Showing – David Kinsey 'Enviromethodolgy' @ The Dray Walk Gallery - London

Stolenspace have a flair for offering up shows from artists who tread a sharp line between fine and urban art; those talents who’ve managed to create works, which are fresh, funky and yet remain ascetic. David Kinsey is one of those artists. Based in LA, Kinsey produces contemporary work that challenges the viewer to ‘unlearn’ by appriciating perspectives ‘other than their own’, while also questioning ‘the original of what is considered normal or intolerable’. To be honest, I’m not sure what this means, but fact is, it works.

Kinsey’s style and subject matter are intrinsically tied to urban living. His characters are heavy looking city dwellers, appearing somewhat downtrodden. That’s not to say that this is an emotionally taut set of scenes from Kinsey; because it isn’t. Instead, his work is candid and cool with slick design edge. No big surprise there, Kinsey is also the man behind BLK/MRKT creative agency, which boasts some hardcore clients including Adidas, Absolut, Wired, Black Eyed Peas, N.E.R.D and Nissan. These names give a good idea of Kinsey’s sheer vision and strength. Needless to say, he is quite brilliant. Remarkable even. He’s managed to survive the often inflexible fine art schooling system, studying at Pittsburg, without compromise, and somehow come out trumps. And that’s perfect. In fact, his ability to remain cutting edge while also establishing a mini-conglomerate through BLK/MRKT, in a way, explains his ‘unlearn’ concept.

David Kinsey’s ‘Enviromethodolgy’, presented by Stolenspace, takes place at The Dray Walk Gallery, Dray Walk, The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1, from 31st March – 13th April.

Showing - Jack Pierson 'Melancholia Passing Into Madness' @ Cheim & Read - New York

It’s been three years since Jack Pierson’s last exhibition at Cheim & Read in New York. However, this month the gallery presents ‘Melancholia Passing Into Madness’, a show named after a 19th century medical photo of a mad woman, assumedly doing exactly what the title suggests. This kind of frank awareness is typical of Pierson. His work is both candid and sombre with images hitting that transient spot where disillusion meets some sort of shady glamour.

In the past, Pierson has presented work from diverse sources. Brash, cheeky and stark photographs of male nudes and ‘sign letter sculptures’ have been an unadulterated success. In fact, to the horror of the Pierson camp, the sculptures have even been copied by the mainstream (Barneys' window dressers to be precise...). This time round, Pierson has shunned the masculine muse, turning instead to females and their ‘suffering’. Well, as any woman knows, the subject matter here is never ending. No doubt Pierson was spoilt for choice. Indeed, this show offers up all sorts of works including a selection of silkscreen paintings that represent the subject’s emotional disposition, be it anxious or pensive. Then there’s his ‘First Page Drawings’ as well as his current sign sculpture ‘Melancholia’. No. It’s not exactly the kind of stuff you’d pick up in, say, Barneys, is it?

Jack Pierson’s ‘Melancholia Passing Into Madness’ takes place at Cheim & Read, 547 W Street, New York, from the 30th March – 6th May.

News – Munch Trial Ends in Oslo – Europe

And so, with very little ado, the Munch trial has come to an end in Oslo. Although the stolen paintings, ‘The Scream’ and ‘Madonna’ (left), have yet to be found, the six defendants, AKA the hatchback posse, are facing several years in the slammer. Down, down, down they go with sentences running between four and eleven years. As if their arrest and imminent imprisonment wasn’t enough punishment, the prosecution is also asking for a whacking great $114 million in damages… Who says crime doesn’t pay?

Private View Review – Colin Self @ The Mayor Gallery – London

Let’s be honest; there aren’t many artists who can make you laugh. Seriously. Think about it. Humor is a personal preference. It exists within a set of arcane demographics. Where it seems simple, it’s often complex – and vice versa. For artists, the chance of holding a multi-dimentional gag together are fairly slim. Not that it’s been too much of a problem for Colin Self. Believe me, he’s a talent to make you chuckle, smirk and ponder every time.

