Vivisect Sneak Peak

Hello!

So, our website is FINALLY up and running again, sort of. We're still in the process of getting everything back up there. Some pages work, some don't, but it's slowly coming together.

In the meantime, I have a couple images to show you all from the Vivisect show opening THIS SATURDAY in SF!


Amanda Visell "Underwater Carnivorous Giraffe"



Paul Barnes "Be Your Own Pet"



Kamala Dolphin Kingsley "An Elaborate and Unavoidable Propinquity"

That's all for now, but I'll post some more pics soon. It's gonna be a great show and we have many exciting visitors coming to the opening, so if you live in SF definitely stop by!

Katie
G1988

Out of Site

When I had heard they call today "Cyber Monday," I didn't think it was going to because our normal gallery website would be out of commission for the day. We're in the midst of a transition at the site, and the bottom fell out. Let's hope for the best, as it should be back up and running later tonight.

I've seen some of the work for the upcoming Vivisect Playset show in SF and it looks GREAT! I'm predicting a real fight over some of these pieces.

I want to send a shout out to our friends over at AintItCool.com who included, not one, not two, but three of our Crazy 4 Cult prints, on their annual Holiday Gift Guide (Chris Lee poster, Nathan Ota and Stella Im Hultberg). I used to check out that gift guide for the past handful of years and actually use it to compile a list of crap I want from my family, so it was pretty cool to see the gallery make it up there.

And lastly, in a day when things can't get much worse online, I figured I'd give something beautiful to make it all better...I'll just post it right now....more talk on this EXPLOSION of a show later. Jan of 2008 will bring...

MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

A few reasons why we're thankful this year (in no particular order)...

- The SF gallery opened and is still open - HOORAY!
- The LA gallery was broken into, but nothing was stolen and no one was hurt
- Becky, Cory, Alex and Irma (our amazing staff!)
- Finn and Benn (the pups - poor Benn is being neutered right now as I type this!)
- The best neighbors in SF and LA (StrangeCo and Golden Apple)
- Bernardo is gone
- Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier
- Peet's Coffee
- Scoops
- The recent release of Rock Band for Playstation 3
- Everyone who reads our blog :)
- Pan's Labyrinth
- Lars And The Real Girl
- Family, friends and good health (all that important, serious stuff)
- Last, but not certainly not least - the new addition, Issac George Simkins


We don't have our normal store hours this week.

The Los Angeles gallery hours...
Thursday - CLOSED
Friday - OPEN 12-4PM
Saturday - OPEN 12-4PM
Sunday - CLOSED
Monday - CLOSED

The San Francisco gallery will be closed until Saturday, Dec. 1st when we re-open with "The Vivisect Playset" at 7PM.

Katie and Jensen
G1988

Creep Machine

If you haven't checked out this website yet, you definitely should. It's a great place to see some artists you might not be familiar with. You can also get a heads up on what new prints are coming out. Sweet!

Holyfield

As we gear up for the holidays here at 1988: LA, we're excited to announce our upcoming December show, a solo show from Nevada artist Ahren Hertel. Hertel is one of the few artists we exclusively represent here at 1988 and we've been showing his work in large group shows for the past two years. Selling almost all of those pieces, Ahren and the gallery have been gearing up to create a "Hey, Look At Me" type of introduction solo show here in LA for the last year. And here it is. It opens Dec. 4 and I LOVE what I'm seeing already. Here's a sneak peak of two large pieces from the show...





Ahren is one of those dudes who's paintings just give off extreme talent. He is one of the few painters we show, where if we have one of his new paintings in the inventory backroom, barely visible to the customer, they catch a glimpse and want to see more. The real deal. You can see more at his website, www.ahrenhertel.com.

Jensen
G1988: LA

A Little History...

Jensen and I opened the LA gallery almost four years ago. At that time, Jensen was 24 and I was 22. That sounds like a joke. We were kids with absolutely no business experience. It's a miracle that we're still in business and that miracle is a man named Luke Chueh.

Jensen and I both agree that Luke Chueh saved our business. There was a time in 2004 that we almost went under, and then there was Luke. Luke has an amazing eye for recognizing talented artists that will become extremely successful. In other words, he's an amazing curator.

We asked him to curate a show and he came up with the Vivisect Playset. The first installment of the show included Luke, Joe Ledbetter, Thomas Han, Peter Gronquist and Dave Pressler. The show was a huge success and from there became a yearly event at 1988 with new artists added to the lineup. There's also a new toy series coming out based on the show! The series was produced by StrangeCo and will be available very very soon!

The Vivisect Playset opens every December and this year it's in San Francisco! Sorry LA!

So the excitement doesn't stop there. Luke is coming to SF for the show... and so is Greg "Craola" Simkins! They'll be doing a signing/doodle session during the opening. We're calling it "Chu-Kins."



And even more exciting news (I know, you're heads are going to explode)... we're releasing a new Greg Simkins "I'M SCARED" print that very night.



Greg Simkins
Winter's Knight
giclee print on Sommerset Velvet Fine Art paper
16 x 20 inches
limited edition of 75
$150.00

The Vivisect Playset IV
December 1st



Katie
G1988 San Francisco

His Name Was Robert Im Paulson

When we started Crazy4Cult.com, we knew what everyone wanted. We knew that even though we'd be selling out most the cult movie themed prints we posted on there, there was one gem that every buyer was waiting to see available on that website. And here ya go..

Releasing on NOVEMBER 20th at Noon PST...



