John Waters goes back to 1965 when Ike pulled all of lil’ Tina’s strings…

As a director of some of the most acclaimed highbrow B-movies of all time, Supertouch amigo JOHN WATERS needs no further introduction. Quietly working the night shift as a fine artist for years now, the Baltimore-bound obsessive’s hard work has finally landed him a spot in the most hallowed hall of the modern art world, namely, the GAGOSIAN GALLERY, where the artist’s solo “Rear Projection” show opened to a throng of Hollywood players, weirdos, fanboys and girls, and well-wishing lookie-loos on Saturday nite. Comprised largely of C-prints of photos Waters has taken of TV screens bearing his favorite stills from movies of all kinds, the works pulse with the raw humor and dry wit that is Waters’ hallmark. Of particular note in this top notch collection of works are several large-scale Pop “object” sculptures that include a giant roach motel, a reproduction of the $250-a-jar La Mere face cream (this is Hollywood, after all), and a monster bottle of poppers big enough to keep all of LA bugging for a month. The crown jewel, in Waters’ epic display, however, is the beyond-lifelike sculpture of a dapper Ike Turner circa 1965, kneeling before, and holding the strings of, a marionette doll version of Tina Turner. Quipped Waters on our private exhibition visit about the headlines in the NY Post after Ike Turner’s death: “You know what they wrote when Ike died?: “Ike Beat Tina to Death!” HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

We at Supertouch aren’t too shy about proclaiming our own JAMES JEAN as the next big thing. His painting chops are akin to the hand of God, and his sense of composition and palette are similarly sublime. Following his recent breakthrough art show at NYC’s JONATHAN LEVINE GALLERY, JJ has been laying low in the Southland quietly putting the finishing touches on a new series of masterpieces, like the just-completed vision we see here, “Excavation.” Rendered in acrylic and oil on canvas, this ethereal 3 1/2′ x 4′ dreamscape merely foreshadows the visual brilliance this nascent fine artist has to offer. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Dropping in for a sneek peek at Supertouch’s own PHIL FROST and his upcoming “Paperweight: An Exhibition of Works on Paper” show at JONATHAN LEVINE GALLERY in NYC this Saturday reveals the mysterious artist working in top form. The show will be Phil’s first exhibition in NYC in several years and will present a gorgeous array of new paintings on paper that are well within reach of the average art collector. The waiting list is already getting long so anyone looking to land a piece from this elusive artist best contact the gallery on the double quick. Expect full event coverage this weekend, meanwhile, HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

As the content level of the vinyl toy market bottoms out alongside the dying economy, artist CAMILLE ROSE GARCIA has taken matters into her own hands by forming her own indy label PITCO TOYS and launching two new handmade plush dolls in the form of SQUID and PEPPERMINT MAN. Available in numbered editions of 125 each, the plushies will set you back a hefty $600 and $400 each respectively, but for Camille diehards, these are a $1,000 ticket to goth heaven. Order yours now at JONATHAN LEVINE GALLERY…

Japanese art sensation (he’s bigger than Murakami in his native land) YOSHITOMO NARA brought some much-needed heat to NYC last week with his eponymous new show of paintings, drawings and large-scale constructions at MARIANNE BOESKY GALLERY. Forming the centerpiece of the exhibition is a pair of large “Smurf houses” that double as mini art studios that were executed in conjunction with installation artists GRAF, who, together with Nara form the collective YNG (Yoshitomo Nara + Graf). Constructed from reclaimed wood, the forms of the two immense sculptures recall stylized tannenbaums, with their roof shingling evoking exaggerated tree needles. Small cutout windows and hanging lights punctuate the sculptures, providing them with the feel of a house or some surreal abode. The structures are hollow and present interiors replete with drawings and paintings all created in the artist’s hand, and with a multitude of stuffed animals from fans selected by the artist. Though Nara has previously exhibited these types of moveable spaces before, the dwellings in this exhibition have a quieted sentiment to them. Each object within feels carefully considered in its placement. The frenzy of personal effects including photographs, CDs and beer cans, all evoking the turmoil and inspiration in the artist studio, has been removed. Instead the stillness of the structures, with their looming spires, presents a protective shell to the interiors. Though possible to peer into the structures and glimpse their holdings, they cannot be entered and the viewer must be content to remain on the exterior. The paintings, rendered on both canvas and wooden billboards, depict lone portraits of dreamy-eyed figures. Pencil and colored pencil drawings on found envelopes and discarded papers similarly parse the psychological landscape of their subjects. A dedicated rock fanatic Nara’s opening included live performances by Japanese bands by OORUTAICHI and M.A.G.O., proving that normally stuffy Gotham art openings can indeed rock and or roll. Nara is yet another artist participating in the “Stages” charity art show to benefit LANCE ARMSTRONG’s anti-cancer LIVESTRONG foundation during his run in this year’s Tour de France. Keep an eye on ST for more details coming soon. Meanwhile, HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

While many local English governments have actually taken steps to protect illegal BANKSY murals within their city limits, the Council of Westminster City decided late last year to have “One Nation Under CCTV,”his largest painting in LONDON removed as a public statement against graffiti. While it still stands today, word has gotten to us from a reliable inside source that officials still have every intention of removing the piece and are currently planning to have it buffed. The mural—a public critique of London’s ubiquitous closed circuit TV monitors that observe citizens throughout London 24-7—popped up in April of 2008 adjacent to a live CCTV camera that miraculously caught no glimpse of the elusive artist & his crew as they installed the giant artwork. When the decision to remove the artwork was announced in late 2008, deputy council leader Robert Davis asked “what is the difference between this and all the other graffiti you see scrawled across the city? “I take the view that this is graffiti and if you condone this then what is the difference between this and all the other graffiti you see scrawled across the city?” When questioned about the possibility of preserving the piece as a public artwork, he replied: “If you condone this then you condone graffiti all over London.”

Banksy’s message survived the snowstorm but might not see Spring…