an apparel brand.

It takes no longer than a rapid view of the exhibition to realize that each one of these artists has its own style. Retna, for instance, creates paintings with the use of photographic screen-printing on wood . The paintings are then personalized with graffiti. In The Black Claw, he appears to focus on the word clawback. The artwork consists of a sophisticated woman whose face is covered with geometrical graffiti. His most beautiful artpiece Monoprint 2, is a silkscreen print which represents a bishop wearing a mitre, surrounded by hints of black and white.

Revok’s work, on the other hand, is characterized by meticulous black and white drawings-as noticed on his silkscreen print Will Rise Print- or by a more abstract type of art as highlighted by Destitute 1 & 2, a piece composed by a superb and delicate superposition of black, white and grey layers, or with This War 1 & 2, where the right amount of color is properly used.

Pose produces a less obscure and more accessible type of art, close to comic book style : bright colors and expressive drawings filled with rage with Untitled #3 or terror with Untitled # 4. As for Reyes, his work is more abstract, and transposed on large-scale canvases. His piece’s title Violent Rhythm (72 inches x 96 inches) suits its content, which can be described as impulsive drips of outdated color lines.

Norm’s thought and expression process is well transmitted. His series of gothic-style portraits (which are being sold from 1000$ to 4000$) is in a way similar to Retna’s artwork, its pieces however being more respectful, so to speak, towards its models. The photographic screen-printings are left untouched, only surrounded by graffiti…except with Untitled D, where the model’s face is replaced by some sort of Hannibal Lecter mask.

« I’m the one who takes pictures of these women, says, Norm, 35, whose body is covered with tattoos. I’ve been doing this for 10 years.”

Push, finally, presents gorgeous acrylic on canvas paintings, although more classic, with geometrical figures, spaces being filled with bold colors, crossed with black lines. A lighter, more stylized and less underground version of graffiti.

From September 10th to September 12th, Norm and his co-workers will also be part of the 8th edition of the Art Tattoo Show of Montreal at the Windsor station, which will host more than 200 tattoo artists coming from all around the world.

Will Rise, from the Seventh Letter collective at Yves Laroche art gallery until September 15th.

-----------------

Après Barcelone, Milan, Séoul, Miami et New York, Montréal accueille des membres du collectif d'artistes californiens The Seventh Letter: tous graffiteurs dans l'âme, Revok, Push, Norm, Pose, Reyes et Retna exposent leurs oeuvres à la galerie d'art Yves Laroche jusqu'au 15 septembre.

Ce n'est pas parce qu'ils ont tous un passé de graffiteurs (la septième lettre de l'alphabet, c'est le G) que leurs oeuvres sont des tags ou des oeuvres gigantesques aux arabesques qu'on connaît si bien (ma porte de garage aussi).

Ces artistes de la rue assez connus sur la map du rap ont quitté la marge pour la planète tricotée serré des galeries d'art. Ils ont déjà beaucoup d'expérience et créent des oeuvres bien maîtrisées, qu'ils exposent en permanence dans leur galerie de Los Angeles.

«Après avoir eu une forte présence sur l'internet, ils vendent à de nouveaux riches, au monde de la mode, etc., dit Louis Coupal, commissaire de l'exposition WILL RISE qui les a découverts en Californie et qui a travaillé avec eux en 2007 et en 2008. Dans le genre, ils sont parmi les plus influents dans le monde. The Seventh Letter, c'est même devenu une marque de vêtements.»

Après un tour de l'exposition, on se rend compte que chacun a son propre style. Retna crée des toiles à partir de photos sérigraphiées sur bois puis graffitées. Dans The Black Claw, il semble surfer sur le mot récupération (clawback) avec une fille racée et fière au visage recouvert de graffitis géométriques. Sa plus belle oeuvre, Monoprint 2, est une sérigraphie sur papier d'un évêque avec sa mitre, le tout peint avec des touches de noir et blanc.

Avec Revok, on est plus dans le dessin soigné en noir et blanc, comme dans sa sérigraphie Will Rise Print, ou dans l'abstrait, avec Destitute 1 & 2, étagement de blancs, de noirs et de gris d'un bel effet, ou avec This War 1 & 2, où l'usage des couleurs est savamment dosé.

Pose offre pour sa part une production moins hermétique, plus usuelle, avec un style proche de la bédé. Les couleurs sont vives, les dessins expressifs comme la rage dans Untitled #3 ou l'effroi dans Untitled #4. Reyes fait quant à lui bien plus dans l'abstraction avec des oeuvres de grande taille. Son Violent Rythm (72 pouces sur 96) porte bien son nom avec des élancements de traits de couleurs dans des tons vieillis ou passés.

Avec Norm, la volonté d'expression est bien traduite. Sa série de portraits de style gothique (vendus de 1000 $ à 4000 $) ressemble à ce que fait Retna, mais avec plus de respect, si l'on peut dire, envers ses modèles. Les photos sérigraphiées sont laissées intactes, entourées discrètement de graffitis légers... sauf dans Untitled D où le visage est remplacé par une sorte de masque à la Hannibal Lecter.

«C'est moi qui photographie ces femmes, dit Norm, âgé de 35 ans et dont les membres sont recouverts de tatouages. Je fais ce travail depuis 10 ans.»

