Co-LAB – officially open

Wow what a great day it was yesterday.

The one thing that we didn’t think would be working in time was the wonderful coffee machine, so when on Saturday morning the Co-LAB shop slowly filled with the aroma of ground coffee beans everybody breathed a sigh of relief and smiles filled faces.

The shop was busy all day and filled with great tunes as the DJ line up took turns at the decks.

A huge thanks to everybody who mucked in to make this happen (and happen on schedule), to all those that made the effort to put your head through the doors yesterday (and hopefully in the days, weeks, and months to come), to the artists who made those extra special touches, to the DJ’s for banging out da tunes, to all those who helped get Co-LAB out there re-blogging, sharing and re-tweeting and of course to Ujima Radio’s Mistri, although if you weren’t listening I can’t tell you why! (98FM)

Co-LAB is now open everyday at 2-4 Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3DB – Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm and Sundays 11am – 5pm.

http://www.facebook.com/BristolCoLAB

Come and see what it’s all about.

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Co-LAB opens 16th March 2013 – 1 day to go!

With only a day left to go until the doors were thrown open to the public, there was a lot to do on Friday.

The t-shirts crew’s were in hanging up stock and pictures were frantically being screwed onto walls.  The huge music system got a make-over from a ‘mini’ Unwellcome Relatives’ crew, 3dom threw some colour around inside and the outside got a neon make over by Paris.

And with only a few finishing touches left to do first thing on the Saturday morning the opening was well on schedule!

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Co-LAB opens 16th March 2013 – 2 days to go!

The shop is really coming together now.

The amazing coffee machine has arrived, Max Gregor has been busy adorning the walls with some beautiful spray art and the first pieces of art work have been hang on the Art-el wall.

A great DJ set is currently being put together for the opening on Saturday, which includes Dee Jay Dino, Bash Money, Luminous Mary and John Nation.

Join us 11am to 11pm, we’re sooo excited and can’t wait to welcome you all.

Mini Interview with Max Rippon @ Fecal Face

Click HERE for a great interview with Art-el artist Max Rippon from the good folks at Fecal Face.

‘Your Name’ – available at http://www.art-el.co.uk

Erms & Eko at Recoat Gallery, Glasgow

Recoat Gallery presents “Bricks & Sticks & Mortar”, the first duo exhibition from international artists Erms and Eko.   Title: Bricks & Sticks & Mortar   Opens: Friday 2nd November 2012 7-10pm Runs: Saturday 3rd November till Sunday 2nd December 2012 Open from Tuesday to Sunday 12pm- 6pm   Contact Information: Amy Whiten or Alistair Wyllie  Tel: 0141 341 00 69 Email: info@recoatdesign.com   Address: Recoat Gallery • 323 North Woodside Road • Glasgow • G20 6ND   EXHIBITION OVERVIEW:   “Bricks & Sticks & Mortar” opens at Recoat on the 2nd of November, a joint show from internationally exhibited artists, Eko and Erms. With more than 20 years’ experience within the UK graffiti scene, this exhibition will be their first show together. Their shared history, respect for each other’s work and the similar themes that run through their pieces, brings them together for this important exhibition.   With deep roots in classical graffiti tradition, the pair explore new graphical possibilities beyond the constraints of lettering alone. Drawing inspiration from their environments, their pieces have a dream-like feel, each exploring a unique graphic universe, with fairytale landscapes and unfamiliar constructions that hint at their internal worlds.   The show is a collection of brand new originals. The pair will be creating murals at Recoat, aswell as producing a collaborative limited edition risograph print and a limited edition zine that will be available for sale throughout the show.   Exhibition runs till the 2nd of Dec open 12-6pm Tues to Sun.

ACERONE – Where Is Iron John?

Thanks to everybody who has taken the time out to take in the Acerone solo show – Where is Iron John?, at the Rag Factory over the last 4 days.

The remaining work from the show is now available on-line at Art-el, and don’t forget Art-el is a member of the Own Art interest free loan scheme.  Please contact Art-el for further details.

Here are a few photos for those who couldn’t get there (shame on you!)

 

 

 

 

For the full photo set please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/27892381@N04/sets/72157631760388509/

Best Kept Secret – Happening Now

The sun is shining, the tunes are pumping and the paint is flowing.

Join us for a fun and free day out at The College Project, Timsbury Walk, Bedminster Bristol, BS3 5JJ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Max ‘Ripo’ Rippon – Signs, fines & Cheap Wines opens 9th August

For those of you lucky enough to be in or near San Franciso between the 9th August and the 1st September be sure to drop into the White Walls gallery and check out Ripo’s new collection of work.

Good luck Max hope the exhibition is a massive success.

