mnartists.org: OX-OP Gallery

Art Attack on the Suburbs-Grumpy's Art Unveiling Party

OX-OP Gallery — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:10:53 GMT

tack on the Suburbs-Grumpy's Art Unveiling Party Saturday, March 29th, 10 PM-2 AM Grumpy's Roseville As usual we don't know what to quite to call this event. Part art show, part art installation, and part multi-media art animation thingy. 10:00pm Shag Unveiling - Cocktails and Hors Douvres 11:00pm John Grider Mural Unveiling 11:30pm Lori Barbero (Babes In Toyland) DJ's 1:00am Screening of A Purge Of Dissidents OX-OP in conjunction with Grumpy's Roseville invites you to our Grand Opening And Art Unveiling. Everyone on the list should be familiar with local artist John Grider ( www.brokencrow.com). He's been commissioned to create two massive 18 foot tall stencil murals in the bar. These are original pieces created exclusively for Grumpy's. Though they may be of a pop art leaning, they're steeped in symbolism, as the 2 designs represent the history of Minneapolis & St. Paul, in beer history that is! Grain Belt has helped us in this endeavor and that should give a clue as to the Minneapolis part. With Grumpy's step across the river, throw in another dash of significance (man I love those art terms). I'm sure a lot of you have also heard of Shag before ( www.shag.com ). At the forefront of the Juxtapoz/Low Brow movement, Shag has become an international figure in the fine art world. In 2001, OX-OP hosted his first gallery show outside of L.A., and two subsequent shows that sold-out in minutes. Consider it a retrospective of sorts, but Shag has forked over 13 artists proofs for the cause (Grumpy's suburban invasion). There will be a hyper-limited amount of these rare artist's proofs available for sale as well. There's also going to be a 1am viewing of A Purge Of Dissidents ( http://apurgeofdissidents.com/ ), the multi-media collaboration between HAZE-XXL and Dalek. The Purge show recently toured the U.S. in conjunction with the Melvins 2007 tour, and has shown at the Galleries Magda Danysz Gallery in Paris in 2006. There's nothing quite like seeing it on Grumpy's huge screen, with a great sound system and an additional 30 big screens sporting it. Grumpy's Roseville 2801 Snelling Ave. N. Roseville, MN 55113 Ph. 651-379-1180 www.grumpys-bar.com www.ox-op.com

Aesthetic Apparatus-"2nd Annual Kindling & Litter-Box-Liner Sale"

OX-OP Gallery — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:01:02 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: "The 2nd Annual Aesthetic Apparatus Kindling & Litter-Box-Liner Sale" ONE NIGHT ONLY!!! Saturday, February 9th, 6:00-11:30pm Grumpy's Bar City Club Room Minneapolis' very own and very loved/ignored graphic design team and print making powerhouse, Aesthetic Apparatus, will be selling their magical printed items at Grumpy's Downtown on the evening of Saturday, February 9th from 6-11:30 pm. The now almost famous Kindling & Litter-Box-Liner Sale will offer the public a rare chance to buy slightly damaged or misprinted posters (most people can't tell what's wrong with them) for the AMAZINGLY STUPID low price of FIVE AMERICAN DOLLARS! These prints are normally $20 on the Aesthetic Apparatus website so it's indeed a wonderful value & also gives music fans another chance to pick up the poster they drunkenly forgot to buy at the show & may now be sold out. Of course, non-crappy, full price prints will also be available along with art prints, t-shirts & random trinkets produced by Aesthetic Apparatus. Attendees on hand may also very likely witness the men of Aesthetic Apparatus be both physically & verbally abused by OX-OP/Grumpy's owner, Tom Hazelmyer (aka Haze XXL). What a treat! Aesthetic Apparatus Bio: Often considered Minneapolis' best totally unknown design super team, Aesthetic Apparatus was founded around 1999 in Madison, Wisconsin by Dan Ibarra & Michael Byzewski as a fun side project from their "real" jobs. Over the years their limited edition, screen printed concert posters have secretly snuck into the hearts & minds of a small, rather silent group of socially awkward music & design nerds. Now, Aesthetic Apparatus is a full time, full-fledged, insanely unstoppable & occasionally award winning design mega-studio. They will break your heart & drink your blood. OX-OP/Grumpy's 1111 Washington Ave S. Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-340-9738 (bar) ox-op.com

