Thursday, 12 November 2015 12:26 Written by Trippe
"Passionate and humble, John Trippe created a website to share his photos and art in 2000, what ended up happening was the creation and curation of a successful art sharing template that would inspire an entire movement online.
John moved to San Francisco to pursue skateboarding and art. Before long he was publishing his own art 'zine called Fecal Face, and when digital publishing when in its infancy he released fecalface.com. The website would go on to spread art across 50,000 unique visitors a day and inspire generations on how you can adapt to do what you love on your own terms.
Fecal Face celebrated it's 10 Year anniversary at The Luggage Store Gallery, a location he had been inspired by as a young art fan in San Francisco. In this episode we follow John as prepare for the blowout group show and reflect on the website's past and future."
I am more than honored to be included in the 2nd season of the series, The Creative Lives, featuring a slew of talented folks like Barry McGee, Jeremy Fish, Richard Coleman, Futura, Mike Giant, Cleon Peterson, Tiffany Bozic, The Date Farmers, and so many others.
I may have stepped away from Fecal Face for the time being, but when the dust settles, I'll be back. In the meantime, check www.johntrippe.com for updates from the road.
DLX artists will showcase their personal and work related artworks. With MUSIC by TOMMY GUERRERO (maybe playing live?), JOHN CARDIEL and ORB
Deluxe presents: HELP WANTED an artshow from the bowels of the Deluxe Artroom
Featuring Deluxe Artists:
AMANDA FOX,
MATT CANTRELL,
LOU BARBERIO,
ANDY PITTS,
SAM DAVIDSON,
SHAWN BUSH,
TODD FRANCIS,
CHRIS BOND,
GABE MORFORD,
DENNIS McNETT,
CHRIS WRIGHT,
MARK GONZALES,
and Deluxe friends
with MUSIC by TOMMY GUERRERO, JOHN CARDIEL and ORB
PREMIERE OF THE THE #DELUXEWAREHOUSEVIDO 8:00AM at 9PM
FEATURING:
Adam Becerra,
Alex Fatemi,
Adrian Vega,
Alex Wolslagel,
Zech Stewart,
And Many More
FRIDAY, JULY 31st 7PM
111 MINNA GALLERY
111 Minna Street SF CA
Must be 21+
Do you live in Amsterdamn? I wanna live in Amsterdamn. They have good schools, ya? We have a one year old son that could use a solid Amsterdamn education... I would love to speak Dutch with him... Is it Dutch they speak? I think so.
"Inside Voices. The two opposing sides of the brain often are in conflict with each other. Their two distinct points of view often collide with a compromise coming only when blood has been spilled and beers have been opened." —Ferris Plock
This video project was originally part of an installation to accompany Kelly Tunstall kellytunstall.com and Ferris Plock's ferrisplock.com work in their third solo show with the gallery entitled “Inside Voices”. The opening reception was held on Friday, April 24th at FFDG 2277 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA.
Our buddy Adam Cimino of The Mall fame (and being a rad dude fame) has recently joined forces with Mark Kaiser to form the band Male Gaze. Below is a recent from the new album.
Male Gaze is playing in SF on March 24th at the Makeout Room and heading to: Portland, Seattle and Boise.
Nate Milton emailed us his new short last month and just got around to checking it out. Ya, no wonder it's a staff pick. Great work, Nate, and thanks for the heads up.
For three weeks, I wrote down any thought, image or memory that gave me a tingly feeling. I animated the list, and what it accidentally became was a stream-of-consciousness trek through my life --- This is the trailer to my brain.
Wednesday, 25 February 2015 10:42 Written by Trippe
I've been going through some old footage I, John Trippe, filmed in the late 90s/early 2000s here in San Francisco and will be releasing it a bunch of it in the coming weeks.
Footage features all kinds of people from Cairo Foster, Kenny Reed, Ocean Howell, Rob Welsh, and a slew of other pros you will probably recognize from old skate videos like 411, Thrasher and others including a load of footage that didn't make it anywhere... Below is a little taste of what's to come.
Check the new video for Hail Mary Mallon (Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic)... Way to go Bram, Henry Gunderson, Gerald (Kid Yellow who filmed and edited it), Mississippi Joe and others who are in the video. Nice work, Gerald.
FFDG in San Francisco, with Rachel Ralph now at the helm, will host an opening reception for their new group show "Six Degrees" Friday (7-10pm) featuring works from Brett Amory, John Felix Arnold III, Mario Ayala, Mariel Bayona, Ryan Beavers, Jud Bergeron, Chris Burch, Ryan De La Hoz, Martin Machado, Jess Mudgett, Meryl Pataky, Lucien Shapiro, Mike Shine, Minka Sicklinger, Nicomi Nix Turner, and Alex Ziv.
"Six Degrees"
@FFDG Opening: Friday, Jan 16th (7-10pm)
2277 Mission St @19th St.
I'm just sending over 2 images I recently exhibited in Manchester,UK as part of an exhibition set up by myself and my design studio Not Now.
The project was titled ‘De-Fame’ and was based on the “volatile relationship between media and celebrity culture”, reflecting the disposable and trash-like nature of fame today. The event was also streamed live online, giving attendees their own ‘five minutes of fame’ -Adam
//////////////////~ submit your photos to: potd(at)fecalface.com ~ make sure they're at least 700 pixels in width.
I'm an Illustrator living in Brooklyn and I really like how FF is curated. I wanted to reach out and submit my work for a possible feature. Here is a link to my website. Let me know, thanks! -Graham
We check in with SF based Ferris Plock to see what he's been up to. Recently participated in a group show down in Southern CA, featured artist with the music festival Noise Pop, and is working towards a couple two person shows with his wife Kelly Tunstall... He's also looking forward to seeing the new film Godzilla.
So you're in LA for your show in Laguna Beach. How'd it go?
It went great... It was super cool to finally meet Don Pendleton and Jason Adams. I've been a fan of Don's boards since his Alien days... Jason is a total ripper... The people at Artists Republic 4 Tomorrow Gallery are super amazing + hospitable. The new space is rad, and they've built some close relationships with Vans so all their events are pretty exceptional.
