Showing - 'Surrealism and Design' @ V & A - London

Listen, I know that the Surrealists are a, been there, done that, got the T-shirt kind of thing. I’m well aware that since their emergence during the ‘20s, they’ve flooded fashions throughout all genres, be it clothing or interiors or simple je ne sais quois style. And yes, I know you’re probably sick to the back teeth of hearing about these guys. So, sorry (in advance), if you’ve seen it all before; but the fact remains, the Surrealists are influential and will continue to be so, because this group – Magritte, Ernst, Schiaparelli, Dalí and co. – and their endeavours were, and are, remarkable. I suppose, that would be why the V & A are presenting a big old mash up of Surrealism and it’s various influences on ‘the world of design’, with ‘Surreal Things – Surrealism and Design'. The show comprises of some 300 exhibits, which means that the museum has gotten their hands on any piece or work that bears interest; Meret Oppenheim’s 'Table with Bird’s Legs', Dalí’s 'Mae West' sofa and Schiaparelli ‘Tear’ and ‘Skeleton’ dresses, they’re all there. And if they bore the hell out of you, ‘cos you’ve seen them all before, well, hey, there’s another 297 exhibits to check out.


Surreal Things – Surrealism and Design at the V & A, London from 29th March – 22 July.

Street Sounds - Part2ism 'ECOCENTRAL' - UK

Showing – David Bray ‘Catford Classics’ @ StolenSpace – London

I don’t know a whole lot about David Bray’s background; what I do know is that he’s a damn fine artist. Seriously, his work is very cool. Very slick. Very, kind of funky, filled with saucy looking women and horny animals. There's also a few My Little Ponies thrown in too, generally flowing from someone or another's nose (left; 'Reunited in Heaven'). What this means, I haven't clue. Whatever, the content of his pen and pencil pieces work. He’s represented by StolenSpace, who also represent such luminaries As D*Face, Shok1 and Connor Harrington. Indeed, the gallery, alone, has gone from murmur to a big old noise since launching in 2006, so it probably goes without saying; this guy is good. Tonight he presents his first solo show, ‘Catford Classics’, a n exhibition which should launch him into the srty stratosphere, to sit next to the rest and best of them.

David Bray’s ‘Catford Classics’ takes Place at StolenSpace, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London E1, from 23rd February – 12th March.

News – FISTA showing in Yorkshire – UK

Simon Sunderland, aka FISTA or AJAX, was given five years in '96 for 'defacing railways, bridges and walls'. The sentence was considered, by most, nothing short of shocking, and kicked off a ‘Free FISTA’ campaign. Subsequently his term was dropped to two years and, although I have no idea how much time Sunderland finally spent inside, six months for his so-called prolific tagging would have been overkill. Since, there have been murmurs concerning Sunderland’s work; art agent Mark Ticktum reckoned he might be a Basquiat in the making. While this may well be hearsay, Sunderland, who is now in his 30s, will soon be exhibiting his work at the Archipelago Gallery in Yorkshire. A bona fide legal show, it will launch Sunderland as a legitimate talent; though many would say he was legitimate decades ago.

Showing - Ian Monroe 'Planit' @ Haunch of Venison - London

Showing - Damien Hirst 'New Religion' @ Wallspace - London

Say what you like about Damien Hirst – and God knows, I’d said a few things in the past – but there’s no getting round the fact that he ain’t a bad artist. And have you ever read any of his interviews? Let me tell you, they’re pretty interesting. OK. Yes. I’m stating the obvious; the guy has something to say. Sure the Pharmacy stuff was a bit obvious. But the whole Pharmacy restaurant thing was a bit, well, off key to say the least. And, yes, yes, admittedly, Hirst can come across a touch abrupt, pompous even. But wouldn’t you be if the whole concept of Brit Art hinged on your contribution and influence? However, having said all that, Hirst has been quiet of late. He hasn’t ruffled any feathers or caused a scene. Gone are the coke-fuelled nights in Soho. Hell, his old hangout Grouchos’ is now stayed and dull; a media hangout for the highbrow-have-it-alls. Yep. Hirst has long been established, and today he’s been nothing if not subdued.

Not for long though. Now, the man is giving his all to ‘New Religion’, a show that, unsurprisingly, is taking place in a church turned art venue; All Hallows in London Wall. The whole point of the show is the rift between science and religion – religion, the most overly debated subject in the history of mankind. So, the whole thing will undoubtedly cause a little stir. While the exhibition is presented by Wallspace, Hirst is holding centre stage with a selection of works covering almost every medium from silkscreen to sculpture. These include a child’s scull cast in silver and a heart pierced by syringes, razorblades and nasty looking medical paraphernalia (above). The latter is a pretty hot piece of work. It’s the kind of sculpture that give’s you goose bumps. It’s poignant. It's superb. It’s brilliant. So there you have it. Pharmacy may have been pants but this new stuff, it’s bang on.