"Rome is Burning/The New School"

OX-OP Gallery — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:45:19 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: "Rome is Burning/The New School" Thursday, November 8th, 7:30 PM-9:00pm Presented @ The Foster Gallery: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Show Runs November 8th-December 2nd, 2007 The news of OX-OP's demise have been greatly exaggerated. True we did close our space & suspended booking monthly shows at the close of the 2006 Juxtapoz show but that wasn't the end of us, not by a long shot. Impressed with the quality & turnout for last year's Juxtapoz show, the Foster Gallery at the University of Wisconsin has invited us to curate a show & turned over 2 huge galleries to bring all sorts of delicious goodness over the border to the dairy state. Robt. Williams started Juxtapoz magazine in 1994 as a way to showcase art outside of the mainstream contemporary art world including those working in the medium of underground comix, rock posters, graffiti art, Kustom Kulture, and graphic design. Since then, the "lowbrow"/pop surrealism movement has gained worldwide attention & is undoubtedly the first definable art movement of the 21st century. Rome is Burning/The New School brings together some of the original players as well as members of the next generation who continue adding to the vitality of the genre. The entire show is also online at www.ox-op.com & on our Flickr page-http://flickr.com/photos/21021998@N05/ ROME IS BURNING ARTISTS: Aesthetic Apparatus • Kii Arens • Attaboy • Anthony Ausgang • Oksana Badrak • Gary Baseman • Sunny Buick • Ray Caesar • Colin Christian • Sas Christian • Coop • Dalek • Jennifer Davis • Shepard Fairey • Naoto Hattori • Haze XXL • Derek Hess • Aaron Horkey • John John Jesse • Nathan Jurevicius • Charles Krafft • Chris Mars • Angie Mason • Rob McBroom • Liz McGrath • Mark Mothersbaugh • Heiko Müller • Niagara • Martin Ontiveros • Chris Ryniak • Isabel Samaras • Shag • Bwana Spoons • Gary Taxali • 27 • Dennis Worden Special Gallery talks: November 9th @11 am-Rob McBroom November 16th @ 11 am- Anthony Ausgang November 30th @ 11 am-Gary Baseman The Foster Gallery @ The Haas Fine Arts Center University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 121 Water Street Eau Claire, WI 54703 Opening Reception November 8th 7:30-9pm Gallery Hours : Monday through Friday: 10 am - 4:30 pm Saturday & Sunday: 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm Thursday evening: 6:00 pm-8:00 pm No admission charged www.ox-op.com www.uwec.edu/Art/featuresc.htm

Aesthetic Apparatus-"The Official Aesthetic Apparatus Kindling & Litter-Box-Liner Sale"

OX-OP Gallery — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:31:46 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: The Official Aesthetic Apparatus Kindling & Litter-Box-Liner Sale ONE NIGHT ONLY!!! Saturday, February 3rd, 7:00 PM-11:00pm Grumpy's Bar City Club Room We've been listening to your feedback & agree, it HAS been too long since the last OX-OP event. Well fret no more! Join us this Saturday night for the debut of the new Aesthetic Apparatus test print installation in the City Club Room at Grumpy's Bar downtown (just steps away from the OX-OP space.) This isn't any ho-hum affair either, drink specials abound & the AA guys have kicked it up a notch, scouring their studio to sell anything and everything they could find. Test prints, misprints, scratch n' dent prints, art prints, shirts, toys, buttons and any other crap that might be lying around. Remember, the sale is ONE NIGHT ONLY so don't miss out! OX-OP/Grumpy's 1111 Washington Ave S. Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-781-6120 www.ox-op.com