What's an average day for the Ferris Plock?
I usually wake up to a kiss or shake or a slap or a "poppy! Get up!" from my oldest son. I immediately make too much coffee... Make some lunch for Brixton who eats at preschool most days. I take Brixton to Baker Beach or China Beach or Lands End and meet up with some other dads with kids. We play for a bit and then I skateboard with Brixton who is on his scooter to school... I go home and take Gus off of Kelly's hands which means listening to music and drumming or going to Mountain Lake Park. I put Gus down to nap... Draw a bit... Go pick up Brixton on my board... Come home... Play in the back yard... Make dinner... Watch Frozen or Ninjago with Brixton... Tell him a story in bed... then! Art! 8pm-3am art... Sleep... Repeat.
Best film you've seen lately?
I really enjoyed Her... I loved the concept... the acting... Thank God he put his rapping career on hold. I can't wait for the new Godzilla movie though... I've seen every Godzilla out there I think.
What have you been working on?
I'm doing a couple collaboration shows with Kelly Tunstall aka my wife this summer. One with White Walls/Shooting Gallery and the other with Antler Gallery in Portland. Excited (understatement) to be working with her on shows again.
Wednesday, 21 May 2014 10:20 Written by Rachel Ralph
BAY AREA --- In both SF and Berkeley from May 23rd to 29th, the Landmark Theaters will be showing The Fake Case, a new documentary about famous Chinese artist and activist Ai Wei Wei.
If you’ve somehow missed the drama surrounding Wei Wei, he has been harassed by Chinese authorities for a supposed “subversion of state power” because of his internet postings. This documentary specifically focuses on another charge against him, this time for $2.1 million in tax evasion through his company Fake Ltd. It follows him quietly and intimately with his family during his home arrest and then builds to discuss some of his art works in the context of his involvement with Chinese authorities.
I highly suggest getting to one of these screenings, watching this film is an invigorating and powerful example of the influence one person can have, even in the harshest political environment imaginable. In his own words, Wei Wei says, “Political artists aren’t real artists. I’m not a political artist. I’m just political.” Whatever he may consider it, the work of Ai Wei Wei is a prime example of both art and activism, and we Americans might take a cue from him.
Sarah Burwash grew up Rossland, a small mountain town in British Columbia, Canada. Burwash currently resides in Nova Scotia, working full time as an artist and freelance illustrator. Her practice encompasses a lifestyle that approaches all things with intention, creativity and a pioneer spirit.
John Felix Arnold III’s Pilgrimmage has taken over the Shooting Gallery. Opening last Friday, this glimpse into his world of Unstoppable Tomorrow has finally allowed us here in San Francisco to see our future past. Moving on from his recent show The Scourge in NYC, Arnold has let us see the work of the survivors of the apocalypse, generating creation and growth from immense destruction and chaos. I got a chance to sit down with Arnold, gallery owner Justin Giarla and Paxton Gate buyer Michael Levy (who graciously donated materials) before the show was hung, and will be posting the in-depth interview to the site in as soon as possible. In the mean time, get over to the Shooting Gallery as soon as you can to see this show. The panels glow in a way that I couldn’t have guessed and they warm the space and your viewing experience. You’ve got to experience the warthog, moped, panels and sound installation in person. If you don’t survive the apocalypse, this might be your only chance.
Helen Bayly (SF) also brought a little feminine touch to the gallery with the opening of Give Me What I Can’t Have in the project space. Balancing the raw materials of Arnold’s work, she has created paintings of beautiful young people and flowers covered in gold-leafed text, complete with walls that seem to be dripping in the luxurious and decadent setting in which these works are situated. Complete with foul language, these works speak to a sense of debauchery that may lead to the apocalypse to which Arnold is warning us of.
Stay tuned for the making of The Pilgrimmage, an interview examining a very unique local collaboration between artist, gallerist and buyer of all things curious. It’s an illuminating window onto the process of creating a show like this – a process which should be continued with others in the future.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
John Felix Arnold III
John Felix Arnold III, from top center clockwise: BLAM, BZAK, BOOM, POUM, All acrylic on wood panel, 16”x16”
John Felix Arnold III, Exploding Innocence, Mixed media on fabricated wood panel, 48”x36”
John Felix Arnold III, Jungle Sky Study, Ink drawing, 18”x24”
These drawings by Art Center student Eric Fabbro really should be viewed much larger with all that's going on in them. Be sure to click the images for a larger view... Thanks for the email. Eric.
LONDON --- Beyond money, individual success and fame, there is something humans long for: time. Or more adequately stated: More Time. It is the largest capital that human beings have, and it’s spent faster than any fortune.
We are born to live. A chronometer starts and seems to accelerate over the years. Only death can stop time. At the end of the road, our memories determine who we are, what we have lived and how we managed our time.
Inspired by the British Romantic literature, the works on the street represent scenes of the ephemeral and dirty twilight of life, while the artwork in the gallery shows moments of everlasting youth and beauty. Just like the chilling picture of Dorian Gray.
Tempus Fugit is an exhibition of 16 works – 8 on the streets of London and 8 in the gallery. All the original works and photographs of the walls can be viewed at the next pop-up exhibition at RexRomae Gallery from 24 - 30 April.
Philip Smiley (is that a great name or what) emailed over a few recent images of his show now running at London's Celestine Eleven through May 31st. Smiley is a recent graduate of NYC's School of Visual Art and now resides in London. Great illustrative work.
SAO PAULO --- Our friends at Logo Gallery (Sao Paulo, Brazil) emailed over a few images from their current show Doma Collective: Multiverse featuring installations, drawings, prints, and objects from the Argentine collective Doma (PHOTOS)
Logo Gallery is a fantastic gallery in Sao Paulo. We visited with them a few years back, and had a blast. Be sure to check them out next time you're in Sao Paulo!
