“According to The Broad’s website, ‘Murakami’s influence on Japan rivals Andy Warhol’s on the United States.’ But unlike Warhol, who’s gone but not forgotten, Murakami is still working, and at 55, seems to be only improving. His two jaw-dropping ‘superflat’ works on display front and center at The Broad were both done in the last ten years.”

This is by no means meant to demean the importance of those visionary artists, but by far the most impressive paintings on display at the wholly impressive space were by an artist I’d never really spent too much time with, Takashi Murakami.

Apparently though, I’m the only one who’s new to Murakami’s fine pop art stylings, as his recent show at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg, just logged 193,000 some-odd visitors, making it the most well attended exhibition in the Museum’s 50-year history. And the two massive, vibrant paintings currently on display at The Broad certainly showed me exactly why he’s so popular.

Pop would be a good place to start, too, as Murakami’s creations very obviously elicit a Japanese pop culture influence, particularly anime, manga, toys, and video games. Indeed, according to The Broad’s website, “Murakami’s influence on Japan rivals Andy Warhol’s on the United States.” Unlike Warhol, who’s gone but not forgotten, Murakami is still working, and at 55, seems to be only improving. His two jaw-dropping “superflat” works on display front and center at The Broad were both done in the last ten years. (Superflat refers to the post-modern art movement that Murakami created, which refers to recognizable flattened forms pervasive in anime and manga, while also commenting on the shallowness of Japanese consumer culture.)

One of The Broad’s current Murakami hangings is the first painting you see when you go up the museum’s futuristic escalator, which empties into a huge, white, open space, with Murakami’s 82-foot, acrylic on canvas, “In the Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow” filling up two entire walls. The showstopper is Murakami’s cartoonishly metaphorical reaction to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, set inside the historical context of Japan’s history of natural disasters. It’s also informed by artist Kano Kazunobu’s 150-year-old scrolls, created in response to the 1855 Ansei Edo earthquake, and populated with 500 arhats, Buddhist stewards who have attained nirvana. It took me a full half hour of awe-inspired introspection to get from one end to the other.

I next dropped a good amount of time at Murakami’s much smaller, but by no means small, 118 1/8 x 239 3/8 x 2 in. acrylic and platinum leaf on canvas mounted on aluminum frame, “Hustle ‘n’ Punch By KaiKai and Kiki.” As you can see in the pic above, there are a thousand flowers and faces, with a million eyes staring at you, and each eye is a circle within a circle within a circle. It would take me years to paint so many circles, and all mine would be wildly more incongruous then Murakami’s perfect, bold lines. What does it all mean? Why so much shock, and revulsion within the seemingly springy and ebullient confines?

Who knows? Maybe Murakami? Maybe me, deep within, on a subconscious level. Maybe you. That’s the beauty of art, particularly Murakami’s: an inviting, bold, magnetic passage, that compels you to get lost within his metaphysical and physical gift, a human connection to a heavenly world.

The post Superflat is Where’s it’s At: Takashi Murakami is Your New Favorite Artist appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

In my first encounter with Jerami Goodwin, aka STAINO aka @seanpenncils, it was clear what kind of artist he was — immensely prolific, always creating.

“You could even say graffiti is the most powerful art, because of what it might take to create the piece. Most artists have a canvas and work in the comfort of their studio. When you’re scaling a building, or you only have 45 seconds to paint on a truck, it results in an alternative mindset and unique artwork that can only exist under that sort of pressure and those circumstances.”

Upon arrival at his classic Bowery walk-up in a perfectly patinaed building, I was shown into a massive white studio stretching both directions. There’s a luminescent table at one end, and of course, a few stylish gents hunched over computers. As I neared the end of my trek from the door to the table, I was greeted by an outstretched hand, a grinning face and an enthusiastic “Hey man, I’m Jerami, nice to meet you — lemme show you around!”

Goodwin is originally from Atlanta, GA, “the strip club capital of America” he noted with a chuckle. He moved to NYC nearly ten years ago, making a name for himself as a street artist, tattoo artist, skater, and occasional break dancer.

