Insolent Art

Jace (F), Cut16, Drez, Nikon, Miztahbush, Torzmerev

on view: 11 October – 17 November 2007

curator: Bianka Zsigó

 

 

 

 

Street art is insolent. For one thing, because it is in most cases illegal and sometimes also vulgar or provocative. Secondly, even if we manage to link a creation to a particular artist, the identity of the “culprit” still remains hidden.

All of the artists exhibiting at kArton are arbitrary street “decorators” representing various forms of street art. The traditional line of graffiti is embodied by Nikon: the gigantic vibrantly coloured letters advertise the name and boldness of their maker. Miztahbush’s letter compositions, with time, abstract into meandering ornaments. It is from these bush-like images that the artist got his stage name. Aside form advertisements and other publications, Drez’s graphic design work is also known from fictive street logos.

The 1000% group is now represented by Torzmerev and Cut16. Thanks in part to their activities, the (physical) boundary separating the walls and the artwork has been erased in art institutions. The walls of the exhibition space not only provide a homogeneous background for the framed, strictly separated pieces, but have also become actual carriers of the artwork. 

 

This is the first time, by the invitation of the kArton gallery, that the French Jace, one of the best known figures in international street art, has visited Budapest. Although his little figure, Gouzou, doesn’t have a face, through his expressive movements and the symbols painted around him, the scenes, which are placed into funny contexts, quickly become intelligible to everyone. 

 

Related events:

 

12 October: Jace presents his works (animation and slide presentation), artist's talk

19 October, 5 PM: Documentary showing: Blek le Rat, The Original Stencil Pioneer (2005)

26 October, 5 PM: Documentary showing, 1000%: Clear Art (2006)

2 November, 5 PM: Documentary showing, The Run up, An Artist Documentation (Futura, Above, Swoon. Dzine, WK Interact, Logan Hicks) (2006)