About Doma (Argentina, 1998)
Inspired by the idea that every action prompts a reaction, the Argentine collective Doma creates fantastic, absurd and often playful universes that have a direct reference in the society they live in. The group, formed by Julian Pablo Manzelli and Orilo Blandini, came of age in 1998 amid the Argentinean political and economic collapse, immediately taking a critical stance, yet optimistic and fun, against the chaotic environment they experienced. Doma’s early urban interventions made the group one of the most important collective in Buenos Aires in the 1990s. Currently, Doma works with various media, mainly audiovisual, creating animations, films, drawings, silkscreens, and sculptures, which are usually part of large installations. Their monumental plush toys not only challenge the visual perception, but also offer unusual points of view, forcing the viewer to an active reaction.
Before Jeremy Fish jumps on a plane bound for Sydney's Semi-Permanent (his speaking w/ Tony Hawk amongst others), we thought we'd touch base as he prepares for his August solo show at FFDG in San Francisco.
So you recently opened your Los Angeles show at Mark Moore and have a solo show coming up in San Francisco at FFDG set for August. Imagine you're busy getting ready, but when not arting in your studio, what have you been up to?
*Nothing else, sadly dude. Last year I took time off from traveling and shows to get married, and work on some other projects. This year, I'm back to a crazy workload, and a few shows, so I don't really have any time off to chill. I'm hoping to do some extended camping trips in Big Mike when we return from Australia later this month.
How's Big Mike? Can you share a photo of the inside for us 'cause that shit looks cozy?
*Big Mike is currently in the hospital again. I put a rebuilt engine in him 10k miles ago, and apparently it was rebuilt incorrectly. Its under warranty, so at the moment I am waiting for his new new engine to be installed. We love that van, and so does my mechanic. He will be back on the road in another week or so with another brand new rebuilt engine, so we may drive him to the moon and back this summer.
Fish's Big Mike for those weekend getaways
The inside is kind of a boat / nautical theme, almost all done by Mike the original owner. Fully Insulated wood walls, 4 wall lanterns, the biggest bed in any vehicle known to man, mirror on the ceiling, mermaid ashtray built in the wall. It was the OG owner's masterpiece in the mid 70's. The tire cover was painted recently by the legendary Sonny Boy in LA. Long live the Vanimals van gang. I have been driving strange old vans for over a decade now!
Milan, Italy based Mario Milizia ~ For over fifteen years now, Mario Milizia has been a curious tourist of our globalized modernity: he looks at the international forms of entertainment and consumption rituals; he highlights the intentionally “generic” identity of certain art, like certain architecture and modern music; he investigates the new identity of digitalized media.
Our friend Alex Ziv has finally let us see what he’s been working on holed up in his SFAI studio for the last two years with his new solo show at the debut of The League Gallery in Berkeley. Tucked away in an industrial building, League Gallery provided the perfect space for Ziv’s larger works, displayed for the first time publicly. The show is incredibly clean and upholds the standard of his almost perfectly executed paintings (PHOTOS).
Propelling forward from his earlier smaller works using motorcycle motifs, Ziv has really expanded his repertoire with this new body of work. The symbols no longer read as flat signs floating in space but are instead inextricably connected with the rest of the figures and words within the work. The drop-shadows, detailed wood and folded curtains really put it over the top for me, and I highly suggest a trip out to the East Bay to see this work when you can. Congrats, Ziv, on the really great show, can’t wait to see what’s next.
Words and Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
Desillusion Magazine presents an exclusive behind the scenes feature on the recent Globe Spring/Summer 2014 lookbook entitled Mansionlyf, shot by Jason Lee Parry and styled by Imogene Barron against the quaint summer backdrop of Montauk, NY.
Based on a true story, CRUISING follows a young man through an extrovert's dream and an introvert's nightmare; the chaotic and cacophonous world of forced-fun aboard an insular cruise ship. His initial inability to accept his environment drives him to suicidal fantasy, where he learns to cope with his stressors, discomfort and anxieties.
Love this pair of shoes made completely out of trash found on the UK shoreline (including the Thames) by the English trio William Gubbins, Billy Turvey, and Charles Duffy.
"Whether dumped in a landfill or washed up on the shoreline, everything that you buy will inevitably end up as rubbish. --- With the development of plastic came a utopian promise – that this revolutionary material would change our lives. It has now become so materially ingrained in our lives and environment that it’s becoming increasingly indistinguishable and inseparable from nature.
We made these shoes completely out of rubbish we trawled from UK shorelines as a satirical communication tool to convey the direct correlation between waste and consumerism, and the disposability of contemporary products."
So what's interesting about Alison Blickle's pieces at Kravets Wehby Gallery is that she is taking the traditional concept (documented by Frazer so well) of magic and applying it to a type of inner process that seems to be the primary promise of most spiritual/religious systems. Magic is no longer the ritual to ensure good crops, better health or a smooth childbirth. -continue reading
We haven't been featuring many interviews as of late. Let's change that up as we check in with a few local San Francisco artists like Kevin Earl Taylor here whom we studio visited back in 2009 (PHOTOS & VIDEO). It's been awhile, Kevin...
So what have you been up to lately?
It's turned out to be an insanely busy year for me which is awesome. 2 new galleries, a massive 5 painting commission through Circle Culture (Berlin), working on call as a museum preparator, playing more music shows than previous years and of course making room for some quality time with friends and family. And besides all this, I was looking for the best treatments for erectile dysfunction and medications.
Working on any upcoming shows?
Yes. I have solos at Subliminal Projects (LA) in September and K Imperial (SF) in November as well as making a couple paintings for my October debut with a new gallery I've signed on with in New Orleans, Guthrie Contemporary. Then there's the Miami fair which I'll be featured with K Imperial.
Yes, Indeed. I'd worked at SFMOMA as a preparator since 2009 and when they closed I moved over to the CJM.
It's just on call so pretty conducive to the studio practice. We usually work for a month deinstalling/installing the shows and then you're off for a couple months. I think it really brings a lot to my own work in all kinds of ways. I work alongside Tim Sullivan, Josh Pieper and James Chronister, all of whom are fantastic artists as well. We get the job done while talking shop and cracking each other up. It's also pretty cool to get to see what a Warhol looks from behind and figure out the best way to pack a Kiki Smith sculpture for transport.
Also, I think FF readers would love the current Arthur Szyk show up at the Jewish Museum. It's really incredible.
