PREVIEW UP!!

Matt Dangler's show is now online! Check it out here...

http://1988mattdangler.blogspot.com/

Countdown - One more day

We all almost ready for Matt Dangler's new solo show in SF. I picked Matt up at the airport this afternoon and we went straight to the gallery to finish installing. I have some pics for you lucky blog readers...


"Moving On"


"There's No Place Like Om"


"Sniftor's Snowmate"


Detail from "The Oracle"

These pictures from my crappy little camera do not do these paintings justice. They are SO GOOD in person. The pics from the preview are much better, so stay tuned for that tomorrow.

Matt will also have one new print available of his new piece "Sentinels of Serenity," limited to 30 that will be released at the opening reception tomorrow night from 7-10PM. Be sure to make it out because there are only 30, so they'll sell out fast!

Matt Dangler, "Searching For Satori" May 29 - June 20th. Opening reception tomorrow night from 7-10PM.

Katie
G1988 SF

Searching For Satori

We are getting VERY excited about Matt Dangler's new solo show! It's just around the corner and I don't want to give away too much from the show, so I have a few small detail shots for you...







The work is incredible! Matt is one artist that people always expect to be impressed by, which is a lot of pressure for him to live up to those high standards, but he always delivers beyond our expectations. You can't deny his talent.

The new show is titled "Searching For Satori" and Dangler explains, "In Zen Buddhism 'Satori' is a spiritual awakening that often comes suddenly. With hopes of reaching and sharing 'Satori' - I infuse my own spirituality within my paintings. 'Searching For Satori’ seemed an adequate title, considering that’s what painting is for me, and what I believe should be the viewers motivation as well."

Matt put a lot of thought into this show, as well as hours upon hours of hard work. This is definitely not one to miss! "Searching For Satori" opens one week from today on May 29th at our San Francisco location. Don't miss it!

Katie
G1988 SF

There's no place like Matt's Dangler's imagination

Matt Dangler just sent me some images of his new work and I seriously want to take a vacation in one of the paintings. It's stunning and I can't wait to see it in person. I feel peaceful just looking at it on my computer screen.


(click the image to enlarge)

And here's a close-up, detail of another new piece, where you can see the brushstrokes and amazing texture that Matt's known for.


(click the image to enlarge)

The show opens Friday, May 29th at G1988 San Francisco. Matt will be in SF for the show, his first time seeing the SF gallery! AND he'll be exhibiting his largest painting to date, a massive 48 x 36 inch absolutely breathtaking piece that will blow you away.

This is definitely not a show to miss! Taking a quote from a recent email Matt sent me, he says "I'm very excited... this is the best group of paintings I've put together as I had hoped for." Stay tuned for more sneak peeks!

Katie
G1988 SF

Time Flies

Our next SF show is a big one!

Thanks Pete!

Check out this month's LA Confidential magazine where musician Pete Wentz breaks down his favorite up-and-coming artists, which is a pretty awesome roster of Greg Simkins, Ken Garduno, Roland Tamayo, Luke Chueh, Mark Brown and Matt Dangler. Pick up the magazine to read more!

Jensen
G1988: LA

Branches Out

Opening the Treehouse of Dangler right now as I type this has me smiling, which has inspired to me to write a small list of other things that also have me smiling currently, in no particular order.

1. This weekend I'm taking a vakay to Chicago. I'll take photos like a long lost Jewish Oriol family member. Then I will blog them.
2. Johnny Crap's piece from tomorrow night's "Everyone In Together" opening in San Fran (7-10, Bay Area!)
3. A new apartment for July???? YEAH!!!!
4. A shocking, yet confined, new love for some Hip Hop thanks to mixtapes from up and comers Wale, Charles Hamilton and Asher Roth.
5. I know this one is real specific, but being a GIGANTIC Mets fan I still can't stop smiling at Jon Stewart's Daily Show rant about the firing of manager Willie Randolph. In one joke he sums up exactly why being a Mets fan is both the worst and best thing to be in the world.



