Skull Stye At Art Basel!

If you've ever read this blog you know I love skulls.  Wait! I mean "well done, well crafted skulls - not just any 'ol skull"  (and, not the cheesy teenage skulls. Understand?)   I shoot tons of photos of skull art continuously that I find inspiring.  I love to see how artists represent, thus, this post from Art Basel.  (I also work for a designer in which "skulls" are their select trademark so to speak, much like McQueen (but not quite as expensive.)  

According to the the book "Skull Style Skulls In Contemporary Design" curated by Patrice Farameh, the definition of a skull is as follows:  1;The bone and the brain, etc. the formal definition... 2;Historical picture representing death or danger... 3;Informal the head: regarding as the center of knowledge and understanding... 4;Derogatory;  the head regarded as the mind or intelligence.  

I like 3 and 4, the first is obvious. Death and danger, eh...I prefer knowledge and understanding!  Have a look at the Art Basel pics, skull style....below a mega 8" silver, metal piece at the entrance of The Catalina Hotel for the INK show.

Street art skull style at Wynwood Walls

All above, featured at Scope & Pulse

Peter Tunney's new skulls on old album covers, megs piece above, individuals below...

Skulls at Avant Gallery, above / below...

Alec Monolopy above / below

Above by James Lahey, "You Want To Start Over, mixed media on canvas, 72x48, $24,000.

Hello Kitty, Hello Art!

Quick break from Art Basel postings to report on a show from last weekend; the Hello Kitty, Hello Art Book Release & Gallery Show at Openhouse Gallery on Broome Street, NYC.  Over a three dozen famous artists participated in their rendering of the Kitty with proceeds benefiting Hurricane Sandy victims.  There were a group of signed, numbered and framed prints in the shop area by select artists and one by fashion designer Betsy Johnson.  (See below - and yep, it looks like her too.)  The Hello Kitty, Hello Art book is also available on Sanrio.com or Amazon.com since the show is now over.   The shop sold artists tees by The Seventh Letter and limited edition holiday items.  I admit it, I was never a huge Hello Kitty fan BUT after seeing all this, I at least need to get this amazing art book.  I think I'm becoming a fan, art can do that!  Have a look...

New works were featured from 64 Colors, AIKO, Cat Cult, DABS MYLA, KC ONE, Kendra Binney, Kenton Parker, Miguel Paredres (from Miami), POSE, Niagara, Nina Channel Abney, Ron English, Thank YOU X and many, many others.

Ron English...

The Hello Kitty, Hello Art book and more....

Screen print by Betsy Johnson, signed and numbered

Again, buy the book and see it all, you'll become a fan too.  More from Art Basel and more everything next!