One of the original pioneers of Pop Art, Self studied at The Slade School of Fine Art, where he was advised that he’d “probably fail”. Hmmm. Well. So much for the tutorial encouragement, nurture and grow effect. Of course, it goes without saying, Self did quite the opposite. In fact, it’s rumoured that at his very first solo show at the Godfrey Pilkington Gallery in London in 1965, guests included such luminaries as Lucien Freud and David Hockney. By 1967 he’d featured at the Biennale de Paris and, since, has appeared at MOMA, the Musee d’Art Moderne in Paris, the Tate and Hayward. Probably fail, eh? I ask you…

Last night saw Self’s aptly dubbed ‘Collage’ exhibition open at The Mayor Gallery on Cork Street. Almost every space of the gallery walls had been covered for this show. Indeed, Self is clearly a productive artist. It seems that everything he comes across, that’s vaguely cut-able, glue-able and stick-able, is ripped up and placed into some smart, sassy, sharp collage piece. Perhaps unsurprisingly, as media goes, cardboard is a big favourite. Self turns it into roast chicken ('A Chicken Drumstick On a Plate’, 2003), freshly mowed fields (above, ‘The Ploughman; Dig My Earth’, 2004) or an old fashioned arched beehive (’Bee Eaters and Bees’, 2004). As to the aforementioned humour, it’s apparent within the works that take on a seemingly average, sometimes ridiculous situation. A dole cheque for one pence, is decorated by World War Two’s favourite graffiti face Mr. Chad, aka Kilroy, with iconic words ‘Wot no gravy?’ flowing from his unseen mouth; the Queen, having been fixed onto an envelope in the form of several stamps, rows a gondola through Venice (wearing a striped t-shirt, no less); and five windswept black dogs leg-it from wherever with a strand of sausages clamped between the leader's chops. And its all good fun. In fact, like everything else that Self produces, it works - wonderfully.

Colin Self’s ‘Collage’ takes place at The Mayor Gallery, 22a Cork Street, London W1, from the 22nd March – 28th April.

Showing – Anne Chu @ Victoria Miro Gallery - London

Back in the summer of 2005, Anne Chu presented a much-praised solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami. Now she’s traveling across the water, from her home ground of New York, for her second show at Victoria Miro in London. While Chu is know for her ease in working with a variety of media such as bronze, ceramic, wood and fabric, her upcoming show will feature sculpture, including a bronze of Velazquez’s 'El Primo' (‘The Favourite’) dwarf, alongside several works on paper.

Anne Chu’s solo show takes place at the Victoria Miro Gallery, 16 Wharf Road, London NI, from the 8th April - 6th May.

Showing - 'Reminiscing in Tempo' - Thrust Projects - New York

This month, New York’s Thrust Projects opens up its doors for ‘Reminiscing in Tempo’. The group show, named after Duke Ellington’s eponymous composition, presents works from four artists; Iva Gueorguiva, Susi Jirkuff (left, 'Cry' video still), Julie Ryan and Zlatan Vukosavljevic. While these talents deal with different materials and genres, for this particular exhibition they’ll focus on ‘the artist’s ability to be free enough’ to improvise; a little like Ellington adlibbing jazz-style.

’Reminiscing in Tempo’ takes place at Thrust Projects, 114 Bowery # 301, New York, from the 26th March to 21st May.

Private View Review – Again For Tomorrow @ The Royal College of Art – London

I’m always impressed when an artist or designer has studied at the Royal College of Art. This is a bit sad-mad-fan-ish, but it’s a place that holds a cultish, romantic, just a little bit awed, quality for me. I can’t help it… So, it’s no big surprise that, along with what seemed like the entire of London’s arty masses, I attended the Royal College’s latest show, the final exhibition from students on the Curating Contemporary Art MA course.

Dubbed Again For Tomorrow, the idea behind the exhibition is to showcase talents who ‘turn to the past to re-imagine the future’. As if curating wasn’t difficult enough, this endeavor is no small feat for those involved. After all, if we could make sense of our so-called past, our history and heritage, we’d be living in an altogether, shall we say, more tolerant world. Still, that’s a whole other story and one better left to those philosophers out there.

Back to the exhibition, and there are around twenty artists included here. Indeed, this is nothing if not an international offering. Talents comprise of artists from all across the globe; Scotland’s Martin Boyce, Canada’s Alex Morrison, Switzerland’s Mai-Thu Perret and Germany’s Ulla von Brandenburg to name but a few. However, as with most group exhibitions, there are those who stand head and shoulders above the rest.