 

White Walls is pleased to present “Signs, Fines, & Cheap Wines,” the new solo show of Barcelona-based artist Max Rippon aka Ripo. “Signs, Fines & Cheap Wines,” will be Ripo’s first solo exhibition in the U.S. and will feature 25 new works, varying in size from 19×28” to 7’x7’. The opening reception will be Thursday, August 9th, from 7-11pm, and the exhibition is free and open to the public for viewing through September 1st, 2012.

Heavily influenced by sign painting, Ripo creates text-based work with an urban aesthetic, exploring single words and short turns of phrase with a tongue-in-cheek sensibility. Elaborately-drawn fonts, formed with watercolor, ink, graphite, sign painters enamel and oil pastels on delicate handcut paper, allow us to appreciate the aesthetics of the words regardless of their associations.

Fifteen works on paper showcase the malleable shape and form of typography with an energy that feels palpable and dynamic. Using techniques of calligraphy and layering, Ripo crafts letters that appear to jut and curve outside of the page in swift, fluid motion. Bleeding colors and splashes of paint burst beyond the constraints of the page, rendered in incredibly fine detail.

This attention to detail carries over to the artist’s large-scale works, as well. Working with wood, metal, glass, stone and plastic, Ripo replicates the variety of textures he encounters while painting outside, incorporating them as a main visual element. By painting only the negative space of the compositions in white enamel, the natural materials are allowed to play an active role in composing the letters and texts. With a nod to the assemblage art of Rauschenberg, broken mirrors, old signs, scrap metal and other found objects are recontextualized in the work and original tiles from the sidewalks and streets of Barcelona bring an iconic image and texture of the city to San Francisco.

From the Artist:

“I get the most satisfaction when a word fits perfectly to a situation, in expressing something personal that others can relate to.”

Art-el Gallery News

So last weekend we spent all of Saturday taking down the gallery and re-hanging it with lots of new goodness for people to feast their eyes upon, including some outstanding new work by american artist RIPO, these will soon be up on the web-site too.

Here’s a little taster, but drop by and see us we’re open Thursday and Friday 11.30am to 5.30pm and Saturday 12.00pm to 4.30pm and we’ve got  the coffee pot on.

New RIPO pieces.

Newly hung wall featuring the 1890's commissioned fireplace, painted by Paris

This will be the last re-shuffle now until our exciting exhibition schedule takes of in May.

First up Scottish artist, Lyken who has just finished making waves with a massively successful solo show in Glasgow, we’ve seen the pictures and if they’re anything to go by then you’ll want to be catching this show – opening night 4th May.

Next up is English writer Erms / Ermone who will be joing us from Paris (his current place of residence).  He has some pretty exciting ideas for the space so you’re not going to wanting to miss this one either.

ERMS

The opening night for this show is the 1st June which co-incides with the start of the Bristol Biennial, so this won’t be any normal gallery opening as there will also be live music and entertainment, to include Kev the poet and the Triangulators (full details to follow).

Ladies love the summer and this summer we are loving the ladies.  The 29th of June sees the opening of a joint show with Fran Williams and Leanne Ellis, two very different styles but both extremly beautiful.

Fran Williams, new work "Call To Mind". Available at the AAF, Battersea, London 15-18 March

 

Leanne Ellis new work "Intention"

Bringing Brighton to Bristol in August, Pinky opens his solo show on the 3rd.  Psychedlic wonderment!

Pinky in Bristol @ See No Evil 2011

So peeps, get those dates in your diaries, it’s good times a head!

 

Jean Giraud, alias Moebius 08:05:1938 to 10:03:2012

Farewell to artist and legend Jean Giraud alias Moebius who sadly lost his fight to cancer on Saturday, an inspiration to many of today’s artists.  http://www.moebius.fr/

Read The Guardian obituary here http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/mar/12/jean-giraud?newsfeed=true

Cartoonist Jean Giraud, aka Moebius, poses in front of a fresco made from one of his albums (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Blueberry, the comic book character made famous by Moebius

ALSO AVAILABLE

Documentary about Frenchman Jean Giraud, one of the most influential comic strip illustrators and authors of all time and also one of the genre’s best kept secrets. He achieved his greatest fame under the pseudonym/alter ego Moebius, and his artistic influence extends beyond Europe to the USA and Japan. Features interviews with Giraud himself, Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee, American comic book artists Jim Lee and Mike Mignolla and many others.

In Search of Moebius – Jean Giraud clip 1/3 available here http://dai.ly/fbCprZ

In Search of Moebius – Jean Giraud clip 2/3 available here http://dai.ly/fl2gp6

In Search of Moebius – Jean Giraud clip 3/3 available here http://dai.ly/hjH0rS