Stella Im Hultberg
"Marla"
12 x 16 inches
giclee print on Sommerset Velvet fine art paper
hand signed and numbered by the artist
limited edition of 150
$150

The Fight Club inspired print seems to be the one everyone is waiting for, including my mom and girlfriend. At Noon PST on Tuesday, November 20th, you can call the LA gallery at (323) 937 - 7088 or the SF gallery at (415) 409 - 1376 and pick one up. US shipping is $20, international is $30. All this info and more at Crazy4Cult.com. There will be NO reserving this print, as this is a PRE ORDER, and will ship 3-4 weeks after the 20th.

Besides that, all is well here at the crime scene. We had finger prints taken today, so that felt rather Steve Guttenberg in Police Academy (The Citizens on Patrol one). New glass window goes up soon, and looks like we'll join the Melrose masses with a gate set-up to detour anyone from doing what this dude did (a.k.a. smash our window, run inside, rummage through random boxes of switches in the gallery to turn off the loud noise, attempt to open the register, realize you can't, then run out as the alarm is jarring your hearing and vision).

Someone just drove by the gallery playing "Careless Whisper" really loud, at an octave I usually hear a Chamillionare or Lil' Wayne song. I want to be friends with the person in that car.

Saturday at Golden Apple Comics, next door to the gallery, they have a cocktail party signing at 5 PM with UK artist Kevin O'Neil. He's the artist and co-creator that did the INCREDIBLE "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" comic (p.s. they had NOTHING to do with the movie, thank God) with writer Alan Moore. Tomorrow, Tuesday, will actually be the release of their highly anticipated third installment to the series, "The Black Dossier." I've been waiting for this one for quite some time now. I plan on getting through it rather quick, like I did the PS3 Simpsons Game this weekend. It's been a nerdy month so far and I still haven't started the Star Wars Lego game for Wii. I'm hoping to get some pimples to match my interests.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Till 6 In Da Morning

Getting a police wake-up call at 6 AM, alerting you of a gallery break-in probably isn't the best way to start a Sunday. I'd rather attend the House of Blues gospel buffet, but I wasn't really given a choice. Aren't our gallery hours properly posted on the window?







Here's a tip for all the readers looking into starting their own business...when they offer you the immediate alert alarm, so that the police are informed of a break in RIGHT as the alarm sounds, spend the extra few bucks. Also, become friends with your neighborhood patrol. It comes in handy.

And no...nothing was stolen or harmed. They came inside, fumbled around numerous lightboxes thinking it was the alarm module (leaving prints, CSI fans!), attempted to open the register, then ran out as the audible alarm went nuts all over Melrose and La Brea...empty handed. They are clearly not readers of Hi-Fructose. Probably fans of Art News Magazine.

Safe, on the case and boarded up.



Jensen
G1988: LA

HERE IT COMES...

THE VIVISECT PLAYSET IV

ERIK ALOS
ANTHONY AUSGANG
PAUL BARNES
LUKE CHUEH
MATT DANGLER
MARK ELLIOTT
BRENDON FLYNN
PETER GRONQUIST
WALT HALL
PHILL HOLMES
MARI INUKAI
KAMALA DOLPHIN KINGSLEY
JOE LEDBETTER
ANGRY WOEBOTS
PEEK-A-BOO
ALEX PARDEE
ROBERT FAYZE PELLICER
ISAAC PIERRO
DAVE PRESSLER
AMY SOL
ROLAND TAMAYO
AMANDA VISELL
RACHEL WONG

with an exclusive Greg "Craola" Simkins "I'M SCAR3D" print release

DECEMBER 1ST - GALLERY1988 SAN FRANCISCO

Sugar Rushed

The morning after our Hi-Fructose "Bitters and Sweets" opening and I'm really sick. I've been fighting some sort of cold/flu/SARS all week, and it's finally winning the battle. My Doctor put me on Pencillin, which made me feel like a sick baby from the 1930's, but let's hope it does the job. I always get sick around this time of the year based on the weather change, so next year I will wear parkas, scarves and mittens from November 1 - November 15. Which SUCKS because tomorrow is my birthday. No one likes to be sick on their birthday, except for melophobes (people afraid that "Happy Birthday" will be sung to them, which is not a joke).

It's hard to stop talking about myself, but let's try. All the work from "Bitters and Sweets" is now available to view and purchase online HERE. Saying there are great pieces left is an understatement. Call us up if anything interests you...we can talk about how my throat hurts...or melophobes.

I'll post pics of the opening as soon as the dizziness goes away.

Jensen
G1988: LA

I Like Abba Zabbas

We're in the midst of installing Hi-Fructose's "Bitters and Sweets" group show here at the LA Gallery and I'm not kidding when I say this show is beautiful. There are some real stunners in the show, but what do you expect from a line-up that includes Ron English, Glenn Barr, Naoto Hattori, Alex Pardee, KMNDZ and David Stoupakis - as well as introduces new stars like Yoko d'Hollbachie, Jennybird and Peap? And that's only 9 of the well over 40 artists participating. Hi-Frutose braintrust Annie Owens and Attaboy are not only contributing artwork, but also putting together a gallery installation that is a massive undertaking in itself. All in the name of candy and all things pink!

Here's a few EXCLUSIVE sneak peeks that might just have your sweet tooth tingling...

Ken Keirns



KMNDZ



Naoto Hattori



Matt Dangler




Camilla d'Errico



David Stoupakis



This is just a taste, so I'm telling ya, this show is a home run! With or without Joe Torre in LA.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Whew!

It's been a very long week, but we have finally uploaded ALL THE IMAGES from the Paper Pushers show.

You can see everything here...http://g1988preview.blogspot.com/

I'm going to go pass out now.

Katie
G1988 San Francisco