Recap In A Box

So the smoke has cleared, and we're catching up on paperwork from our "Idiot Box" 5-year Anniversary show, which opened last Thursday night. A total success, the gallery was busy from 7 - 11 PM - and we couldn't be happier with the artwork delivered for this show. And we couldn't thank our host, Dennis "Mr. Belding" Haskins enough. Dennis was more than happy to take photos and sign autographs (on headshots we made for the man, customized by artist Andrew Wilson). Katie's inner-geek was also happy to see Chelsea Handler stop by. Lots of incredible pieces are still available, as well as a group of show specific prints, and you can see these by CLICKING HERE. Here are some pictures from opening night...



The obligatory line/crowd shot.



And now the other angle. What I like to call the "Belding Perspective."



Here's Dennis with gallery assistant, Aileen.



Dennis meeting Andrew Wilson, the sneaky fellow who went to town on Haskins' headshot for the flyer and night's autograph opportunity.



Artist Mark Bodnar, who's LOST inspired piece was "tweeted" about earlier in the day by Kevin Smith, hangs with collector Aris, who left his normal surroundings of NY to hang.



In this bromance, I sort of feel like Andrew is Brody Jenner and I kinda won some crappy TV show to hang with him a few times.



Artist Mylan Nguyen with her TMNT inspired girls. She also got a rather incredible autograph from Mr. Belding that you might not expect a high school principal to partake in. Yeah, that happened!



Artist Brandon Sopinsky stands near his nerd dream mash-up of "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" and "Watchmen."



A gallery patron stares into Rachel J. Wong's TV piece, and like an episode of Rock of Love, you can't change the channel.

This show will be open through April 23rd, so stop by!!!! We also want to thank all the places who covered the show including G4, LA Weekly, AintItCool, Flavorpill, JoshSpear.com, TheOriginalWinger.com, OMG Posters and everybody else I can't think of right before I get ready to go into the gallery.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Saturday Night Fever

I think it's because I've been in the Melrose gallery watching this new exhibit come together in an incredible awesome way for the past few days - but I couldn't feel better about 1988 right now. The Stella show opened last night in SF to a great crowd and response, plowing through original art, and forcing Katie to spend 3 straight hours on just returning print inquiry emails today. While in LA, we're in the go-home weekend for our Mattel-sponsored shin-dig, "TOYS!" - and just finished a gallery installation (from that team that brought you the Cheshire Cat pink fur madness last year) that is going to make you freak out and have flashbacks to when you read books only because Levar Burton suggested them to you on Reading Rainbow. You know what? I don't want to spoil most of the art, but here are some very detailed, and out of context, pictures of parts of the gallery installation. It's like FAO Schwartz up in this bitch.







Yes, that's a Hit Stix. Yes, that's orange Hot Wheels tracks looped around the space. And yes, that's a Teddy Ruxpin (and for those with super eyes, yes, that's a My Buddy and Popple). That's just little parts keep in mind. And yes, it opens this Tuesday night, April 1st, 7-10 PM at our Los Angeles gallery. Come early, I'll be the one sweating. You'll be the one having fun.

Remember, this show will feature dozens of customized Hot Wheels VW Vans, which you've previewed on this blog quite a few times, but it also has almost 100 paintings, all influenced by ANY childhood toy. One of them by Mark Brown, was previewed on our recent email blast, then posted on Juxtapoz.com (not too shabby, considering that is Mark's FIRST GALLERY EXHIBITED PAINTING EVER). So here's some more peeks at paintings (including the Mark Brown I used capital letters about), and two vans that went that extra mile...

Brandon Sopinsky



Scott Scheidly



Mark Brown



Kathie Olivas & Brandt Peters (p.s. INSANE)



Noferin



Le Merde



What do I have to do make sure you know how dope this show is going to be? Let's put it this way. If CNN (the channel, not the dismantled 1990's NY rap duo) is covering it, so should you.

And in unrelated news, we're very excited to announce that 1988 is adding a new talent to its list of represented artists (the first new addition in over a year).



The machine we call Angry Woebots (and the government called Aaron Martin) has joined the 1988 family. You've already seen the Hawaii native in numerous group shows at both locations (and will see him this Tuesday in "TOYS!" and in the same capacity throughout 2008), and now we'll be growing into more focused shows and promotion, both in LA and SF in 2009, and then solos to quickly follow! We literally couldn't be more excited, especially with some plans in the works to create some great product as well. We're honored that he will be calling us home in California next year, and we're stoked to say, "We're in the panda business." Mahalo, Aaron.

Jensen
G1988: LA