If you like guns and boobs, head on over to the Shooting Gallery; just don't expect the work to be all cheap ploys and hot chicks. With Make Stuff by Peter Gronquist (Portland) in the main space and Morgan Slade'sSnake in the Eagle's Shadow in the project space, there is plenty spectacle to be had, but if you look just beyond it, you might actually get something out of the shows (PHOTOS).
Gronquist's taxidermied and gilded sculptures, along with some really subtle paintings, filled the space in a uniquely balanced way. If I hadn't met the guy that night, I might not believe that one person made all of this work. I fought through my debilitating fear of butterflies to see that they were meticulously pinned to the sculptures in just the right way. It seems like if there was one more butterfly, it could throw the whole thing off - but it works. It's like a consumer frenzy, complete with luxurious materials, animals, and bugs and then a quiet meditation in Rothko-like stillness.
Slade's hand-altered photographs seem to also encapsulate this balance through more bikini-clad women also with subtle painting aspects. I want to hate these photos but I can't - the way they are painted and drawn on both removes the cheesy allure of the girls and highlights the quality of the photograph. And for goodness sake, it's Riff Raff! This is exactly how photographs of him should look, complete with logos because he "only fucks with hoes who rock Dolce & Gabbana." He's ridiculous and these photos emphasize that, highlighting him as the Neon Icon.
So yes, there are lots of guns and boobs to be had, but it's a lot more than that, go see for yourself.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
These drones are offering incredible angles we've never seen before, and this video of Pipeline gives us a tiny sliver of what's yet to come with these awesome little machines...
Just one question though. What happens when people start crashing them all over the place? They have fast spinning parts and can reach heights of hundreds of feet... imagine they could do some serious damage. HEADS UP!
OMG, this is the best email we've gotten in awhile, and we're not even Star Wars fanatics. Just think these works by Adam Lister are wonderful.
I'm a big fan of Fecal Face, great work man!!
I'm an artist that makes geometric paintings of images from pop culture. I've recently been working on a series of Star Wars inspired pictures. I wanted to share these with you and see if they might be of any interest to you and your followers.
Wednesday, 30 April 2014 09:36 Written by Zackary Canepari
It's not quite William Z. Shakespeare but The Oakland Sideshows vs. KRON's Stanley Roberts is def comic tragedy at its East Bay best.
On one side, stands Stan the Man. Mr. Roberts is a classic blowhard sensationalist. Ellsworth Toohey on local TV news. His segment People Behaving Badly is man-on-the-street reporting at his comic apex (for example). Adorable, right? Lately he's had a particular taste for the Sideshows. Starting with this gem. And then this one. And this. And this. And this. And then it finally peaked with this lovely segment. But the Sideshows are almost as old as Stanley. Nearly 4 decades of donuts and burn outs and ghost rides. Some things just can't be killed. And if you can't kill something, maybe it's just better to leave it be. Or something like this might happen. So on and on and on and on it goes.
And with Sideshow Summer Season creeping around the corner, there will probably be a lot of hot smokey nights in East Oakland. Hope to see you out there... -Zackary Canepari
Berlin based Jay Bo (interviewed) recently held a solo show at Hamburg's Circle Culture featuring some of his most recent paintings. We lvoe his work.
I am perpetually influenced by everything, my work is based on layers, as our memories are. The raster made out of thoses bring me to new horizons. That's why I am not only influenced by the old paint masters but also on the multiple failures of mankind. by the nature, by your questioning as well as by the silence in the morning, by the words of poets, and by the screams of Earth. ~continue reading
Monday, 28 April 2014 12:57 Written by Rachel Ralph
Fifty24SF opened Street Anatomy, a new solo show by Austrian artist Nychos a week ago last Friday night. He's been steadily filling our city with murals over the last year, with one downtown on Geary St. last summer, and new ones both in the Haight and in Oakland within the last few weeks, but it was really great to see his work up close and in such detail. --PHOTOS--
There was a line of people running down the block, waiting to get in, and I can see why: you don't exactly move through this show quickly. There is so much detail in this work that you really have to take your time. Having been familiar with his large-scale murals, it was great to see his paintings on canvas, but I was really drawn to the pen and ink drawings. They are executed with the most minute details and it seems like this guy can think in both huge and tiny scales, and create dynamically grotesque bodies. And then the pencil drop shadows just did me in – the subtlety was brilliant.
If you can't tell already, I really like Nychos' work. If you've been enjoying his murals at your convenience, go check out the show, I can almost promise you won't be disappointed.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
Nate Milton emailed over this great short Gator Skater which is a follow-up to his Dog Skateboard he emailed to us back in 2011... Any relation to this Gator Skater?
Nate does wonderful shorts. We normally don't post advertisements, but his short Sad Godzilla for Emergen-C makes us smile (see below).
Ferris Plock's online show is now... well, online as of 12pm, April 25th.
Ferris Plock is a San Francisco-based artist who lives within the city with his wife, Kelly Tunstall (Plock's partner in the artistic duo KeFe), and son Brixton. Plock brings a dedicated focus to his work that is paired with a wild sense of originality. Through a variety of mediums including acrylic, watercolor, spray paint, India ink, gold or silver leaf, and collage Plock creates highly detailed works, often character-based paintings on wood panel, that combine contemporary pop culture with the aesthetic of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblocks. Widely-accomplished and with a diverse range of artistic interests, Plock has created illustrations for many high-profile clients, has been involved in solo and group exhibitions both nationally and abroad, and also served as the 2010 SF Recology Artist in Resident.
5 new paintings are available for purchase: www.ffdg.net
MELBOURNE --- We've been fans of Australian street artist Mik Shida for years now. This MASSIVE mural in Hong Kong may take the top prize, but we also are enjoying this recent work done in Melbourne on the corner of Johnston and Wellington Streets.
Congrats on our buddies at Needles and Pens on being open and rad for 11 years now. Mission Local did this little short video featuring Breezy giving a little heads up on what Needles and Pens is all about.