Damien Hirst 'New Religion' @ Wallspace, All Hallows on the Wall, 83 London Wall, London EC2, from 7th March.

Showing - Kirsten Telfer Beith 'You're Behaving Like a 5 Year Old' - Vinyll - London

Showing On a Street Near You - Part2ism - Lo-Tech Branding - UK

Showing - Haluk Akakce 'They Call it Love, I Call it Madness' @ Deitch Projects - NYC

Showing – Gert and Uwe Tobias, ‘The Hora Never Stops’ @ Sprüth Magers Projekte - Munich

There’s these two twins, and they do big old woodcuts and sculptures. You’ve probably heard of them; Gert and Uwe Tobias. Apparently they come from a Transylvania-esque part of Romania, and whether or not this is PR banter, I don’t care, because I rather like the notion of woodcuts and Dracula. Their work's kind of interesting too. It’s full of skulls and monsters and shock-frock horror. It’s the type of stuff you’d expect from a couple of men from Transylvania, who’ve grown up surrounded by the ledgend of Vlad the Impaler, under the tyrannical rule of Nicolae Ceausescu. The duo moved to Germany in '85 where they first discovered Bram Stoker's Dracula (Ironically, Ceausescu wasn’t so keen on airing that part of Romania’s history). Much like the rest for the world outside communist Romania, all this folklore must have been a surprise for the Tobias boys. It must have been like a breath of pine-fresh, fruity air.

Given all this experience, it’s probably not that surprising the Tobias brothers’ work is kind of dark, laced by a little wry, dry humour. It makes sense, really, because these guys know where they’re from and in that, they also know precisely where they’re at. It also makes for some interesyting works.

Like the Chapmans, it’s a collaborative, reciprocal effort between the two brothers. However, the Tobias’ have three studios; one each, and a third, which they share. It's a system that works as the pair can certianly churn out work. For their upcoming show at Sprüth Magers, the duo have gone for four large woodcuts, a selection of works on paper, and couple of sculptures. They’ll be exhibiting these pieces in a red setting as the gallery walls will be painted in an ox-blood tone. They've dubbed it ‘The Hora Never Stops’. Funny that...

Gert and Uwe Tobias, ‘The Hora Never Stops’ @ Sprüth Magers Projekte, Ludwigstr. 780539, Munich, from 25th January – 17th March.

Showing - Jeff Wall @ MoMA - NYC

Not so long ago, purely by chance, I fell into a Jeff Wall exhibition at Tate Modern. Now, I’ll be honest here, save one picture based on Ralph Ellison’s 1952 novel, Invisible Man, which blew my mind (left; 'Invisible Man'), the show didn’t do it for me – not one bit, not a touch, not at all. It just left me cold. And that's kind of weird, and pretty embarrassing too, since Wall is generally considered to be one of the most innovative and adventurous photographers of his generation.

Moving on and this month, he’s showing at MoMA in New York. In that, I got busy, checking out his work once again. Well. I’m eating my words here, because and hands up, I got it wrong at Tate Modern. Wall’s work is superb. It's remarkable; and it’s remarkable because, by offering up seemingly standard images – a group of people walking down the street, a flooded grave, a sink soiled by filth – he’s suggesting that average isn’t average.These images are clever, they’re smart, not because Wall has the savvy to stick a massive light-box behind each photo illuminating every colour in sight – they’re clever because they capture a static moment before or after another moment, leaving you with the dark suggestion that something has or will happen. And as the viewer, you want to know, what’s going on, what's the story here? But of course, Wall doesn’t give an answer. And that, least for me, is precisely why the man is a bit of a genius.

Jeff Wall @ MoMA, Sixth Floor, 11 West 53 Street, NYC, 25th February – 14th May.

Part2 with Part2ism in Switzerland

And Ya Put it All Together - Men in Black 3 Graff Clip

Banksy in Palestine - BBC Footage - UK

Showing – Albert Watson ‘Epic’ @ Guy Hempner – London

If you haven’t heard of Albert Watson, you’ve probably been living under a stone somewhere. His photographs are pretty much omnipresent in the world of fashion, fads and media, and have been for the past couple of decades. He’s done umpteen covers for Rolling Stone, and numerous others for Time, Vibe, and Vogue. He’s dealt with ad campaigns for Chanel, Gap, Levi’s and Chanel. Has shot everyone from Alfred Hitchcock, Mick Jagger, Jonny Depp, Jack Nicholson and Naomi Campbell. Hell you name it, he’s done it. In that, it’s hardly surprising, Watson’s upcoming exhibition at Guy Hepner Contemporary has been dubbed ‘Epic’. Kicking off on the 5th February, the show centers on mega prints, some measuring 96”x 72”, and is certainly worth checking out.

Albert Watson: Epic @ Guy Hempner Contemporary, 27 Cork Street, London W1, from 5th – 10th February.