The title ‘Again For Tomorrow’ was taken from a series of works by Croatia’s David Malijkovic. So, it’s not surprising that his work creates the greatest impact. His video installation ‘Scenes For a New Heritage’ (2004 / 6), grabs you by the throat, catching you through sheer, ironic humor and iconic, sometimes disturbing, symbolism. Running for a few minutes, the film follows a trio of so-called ‘heritage seekers’ zap across winding Croatian roads in a car wrapped in dubious tinfoil. Arriving at the Petrova Gora, a historical monument from communist-era Yugoslavia, the group steps out of the car to check out the wobbly, tin-can style building. In unison, they holler in 'ganga', a Croatian folksong. Subtitles reveal their sing-song conversation, which runs along the lines of ‘there’s no Gods here’ and ‘yes, but they were different back then’. Perplexing, pensive stuff indeed. But, oh-so brilliant too.

'Again For Tomorrow' is on show at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7, from the 17th March - 9th April.

Showing - Ellswoth Kelly @ The Serpentine - London

Ellsworth Kelly, godfather of the Hard Edge movement that essentially began as an intimate, intertwining, reaction against Abstract, is an artist much admired in the UK. Unfortunately, his talents are rarely shown on British soil. This coming month, fans are in luck, however, as the Serpentine presents 18 recent works, which Kelly has produced since 2002.

Born in 1923, Kelly’s career is a remarkable and long-standing one. Covering some 50 years, he arguably launched his talents on the art world, following studies in Boston, during his time at Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His first solo show took place at the Galerie Arnaud, Paris, in 1951, while later, during the ‘70s, a retrospective was held at MOMA. Since, he’s exhibited at the Whitney, Tate and Haus der Kunst.

Ellsworth Kelly takes place at the Serpentine Gallery, from the 18th March - 21st May.

News – Vintage Movie Posters - World

A fan, a mad and rich fan at that, has paid treble (£10,200) for some ‘Casino Royal’ posters at Christie’s. Said to be unknown to the usual Christie’s movers and shakers, the unnamed buyer splashed out of couple of ‘James Bond’ posters (1967), as well as an iconic ‘La Dolce Vita’ poster. Maybe this guy is merely super-keen, however, it’s likely he’s pretty smart too as these vintage posters have been up-up-upping in price over the years. Interior designers love ‘em, collectors lust for them and the average punter appreciates their significance too – because, let’s face it, there’s copies on sale everywhere from Montmatre to Camden.

News – Gagosian to Open in Chelsea – New York

Gagosian is taking over the world… Well, almost. The uber-gallery is to open a fifth enterprise in New York’s Chelsea, reports Bloomberg’s Katya Kazankina. The gallery is to be housed in a converted warehouse on 528 West 21 Street and will cover some 9,200 square feet.

Showing – Fluxus: To George with Love @ Maya Stendhal Gallery – New York

This month the Maya Stendhal Gallery presents ‘To George with Love, From the Personal Collection of Jonas Mekas’. As the name suggests, the show is curated from the collection of Jonas Mekas, the man commonly known as the godfather of avant-garde cinema. A close personal friend of George Maciunas, the leader of the Fluxus Movement, Jonas has built up a remarkable selection of works, which include pieces from talents such as George Brecht, Jon Hendricks, Paul Sharits and Bob Watts. While many of these are showing at Maya Stendhal, sculptures, manuscripts and drawings from Maciunas will also be on view, alongside films such as the 'Fluxfilm Anthology', a work that consists of 41 films from different artists.

’Fluxus: To George with Love, From the Personal Collection of Jonas Mekas’ takes place at the Maya Stendhal Gallery, 545 W. 20th St. New York, NY 10011, from the 16th February – 31st March.

Showing - Jon Pylypchuk @ Alison Jacques Gallery - London

This March, LA’s resident Canadian Jon Pylychuck presents his second solo show, 'You Are All Too Close To Dropping Off Now' (left, title painting), at Alison Jacques in London. Comprising of a host of drawings, paintings and sculptures, including a super-size elephant and a second, ‘If You Get This, I’ll Suck Your Dick For an Hour’, it’s bound to be interesting. Pylychuck’s pieces are cool, cruel and curiously comical. In a mix of raw materials - glue, fabric, wood - his work is never dull, while titles are superb and strangely telling.