Gary Baseman- "MOD Manifestations Of Desire"

OX-OP Gallery — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 00:07:36 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: Gary Baseman -"MOD-Manifestations of Desire" Artist Reception Saturday, January 7th, 7:00 PM-10:00pm Show runs January 7th-31st OX-OP is blasting into the new year with Gary Baseman's newest solo exhibition, "MOD - Manifestations of Desire" which debuts Saturday, January 7th, further blurring the line between folk and fine art with his strong iconic images, both playful and dark, childlike and adult, id driven and thought provoking. As a follow-up to his sold-out show at OX-OP in '03, his newest collection of paintings are in even greater demand, as Baseman's popularity has exploded with successes including 3 Emmy awards for his cartoon series, Teacher's Pet (which was also made into a full-length feature film), a 352-page book of his art, titled "Dumb Luck" published by Chronicle Books, solo gallery exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo, and work hanging in the prestigious permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. and the Museum of Modern Art in Rome. Entertainment Weekly Magazine named Mr. Baseman as one of the 100 Most Creative People in Entertainment. And in an interview with Baseman for boingboing, Crown Dozen stated that "No single person has done more to help define, progress and legitimize the current movement towards accessible art than Gary Baseman." An apt description of his quirky, captivating style appeared in Publisher's Weekly, May 2004: "Eradicating the boundary between sick and silly, Baseman's paintings and illustrations inhabit a world of cute-and-cuddly depravity. Populated by goofy, wide-eyed dogs, winking devils and decapitated clowns, each work is a self-contained narrative of cartoon mayhem, each character a collision of the adorable and the grotesque." Of course, the mesmerizing appeal of Baseman's work is best appreciated in person. After all, Gary Baseman is leaving sunny California to brave the bitter cold of January in Minnesota. The least we can do to thank him is to show up. OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 4-8pm Sat 1-5pm, or by appointment New shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom rob@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Mark Mothersbaugh-"Postcard Diaries"

OX-OP Gallery — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:20:34 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: Mark Mothersbaugh "Postcard Diaries" Artist Reception Saturday, December 3rd, 7:00 PM-10:00pm Show runs December 3rd-21st, 2005 OX-OP Arts presents Mark Mothersbaugh, DEVO frontman and fine artist, along with his most recent gallery collection, POSTCARD DIARIES. These hyper-limited fine art prints document Mothersbaugh's postcard illustrations, a habit formed during downtime on early worldwide tours with DEVO. He began by illustrating postcards to send to his friends, which he still creates, and has been creating every day for over 30 years; a very obsessive habit which still yields anywhere from 1 to 25 new images per day. These cards were originally created as his personal diaries, and were never intended for public viewing. That all changed when Mark decided to share his postcard works in his critically-acclaimed solo shows during the 80's & 90's, and with his gallery tour in 2003 titled HOMEFRONT INVASION! Mothersbaugh's previous show at OX-OP, BEAUTIFUL MUTANTS, (which began its nationwide tour at OX-OP in January, 2004) showcased his photographic symmetrical creations and 'corrected' imagery, and opened to a packed house of both art collectors and DEVO fans alike. Mark's love of art started early in his childhood, just after it was discovered that he was extremely nearsighted and legally blind. His first correctional glasses offered Mark a new view of the world, inspiring his obsession with imagery and illustrations. His first works, which he began creating in the late 60's and into the 70's, consisted of many different mediums, including rubber stamp designs, ink illustrations, screen printing, decals, and mail art. He participated in local showings, and received recognition for his work in his home town of Akron, Ohio. With DEVO, his most successful music project, Mark was able to showcase his artistic abilities on a larger scale, and to millions of people. Through their films, videos, costumes, LP covers, stage shows, and printed materials, Mark and DEVO forever altered commonly held preconceptions of how a rock band should function in popular culture. OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 4-8pm Sat 1-5pm, or by appointment New shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom rob@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Gary Taxali-"Chumpy's Specials"