“The culture really just attracted me, there’s so much. And with graffiti art, it’s so interactive and just adds to the experience of when you come to New York City. You could even say graffiti is the most powerful art, because of what it might take to create the piece. Most artists have a canvas and work in the comfort of their studio. When you’re scaling a building, or you only have 45 seconds to paint on a truck, it results in an alternative mindset and unique artwork that can only exist under that sort of pressure and those circumstances. I’d even argue because of the illegality it’s one of the most emotionally engaging art forms.”

Today, Goodwin and his team are working on a t-shirt graphic titled, THE SOHO SKI TEAM for his Player’s Club apparel line. The joke of course being, that there are no white mountains of snow in SoHo. Well, at least not the kind you can ski on.

While the idea was conceptualized earlier today, they’ve already lined up a meeting with a local artist and a screen-printer to get the first couple samples tomorrow.

The imagery draws from a retro late ’80s logo, and although it feels familiar, there’s something contemporary and modernized about it, like a future interpretation of retro. And it works.

As Goodwin explains, “I show graffiti and street art, but I don’t like to call the work we display ‘street art’ We’re classically trained artists, skateboarders, photographers, and sculptors. [During an exhibit] This studio becomes an artwork and display of culture, in and of its self whenever there’s a show, and my aim is to create a space to enable and connect creatives — my gallery is a destination.”

After showing me around the space, we head around the corner to a Thai place with Jerami’s friend, Brazilian artist Pixote to talk in more detail about the gallery:

CW: Tell me about your last show?

JG: Last collection was a 40 artist group show, at my gallery, none of the work was for sale, and I’d describe it as more of a display. A statement of what I think is collectible, and the artists I’ve chosen to represent. I mean, we talked about it earlier, but I choose what artworks participate in the show based on the art. This might seem like, ‘duh’ but what I mean is that with many [of the artists] it’s just about the art. Some I may not be in touch with anymore, but it’s about the art and an expression of my eye. I’m showcasing my eye, as a curator and collector.

CW: What are you working on and exploring right now?

JG: Looking to the future. Fashion is art, and it’s another avenue I want to explore. Texture and construction are really cool to me. I like making beautiful things, be it create a new brand, web content, figure out how to market it, or make a limited line of custom gallery apparel pieces. Right now, I’ve got limited-edition gallery prints, and gallery apparel from the most recent show for sale, you can check out my IG — @seanpenncils — for more. I also do modeling, not that I’m a model, but I was chosen to be one of the five artists in the new Band of Outsiders campaign. It’s just another avenue of expression and creative collaboration. The brand has recently relaunched under new creative direction, and I was chosen as one of five artists to be the face of this relaunch. It’s really new to me, and it’s really cool to contribute and surround yourself with such a talented group.

CW: When are upcoming shows, and what can we expect?

JG: My next showcase is on February 3rd ( at 99 Bowery) of my friend Daniel Weiss’ photographs. The debut solo show titled “New York Photographs” will show 26 of Daniel’s most iconic photographs taken in the city. Regarding what you can expect for the future of the gallery? You can expect to find artists who are young, some who are old, some known, some not known, and everything in between. Some artists how have been involved with the gallery include Ricky Powell, Retna, COST, to name a few. They’re all key players in the scene locally, but I showcase just as many artists who haven’t hung much work before. The layout of the gallery, coming back to our earlier conversation, transcends all kinds of art forms. The show itself becomes an experience to engage with as both an artwork and lifestyle, and I’m stoked to play with and layer in the medium of photography.

CW: What do you wish you had known five years ago. What would you tell a younger version of yourself?

JG: That’s a hard one! I don’t really have too many regrets… Because I wouldn’t be who I am now and be able to create the work I do without those experiences. I would tell them to do the right thing. Just try to do the right thing. Don’t let people’s malpractice influence you. Its like I was saying earlier about showing some artists’ work, even though I don’t really interact with them, due to bad experiences in the past. A lotta times I got fucked over on a 5k commission. I’m not gonna cry about it, but that’s not the world I want to live in. So just be aware of the role people play in your life, be it to show you how to treat people, or how not to treat people.