Enfin, Push présente des oeuvres en acrylique sur toile très belles, plus classiques, avec des figures géométriques dont les espaces sont remplis de couleurs vives, le tout traversé de traits noirs. Du graffiti léger, stylé et moins underground.

Norm et ses collègues participeront également au 8e Art Tattoo Show de Montréal, du 10 au 12 septembre à la gare Windsor, qui accueillera plus de 200 tatoueurs du monde entier.

Find out more at: cyberpresse.ca

Find out more at: ahoodie.com

Find out more at: streetleague.com

VICTOR REYES | WAR PAINT
Opening September 25th, 2010 | 8-11pm

Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@knowngallery.com

Find out more at: kawsone.com

Filmed and edited by: worldwiderev.tumblr.com

For nearly two decades, graffiti artist POSE has been leaving his mark on the world. Originally from Chicago and now residing in L.A., POSE has paid his dues in the streets, and more recently he’s been putting together work for gallery shows. We recently spoke with POSE to discuss a few of his favorite pieces, including work from an upcoming show at Yves Laroche Gallery in Montreal. Hit the jump to check out POSE’s work and the stories behind the artist’s favorite pieces.

Read entire interview at: Complex.com

For more info: REVOK1.com / YvesLaroche.com / TheSeventhLetter.com / BastaCompany.com

Photos by Jose Enrique Montes Hernandez

For more info: yveslaroche.com / TheSeventhLetter.com / LRG.com

Photos by José Enrique Montes Hernandez

Available at: Juxtapoz.com

Find out more info at: thinkspacegallery.com / dabsmyla.com

More info at: trafikpictures.com

I just wanted to share some photos from a 10 day project which I just finished up.  With some help from a few assistants and an amazingly talented videographer, I painted the remains of an abandoned oyster factory in the small
fishing village Oyster, Virginia located on the eastern shore. I received some funding for materials and documentation which allowed this to happen. The whole process was filmed and will be released as a mini doc.

Enjoy,

Hense

One reason you make art: 

Therapy.

The last good movie you saw:

“The Hustler” (1961) followed immediately by “The Color of Money” (1986). RIP Paul Newman.

Something you’ve always wanted to do, but have yet to:

I feel pretty lucky with everything I’ve gotten to do and experience so far, but my major goal would be getting to bring my family along with me anytime I travel.

Favorite country or city visited:

Paris, New Orleans, and the Black Hills are all amazing for their own reasons, But I’m leaving the country tomorrow for a while so favorites might change shortly.

A few words that sum up your philosophy on life:

I try to approach life like a buffet, like sneaking into Old Country Buffet as a kid and trying to eat as much as you can before they kick you out. 

Something you want the world to know about you: 

I think a little mystery is good sometimes otherwise I would be Twittering my Facebook’s right now. 

Something that annoys or frustrates you about people:

A lot of my friends have labeled me a misanthrope, so I won’t open that can of worms.

Something that concerns you:

Dying young and the general state of affairs that the world is in.

Artists you admire:

Changes everyday. Crew and Friends are always first and foremost but some random staples are… David Hammons, Ralph Bakshi, Steven Powers, Katsuhiro Otomo, and Dash Snow.

Favorite quote(s):

“Try a little tenderness”…I think Otis Redding said it best.

The first record or CD you ever bought? The last album you downloaded?

Hmmm… all I remember is stealing lots of Metallica cassette tapes.

Last album downloaded was “Rock Don’t Run Vol. 3,” just for The Ripsnorts’ song “Betrayal”.

Something you do when you’re procrastinating?

I used to look at graffiti sites online, but I have banned myself from that practice for the sake of staying focused and not getting caught up in politics. Once in a while I search my crew/friends’ stuff on Flickr, but it can turn into the Pandora’s box of time vacuums so nowadays I normally grunt/grown and try to get back to work.

What is your most defining characteristic?

For a self-deprecating person that’s a tough one… Scars? Hands like an ape?

What is your greatest fear?

Dying young.

The moment you realized you were an ‘artist’:

I was really young and I think I drew Michael Jordan dunking. I was really stoked cause I though I nailed it, and my Mom hung it on the wall, which was probably all the validation I needed.

Your greatest quality:

Loyalty/stubbornness.

Something you wish you could change or alter about yourself:

Mamma don’t make no mistakes.

What is the biggest risk you’ve ever taken and was it worth it?

Not giving a fuck about what people say or being swayed by public opinion.

Something you wish you had known five years ago:

The recession.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years of your life?

Be a righteous father, create tons of artwork and enjoy myself as much as possible while doing so.

Get to know Pose fully by reading his feature interview in our current issue of Juxtapoz, September 2010.

Pose lives online at wearesupervision.blogspot.com

SA Studios was commissioned by Twentieth Century Fox to produce a series of viral videos promoting the film "Machete" starring Danny Trejo. Estevan Oriol directs this second lifestyle video in the series, revisiting Danny Trejo's neighborhood where he grew up and interacting with fans at car shows in East LA.

SA Studios orchestrated a true meeting of the minds when it introduced Machete star Danny Trejo to world-renowned visual artist David Choe. Inspired by Danny’s iconic face, David Choe crafted original poster art based on Machete as a tribute. SA Studios was on-hand to capture this unique pairing and document the creation of David Choe’s original Machete art.

Find out more at: TheSeventhLetter.com / Willie T / Frank151.com / Suru-LA.com

Find out more at: TheSeventhLetter.com / Frank151.com / Suru-LA.com