OX-OP Gallery — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 05:53:38 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: Gary Taxali-"Chumpy's Specials" Artist Reception Saturday, November 5th, 7:00 PM-10:00pm Show runs November 5th-30th MINNEAPOLIS, MN- Gary Taxali's "fictional packaging" employs his simple, playful and expressive imagery. Much of his work is on antiquated textbooks which have an aged surface Gary thinks "are just screaming to be drawn on!" Some characters make appearances in more than one painting which is an example of Taxali's notion of "branding" where an image becomes so accessible that they take on religious iconography status. Gary Taxali was born in Chandigarh, India November 5, 1968 (Yes, his birthday is opening night.) His family moved to Toronto, Canada when he was a year old; he lived there until he graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1991. After a crazy year of living in New York City in 1992, he returned to Toronto and via numerous commercial illustration and advertising gigs, began to infiltrate the North American sensibility. Chances are that you've already encountered his work. His illustrations have appeared in almost every major magazine including Time, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, Fortune, Men's Journal, The New York Times & Business Week. Among his advertising contributions have been with Converse, Sony, Levi's and an animated commerical for Coca-Cola. He has numerous awards from prestigious organizations and publications and has won the Silver Medal in 2001 from the Society of Illustrators (New York) and a Gold Medal in 2000 from the Society of American Illustrators (Los Angeles). If that weren't already enough, his work is also in the collections of The Victoria and Albert Museum (London) & The Royal Ontario Museum. Currently, Gary working on his first children's book, which he also wrote. When not making art, a portion of his time is devoted to lecturing and teaching illustration at various art schools such as Sheridan College and The Ontario College of Art and Design OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 4-8pm Sat 1-5pm, or by appointment New shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom rob@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Nathan Jurevicius-"Tunnel Vision"

OX-OP Gallery — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 05:41:44 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: NATHAN JUREVICIUS-"Tunnel Vision" Artist Reception Saturday, October 8th, 7-10pm Show runs October 8th-31st This month at OX-OP, artist and Australia-native Nathan Jurevicius invites the Twin Cities to share his Technicolor vision of a world populated with lovable mutants, huggable inbreds and shiny-eyed monsters. His incredibly appealing style of saturated color and twisted cute has made him a successful illustrator and toy designer, who is now taking on the gallery world. Most widely recognized as the talent behind Scarygirl, (which people "in the know" have been rabidly snapping up like the delicious eye-candy it is), Nathan Jurevicius has been telling stories with his art for over 10 years. Since graduating from the University of South Australia with a degree in design, Nathan has worked in the fields of fine art, editorial illustration, broadcast animation, photography, short film and toy creation. Nathan's most notable project to date has been his hugely successful Scarygirl brand --- a diverse collection of designer vinyl toys, products and clothing. The Scarygirl concept has been optioned by Passion Pictures (famous for its award-winning Gorillaz music clips) and is now in early development for a feature-length animated film. In addition to creating his own product line, he has worked with MTV, The Wall Street Journal, Coca-Cola, Warner Bros, and most recently, designing mascots for the World Expo in Japan. When he's not traveling to galleries and toy expos, Nathan lives mostly in Toronto, Canada with his wife Lizzy, three young children Milo, Arkie, Sass and imaginary friend Andrew. OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 4-8pm Sat 1-5pm, or by appointment New shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom rob@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Shepard Fairey "Visual Disobedience"