6. Best Buy sale got me Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy on Blu Ray for $30 total today!
7. CLICKING HERE TO SEE THIS VIDEO
8. LA Film Festival starts next week. I'm seeing Choke, American Teen and The Wackness. And I'm giving you too much info.
9. My sneak peeks at this year's Crazy 4 Cult posters (yes, there are two).
10. Having 10 things to smile about proving that things are moving forward.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Tree Excitement

Twas the day before Dangler, and I couldn't be happier. A totally mind-blowing, incredible show from the 24-year-old, in an exhibit that I think will totally cement him as one of the top names emerging in our art scene today. His first solo show officially opens tomorrow night, Thursday June 19th, from 7-10 PM and I wholeheartedly suggest you attend. It's a great one. I wish I could've taken pictures today as Dangler help install the show with Cory and I, but things just got way too busy, way too quick, so a small paragraph will have to do....

WAIT, or I could see my blog neglect as a mistake and really try to kiss up to each and every one of you. I could maybe try and make up for it with a serious announcement. Like something we've been teasing for a month. Just because I blew it. I could. And I WILL!

Angry Woebots Limited Edition T-Shirt and Signed 8 x 10" Giclee Print Package - $65 (!!!!!)







ONLY 150 shirt/print combos out there. Just in time for Summer. When I say these are the best feeling t-shirts in the world, please trust me. It's like the soft pajama feeling you want all your tees to have.

Next week we will announce how the release will go down. You have a little time, so don't be too worried. We're trying new things, Mr. Why Don't You Do A PayPal Thingee, so you can't say that anymore.

Toodles.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Have No Fear

Last night was a tremendous success, as Brandi Milne's "So Nice For Little Bunnies" book exhibit had a really nice flow of people all night (and furious paparazzi?), and we only have about 4 or 5 pieces still available. Lots of books were pre-ordered and buyers were excited to pick out their hand-drawn bookmarks. We'll still be taking book pre-orders for the rest of the month (at least), and you'll still be able to get the drawing. Also, if you haven't seen the work from this show yet, you are missing out. And in addition to missing out, you should be CLICKING HERE, as that will show you everything! And the show will be up all day today in the gallery (11-6) and most of the day tomorrow (12-4).

And then we hit this next Thursday....





The Dangler will reveal his treehouse, after non-stop paint preparations in his home state of New Jersey (only broken up by fishing excursions), hoping to nail each little hair detail for his incredible creatures. The interest in this show keeps mounting, thanks to a Flavorpill endorsement and the word spreading. I think we're in for more red dots than a pair of old jeans after paintball (was that a reach?)

So, for Matt Dangler's upcoming show, we're posting our second "5 Paintings That I Dig, That I Didn't Do" feature. This time we asked the oil genius, and 24 year-old, to pick 5 paintings he's digging right now, no matter what era or style, just to get a small glimpse into his interests and favorites, hoping it lets us in on his process or where he's going on Thursday, June 19th. Last month, Ken Garduno kicked the feature off, and Matt follows suit with a seriously interesting selection...



1. "Autumn Woodland" by Albert Bierstadt
I am a huge fan of Hudson River School paintings - in a nutshell, they were attempting to show the beauty and power of God in nature. Bierstadt is my favorite of the Hudson River School artists. His painting technique, colors, compositions, ability to capture the power and size of nature is mind blowing. When I see this kind of detail I know the artist had immense passion to express what he was feeling inside. Bierstadt captured spiritual serenity through the beautiful light that barely touches that pristine piece of the world - and I think a lot of us can relate to that little fawn in one way or another...



2. (Garden of Earthly Delights) -*Detail of the Devil - by Hieronymus Bosch

... Think about the impact this has on you right now, considering what we are all exposed to every day. Then think about the fact that he painted this around 1475 - Yeah... I was once told by my Art History Professor that if he didn't paint these creatures under a religious theme - the church or whoever had the power would of had him executed. When I consider the risks this man took to express himself and to share something he felt had the upmost importance to the world, I look a little deeper into the painting... it is a shame that ever since the beginning of mankind the majority of people still don't get what we artists are trying to say, but hey... at least we make cool things to look at right?