CW: What does “living the original lifestyle” mean to you?

JG: The freedom to fearlessly create, on my own terms, and getting off on manifesting that.

Jerami Goodwin’s next show will be at 99 Bowery in New York City

The post NYC Artist Profile: Jerami Goodwin aka STAINO appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Firstly, please realize that this is permanent! Don’t get a tattoo because of a passing trend. When it goes out of style, or no one understands the reference anymore, that’s when removals happen. Removals are expensive, and hurt more than getting the tattoo in the first place. Nip your bad ideas in the bud (that goes for you too drunk selves), because you will regret them. Given that, do get a tattoo if it has personal meaning to you. If it is important enough to you to put it on your body forever, then by all means do so. Just keep placement in mind. Also, keep in mind that some tattoos are more unique and require special considerations. For example, black light tattoos are designed to be visible under ultraviolet light, creating a distinctive effect. If you’re interested in such tattoos, make sure to research and consult a skilled artist experienced in this specialized style to ensure your design turns out as intended.

A solid rule for placement is if it can’t be covered by a button down and chinos, it probably will work against you in professional and social situations. See if you don’t jump to conclusions about individuals with face or hand tattoos, I dare you. If this rule is too conservative for your taste, then the alternative is to make sure you’d be comfortable running into your boss, coworkers, or grandmother while wearing shorts and a t-shirt. If you’re still on board the tattoo train, then the next thing to consider is style.

There are as many styles as there are artists, so to make this easy, just find out what you like best. Visit different parlors, talk with different artists, and discover for yourself what styles look the best to you. Make sure you look in an artist’s portfolio before making any decisions, or you could be unpleasantly surprised by their personal touches when your ink is done. While it’s not my place to say one style is better than another, there are some that deliver very distinct messages about you. The quintessential stereotype of a questionable style is without a doubt “tribal”. I’m sure you all know what I mean by this. In reality, tribal is not related to any tribe, in any part of history. In addition to this, people associate it with the rudest of gym rats, and those most desperate to be seen as a bad ass. A good alternative are traditional Samoan tattoos, which can be both hypnotic and beautiful when done correctly. Try to also stay away from overly cartoony tattoos, as they can quickly turn you from a regular guy into an angsty teen.

The last important detail is color. Color is very hard to pull off correctly, and if you have your heart set on it, then my personal recommendation is to get predominately black and grey with splashes of color. It makes the tattoo seem more alive than just solid color everywhere. Color can be done extremely well, but you need to not only have complete trust in your artist, but be able to accept that skin is different than paper. Colors may not necessarily look the same as you picture in your head, and that is something that you should be able to live with. Black and grey is a safe bet for everyone, and usually looks very crisp and classic.

My final words for you are to please avoid being stingy with your tattoo. Don’t sacrifice quality for price. Forgive the extreme example, but would you opt for surgery in a third world country just because it was cheaper? Tattoos are permanent. You’ll have a good one forever, but the bad ones only get worse with age. Choose carefully my friends.

The post Tattoo Tastefully appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Like many of our LA stops, Randy’s is an institution both because it is well-loved by the locals and because it has been featured in all sorts of movies and photo shoots. The giant donut on the roof is a landmark of the city. And while they could likely remain famous just for having a big fiberglass pastry up top, the donuts at Randy’s are indeed the best in this wide city. Far from just a tourist attraction, Randy’s serves up soft and fluffy goodness on a daily basis. Buying one will never be enough, and its hard to go wrong with any of the options. We tried them all (for science!), and were hard pressed to pick out a favorite.

Full of enough calories to put down Rosie O’Donnell, we find ourselves in the South-West corner of Los Angeles with a hankering to head downtown and check out its burgeoning street art scene. Between downtown and us lies the storied area of South Central LA, so rather than take the freeways, we steer our CLA AMG onto the surface streets and explore this much-maligned area for ourselves.