OX-OP Gallery — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 23:53:18 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: OBEY - SHEPARD FAIREY VISUAL DISOBEDIENCE Artist Reception Sat. SEPT. 3RD, 7pm - 10pm Show runs SEPT. 3rd - OCT. 4th Internationally recognized and worshipped by many, Shepard Fairey (OBEY/GIANT) returns to OX-OP on September 3rd to host his version of "Visual Disobedience." Since his last appearance at OX-OP in 2003, he has become ever more in demand, as he and his OBEY propaganda/fine art march ceaselessly toward complete global domination. Shepard Fairey knows a thing or two about influencing culture. His omnipresent "Andre the Giant" streetcampaign has long been haunting consumer culture. An astute student in the arts of persuasion, Fairey began his epic satire back in 1989, while still a student at The Rhode Island School of Design. Since then, his propaganda has been proliferated through stickers, clothing, skateboards, posters, stencil based graffiti and even a documentary film, to spread over the United States and the unsuspecting world at large. Fairey's ideas have sparked an entire new movement in the art community, taking it from galleries to the street, and often back into galleries and even museums. Shepard has shown his work in solo gallery exhibitions all over the U.S. as well as in Japan, the U.K., Sweden, France, Belgium, Denmark, and Australia. Shepard has permanent collections on display in numerous museums, including the New Museum of Design in New York, the MOCA San Diego, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. He has lectured at numerous art conferences and colleges, including his alma mater, the Rhode Island School of Design. Rob McBroom rob@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Derek Hess: "Descent from Grace"

OX-OP Gallery — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 23:28:58 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: DEREK HESS: "DESCENT FROM GRACE" FINE ART ORIGINALS AND POSTERS Artist Reception Saturday JUL. 9TH, 7:00 pm - 10:00pm Seawhores performing at Grumpy's after the reception. (both events are free) Show runs JUL 9th - JUL 31st Minneapolis, MN - OX-OP Arts presents a solo show by Cleveland, Ohio-based artist Derek Hess. Examples of his work are included in the Louvre's permanent poster collection, and, his first portfolio is part of a permanent collection at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Derek Hess was introduced to the Twin Cities by Robyne Robinson at her groundbreaking Flatland Gallery several years ago to much acclaim, so his return is highly anticipated. For Hess, life is nothing but a series of lines - connected by color and explained by perspective - that offer both the questions and the answers. As a contemporary artist, he metaphorically strives to find the perfect line that causes riots in the streets and touches the spirit of the soul, peeling back the layers to expose the core of society, which oftentimes reveals a vision of gritty imagery and an oblique point of view. While studying drawing and printmaking at the Cleveland Institute of Art and the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Hess began booking shows at Cleveland's then underground venue The Euclid Tavern (1989 - 1995). Working in the environment of indie rock's DIY aesthetic prompted Hess to design rock posters for each show. Hess has created hundreds of posters for bands ranging from Pink Floyd and Pearl Jam to the Cows, yet easily distinguishing himself from the bourgeoning Art Poster community with a fine art edge that surpasses the usually iconic and graphic based norms of that genre. Note: We are aware that it IS July & the gallery is clad in metal. The air conditioning "situation" has been remedied. OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 4-8pm as well as by appointment, with new shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom rob@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP gallery 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Jaime Hayon: "Mon Cirque"