3. The Typhoonigator! From the book "One Monster After Another" by Mercer Mayer

Whenever I see this piece it lifts a curtain in my mind, and I am sitting down in my elementary school library being shown this miraculous imaginative creature for the first time again! It is impossible to describe feelings... but I hope you all experience that kind of nostalgia with children's books or anything in general. I am that little kid again whenever I see this image or any other piece from this book... and that is a place where I like to be.



4. "Mrs. Henry White" - 1883 - John Singer Sargent

Brilliant... if you are a painter you have to respect John Singer Sargent. Breaking it down... it's his colors, it's how bold he is with brush marks, compositions, knowledge of anatomy, elongation of the figure to emphasize it's elegance, his edges work in a systematic flow throughout the entire composition to make everything work as a whole - etc. and etc. Easily one of the most skilled painters that ever lived... and I doubt anybody that studies art would disagree. Put it this way, do you know how difficult it is to learn anatomy - and then to paint it!? Yeah... well... (in slight exaggeration) he paints a face in about 12 brush strokes and leaves it... and it comes out to near perfection... amen.



5. "Delphic Okapi- Extinct ca.1825" - by Scott Musgrove

This is one of the pieces from Scott's most recent INCREDIBLE solo show. Scott is a huge art inspiration of mine - as a fellow oil painter, and the facts that every piece he does whether small or large is done with the same amount of attention- he has developed into his own personal "voice" or style, and he remains very prolific. This piece in particular is a great example of how he can take a fictitious character out of his imagination and place into a world that has the same color scheme and atmosphere. Even the trees and ground are painted in the same style as the characters... to give the illusion that this place really does exist with these characters residing in it. His compositions, ability to capture form in an imaginative environment... and to have that control of light... pretty genius my friends. I am looking forward to his next show, that is for sure.

Word, Matt, Word. Come see what just might make your top 5 this coming Thursday, June 19th, from 7-10 PM!

Jensen
G1988: LA

What We Got

The LA gallery is about to pull off a June where we end up opening 2 shows in the month, making it 3 art shows in 30 days between May and June. Saying it's a lot of work is like saying that Shepard Fairey is kinda into politics. A bit of an understatement. But these two are going to be totally awesome, marking both the debut of Brandi Milne's artwork for her upcoming book and the solo show debut of phenom Matt Dangler.



"So Good For Little Bunnies" will be a weekend engagement at G1988: LA where we display all the original artwork from the upcoming book of the same title from LA artist Brandi Milne. This will open June 13th, with an opening reception from 7-10 PM. And the work will only be on display until the 15th. You'll be able to not only purchase originals of the work featured in the incredibly cute book, but also pre-order the book and reserve a copy for the minute they're available to the public. And if you order it that night, you'll get a pretty amazing surprise that night that you won't get any other way. But more on that later, and we'll be previewing some of the work here on the blog all week!



And then there's the Dangler. His debut solo show, "Matt Dangler's Treehouse," will open June 19th, and I couldn't be more antsy to see the over 20 paintings and 10 drawings he created for the show! The show will be focused around Matt's signature, and uber-detailed (bristles of hair, anyone?) creatures that seem to always be just hanging out in the jungle of the prolific artist's brain. The show will have a wide range of prices, as Matt wants to make sure everyone can go home with something. And go home with something they will, as this show is getting A TON of inquiry emails. Maybe some people are Google masters and found the blog of a certain celeb who just picked up his first Dangler. Or maybe they know that Matt likes making the process of buying one of his paintings a personal experience (and he'll be in LA for his show!) I don't know, maybe they just think these little creatures are cute...

Sneak peek at the solo...