Jon Pylypchuk’s ‘You Are All Too Close To Dropping Off Now’ takes place at Alison Jacques Gallery, 14 Clifford Street W1, from 17th March - 22nd March.

Events – Pulse – New York

While everyone’s talking about the Whitney Biennial, Pulse New York coincides perfectly with both the latter and the Armory Show. Other than the ubiquitous showing, sales and schmooze opportunities, the whole point this bi-annual event is to ‘create a bridge’ between contemporary and established fairs. This is a valid direction to take and, in that, Pulse has some heavy exhibitors from the US and beyond. London’s Andrew Mummery, Paris’ Anne Barrault, Vienna’s Ernst Hilger and Amsterdam’s TORCH all do a little something for Europe, while galleries such as the Mark Moore Gallery and Conner Contemporary (above, Julee Holcombe's 'Architect’s Dream' ) keep things shining for America.

Pulse New York takes place at the 69th Regiment Armory, Lexington Avenue, New York, from March 10th - 13th.

Views and News - Rembrandt to Sell at Maastricht - Europe

Rembrandt. What a guy. I wonder if he had any idea, quite how much action his work would see centuries after his death; if he had a clue that his name and talent would bare such significance in today’s marketplace? Probably not, at least, not towards the end of his life during those years lived out in poverty. The irony. These days hardly a week passes without something, somewhere across the globe, happening that bares relevance to Rembrandt.

‘Portrait of a Man in a Red Doublet’ (1633), which is up for sale at the European Fine Arts Fair in Maastricht, is expected to fetch over $32.4 million. That means it will probably go for closer to $40 million. In fact, given the sheer rarity of Rembrandts’ up for grabs, it may actually sell for more. After all, the auction scene is enjoying a serious upsurge, while these masterpieces have practically doubled in price over the past decade. As to the Maastricht event, well, there’s a couple hundred art dealers out for fun, so who’s to say what could happen. Even if the painting sells for $30 million, it'll still make a mark. At that cost alone, far surpasses any other that a Rembrandt has sold for in the past.

News – Rio City Museum Heist – World

For museums in Rio de Janeiro, life ain’t exactly easy. Hardly a moment has passed since the Chacara de Ceu heist, when Rio City Museum gets an unfortunate taste of the 'guns and run' action. In a theft resembling February’s robbery, two armed men recently legged-it from the museum with a pile of priceless artifacts including, of all things, an ivory saber. Assumedly, the authorities are now scanning internet auction sites for the lost and stolen items.

News - Rio Matisse For Sale Online - World

This has to be the story of the year. First Matisse’s 'Luxemburg Gardens' (left) is lifted, most unceremoniously, from Rio de Janeiro’s Chacara do Ceu museum. Where did it go? Not far apparently, as the painting has shown up on a Russian internet auction site for just $13 million (£7.4 million). Sure it’s not exactly e-bay, but it may as well be. You see, authorities have added insult to injury by placing a somewhat dubious reward on the work. Yes, a real reward! A whole $5,000! Just imagine. Well. You'd think they'd have hoards of folk rushing to grab that kind of bounty. The only problem is, ‘Luxemburg Gardens’ is worth rather more at around, oh, $50 million. So what’s it going to be? Five grand or fifty million. You choose.

News – Rembrandt’s Birthday Turns into Tourist Attraction – Amsterdam

Amsterdam is going for a mega-profit by celebrating Rembrandt’s 400th year in style. Despite the fact that the artist died in relative poverty, he is, without doubt, the city’s favourite son – one who brings serious business and cash into the area. This will undoubtedly grow with ‘Rembrandt 400’, an event that’s rumoured to include around twenty exhibitions.

News – The Guild of Experts – World

In Russia, scholars have hooked up with officials to fight the ever-growing trade in forgeries, reports Bloomberg’s John Varoli. Creating the ‘Guild of Experts’, this new body will establish rules for authenticating artworks, while acting as a lobby for the Russian art market.

Private View Review - Christopher Simon Sykes ‘A Richer Dust Concealed’ @ Getty Images Gallery

Writer and photographer Christopher Simon Sykes was brought up at Sledmere, the Sykes family home. It's a rather large house; more of an estate than a semi-detached. So, it's safe to say that he knows a little something about the ins and outs of country piles. In fact, over the past thirty years, he's taken quite a few photos of these grand homes, bringing together a exstensive catalogue of pictures, which covers everywhere from the Devonshire seat of Chatsworth to Stanway House in Gloucestershire.