OX-OP Gallery — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 04:03:21 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: JAIME HAYON: "Mon Cirque" Artist Reception Sat. Aug. 6TH, 7pm - 10pm Show runs Aug. 6th - Aug. 31st Minneapolis, MN - OX-OP Arts presents a solo show by Barcelona, Spain-based artist, Jaime Hayon, recently referred to as "the most promising of a new wave of young Spanish designers." Fine Artist? Industrial Designer? Sculptor? Graphic Designer? You try and peg him. Jaime Hayon moves seamlessly back and forth, with a depth of talent reminiscent of a modern day Salvador Dali. According to OX-OP Curator Tom Hazelmyer, "This is the kind of show you'd expect to see at the Walker (and probably will five years from now). From where I sit, there is NO ONE I've seen internationally who is as adept at transforming/ bending/expanding genres at will with such incredible results. I can't stress enough that this is a once in a lifetime chance to get in on this thing before it's out of reach, and hopefully the Twin Cities will take advantage of the opportunity." Artist/designer Jaime Hayon was born in Madrid in 1974, but his career has evolved around the world. In fact, the Spanish native started working in sweatshops in L.A. (he jokes that there weren't many other options for a 17 year old Spanish-speaking runaway), and within a short time was designing skateboards for the then cutting-edge underground SoCal industry, and within a decade finds himself exhibiting in the Design Museum of London. "Upon viewing photos of his recent Madrid Exhibition when meeting Jaime in Tokyo, I pulled out all the stops in getting him to appear in Minneapolis, and after stumbling out of Karaoke at 5am, he finally agreed," says Hazelmyer. No easy task, as Hayon is in demand everywhere -- being flown out to NYC to design hotels, courted by every major gallery and art rep in L.A., and jetting off to do major museum installations in between. Being a multifaceted creator, Jaime has been transcending the borders of the often separated worlds of art and design, merging his own style with ease between the two. This can be seen in his Art Toys, which have reached new heights of popularity in Asia, placing him on the forefront of this increasingly growing field which is now infiltrating design and popular culture around the globe. At the other end of the spectrum of Jaime's work, you can find another level of sophistication in his large-scale Ceramic pieces and exhibitions in highly respected galleries such as that of London's David Gill. He honed his talents in places such as: Los Angeles; Paris; Treviso, Italy (where he was the Director of the Design department at Fabrica) and Hong Kong. Previously, his work has been shown at the Vitra Design Museum and he has work in an upcoming exhibition at the Design Museum in London. Jaime has also been invited to conferences with these world-renowned organizations: IdN from Hong Kong, AIGA from the U.S., and Agideas from Melbourne, Australia. He has worked with a wide range of clients, such as Metalarte, Artquitect Edition, Coca Cola, Fontvella Danone group, Benetton, The New Yorker, FAD, Adidas and New Metropolis museum in Amsterdam. His work has been featured in many cutting-edge design publications such as: Wallpaper*; Interni; Surface; Oxygen; Domus; Abitare; I.D.; and Studio Voice among others. OX-OP ARTS 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 Rob McBroom- rob@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin Tiff@ox-op.com www.ox-op.com

Shag-"Push Your Luck"

OX-OP Gallery — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 21:57:45 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: SHAG "Push Your Luck" Paintings & Prints Artist Reception Saturday June 4th, 7:00 PM-10:00pm Show runs June 4th-30th (The Twins have a home game scheduled but we will have the parking lot reserved for those attending the show) MINNEAPOLIS, MN-OX-OP was in on the Shag phenomenon from the start, hosting his first solo show outside of L.A. Those who attended the early shows (back then, in Grumpy's City Club) got a crack at was to become Shag mania. Since then, even a simple book signing at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art had Shag fans lined up out the door. Fortunately, despite the fact that he is hounded by top galleries in NYC, London, Tokyo, etc., we're lucky to have Shag loyal enough to squeeze us into what now is an insane demand/schedule. Josh Agle (probably better known as Shag, a contraction of the last two letters of his first name and the first two letters of his last) is a painter, illustrator and designer working in Southern California. His initial intention to establish a career as an illustrator-for-hire was sidetracked when his original paintings began to garner considerable attention from galleries and collectors. Since his first solo gallery show in 1997, Shag has had successful solo exhibitions in the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia. The paintings themselves celebrate consumerism and consumption on vividly colored, sharply rendered panels; the characters drink, smoke and eat in lavish, stylish surroundings. But Agle sees the visuals of his work as window-dressing or stage scenery. He's more concerned with the narrative of the art. "Most of my paintings are set in the middle of a story or situation -- characters are interacting and reacting to each other and to outside events." Agle doesn't offer too many clues about the stories, preferring that the viewer create his or her own narratives to fit the situations. In 2004, MGM Studios invited Shag to redesign the Pink Panther character for its 40th anniversary. The Shag-style panther appears on DVDs and merchandise worldwide for the next three years. In 2005, Shag With A Twist, a live dance musical based on the artwork of Shag opened at the Los Angeles Theatre Center for a 13 week run. The production, sponsored by the City of LA and the San Pedro Ballet was critically acclaimed and a touring production is now being planned. Currently Shag paints in a large studio in the hills above Southern California. He is currently working on paintings for upcoming exhibits in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Sydney. OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 4-8pm Sat 1-5pm, or by appointment New shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom wes@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Billy Childish-Paintings, Prints, Poetry & Performance