Jensen
G1988: LA

March Mattness

It's the first day of the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament, a morning I used to ditch school to watch all the first round match-ups, rooting for schools I couldn't point out on a map if my life depended on it (I still don't know where Gonzaga is). But this year I can't wonder aloud where Belmont is, or even contemplate where the hell Winthrop is, cause I'm here at the gallery overwhelmed with TOYS! artwork delivery, and putting the final touches on our gallerys' 2009 schedules. I guess the good news is I'll only get small doses of Dick Vitale.

We've been focusing so much on the customized Hot Wheels vans, I want to make sure you know how seriously amazing the paintings portion of the TOYS! show is going to end up. So to prove this point I present exhibits A and B.

Exhibit A: Matt Dangler's entry



Exhibit B: Camilla d'Errico's entry



Your honor, the show opens April 1, 2008 with an opening reception from 7-10 PM. I rest my case.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Oh, That's Cool

Hello, friends.

As everyone returns from Miami and the Art Basel shindig (I didn't actually go, but I did wear white pants and casual loafers around the house while chatting about Jai Alai this weekend, so I was there in spirit), we're in full swing here at 1988 for the Holiday season. For those on our mailing list who are thinking about buying something, but just think everything over $50 is 10% too expensive - look out for our first annual Holiday Gift Guide (and coupon surprise) in your inbox tomorrow morning! Which means, this is your last chance, if you're not on our email list, send me an note at gallery1988@aol.com and I'll make sure to add you before the blast tomorrow.



Welcome Kim. She's a seasonal intern over here at 1988 and she's in charge of shipping your Stella Fight Club prints. So, you know not to make her mad.

Gallery 1988 friend and resident street credibility professor Murs recently dropped his new mixtape, 'Murs and the Misadventures of the Nova Express," and low and behold - look who got the cover. It's 1988 boy genius Matt Dangler and his Loompa Land image from Crazy 4 Cult, which is still available as a print at Crazy4Cult.com. Yes, we got to curate the cover of the CD and yes, it's totally fresh. We have some here in the gallery, if you want to buy dope hip-hop and ignore the crap they play on Power 106 now. They also have them at Amoeba and other places you'd expect to get rap mixtapes rather than an art gallery. Here's his new music video too!



The reason I bring up the man named Murs is also because I ran into him this weekend at the ArcLight after catching the opening weekend of Juno. He was seeing Golden Compass (Take that, rap world!)



Anyway, Juno is a lock for a bunch of Oscar noms this season and it was really a great little movie that is leaps and bounds better than Little Miss Sunshine, which I promise everyone will sadly compare it to, so it doesn't really need the support of our little readership. Incredible cast, great touching screenplay and ridiculously funny.
It's also cool to see David Choe, Kozyndan and Tara McPherson get some art love in the kids' rooms. As well as Jurassic 5 DJ Cut Chemist have a very odd school teacher cameo. Go support this movie, as it really is that good.

And lastly, I planned one waiting a while for stuff like this, but I can't. The art is too good. Here are two sneak peeks at pieces from our "Under The Influence" A Tribute to Stan Lee" show opening Jan. 8! It really just gets better and better.

Amanda Visell x The X-Men



Chris Tezber x Spider-Man



Travis Lampe x Iron Man



WOW.

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

DANG(L)ER! MTV REAL WORLD X G1988

If these names mean anything to you, we could probably be much better friends than we currently are:

Irene with Lime's Disease
Eric Nies (pre-The Grind)
Jon Brennan the Country Singer
Julie Stoffer the Mormon
Frankie with Cysitc Fibrosis (R.I.P.)

Yup, Real World Alumni. I'm a super fan. I've been geeked out since Season 1 and still actually try to catch all the episodes I can. The fact that MTV runs them every 2 hours helps.

WELL, my little dreams have come true. I can't reveal too much, but the Real World is back in Hollywood and Gallery 1988 has curated some art for the new house! Be on the lookout for PlasticGod, Chris Lee (The Crazy 4 Cult poster!), Ahren Hertel, Peter Gronquist, Kii Arens and MORE, when the new season debuts in a few months. I wanted someone to do a commission piece of Puck snorting booger rocks for their living room, but that might have been a bit too self referential. Big things for us, right?

