Double Damn. (Giger's Birth Machine Sculpture)

Anybody who knows me fairly well knows that I am a huge HR Giger fan. One of my favorite paintings by him is "Birth Machine". It is a remarkable statement that resonates long after viewing the piece. Today I discovered that there is a full-size sculpture outside of the HR Giger Museum in Switzerland. I am marveling in it's majesty...

(sound Hallelujah chorus)

Palehorse Smashes! (Picks Jaw Up Off Ground)

Christos Mysterio Jr

Our Lady Of Lucha Libre

I have been a huge fan of graphic designer/artist Chris Parks (aka Palehorse) for a while now, ever since I first saw his "Christos Mysterio Jr"/"Our Lady Of Lucha Libre" series through the website Zazzle. I immediately picked the 2 prints up since they were insanely cheap, & have been in love with his work since then. Apparently he has set the bar to epic heights, with his new exhibition "Gods & Monsters". Check out this video (& pay attention to "The Kracken" as well as the MASSIVE spraypaint/vinyl collaboration with Allen Hampton)...

Some pics from the show...

"The Kracken"

Pale Horse--Allen Hampton Collab

Chris Parks stands next to the collab piece

Pale Horse--Allen Hampton Collab

Finally, take the studio tour here (older video):

Go visit Chris here:
Website
Buy Prints On Zazzle

Frank Frazetta: R.I.P.

Self Portrait

While looking around for Frank Frazetta artwork online today, I found out the sad news that the legendary fantasy artist has passed away. He has been in steadily declining health for many months, & had been spending his last few months surrounded by the family that he loved dearly. Sadly, Mr Frazetta had been in the news recently due to a legal battle stemming from an incident that put his son in jail for theft of millions of dollars of his father's art, which may or may not have been authorized by Frazetta Sr himself. Thankfully the issue was resolved amongst the family members, without it having to go to court. While Frazetta may no longer be here, his artwork will live on forever, & the Frank Frazetta Museum will continue to house a permanent collection for all who want to take the trek, & a source for authorized, inexpensive prints for those who can't, but still want to help contribute to keeping the museum open for years to come.

http://frankfrazettamuseum.com

Here are some of my favorite Frazetta pieces...

Dark Kingdom

Death Dealer

Savage Pellucidar

The Huntress

Fire & Ice

Cat Girl

The Art Of Leon Botha

"The Flow Of Time"

Unless you've been in the midst of a self-imposed media ban for the last few months, it is hard to escape the wave of blissful mania that has followed the South African rap-rave sensations Die Antwoord. Since they were unleashed upon an unsuspecting world via a seemingly harmless Boing Boing post, millions have adopted the group as their new favorites. If you are like me, you've watched the "Enter The Ninja" video ad naseum since then. Between insanely catchy beats, helium filled vocals, ironic haircuts, gangsta posturing & an enigmatic figure substituting for their perpetually-missing in action DJ, you can't help but sit up & take notice.

Leon Botha, On The Set Of Die Antwoord's "Enter The Ninja" Video

The enigmatic figure in question is artist Leon Botha. I'll say this once, & once only, since otherwise I would be the only person who hasn't felt it necessary to preface discussions of Leon by mentioning, is that he has the extremely rare disease known as Progeria. I could get into details (see Wikipedia for that), but let's just say it is a real concern. I hate to even mention it because it has absolutely no bearing on whether or not the man is a gifted artist. Not in that "he's good for a guy who [fill in the blank]" type way either. The man is just plain talented. While he may not be able to blend into a crowd easily, he really distinguishes himself even further from the pack by rising to the top with his work.

"Midnight Marauders"

A huge portion of Leon's work originates from his love of hip-hop (mostly of the American variety), & that passion shines through, informing the pieces in the sense that they have a lyrical flow that many artists are never able to effectively capture.

"Liquid Sword/Caduceus/Chakras"

Added to the fact that it appears that nothing Botha does is done without seeking deeper meaning, he wears his spirituality on his sleeve. (read: not necessarily "religion"). He peeks behind the veneer & instead seeks to further understand the unifying principles of the universe. Beyond the initial impressions that one reaches on cursory glance, each painting tells a multi-layered story that must be pondered before finally reaching a conclusion.

"Flower Of Life"

Time is also a recurrent theme in Botha's work, & being that he is a bit of a medical miracle, he understands better than most that we do not have infinity to explore our Earthly vessels. Time can either be our biggest ally or our biggest enemy, but it is up to us to decide. Applying this knowledge, he is energized by this defining principle.

"Guardian Through The Duat"

(The video accompaniment to the painting)

He is also acutely aware of the theories of transcendence & legacy, which he actively explores throughout his body of work. Instead of me trying to paraphrase, I'd rather let the man speak for himself:

At the ripe old age of 24, Leon has accomplished more than most people have in their lifetime. He's achieved wild internet fame, he's collaborated on a t-shirt project, & he recently wrapped up his third gallery show (his first two were solo exhibitions while his most recent was a collaboration with photographer Gordon Clark).

"Angels Of Polarity" (Collaboration with Gordon Clark)

To top it off, I would be entirely remiss if I didn't mention that besides the gift of the brush, Leon is a sick turntablist, cutting & slicing through the South African underground hip-hop scene for the last several years under the alias DJ Solarize. Watching this clip makes me realize just how much I need to bust out my own tables & practice...

I'm pretty sure this cat has perfected Mantis Style. Speaking of...

"Mantis Style"

There's one thing that can be certain, the future is open wide for Leon, & I guarantee he's not going to let the opportunity slip through the cracks.

Pay him a visit at the following:

Website
Flickr
YouTube
Facebook
Wiki Wiki Wiki