Idiot Box Artwork All Online!

You can check it out at http://idiotbox88.blogspot.com

I'll get more recappy when I sort things out. Busy night.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Great Night!

It is cool...

As a life-long fan of AintItCool, it's always awesome to get a shout-out over there. This time it was a surprise, even though the Head Geek did pick up the Israel Sanchez...



You can read the whole article by CLICKING HERE.

The show starts in 45 minutes.....be here!

Jensen
G1988: LA

Hours Away, Idiot

Less than 24 hours from "Idiot Box," our 5 year Anniversary exhibit, and things are actually way more calm than usual before a show of this magnitude. SO much good artwork. Jenn Lobo dropped her pieces off today and as she was leaving she said something along the lines of, these theme shows, every time, get better and better. She commented, it's as if the competition just gets better and better as artists bring their A game for these shows. And I couldn't agree more. I'm so excited to show off this work and the fun the artists had while making it (and we had while hanging it). Did two radio interviews today, one for Canada and one for Australia, and both were soooo well-versed in American guilty pleasure TV - made me understand how universal this theme is. I know that for the duration of this entire exhibit - I'll be able to smile all day while looking at this work on the walls. Some last minute peeks for you...hope to see you tomorrow night, Thursday evening, 7 - 11 PM.



Tim Tomkinson talks sweaters.



Matt Taylor channels Gossip Girl with his limited edition print.



An amazing digital print from 1988 newcomer Joey Spiotto. These are VERY limited, and super cheap...so if you've always wanted a print of Vicki from Small Wonder destroying a town...you better get to the gallery close to 7 PM.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Heading down to LA!

I'm coming down for Idiot Box, couldn't miss our 5 year anniversary show! It blows my mind that it's been 5 years already. I can still remember driving in my car with Jensen when we came up with the idea to open 1988. For two people with very little knowledge of opening an art gallery, we actually spent a lot of time planning. We wrote a formal business plan, which we recently found down in the LA store and it's SO different than how the gallery turned out. It's actually pretty funny to read now. We came up with our name which was first "Elephant Gallery" which then switched to "Anthony Michael Hallway" and then we finally settled on "Nineteen Eight Eight."

I remember sitting my parents down at a restaurant on Fillmore St., with the typed up business plan, of course, to tell them at 22 years old I was opening an art gallery with Jensen, who was my boyfriend at the time. My dad didn't speak for about an hour. I think he completely tuned out in a "I can't believe this is happening" kind of way. My parents eventually got on board and became really excited about the gallery and have been incredibly supportive ever since. My dad even drove down from San Francisco to help Jensen's dad renovate the space. He showed up with all of his tools and his handyman outfit (a white button down dress shirt, khaki shorts, white tubes socks and old, black dress shoes because he didn't want to "scuff up his white sneakers"). He is the cutest man on the planet, think Ned Flanders. And then when the grand opening came, my entire family flew down for the event. My sister, Lindsey, who is afraid to fly, overdosed on sleeping pills for the one hour flight and threw up all night.

There are so many amazing memories, most are probably boring to everyone besides me and Jensen. But even just writing this blog post and thinking back makes me laugh. We are extremely lucky and I feel so blessed that we've come this far.

Enough mushy stuff.

See you in LA!

Katie
G1988 SF

--

The Force

Right before "Idiot Box," a show where she'll also have 2 new pieces available....Misha did something completely different...and BRILLIANT.





Misha
"Return"
acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 inches (26 x 32 inches framed)
$1,400.00



Misha
"Empire"
acrylic on canvas
18 x 24 inches (26 x 32 inches framed)
$1,400.00



Misha
"Slave Girl Peach"
11 x 14 inches
$750.00

Interested? Email me at gallery1988@aol.com. Cause Star Wars + Nintendo = not around long.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Jen Tong

Redefine Magazine did a really nice write up on Jen Tong from our "Sweet Surrender" show that just closed on Saturday. Jen delivered some amazing pieces for the show and we were very excited to have her involved. It looks like Redefine was excited about her work too!

Check out the article here... http://www.redefinemag.com/arts/

Katie
G1988 SF

--

Urkel On Your Apple

Our homeboys at Gelaskins have hooked us up once again, this time celebrating the LA Gallery's 5th Anniversary. Employing Alex Pardee's "Idiot Box" piece of Family Matter's lovable dweeb, Steve Urkel, we ask the hi-pitched annoying question, "Did Weeeeeee Do That?" - cause even we totally baffled ourselves. There was only about 100 made of these combined, so it's first come, first serve - for free - for those who party at the opening reception of "Idiot Box," Thursday night, April 2, 7-11 PM. With this on your iPhone and a picture of you and Mr. Belding chugging a beer in your wallet, you will be the coolest person you know.







Jensen
G1988: LA

And another one...

Freaks and Geeks is one of Jensen's favortive TV shows of all time, he loves it SO MUCH that he made us go to the Freaks and Geeks meet and greet/DVD signing at the old Tower Records on Sunset about three years ago. We waited in line for HOURS, but we did get to meet the entire cast.

So, you can imagine how excited Jensen was to see Allison Reimold's Freaks and Geeks themed piece for our Idiot Box show...



This piece is amazing and so perfect for this show! Stay tuned for more preview pics...

Katie
G1988 SF

--

Toofy

Shark Toof has consistently been one of my favorite street artists here in LA and his new wheat pastings moved him even higher on my lists. This one is caddy corner from us, right next to my favorite lunch spot, M Cafe. Looks like he's branching out from his past visual, now almost reinventing the moniker. LOVE it. We are one of the few spots that actually sells the mysterious Shark Toof's prints and wheat pasting posters, so check them out HERE.



It's not safe.

Jensen
G1988: LA