The world over knows of a handful of towns, those cities that no matter where you go people nod in recognition of the city you speak of. Places like New York, Shanghai, Berlin, and Moscow are all in this boat, and so is London, England. Dare I mention that they also hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics?
Photo source: Ned Tobin | www.nedtobin.com
Jaybo Monk is a man whom you meet and never forget. His honesty and sincerity is what makes his art so pure, so essential.
There have been many late nights where I’ve debated the purpose of art with him; Jaybo always has the romantic stance that art should be created to express what must be expressed. Everything is just secondary.
It’s easy to see this in his work. It’s also easy to see into his minds eye with his work.
Recently, on 16.08.2012 Jaybo created some of the most extraordinary pieces of art I’ve had the pleasure to look at for a solo show at Rook & Raven Gallery / London. They explore white space and shapes with an emphasis on the olympics.I perticularily love how he manages to create a surreal exposé of the lustful imagination mixed with wild beasts… and the muscle structure.
How do you like them?
Photo source: Jaybo Monk | http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151826326030476.486571.40186475475&type=1
Remi/ROUGH just finished a trip to Canada, his first ever, and to no other than Vancouver at that. Yes, this is where I’m at. Yes, I met him. Yes, he’s a major cool chap. Yes, his art is amazing.
The pure mix of straight edges, with complete slur of all emotion mixed with symmetry, and then displaced with layered chaos is amazing.
He came to Vancouver to do Unintended Calculations, a mix of spraying the Moda Hotel walls in downtown Vancouver, as well as showing at Becker Galleries, located on Granville Island. The show was curated by the talented Indigo, who herself is an amazing artists becoming a global figure. I’ve taken some photographs of the event held at Becker Galleries.
Remi/ROUGH’s work leaves a lot up to the imagination. There are many angles to approach it, for myself, I feel. One can embrace it from chaos inward to straight and stiff edges, or the other way around: straight stiff to chaos. Maybe the correct word is not so much chaos as one would think.
Remi/ROUGH has been part of the Graffiti scene for a very long time. One of the fathers one might even say, so needless to say he is looked up to by many, many people. Artists, punks, rebels, musicians all alike; and with just cause, he is a great guy.
While talking with him, he gave me the certain awe that most people who have been doing their thing for a while, proven themselves, give me. It’s like a ‘yes, I’m just doing my thing, and I’m great at it, and I love it, and I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy it too cause that’s why I do it’ kind of feeling. Or maybe that was just the English blood in him… Hard to tell.
The above piece is a collab put on the walls of a gallery with System, another artist.
To be honest though, it’s work like this that inspires me. There isn’t one thing that a person can pinpoint that does it, it’s a mixture of all things combined. How does one enjoy the drips any more than one does the edges? And how can you ignore the raunch feel of anger that is evoked in pin pointing an exact thing that inspires? Maybe it’s not anger at all, maybe it’s just something akin to capturing fireflies.
To me, it’s a body. It’s a figure, it’s a feeling. It’s not just one thing. It’s everything. Does this make sense? How does it make you feel?
The photo above is Remi/ROUGH doing work with Jaybo Monk. I have done a profile on him recently for he is also one inspiring fellow. Two legends, two icons, two people that will be talked about for many many years to come.
I am honored to have met Remi/ROUGH and I look forward to seeing his future work.
All pictures are to the best of my knowledge taken by Remi/ROUGH unless otherwise noted.