12.26.2010

Vandalized Beauty

At 20 years old, Pedro Matos is giving new life to the term 'street art'. Hailing from Portugal, Pedro grew up in the graffiti clad, skateboarding scene and is a self taught artist. What's truly remarkable and fresh is his undeniable photo realistic illustrative skills.
I love how his "grungy" backgrounds acts as a contrast to the very detailed, refined faces of real people. The backgrounds seem to fit in perfectly with each subjects persona and even add a sense of emotion to each. 

The Power of Your Senses



Ernesto Neto is a Brazilian artist that creates room sized installations for you to interact with. He creates organic shapes by using light, stretchable fabrics along with delicious smelling spices to awaken all of your senses... he wants the viewer to actually feel his art. He is one of Brazil's absolute leaders in the contemporary art scene.





He describes his works as an exploration and a representation of the body’s landscape from within. It is important to Neto that the viewer should actively interact with and physically experience his work by feeling, smelling, and touching it. His work truly does make you feel alive.




12.25.2010

Cheryl Molnar

Cheryl Molnar has lived in New York for most of her life. Born and bred on Long Island, she was taught from an early age the meaning of the "American Dream". Like most parents during that time, their definition of responsible was someone who owns a home, is settled down, is married with children, has a steady job with health insurance and everything that comes with it. 
Being from Long Island, the epitome of success came in the form of a ranch house in the center of suburban Long Island with the likes of Levittown where it was possible for young families to purchase new homes for nothing in order to lead to 'mass migration'. Playing with these themes, Cheryl took her thoughts to paper and creates the most unique, playful collages dealing with visuals I am more than familiar with. 





Falling Cities

As much as i hate to think about this subject, I have lots of respect for Amy Casey and the way she deals with the dark side of her mind. Amy is an artist who beautifully interprets her deepest thoughts, which happen to be a certain recurring dream for the past eight years about the world coming to an end… 
Animals stampeding and buildings falling into dust around her, she wakes up in a panic and with a heavy sense of inevitability. Her paintings reflect her view of the nervous state of affairs the world seems to be in.