Next time you're in SF, or for those who are here now, stop in, buy a zine and say hi. 3253 16th Street
In a filmmaker's thinking, we wish more videos were done in this style. Too much editing and music with a lacking in actual content. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Tuesday, 22 April 2014 14:46 Written by Rachel Ralph
White Walls opened Infinite Chapters with work from Sergio Garcia last Saturday and I love this show. His sculptures are incredibly well-made, fun, whimsical, and humorous and I can’t find anything in them I don’t enjoy. From the bubble-headed figures to the tricycles that flow in and out of the pedestals on which they sit, and even to the titles of each, this work is great. It’s like a childhood dreamland complete with circular desks and bent out of shape toys that never verges on a creepy nightmare. Sitting in the front of the gallery just behind the glass windows, I have a feeling this show will bring a lot of visitors into the gallery in the coming weeks (PHOTOS).
The project space was filled with This Side Up a solo show by David Soukup, the winner of the 2013 Stencil Art Prize. Stemming from his own photographs of Chicago fire escapes, these paintings build up layers of paint to provide a harrowing portrayal of the city. Contrasting heavily to the fun sculptures in the main space, this show asks for a little more contemplation, so wipe the smile off your face before you go in, and check them out.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
Sergio Garcia
David Soukup, Structural Renewal, Spray paint stencils on mixed media wood panel, 30”x45”
Sergio Garcia, Just the Thought of You, Fiberglass, cloth and blown glass, 60”x24”x20”
David Soukup, Convergence, Spray paint stencils on mixed media wood panel, 30”x45”
FFDG is pleased to announce an exclusive online show with San Francisco based Ferris Plock opening on Friday, April 25th (12pm Pacific Time) featuring 5 new medium sized acrylic paintings on wood.
This show will be available first to previous buyers of Plock's work and to those on our preview list. To be added to the list, email: info(at)ffdg.net
Available now. Retailing $1200 - This beautiful piece from Mexico City based muralist and painter, Curiot (Favio Martinez) from the current group show "Salt the Skies". 15" x 20" graphite, colored pencils and ink.
Monday, 21 April 2014 12:25 Written by Rachel Ralph
Matt Wagner recently emailed over some photos from The Hellion Gallery in Tokyo, who recently put together a show with AJ Fosik (Portland) called Beast From a Foreign Land. The gallery gave twelve of Fosik's sculptures to twelve Japanese artists (including Hiro Kurata who is currently showing in our group show Salt the Skies) to paint, burn, or build upon (PHOTOS).
The show runs from April 18th to May 11th and I wish I was able to see it. Not only do I absolutely love Fosik's work, but this kind of international collaboration is unique and powerful. By combining some of the best work from literally across the globe, Wagner has inevitably connected artists working in very different places and brought all of their work to one space. I'm really glad he shared these photos with us, and if you have the chance to see it in person, I would suggest doing so.
Friday, 18 April 2014 14:43 Written by Van Edwards
Opening: Friday, April 25th (12pm Pacific)
purchase queue: info(at)ffdg.net
FFDG is pleased to announce an exclusive online show with San Francisco based Ferris Plock opening on Friday, April 25th (12pm Pacific Time) featuring 5 new medium sized acrylic paintings on wood.
This show will be available first to previous buyers of Plock's work and to those on our preview list. To be added to the list, email: info(at)ffdg.net
Wolf Wizard by Ferris Plock - acrylic on wood - 20" x 30" - info(at)ffdg.net
MELBOURNE --- Backwoods Gallery in Melbourne played host to a huge group exhibition a couple of weeks back, with "Gold Blood, Magic Weirdos" Curated by Melbourne artist Sean Morris. Gold Blood brought together 25 talented painters, illustrators and comic artists from Australia, the US, Singapore, England, France and Spain - and marked the end of the Magic Weirdos trilogy, following shows in Perth in 2012 and London in 2013 (PHOTOS).
Ghostpatrol (Aus), Brendan Monroe (USA), Simon Hanselmann (Aus), kozyndan (USA), Sheryo (Singapore), The Yok (Aus), Jean Jullien (France), James Jirat Patradoon (Aus), Mr. Gauky (UK), Mel Stringer (Aus), Wishcandy (USA), Stevie Gee (UK), Kyle Hughes-Odgers (Aus), Will Laren (USA), HTML Flowers (Aus), Benjamin Sea (Aus), Sean Morris (Aus), Eveline Tarunadjaja (Aus), Bei Badgirl (Aus), Ambird (USA), The Seven Seas (Aus), Manuel Donada (Spain), Maddy Young (Aus), Emma Wiesenekker (Aus) & Bafcat (Aus)
James Jirat Patradoon's crazy painted racing jacket took centre stage, in front of a mural by Ghostpatrol and Sean Morris.
The Backwoods alleyway crowd – with some fresh paint in the background by The Seven Seas.
The Yok and Sheryo, Bei Badgirl (Sydney) Kyle Hughes-Odgers (Perth) Brendan Monroe (California)
LOS ANGELES --- San Francisco based Fecal Pal Jeremy Fish opened his latest solo show Hunting Trophies at LA's Mark Moore Gallery last week to massive crowds and cabin walls lined with imagery pertaining to modern conquest and obsession (PHOTOS).
The artist's trademark sculptural paintings appear as prizes on a cabin's walls, rife with imagery pertaining to modern conquest and obsession. Fish intimates that such voracity can meet an ominous end, but with the layered, congenial plot of a parable.
Jeremy Fish's next solo show will open at FFDG in August. To be added to the growing preview list, email: info(at)ffdg.net
Mark Moore Gallery is proud to present “Hunting Trophies,” an immersive
installation and exhibition in the Project Room of new work by
interdisciplinary artist Jeremy Fish. Marking the artist’s first solo
exhibition with the gallery, this body of work showcases Fish’s adept
capacity to translate sociopolitical and autobiographical topics into
allegorical narratives and imaginative spaces. Much like a raconteur
divulging a tale, Fish renders characters and places that allude to a
greater fable – but are recounted in whimsical language all his own.
In this exhibition, Fish encourages us to question the concept of value.
As a society, we have become increasingly fixated on acquiring prize
possessions. Be it the newest technological gadget, or a “trophy piece”
for a collector’s art collection, we have been conditioned to pursue
“the best” at all costs. In letting the thrill of the chase dictate the
cost of our objectives, we find ourselves progressively dispassionate
about ideological or noncommercial worth in favor of competitive gain.