OX-OP Gallery — Mon, 16 May 2005 05:08:09 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS, FROM THE U.K.: BILLY CHILDISH: Paintings, Prints, Poetry & Performance Artist Reception Saturday, May 7th, 7:00 pm - 10:00pm (free) with Solo Blues / Spoken Word Performance - 11:00pm ($10) (After opening - in Grumpy's City Club) MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- On Saturday, May 7th, the OX-OP gallery welcomes U.K. based artist Billy Childish for a unique exhibition of art in the Stuckist tradition, "a movement opposed to the current pretensions of so-called Brit Art, Performance Art, Installation Art, Video Art, Conceptual Art, Minimal Art, Body Art, Digital Art and anything claiming to be art which incorporates dead animals or beds - mainly because they are unremarkable and boring." The work of Childish is anything but, with paintings and prints as achingly raw and immediate as a rug burn. A cult figure in America, Europe and Japan, Billy Childish is by far the most prolific painter, poet, and song-writer of his generation. In a twenty year period, he has published 30 collections of his poetry, recorded over 70 full-length independent LP's and produced over 1000 paintings. In 1999, he founded Stuckism, a radical art movement to advance figurative painting with ideas as the most vital artistic means of addressing contemporary issues. Born in 1959 in Chatham, Kent, Billy Childish left Secondary education at 16 an undiagnosed dyslexic. Refused an interview at the local art school he entered the Naval Dockyard at Chatham as an apprentice stonemason. During the following six months (the artist's only prolonged period of employment), he produced some six hundred drawings in 'the tea huts of hell. On the basis of this work he was accepted into St. Martin's School of Art to study painting. However, his acceptance was short-lived and he was soon expelled for his outspokenness and unorthodox working methods. With no qualifications and no job prospects, Childish then spent some 12 years 'painting on the dole', developing his own highly personal writing style and producing his art independently. This intensive and broad reaching 25 year history can hardly be summed up in a couple paragraphs, please check with WWW.THEEBILLYCHILDISH.COM for more info. OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 4-8pm Sat 1-5pm, or by appointment New shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom wes@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Kii Arens-"The Yard Sale"

OX-OP Gallery — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 22:47:50 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: KII ARENS-YARD SALE Artist Reception Saturday Apr. 9TH, 7:00 PM-10:00pm Show runs Apr. 9th-Apr. 28th (Postcards have a typo that show Friday Date, Show Opener is indeed on Sat. APR 9!) Kii Arens is an artist whose style is meticulously fun. Making the old look brand new. Mulit-format, every changing and growing. His introduction into the art world is a series of large SPIN-ART pieces which were recently featured at the M Modern Gallery in Palm Springs, Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles, The Outre in Melbourne and OX-OP in Minneapolis. His frist SPIN-ART piece entitled 'La-La Land' has become the album cover for Cheap Tricks' latest release entitled 'Special One'. Kii states, "This was an idea conjured up at a Spin-O-Paint booth at the Minnesota State Fair about three years ago. I have this never-ending tendency to tickle the memory banks of my childhood through my design. This body of work is a reflection of my playful design sense through shape balance and color juxtaposition" Kii's latest art obsession is 3D, backlit pieces that involve motion and are worlds on to themselves. Imagine old moving waterfall beer signs taken to the next level. The main motivation behind these pieces are to simply blow peoples minds, including his own. "I get such a kick out of doing things that make people say "WOW!" When I finish a new piece I get a feeling inside that just feels right. At that point I know my piece of art is done. Move on to the next hair-brained concoction." Here's a bit of background on Kii. He's a Pop-Artist with a bent towards Rock-N-Roll. Never formally trained, this St. Paul, Minnesota native grew up with a fascination for album covers, band logos, and font styles. He credits Saturday mornings in the '70's spent watching Sid and Marty Krofft as his main inspirations for color. His big break came when working in the main office of Woodstock '94 in upstate New York. After noting that all of the designs submitted for the event looked as though they were made in 1969, he created a design for the backstage passes that wasn't a tie-die and was immediately reassigned as their new graphic designer for the event. Upon his return home from "Mudsville", he received a phone call from Niceman, a Rock-N-Roll merchandising company who hired him to design tour shirts for their never-ending roster of artists. Working in an office at Twin-Tone Records, he created designs for such artists as: Cheap Trick, Sheryl Crow, R.E.M., Helmet, Liz Phair, Soundgarden, Seal, Van Halen (with Sammy... boo-hoo), Marliyn Manson, Everclear, and more. While at Twin-Tone, he was also asked to design album covers as a return favor for all of the free late night computer time. Since then, Kii has designed a ton of packages for various artists. He also has created a few orignal fonts. In 1999, Kii was once again hired by Woodstock to design the look for the 1999 event. Before agreeing on a fee for his work, they used a design of his in a full-page ad in U.S. Today without permission. Due to their mistake, Kii gained a chunk of change and, believe it or not, a spot on the main stage for the rock band Flipp. The Woodstock designs allowed him to move from his basement apartment a warehouse loft in Nordeast Minneapolis and now in his new art gallery in Hollywood called La-La Land. (lalalandgallery.com) OX-OP is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 4-8pm Sat 1-5pm, or by appointment New shows opening the first Saturday of every month. Rob McBroom wes@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com

