Cool Hunting

Brooklyn-based artist, Dalek (James Marshall) and San Francisco-based Mars-1 (Mario Martinez) held a joint opening at New York's Jonathan LeVine Gallery this past weekend in a West side/East coast clash of sorts. Originally graffiti artists, both have expanded into various genres like painting, sculpting and designing toys. Using similar techniques and materials, they create otherworldly figures and landscapes.

Dalek's bright and contrasting color schemes are predominant in a series of new works titled "Desperate, Rejected & Angry" (Pictured above left, click image for detail.) He places his signature "space monkey" in settings that are always fun, brilliant and different. Painting and drawing with acrylic, Dalek creates fascinating amusement park-like settings that keeps the eye moving across the wood panels.

Mars-1 utilizes airbrush skills in a dozen new mysterious and multi-dimensional large-scale works titled "Aerodynamics of Psychonauts." (Pictured above right, click on image for detail.) A combination of acrylic and gouache makes for a soft, illusionary look while his abstract ethereal landscapes create a sense of wonderment beyond reality.

The exhibit will be on view thru 28 April 2007. Visit Jonathan LeVine Gallery to see more images from the show.

Jonathan LeVine Gallery
529 West 20th Street, 9E
New York, NY 10011 map
tel. +1 212 243 3822