Fish confronts this predatory attitude by inviting us to enter the
hunter’s mind, and take inventory of his spoils. The artist’s trademark
sculptural paintings appear as prizes on a cabin’s walls, rife with
imagery pertaining to modern conquest and obsession. Fish intimates that
such voracity can meet an ominous end, but with the layered, congenial
plot of a parable. With the guidance of the artist-as-narrator, the
“Hunting Trophies” on display bespeak an unfolding saga – complete with
unprecedented risk, obscure protagonists, and capricious villains – of
which we may never learn the lesson.
Thursday, 17 April 2014 11:12 Written by Rachel Ralph
Carolyn LeBourgios
Well, John Felix Arnold III is at it again. This time, he and Carolyn LeBourgios packed an entire show into the back of a Prius and drove across the country to install it at Superchief Gallery in NYC. I met with him last week as he told me about the trip over delicious burritos at Taqueria Cancun (which is right across the street from FFDG and serves what I think is the best burrito in the city) as the self proclaimed "Only overweight artist in the game" spilled all the details.
Written by Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
Our sign is looking rough these days. Time to reach out to a sign painter.
The first stop of the trip was of course to FFDG as he was part of our group show Salt the Skies before literally hitting the road out of our front door. He and Carolyn headed straight down south and went to Texas before heading to New Orleans, and then up the East Coast to NYC. At first glance, the 'Stand with Israel' sign just seemed like an odd, East Texas painted wall, but I have recently learned that some of the biggest supporters of the Israeli conflict are in the bible belt, as Christians in this area believe that in order to bring upon Armageddon, war must happen (between Israelis and Palestinians) in which Christians will be raptured and Jews will be forced to convert to Christianity to be saved. While I'm not going to jump into that argument, this wall is a little piece of that struggle, even in all of its oddly painted glory.
Terry from Old Crow with his dog Pope Dante in Austin
The rest of the south, through New Orleans and the Carolinas, brought Pope dogs, oil fields (straight out of a scene of True Detective), and delicious snacks along the way before getting into the grind that is New York. Once the duo arrived at Superchief in Manhattan, it was on. Installation on both floors of the gallery started immediately and the show was hung efficiently for the opening of Excorrigia – The Scourge. The works range from his Astroknot figures on larger wood panels to more abstract, smaller works and give the show a lot of diversity while still maintaining its consistency. As another portal into his world of Unstoppable Tomorrow, Excorrigia allows visitors to experience the post-apocalyptic feeling generated by the works while still maintaining themselves as impeccably-produced works of art.
John Felix Arnold outside his show at Super Chief, NYC
John Lomanto looking at the work
The opening was a gathering of Felix's friends, both old and new, and was just another step in his career. He will be back showing in San Francisco this spring and fall with solo shows at both the Shooting Gallery in May and here at FFDG in October. Keep your eyes open for him, as I know he'll be up late at night painting, eating the most delicious food the bay has to offer, and giving us access to his world and his work. I can't wait.
Tuesday, 15 April 2014 10:17 Written by Rachel Ralph
Ever Gold opened a new solo show by NYC based Henry Gunderson a couple Saturday nights ago and it was literally packed. So packed I couldn't actually see most of the art - but a big crowd doesn't seem like a problem. I got a good laugh at what I would call the 'cock climbing wall' as it was one of the few pieces I could see over the crowd. I haven't gotten a chance to go back and check it all out again, but I'm definitely going to as the paintings that I could get a peek at were really high quality and intruiguing. You should do the same.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
I just finished work on a personal project with the fun and funky illustrator Will Bryant, aptly titled Hotdog Mustard Pump. Good name for a punk band too. I've attached two of my favs from the shoot that should resonate well with the Fecal Family. -NICOLLE CLEMETSON
//////////////////~ submit your photos to: potd(at)fecalface.com ~ make sure they're at least 700 pixels in width.
The crowd was mellow, which was very fitting for the simple, modest paintings and subtle collages (which were really hard to photograph). The simplicity of Wagner's paintings really shines as it allows for the forms to create intriguing images out of what seem like amorphous blobs of color. Within this small show he was able to create sculptures, paintings, collages and even a scarf and it allowed viewers to see the diversity of his media and the consistency of his style. Hopefully, the fluorescent tubes in the front really do glow with a transfer of creativity, and pass some of this beautiful ease to those who walk by.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
The paintings in the show are each influenced by a musician, ranging from Freddy Mercury, to Madonna, to A Tribe Called Quest and they are so stylistically consistent with each musician's persona that they read as a cohesive body of work with incredible variation. If you told me they were each painted by a different person, I would not hesitate to believe you and it's really great to see a solo show with so much variety. The show is fun, poppy, very well done, and absolutely worth a look and maybe even a listen.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
Serge Gay Jr., Video Pop, Acrylic on Prism Sticks paper
We met a young skater named Charles Martin, an interesting guy studying at SFAI, through our friend Henry Gunderson. Charles would stop in the gallery from time to time, and the last time he came through he told us he was off to NYC to study at Cooper Union where his brother also studys. Getting into Cooper Union is no small feat. They're one of the most selective schools in the U.S. Well known for their art and science programs, C.U. admits students based on merit alone and provides each with a full-tuition scholarship. A FREE top rate highly demanding education.
From Mike Kershnar --- With rising rent in SF and knowing mostly other young artists without capitol, I desired a way to live rent free, have a space to do my craft, and get to see more of the world. Inspired by the many historical artists who have longed similar longings I discovered the beauty of artist residencies. Lilo runs Adhoc Collective in Vienna which not only has a fully equipped artists creative studio, but an indoor halfpipe, and private artist quarters. It was like a modern day castle or skate cathedral. It exists in almost a utopic state, totally free to those that apply and come with a real passion for both art and skateboarding (PHOTOS).
