Yesterday, June 19, Ciudad Esperanza, Luciano Calderon’s first solo exhibition in a museum pre-opened at Museo de Arte Antonio Paredes Candia in El Alto, Bolivia. The exhibition is a continuation of his recent show, El Choco, in which Calderon’s hometown of El Alto and the neighboring city La Paz played a central role. Ciudad Esperanza includes both new large scale works as well as some older pieces, both of which evoked strong positive feedback from the enthusiastic crowd at the pre-opening.

As he did with El Choco, Calderon collaborated with local craftsmen of his neighborhood to produce some of his works for Ciudad Esperanza. In Chismoso Como Tu, which translates to God sees everything but he ain’t a snitch like you, Calderon uses a common phrase to reflect on the mentality that prevails on the streets of El Alto, a city where almost everybody lives under harsh circumstances.

Calderon’s painting Escudo is inspired by El Alto’s official coat of arms. Using his own unique visual language, Calderon took the text from this coat of arms and transformed it into an art piece.

The official opening will take place later this month.

Chismoso Como Tu, 2013, mixed media on plastic, 220x340cm

Escudo, 2013, mixed media on canvas, 150x200cm

Muralla Alteña, 2013, plastic bags, wood, 600x380cm

El Choco, installation view

Luciano Calderon with Sandra Arcani, the producer of the knitted body and masks

Ahora Tienes Un Problema, Fuera De Control, El Dinero Es Mentira, 2013, hand woven masks

El Choco, installation view

Patrullando & Vigilando, 2013, two channel video, dimensions variable, Ed. 5

Crimen Andino, 2013, mixed on canvas, 200x150cm

Yo Soy El Alto, 2013, mixed media on canvas, 150x200cm

Estoy Perdido, 2013, mixed media on canvas, 120x150cm

Tienda Andrea, 2013, mixed media on canvas, 150x200cm

El Choco, installation view

Last week Luciano Calderon’s exhibition opened.

Click for all the information about the exhibition.

VIDEO

PHOTOS

We are delighted to share some exclusive studio photos of Luciano Calderon’s upcoming show next week in La Paz, Bolivia.

> Read all about the exhibition and see more photos here or check the older preview

> Download the presskit: web, print

Photos by Gabriel Barceló

Hendrik Beikirch’s upcoming solo exhibition, Transsib – Greyhound. Paintings from train and bus rides, is a showcase of his latest works. As the title suggests, they are inspired by his travels and encounters on Russia’s Trans-Siberian Railway and America’s Greyhound buses. Both transport the working classes, connecting people and products and bringing them in line. In Beikirch’s canvases, it is difficult to determine whether subjects hail from the East or the West, with only tiny details giving any clue. Like his previous works in graffiti, Beikirch blurs the boundaries.

In both his large-scale murals and canvases, Hendrik Beikirch depicts the personal and the private, portraits that tell a story. Instead of illustrating famous people, he draws attention to those who have a magnetic personality or some other recognition value, characters who become all the more interesting because they remain anonymous.

Beikirch takes inspiration from accidental and brief encounters. In some cases, he gains insight into his sitter’s life. At other times, the particulars remain unknown. As such, his paintings are open to interpretation whilst exuding authenticity.

The 39-year-old German artist enlarges his portraits as tall as 70 meters (230 ft.). He applies India ink, acrylic paint, and spray paint – a rough tool that does not allow for pinpoint accuracy, but it does effectively reveal Beikirch’s background in graffiti, and the glance, expression and mood of his subjects.

The exhibition is open until May 19, 2013.

> more information

Installation view

Installation view

That Discussion, 220x360cm, mixed media on canvas, board and dibond
(click above to enlarge)

Shape: Burn A/C, 180x240cm, mixed media on canvas
(click above to enlarge)

Twitter, 110x165cm, print on dibond

Line A/B, 40x60cm, print on Hahnemühle paper

Line A/H, 40x60cm, print on Hahnemühle paper

Installation view

Shape B/B, 2012

Shape A/N, 2012

After the video teaser and a preview here are some exclusive installation views of Filippo Minelli’s solo show in Germany, enjoy! The exhibition runs until January 20.

interview in Backspin

wherethereisnostrugglethereisnostrength in VIEW

pripyat I, 2011 (190x150cm) at Blooom Art Fair in Cologne, Germany

chita I, 2012 (150x112cm), Soze Gallery

installed in Aarhus, Denmark

subwayno03 installed in Aarhus, Denmark

- the last issue of German Backspin magazine features an interview with Hendrik Beikirch
- the large mural in Busan, South Korea has been printed in numerous magazines such as German VIEW, Bloomberg and others
- the canvas pripyat I, 2011 (190x150cm), inspired by Beikirch’s trip to chernobyl has been shown at Blooom Art Fair in Cologne, Germany last month.
- Beikirch’s next group show is called graffuturism and opens at Soze Gallery in Los Angeles on Dec 14
- more works have been installed in the city scape of Aarhus, Denmark, more to come..