ASVP is a New York based two person collective that have been working together since 2006 with more than 25 years of combined creative experience. If you love street art as I do, you probably have seen their works on our streets, galleries or in one of the many fundraisers they have taken part in over the years. The team has created paintings, murals and poster art that has been displayed everywhere from New York City to London, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Zürich, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cape Town Istanbul, Florence Italy and Varanasi India among many more.
First, here are the details:
ASVP’s work marries eastern and western images from multiple influences including retro advertising, old Hollywood glamour, pop and comic book culture - all mixed with typographic elements.
How did you begin working together?
How did the transition to street art take place?
Tell me briefly about the core concept of your work?
What can we expect to see at the exhibit at Doyle?
I remember seeing your work in the last street art exhibit at Doyle in Fall 2013, where you showed the very first (and only), "Keep This Coupon" piece at the time. What does the "Coupon" represent?
What challenges have you endured with the is exhibit at Doyle?
Time. Doyle has been very supportive of us and believing in our work. We are being exposed to audiences that may have not otherwise seen our work, this is a great thing. We want to show the best work possible and it takes time.
Which piece are you most proud of for the show?
Tell me about the materials and the process of making one of your signature pieces
You have a Faberge egg in the The Big Egg Hunt New York. How did that come about and where can we find it?
We were approached to create on of these giant eggs to be placed around NYC and were excited to do so, especially as it benefits wonderful charities.
At the time we spoke the guys didn't know where there egg would be. I finally found it located in the windows at Beauty & Essex at 146 Essex St. on the Lower East Side. (See the photos below.)
Do you have plans to paste up more art around the city?
Yes.
Any hints of what or where?
It will be a surprise. We seek to constantly evolve that's all we can say.
You did a partnership with Agnes B. (French clothing designer) a couple years ago, do you have plans for more such art/fashion mixes?
Where do you see yourselves in 1, 5, or10 years?
Is there an artist(s) you most admire?
ASVP & Skewville Pop-Up Reception opening Friday, April 11, 2014 from 6-8 p.m.
The event will also run throughout the weekend:
Saturday from 10-5 p.m. & Sunday from Noon-5 p.m.
Saturday from 10-5 p.m. & Sunday from Noon-5 p.m.
Doyle New York is located at 175 E. 87th Street, New York, NY 10128
We met while working together in a creative agency. We decided to start making things that
were more meaningful. We couldn't do the
type of work we were interested in, in that environment, but we learned a great deal
about how to collaborate effectively.
How did the transition to street art take place?
We knew we had a lot to express creatively and we certainly have a whole lot more. In
reality, we are just getting started. We knew we could not
produce the kind of work we wanted to in an agency so the choice was clear. We got a
studio, redirected our efforts into ASVP and developed a distinct style. Next
we began to put it out on the street. There's a story behind everything and why we create
what we do. Later came the galleries where we've had a warm reception.
Tell me briefly about the core concept of your work?
The thought and production behind
our imagery comes from a number of different things and changes often.
For example; some recent work marries eastern and western imagery from retro, People’s Republic of China imagery, which has become one
of our signature pieces. We were inspired also by a more pure, classic
retro-advertising and feature icons from the ad era of the 50's and 60's. We were also inspired by American nostalgia
like the golden era of old Hollywood and the glamour that was associated with
it and build from those ideals. Each piece on the street is
made completely by hand. Everything is hand-screened, hand painted and
hand-cut.
What can we expect to see at the exhibit at Doyle?
This is a special exhibit of 40+ pieces we have been working
on. We will have 24 cradled wood boxes of a newer image "Keep
This Coupon," in four different colorways. Each series of six with its own serial. The show will also include 15 canvases
and 4 works on paper. We’re
also happy to be showing alongside Skewville, who’s work we respect and
for years have been a strong artistic influence in Bushwick, the same area where our studio is
located.
I remember seeing your work in the last street art exhibit at Doyle in Fall 2013, where you showed the very first (and only), "Keep This Coupon" piece at the time. What does the "Coupon" represent?
The coupon image
hangs a lantern on the fact that not everyone is buying artwork, particularly
“street art” for the right reasons.
What challenges have you endured with the is exhibit at Doyle?
Time. Doyle has been very supportive of us and believing in our work. We are being exposed to audiences that may have not otherwise seen our work, this is a great thing. We want to show the best work possible and it takes time.
Which piece are you most proud of for the show?
Not possible to
answer. If we didn’t love the outcome of a piece, it isn’t in the show. We look
at the work as a single piece. The collection is greater than the sum of its
parts.
Tell me about the materials and the process of making one of your signature pieces
What we can say is that everything
(every image), is 100% original, created by us. We hand draw the images, refine it over days, weeks sometimes months and paint and
silk screen it ALL in our studio. Nothing is outsourced and we take great
pride in making each piece here, by hand.
We were approached to create on of these giant eggs to be placed around NYC and were excited to do so, especially as it benefits wonderful charities.
At the time we spoke the guys didn't know where there egg would be. I finally found it located in the windows at Beauty & Essex at 146 Essex St. on the Lower East Side. (See the photos below.)
Do you have plans to paste up more art around the city?
Yes.
Any hints of what or where?
It will be a surprise. We seek to constantly evolve that's all we can say.
You did a partnership with Agnes B. (French clothing designer) a couple years ago, do you have plans for more such art/fashion mixes?
Our
collaboration with Agnés was humbling and very inspiring. IF the opportunity
was felt right to us we would certainly be open to collabing with another
designer.
(Photos below of one of the pieces.) Where do you see yourselves in 1, 5, or10 years?
Evolving more
and more. It's very important for us to push ourselves and evolve in a
variety of ways. We mainly want to continue developing our techniques and elevate it to the
highest level possible. We’re looking forward to showing more of our work
internationally as well.
Is there an artist(s) you most admire?
There are many artists who we
admire on the streets
or in the galleries. We have to give FAILE a shout though,
aside from making great work, they’ve been friends of ours for many, many years
and have always been supportive when we’ve had a question or needed advice.
What else should your fans and collectors know about you?
They should know that we are just getting started, just scratching the surface. We will keep putting work up on the streets and building our journey and progressing. We have big, big plans, stay tuned!
They should know that we are just getting started, just scratching the surface. We will keep putting work up on the streets and building our journey and progressing. We have big, big plans, stay tuned!
Above, the trench coat for Agnes B.
ASVP's Faberge egg for the Big Egg Hunt NY can be found in the window of Beauty & Essex.
Going back to summer/fall 2013 with their door in Little Italy (The LISA Project.)
Don't miss this weekends show!
For more information on ASVP and/or the upcoming weekend exhibit visit: http://asvpart.com and http://www.doylenewyork.com. Follow them on Instagram @ASVPART.