Tuesday, 08 April 2014 16:21 Written by Van Edwards
I just wanted to share with you a piece I recently finished which took me 4 years to complete. Titled "How To Lose Yourself Completely (The September Issue)", it consists of a copy of the September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine (the issue they made the documentary about) with all faces masked with a sharpie, and everything else entirely whited out. 840 pages of fun. -Bryan Schnelle
Tuesday, 08 April 2014 10:06 Written by Rachel Ralph
SAN FRANCISCO --- 111 Minna opened their new group show, Less is More (PHOTOS) last Friday night. I got there a bit late, and I would assume after the crowd, but it was an advantage as I was actually able to see the detailed beauty in these small works.
Fitting the title, all of the works in the show examine intricate details on a very small scale. I was especially attracted to Isabel Samaras' works which let us in on her comic book heroes turned portraited royalty, Emily Burns' creepily fantastic patterned girls, and Kelly Nicolaisen's subtle photographs, which are simple and beautiful. The show is definitely worth a visit, and they provide a lighthearted entrance into the spring as temperatures seem to rise, so go have a cocktail and check them out.
Words & Photos: Rachel Ralph - rachel(at)fecalface.com
NoMe Edonna, Glitch of Venus, Oil on panel, 2014
NoMe Edonna
Isabel Samaras, Lady Cat Woman, Oil on wood, 2014
Kelly Nicolaisen, Tortuga, Print on archival matte with UV finish, 2014
Living in San Francisco, I am constantly inspired by the intersection of urban and natural surroundings. In pencil, acrylic, and gauche on paper and wood, I illustrate the conversation, and inherent tensions, between man and nature. My work celebrates the intricacy and delicate beauty of natural forms, while exploring the impact of humanity imposing itself upon our environment, contorting it and shaping it to our will. My drawings form a lens to illuminate and personalize the importance of our current ecological state and the need for stewardship and preservation in our future.
Kirk Maxson creates hundreds of small hand cut metal leaves arranged in clusters that form large-scale installations, and Alexis Mackenzie - collages, composed of multiple images sliced and spliced back together in an overlay that marries the outline of forms from both images, can be understood like a film editor's work, weaving disparate scenes into a story.
Eleanor Harwood Gallery Saturday afternoon in the Mission
Kirk Maxson... as well as a series of butterflies made from pages of Natural History books, some dating back to the 19th century.
LOS ANGELES --- Jeremy Fish opens Hunting Trophies tonight, Saturday April 5th, at the Los Angeles based Mark Moore Gallery. The show features new work from Fish inside the "hunting lodge" where viewers climb inside the head of the hunter and explore the history of all the animals he's killed. (PREVIEW)
There will also be 24 copies of Jeremy Fish's newest book Happily Ever After available at the opening as well.
San Francisco people, FFDG opens a solo show with Jeremy Fish this upcoming August.
Mark Moore Gallery is proud to present "Hunting Trophies," an immersive installation and exhibition in Gallery Two of new work by interdisciplinary artist Jeremy Fish. Marking the artist's first solo exhibition with the gallery, this body of work showcases Fish's adept capacity to translate sociopolitical and autobiographical topics into allegorical narratives and imaginative spaces. Much like a raconteur divulging a tale, Fish renders characters and places that allude to a greater fable – but are recounted in whimsical language all his own.
Beautiful piece entitled "The Albatross and the Shipping Container", Ink on Paper, Mounted to Panel, 47" Diameter, by San Francisco based Martin Machado now on display at FFDG. Stop in Saturday (1-6pm) to view the group show "Salt the Skies" now running through April 19th. 2277 Mission St. at 19th.
I don't think at this point it needs to be written since the last update to Fecal Face was a long time ago, but...
I, John Trippe, have put this baby Fecal Face to bed. I'm now focusing my efforts on running ECommerce at DLX which I'm very excited about... I guess you can't take skateboarding out of a skateboarder.
It was a great 15 years, and most of that effort can still be found within the site. Click around. There's a lot of content to explore.
Hit me up if you have any ECommerce related questions. - trippe.io
I'm not sure how many people are lucky enough to have The San Francisco Giants 3 World Series trophies put on display at their work for the company's employees to enjoy during their lunch break, but that's what happened the other day at Deluxe. So great.
SF skateboarding icons Jake Phelps, Mickey Reyes, and Tommy Guerrero with the 3 SF Giants World Series Trophies
When works of art become commodities and nothing else, when every endeavor becomes “creative” and everybody “a creative,” then art sinks back to craft and artists back to artisans—a word that, in its adjectival form, at least, is newly popular again. Artisanal pickles, artisanal poems: what’s the difference, after all? So “art” itself may disappear: art as Art, that old high thing. Which—unless, like me, you think we need a vessel for our inner life—is nothing much to mourn.
Hard-working artisan, solitary genius, credentialed professional—the image of the artist has changed radically over the centuries. What if the latest model to emerge means the end of art as we have known it? --continue reading
"Six Degrees" opens tonight, Friday Jan 16th (7-10pm) at FFDG in San Francisco. ~Group show featuring: Brett Amory, John Felix Arnold III, Mario Ayala, Mariel Bayona, Ryan Beavers, Jud Bergeron, Chris Burch, Ryan De La Hoz, Martin Machado, Jess Mudgett, Meryl Pataky, Lucien Shapiro, Mike Shine, Minka Sicklinger, Nicomi Nix Turner, and Alex Ziv.
"[Satire] is important because it brings out the flaws we all have and throws them up on the screen of another person," said Turner. “How they react sort of shows how important that really is.” Later, he added, "Charlie took a hit for everybody." -read on
As we work on our changes, we're leaving Squarespace and coming back to the old server. Updates are en route.
The content that was on the site between May '14 and today is history... Whatever, wasn't interesting anyway. All the good stuff from the last 10 years is here anyway.
Opening tonight, Friday May 23rd (7-10pm) at Park Life in the Inner Richmond (220 Clement St) is Again Home Again featuring works from the duo Jacob Mcgraw-Mikelson & Rachell Sumpter who split time living in Sacramento and a tiny island at the top of Pudget Sound with their children.
Jacob Magraw will be showing embroidery pieces on cloth along with painted, gouache works on paper --- Rachell Sumpter paints scenes of colored splendor dropped into scenes of desolate wilderness. ~show details
NYC --- A new graffiti abatement program put forth by the police commissioner has beat cops carrying cans of spray paint to fill in and cover graffiti artists work in an effort to clean up the city --> Many cops are thinking it's a waste of resources, but we're waiting to see someone make a project of it. Maybe instructions for the cops on where to fill-in?