As with most large, old, expensive to run, homes, many of the places covered in Getty Images' current Sykes’ show, the aptly named ‘A Richer Dust Concealed’, are open to the public. However, unlike the paying punters, Skyes has enjoyed an up close and personal view. His images are intimate, like sights experienced by an unseen onlooker, quietly standing in the shadows, taking it all in. While there’s a fair amount of architectural coverage here – a frozen, snowed under 'Castle Howard', a smokey, static 'Woburn at Dust' – the prints that hold interest are the more personal, almost voyeuristic ones; Barbara Clutton Brock playing patience in her drawing room, Humphrey Wakefield taking it easy with his dog and, perhaps the strongest, a cluttered, chaotic 'Chatsworth Library’ in which the Duke of Devonshire, surrounded by the days' papers, lies asleep on the couch. This is an pogniant picture that sums up exactly why the prints exhibited here are more than mere image bank shots. You see, it's an absolute insider's view from Sykes. His photographs are quietly atmospheric, leaving you with the impression of a quietened room, or space, after some sort of busy activity. And that's what make these pictures so precious - seeing the aristocratic in a magical yet average, sometimes ordinary light.

Christopher Simon Sykes 'A Richer Dust Concealed' is currently on show at Getty Images Gallery, 46 Eastcastle Street, London W1.

News – China and Italy Fight Illegal Antiquities Trade - World

China and Italy have signed an agreement aimed at preventing the looting and illegal export of ancient artifacts, Lucian Harris of The Art Newspaper reports. In this, Chinese agents will be trained by the Carabinieri, Italy’s military police, while utilizing high-tech satellite navigation systems previously set up by the European Space Agency to protect heritage.

Showing This March – Carl Andre @ Sadie Coles – London

17th March sees a third showing from sculptor Carl Andre at Sadie Coles HQ in London. Once railroad worker, a member of US Army Intelligence and leader of the Minimalist movement, Andre’s work is predominantly geometrical and produced in various materials such as bricks or wood. Back in 1972, to the cost horror of whoever and whomever, the Tate splashed out on his Equivalent VII sculpture. Controversy ensued over cost. These days fists aren't held so tight, while Andre has appeared everywhere from the Guggenheim in New York to the Kusthalle Basel in Switzerland.

Carl Andre's takes place at Sadie Coles HQ, 35 Heddon Street, London W1, from the 17th March - 22nd April.

Showing – Brad Kahlhamer – Girls and Skulls – Deitch Projects - New York

On the 4th March, Brad Kahlhamer’s ‘Girls and Skulls’ opens at Deitch Projects in New York. It's an exhibition well worth checking out. Kahlhamer’s work is really something; erratic, exuberant, disturbing, colourful, crazed, there’s never a dull moment when it comes to his canvases. Indeed, it's highly likely that the Deitch show will live up to its name, especially given that the skulls and girls theme are pretty much omnipresent in Kahlhamer’s work. However, it’s not all about death and sex. Kahlhamer draws the main chunk of influences from his Native American birthright, mixes it with a little grungy rock, and then adds a touch of Willie Nelson country. It’s like a positive culture clash - and that’s kind of ironic, given that Kahlhamer was adopted by white parents and lives far from the rural Arizonan planes in urban New York.

Brad Kahlhamer’s ‘Girls and Skulls’ takes place at Deitch Projects, 76 Grand Street, New York, from the 4th March – 1st April.

News – Museum of Black History to Open - London

The Museum of Black History is set to open in 2010, Paul Arendt of The Guardian reports. The enterprise is expected to cost around £5 million and will be housed in the currently derelict, Grade One listed, Raleigh Hall in Brixton. Including everything from exhibition spaces to educational services, the museum will focus on the experiences of Caribbean and African people throughout history in the UK.

News - Stella McCartney in Art Sale Court Battle - World

Over the weekend, news broke that Stella McCartney has become tied up in an ensuing court battle over proceeds from a £27 million art sale. The works, which include pieces by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Willem de Kooning, were a part of Stella’s grandfather’s collection, sold off at Christies in New York last year. His sons from a second marriage are now challenging the sale, claiming that the art was also owned by their mother, Monique Eastman.