Johnny 'KMNDZ' Rodriguez

Yesterday we posted about Corey Helford’s large Multi-Plane group show (12.12) which challenges artists to create original layered works across multi-surfaces as a homage to the time honored animation technique. Today we’re happy to bring you previews of pieces from Glenn Barr and Johnny ‘KMNDZ’ Rodriguez (above).

Corey Helford Gallery
8522 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
310.287.2340

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Kris Kuksi and Greg Simkins

This past Saturday evening, Hi-Fructose magazine presented their third annual group show, Overdose, at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica. Dailydujour had the pleasure of taking in the opening – here’s our belated show coverage including plenty of photos.  Offering a vivid and broad overview of low brow, pop surrealist, and new contemporary art the show featured some of the most exciting talents working today including Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins (above), KMNDZ, Chris Berens, Kris Kuksi (above),  Josh Keyes,  Yosuke Ueno, Naoto Hattori, Yoskay Yamamoto, Eric Fortune, Bob Dob, and more.

The evening also served as a release party/signing for the Hi-Fructose Collected Edition box set which includes 5 art prints.  Several artists were on-hand to sign for collectors including Brandi Milne, Greg Simkins, Joe Ledbetter, and photographer extradordinaire Brian McCarty.

Overdose runs through April 25th – if you can check it out in person, if not there’s always the complete online preview.

In Numb and Callus. KMNDZ.

Hi-Fructose has really outdone themselves for this year’s annual show.  Overdose opening this Saturday, April 4th 2009 [8 - 11:30 PM] @ Copro Nason in Santa Monica offers a broad selection of lowbrow/pop surrealist artists.  Despite being an extremely large group show, the pieces are extremely strong examples of the artists’ work — not an easy curatorial feat by any means.    We’ve picked just a few of our favorites from the gallery’s web preview including KMNDZ’s amazing “In Numb and Callus” (above)  to showcase here but the entire show is impressive. We’re also really excited about the opportunity  to see one of Kris Kuksi’s beyond words sculptures close up.

Apparently, limited-quantities of the Hi-Fructose Collected Edition box sets will be available at the opening and several of the featured artists will be on-hand for a signing. Additionally, Hi-Fructose 11 featuring a cover story on Mark Ryden will debut at the show prior to its coming newstand release. And if that’s not enough (some people are hard to please…) –  Hi-Fructose will be giving away a free mystery poster, available only during the opening.   Anyway you slice it,  a must- see show.

Copro Nason
Bergamot Station
7525 Michigan Ave T5
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310.829.2156

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Tonight’s the opening (7-11 PM) of the large Movers and Shakers group show @ POVevolving in LA’s Chinatown district.  The show offers a broad offering of pop surrealist work from an exciting lineup of artists.  To tie the diverse show together, curator Gino Joukar commissioned Johnny KMNDZ Rodriguez and Ekundayo to create a large cityscape installation. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the installation in progress including shots of KMNDZ putting the finishing touches on the work.   Come on out to enjoy all the original work in the show and this large panel installation. Thanks to Jeremy @ POVevolving for the pics.

POVevolving Gallery
939 Chung King Road
Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Edwin Ushiro

Atticus BCN in conjunction with Dailydujour will present the Nobody Walks in LA group show opening on Friday, January 23rd 2009 @ the Masters Gallery in Barcelona, Spain.  As you might guess by the name, the show features LA area painters exclusively.  Rather than simply a catchy pop culture reference the title refers to to the stereotypical idea that Los Angeles residents are all the same – when the reality is that Los Angeles has become one of the most diverse cities and cultural melting pots in the world. The artists in the show represent that melding of culture and styles with everything from urban street to abstract expressionism. Artists in the show are both LA natives and transplants.

Dailydujour was pleased to curate the show which includes an exciting selection  of local artists including:

• Amanda Visell, David Flores, Derek Albeck, Edwin Ushiro (above), Jack Long, Jeremy Lynch, Joe Ledbetter, Joshua Petker, Ken Garduno, KMNDZ, Mike Bilz, Mike Shinoda, Nate Frizzell, Nathan Ota, Nick Yarger, Patrick Haemmerlein, Randy Noborikawa, Scott Belcastro, Steven Daily, Tessar Lo, Tiffany Liu, Tom Haubrick and Yoskay Yamamoto.

For more info about the show check out the official show blog @  http://www.nobodywalksinla2009.blogspot.com/ which includes a full preview.  Thank you to all the artists who participated – the show is step one in our goal of making Dailydujour a living, breathing part of the art community both online and off.  We’ll have full coverage of the opening shortly after it goes down.