The NYPD is arming its cops with cans of spray paint and giving them art-class-style lessons to tackle the scourge of urban graffiti, The Post has learned.
Shootings are on the rise across the city, but the directive from Police Headquarters is to hunt down street art and cover it with black, red and white spray paint, sources said... READ ON
Los Angeles based Alison Blickle who showed here in San Francisco at Eleanor Harwood last year (PHOTOS) recently showed new paintings in New York at Kravets Wehby Gallery. Lovely works.
We haven't been featuring many interviews as of late. Let's change that up as we check in with a few local San Francisco artists like Kevin Earl Taylor here whom we studio visited back in 2009 (PHOTOS & VIDEO). It's been awhile, Kevin...
If you like guns and boobs, head on over to the Shooting Gallery; just don't expect the work to be all cheap ploys and hot chicks. With Make Stuff by Peter Gronquist (Portland) in the main space and Morgan Slade's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow in the project space, there is plenty spectacle to be had, but if you look just beyond it, you might actually get something out of the shows.
Fifty24SF opened Street Anatomy, a new solo show by Austrian artist Nychos a week ago last Friday night. He's been steadily filling our city with murals over the last year, with one downtown on Geary St. last summer, and new ones both in the Haight and in Oakland within the last few weeks, but it was really great to see his work up close and in such detail.
Nate Milton emailed over this great short Gator Skater which is a follow-up to his Dog Skateboard he emailed to us back in 2011... Any relation to this Gator Skater?
Congrats on our buddies at Needles and Pens on being open and rad for 11 years now. Mission Local did this little short video featuring Breezy giving a little heads up on what Needles and Pens is all about.
In a filmmaker's thinking, we wish more videos were done in this style. Too much editing and music with a lacking in actual content. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Matt Wagner recently emailed over some photos from The Hellion Gallery in Tokyo, who recently put together a show with AJ Fosik (Portland) called Beast From a Foreign Land. The gallery gave twelve of Fosik's sculptures to twelve Japanese artists (including Hiro Kurata who is currently showing in our group show Salt the Skies) to paint, burn, or build upon.
FFDG is pleased to announce an exclusive online show with San Francisco based Ferris Plock opening on Friday, April 25th (12pm Pacific Time) featuring 5 new medium sized acrylic paintings on wood.
Backwoods Gallery in Melbourne played host to a huge group exhibition a couple of weeks back, with "Gold Blood, Magic Weirdos" Curated by Melbourne artist Sean Morris. Gold Blood brought together 25 talented painters, illustrators and comic artists from Australia, the US, Singapore, England, France and Spain - and marked the end of the Magic Weirdos trilogy, following shows in Perth in 2012 and London in 2013.
San Francisco based Fecal Pal Jeremy Fish opened his latest solo show Hunting Trophies at LA's Mark Moore Gallery last week to massive crowds and cabin walls lined with imagery pertaining to modern conquest and obsession.
Well, John Felix Arnold III is at it again. This time, he and Carolyn LeBourgios packed an entire show into the back of a Prius and drove across the country to install it at Superchief Gallery in NYC. I met with him last week as he told me about the trip over delicious burritos at Taqueria Cancun (which is right across the street from FFDG and serves what I think is the best burrito in the city) as the self proclaimed "Only overweight artist in the game" spilled all the details.
Ever Gold opened a new solo show by NYC based Henry Gunderson a couple Saturday nights ago and it was literally packed. So packed I couldn't actually see most of the art - but a big crowd doesn't seem like a problem. I got a good laugh at what I would call the 'cock climbing wall' as it was one of the few pieces I could see over the crowd. I haven't gotten a chance to go back and check it all out again, but I'm definitely going to as the paintings that I could get a peek at were really high quality and intruiguing. You should do the same.
The paintings in the show are each influenced by a musician, ranging from Freddy Mercury, to Madonna, to A Tribe Called Quest and they are so stylistically consistent with each musician's persona that they read as a cohesive body of work with incredible variation. If you told me they were each painted by a different person, I would not hesitate to believe you and it's really great to see a solo show with so much variety. The show is fun, poppy, very well done, and absolutely worth a look and maybe even a listen.
With rising rent in SF and knowing mostly other young artists without capitol, I desired a way to live rent free, have a space to do my craft, and get to see more of the world. Inspired by the many historical artists who have longed similar longings I discovered the beauty of artist residencies. Lilo runs Adhoc Collective in Vienna which not only has a fully equipped artists creative studio, but an indoor halfpipe, and private artist quarters. It was like a modern day castle or skate cathedral. It exists in almost a utopic state, totally free to those that apply and come with a real passion for both art and skateboarding
I just wanted to share with you a piece I recently finished which took me 4 years to complete. Titled "How To Lose Yourself Completely (The September Issue)", it consists of a copy of the September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine (the issue they made the documentary about) with all faces masked with a sharpie, and everything else entirely whited out. 840 pages of fun. -Bryan Schnelle
While walking our way across San Francisco on Saturday we swung through the opening receptions for Kirk Maxson and Alexis Mackenzie at Eleanor Harwood Gallery in the Mission.
Jeremy Fish opens Hunting Trophies tonight, Saturday April 5th, at the Los Angeles based Mark Moore Gallery. The show features new work from Fish inside the "hunting lodge" where viewers climb inside the head of the hunter and explore the history of all the animals he's killed.
Beautiful piece entitled "The Albatross and the Shipping Container", Ink on Paper, Mounted to Panel, 47" Diameter, by San Francisco based Martin Machado now on display at FFDG. Stop in Saturday (1-6pm) to view the group show "Salt the Skies" now running through April 19th. 2277 Mission St. at 19th.
For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to quit my job, move out of my house, leave everything and travel again. So on August 21, 2013 I pushed a canoe packed full of gear into the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Lake Itasca, Minnesota, along with four of my best friends. Exactly 100 days later, I arrived at a marina near the Gulf of Mexico in a sailboat.
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