ALSO, don't forget! No complaining to me this time. I'm giving you fair warning. The newest Crazy 4 Cult print goes on sale Friday at Noon! You can call either the LA gallery (323) 937 - 7088 or the SF gallery (415) 409 - 1376, starting at noon PST. THEY ARE ONLY 20! Lowest print run we've ever done at G1988! They really do look stunning and they shouldn't last very long at all, if you look at all our past releases.



Matt Dangler
Lost In Loompa Land
giclee print on fine art paper with archival ink
approx. 15 x 13 inches unframed
hand-signed and numbered
LIMITED TO ONLY 20
$100.00

Good luck on that one. I'll pick up the LA phone and we can talk about Julie the dancer from the NY season and Heather B. rapping "All Glocks Down."

Jensen
G1988: LA

Next up Don, a special appearance...

Right on the heels of another Scott Campbell sell-out, we will be releasing another Crazy4Cult.com print. This print will be released on Sept. 28th at noon PST, and is our MOST LIMITED print of all-time. There ARE ONLY 20 MADE! It's Matt Dangler's "Lost in Loompa Land" and it looks amazing.



Approx. 15 x 13 inches
hand-signed and numbered
giclee print on archival paper
LIMITED TO ONLY 20
$100
Available Sept. 28th @ noon by calling
(323) 937 7088 (Los Angeles) or
(415) 409 1376 (San Francisco) to order.

We just posted it up on Crazy4Cult.com, so make sure to mark that time on your calendar as well, cause only 20 quick fingered phone jockeys will get this puppy!

Jensen
G1988: LA

He's Moved Them Into The Water

Got these little gems from 20-something up-and-comer (not with the porno spelling) Matt Dangler, who will be showing these, as well as many other works, in our upcoming Guys' Guys show, which opens one week from today! Let's just say the kid knows how to send an impressive photo-attached email. And yes, this is a painting.



And, a drawing...? Haven't seen these yet in the mix...



Also, just for the record, the video for A-HA's "Take On Me" is older than Matt Dangler. Potential, anyone?

Jensen
G1988: LA

He's got them in trees.

Matt Dangler sent over an email that had a rather odd creature attached (see below, but approach with care).



You see this "Cowardly Lion Pillar" is one of the three pieces he's delivering to the San Fran Gallery for a group show called "The Onset" that opens on May 15th. It's an exhibit introducing many of the most popular artists in our LA gallery to the Bay Area, including "The Dangler," Mark Bodnar, Joe Ledbetter, Amanda Visell, Ahren Hertel, Buff Monster and more. Rumors are swirling that this painting is actually a portrait of an animal Matt purchased from an old Asian man, who warned him not to feed him after midnight, expose him to water or light, and eventually heat it in a microwave when it goes "bad." OK, so who's ready to take him home?

Jensen
G1988: LA

For The Ears

I survived the tornado here in Hollywood, which I guess is now getting some major network coverage, evidenced by my Mom calling and yelling, "Are you OK?," about 10 minutes ago. But look what the wind brought in...






This is a collaboration with our friends over at Gelaskins, a stellar company who produce hi-end stickers to decorate your IPod with. They were nice enough to produce these babies for our SF gallery opening on April 21st. With the artwork of newly G1988 represented child prodigy Matt Dangler, these IPod skins fit the Video Ipod and the Nano. "The Dangler" will deliver his 8-bit opus, which he has been spooning in bed with for weeks, in the next few days and I'm chomping at the bit. Also, he'll be the one wearing the birthday hat at the 8-bit opening reception, as it is his day of birth on April 17 and he's spending it in LA! Tell the kid happy 14th birthday (joke, although he is the age of Lil' Bow Wow) and then drool at his piece.

In the menwhile, you can get these Ipod skins, THANKS TO GELASKINS, for free by attending the Gallery 1988 SF GRAND OPENING on April 21, 2007.

Jensen
G1988: LA