Opening reception: Friday / Viernes January 23, 2009
6-8pm FRESS / 8-12PM PUBLIC
Calle Johann Sebastian Bach 14, Barcelona Spain.
BARCELONA, SPAIN

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It’s been a few hours since we left the opening of Ekundayo and Johnny KMNDZ Rodriquez’s stunning Red Forest joint show which packed Thinkspace throughout the night from 7:30 on. The work from both artists is extremely good – each artist has a strong vision and the excellence in execution to draw viewers in completely and totally. Perhaps more importantly, both artists manage to mix the visual sugar with a sense of contextual depth that elevates the work beyond mere eye candy.

For instance, KMNDZ’s work is almost flawless technically. Even when viewed extremely closely, the line work and shading are meticulous. Worn metal has texture and light gleams off personable robots with hyper-realistic highlights. The glint of glass eyes and the glow of drops of radioactive goo really need to be seen in person to be truly appreciated. Yet if that was all there was to this work – it would not move us the way it does. The seductive visuals present a world that we want to understand better, that in fact we wish we could visit and experience.

This is art that resonates with those of us who grew up on a steady diet of fantasy and science-fiction delivered through video games, graphic novels and countless movies. Today’s new generation of art buyer rightly sees no contradiction nor defect with fine art that features beautifully rendered, hyper-real yet unreal characters.

Some onlookers proclaimed the show, “the best of the year”. That’s arguable but it’s safe to say this is one of the highlight shows of the year and should definitely put people on notice about both Ekundayo and KMNDZ. If you’re not watching both of these young artists, you need to start – now.

Thinkspace Art Gallery
4210 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323.913.3375

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We had the pleasure of rolling through Thinkspace to get an early glimpse of Ekundayo and KMNDZ’s Red Forest joint show which opens this Friday, October 10th [7-11 PM]. The show explores the toll of a nuclear accident on the people and surroundings and symbolically extends the discourse to a consideration of the fallout of everyday negativity.   First impression – this show is wicked, both artists have produced excellent new work.  You can judge for yourself by checking out the four selected pieces after the jump.

Both Ekundayo and KMNDZ are quite friendly and readily willing to share insights into their work.  Perhaps the most conspicuous aspect of Ekundayo’s pieces is that he does not force himself to work within a square or rectangular shape.  Many of his new pieces have a jagged almost jigsaw appearance.  Impressively he creates the frames by hand for each piece.  In the future he plans to use thicker frames which will allow him to carve characters into the frames themselves.

It’s a Thinkspace tradition to have artists create a front room installation.   We caught the work-in-progress which spans two walls. Ekundayo and KMNDZ collaborate regularly on huge murals for clients so it’s no surprise that their approach was clearly defined and orderly. Essentially it’s a tag-team, with each artist playing to his strength.    The short wall features a show marquee mural punctuated with a brilliant starburst.  This work by KMNDZ appears to use stenciled letters but in fact following in the footsteps of  his hero Aaron Horkey, he created them by hand.  Since he doesn’t regularly do sign painting anymore, he projected the letters (a common technique by many painters) onto the wall.

The larger wall features a huge bluish (well he was blue when we left…) creature  from Ekundayo spanning the doorway and hunching down to pickup a nuclear reactor (created by KMNDZ)  – presumably Chernobyl.  We’re used to seeing wall muralists relying on detailed sketches or other reference material to create their work.  So we were a little surprised to see Ekundayo going straight to the wall without any drawings – his 10 years of graff experience clearly are at play here.  From a rough blue outline, ‘Dayo added definition with a lighter blue and texture with darker spray paint.  In the span of a couple hours of so, the basic creature had come to life. Apparently there’s plenty more to be done but it’s already looking pretty sweet.   See the progression after the jump.

Don’t miss the opening of Ekundayo and KMNDZ’s Red Forest opening this Friday, October 10th 2008 [7-11 PM] @ Thinkspace.  You’ll be sorry if you do.

Thinkspace Art Gallery
4210 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323.913.3375

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Johnny "KMNDZ" Rodriguez - Closeup of 'Lemmings'.

Red Forest (flier) featuring the work of Ekundayo and Johnny “KMNDZ”  Rodriguez considers the effect of the Chernobyl nuclear tragedy and extends this to an examination of the damaging effects of negativity.  Both LA artists have bridged the gap between street and gallery art and in the process have created signature styles that have earned them growing collector and fan bases.   The show opens on Friday October 10th [7-11 PM] @ Thinkspace Gallery on Santa Monica Blvd.  In the mean time, enjoy some previews (after the jump) of both artist’s work drawn from Thinkspace’s preview set on flickr. If you’re looking to learn more about both artists – check out Sourharvest’s interviews with Ekundayo and KMNDZ.  Not to be missed.

Thinkspace Art Gallery
4210 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323.913.3375

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