Burlesque of North America: First Blood, Part III

OX-OP Gallery — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 01:17:58 GMT

OX-OP ARTS PRESENTS: Burlesque of North America Todd Bratrud • Mike Davis • Aaron Horkey • Skye Rossi • George Thompson • Wes Winship Artists Reception Saturday, March 5th, 7:00 pm - 10:00pm Show runs March 5th - March 31st MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Collectively, Burlesque Design has dozens of fine art shows under their belts. Add in public displays with street art of varying degrees of legality, along with their more recent forays into the realm of the art/rock poster, and odds are you've seen their work. This March, it's all getting pulled together for a massive blowout at OX-OP that will include all aspects of this guerilla unit's efforts. Burlesque Design of North America, a Minneapolis-based design collective, has, in the past couple of years, spread its sluggers around the country. On the West Coast roster, you can find Todd Bratrud, of Consolidated Skateboards fame; Mike Davis, aka Mike the 2600 King, creator of Twelve Car Pileup; Aaron Horkey, precision illustrator for RVCA Clothing, Iota and Consolidated Skateboards, Black Osprey Designs and others; and the most recent California trade, George R. Thompson IV, another RVCA team-starter, formerly at Fobia Skateboards. Back in the Midwest, original team players Wes Winship, LifeSucksDie alum and Auxiliary Printing guru, and Skye Rossi of the Rhymesayers Entertainment camp are always on deck. Most recently, Minneapolis has seen the creative genius of the entire outfit displayed at this summer's Walker in the Rough miniature golf course where Burlesque created hole #8, Life Sucks, for the Walker Arts Center. Other recent exhibits have seen their collaborative posters for concerts and tours displayed at the Plaster the Town I and II shows at the Back Alley Gallery, The Minnesota Museum of American Art's First FridaySeries, and, soon, they will appear at the Flatstock VI conference in Austin, TX. Individually, all six artists have had a prolific few years, designing record covers, gig posters, advertising layouts, logos, television spots, and t-shirts, among other items, but each of these designs starts and ends as a singular piece of art. Burlesque Design of North America invites you to join them in a celebration of what they create in the off-hours: First Blood, Part III. Rob McBroom wes@ox-op.com Tiff Larkin tiff@ox-op.com 612-259-0085 OX-OP 1111 Washington Ave S. (Behind Grumpy's Bar) Minneapolis, MN 55415 Ph. 612-259-0085 www.ox-op.com