We detoured over to the most (in)famous South Central neighborhoods of Compton and Lynwood, popularized in many early gangsta rap songs. But South Central has come a long way since ’88, and it couldn’t have been more welcoming to two pasty white guys. We met some of the nicest people of our entire LA trip here.  It’s still an absolute tragedy that the neighborhoods and streets are in the condition they are in, and we didn’t see a single police officer there (unlike Santa Monica, where they are on every corner), but you can forget all about the urban legend nonsense that you’ll be shot just for wearing the wrong colors while driving through.

Now if you want a really sketchy neighborhood, you want downtown LA’s skid row. That is where we are headed, but not for the stabbings and homeless encampments but for the exploding and vibrant street art scene. We’re trading in tags and simple “bombs” for full blown murals and commissioned wall pieces. The arts and fashion districts of downtown are undergoing a bit of a renaissance as of late, and the gentrifying hipsters have begun moving in and doing up old warehouses as upscale condos and coffee shops. That’s not to say its a particularly nice area. There are many LA residents who would rather walk the midnight streets of Compton than head downtown. Bu it’s at this juxtaposition that street art has found its home – between the indifferent poor and the appreciative yuppies.

Shepard Fairey cut his teeth here (there are still original Fairey’s to be found around too), Banksy and Space Invader have made their presence known, and of course the litany of local artists who are turning the downtown wasteland into an outdoor art gallery. From stickers and wheat pastes to full building walls, downtown is a riot of color and imagination.  Turn any corner and you’ll be confronted with some style of expression and message. It turns this ghostly part of Los Angeles into a truly cultural heartbeat of the city.

The same fashion district that is home to much of this art is also ground zero for the local garment industry, and for crazy good shopping. The area is full of bodegas and open-air shopping centers full of the strangest knick-knacks, wholesale fabrics, and retail suits and shoes. This is a tourist-free zone to get great deals on clothes and mingle with the real locals of this beautiful city. I couldn’t resist picking up a pair of caramel monkstrap shoes that were only $25 in one of the stalls. If these only lasted one weekend they’d be worth it at that price, but they are actually holding up great and are in regular rotation. Chalk it up to buying your clothes from the original source wholesalers.

Nothing goes together like shopping and eating, so it was time for lunch at one of downtown’s many street vendors. With the high proportion of Latino garment workers living or working downtown, the street food here is not watered down or prepared by chef hat wearing posers; they are the real deal here. Most of the carts don’t event have a single english word written on them. It is this subtle cue that tells your stomach – “Prepare thyself for some awesome f@&$ing food.” Oh and it was. Going authentic will do that. I couldn’t tell you the name of the cart, or even remember what we ordered, but it doesn’t matter. Just find the truck with the a large group of middle-aged latino women eating there (those would be your garment workers), and queue up for a fantastic lunch. Get what everyone else is getting, and chow down. You’re welcome.

With a hearty meal in our overstuffed bellies, it is time to depart this metropolis we have so fallen in love with. That means it is also time to say goodbye to our Mercedes CLA AMG. From Beverly Hills and Malibu to dowtown and Lynwood, we’ve driven to as many corners of this city as we could cram into 72 hours. Los Angeles is too big to be knowable, but that is what makes it great. It is ever evolving and changing. It actually CAN be everything to everyone. And while the CLA AMG can’t pull off that trick, it wasn’t designed to. If you want a boulevard crushing slice of luxury, you won’t go wrong with the CLA. And if you want a city that is less hussle-and-bussle and more live-and-let-live, Los Angeles is the place for you.

As we make our way to LAX, we travel through some of the same neighborhoods we’ve already visited. Downtown, Koreatown, and West LA bring back memories that we can’t believe are only 48 hours old. We know we didn’t scratch the surface of this town, but there are some locals who could say the same thing. We’re happy that this will always be more to see and discover here, and we can’t wait for the opportunity to do so. Until next time LA.

The post 72 Hours in Los Angeles PT 3 appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.