Zevs: Hong Kong Liquidated Logos

by CH Contributor

by Ariston Anderson

While preparing for his first ever solo show in Hong Kong recently, authorities arrested French graffiti artist and notorious logo destroyer Zevs after he painted a "liquidated" Chanel logo atop the flagship Giorgio Armani store to "reflect the war of brands."

The store was not pleased, demanding HK$6.7 million (about $850,000) in damages after the artist pleaded guilty. While he used a water-based paint that should have been easy to remove, the store claims they cannot remove the paint due to the sandstone facade of the building.

Of course, there's no such thing as bad press—we recommend checking out the show. It features all new works, including lacquered paintings of Louis Vuitton and Chanel logos, as well as ceramics and metal pieces, produced by local craftsman using traditional Chinese methods. If you're currently in Hong Kong, stop by the Giorgio Armani store while you still can to see what's left of his street escapade.

Hong Kong Liquidated Logos
Through 30 September 2009
Art Statements Gallery
G/F, 5 Mee Lun Street
Central, Hong Kong map
tel. +852 2122 9657

Amanda Wachob Tattoos

by Jacob Resneck

Having already painted an impressive body of work, this Buffalo, NY-born artist has moved from cloth to skin as her primary canvas.

Amanda Wachob's tattoo art ranges from the abstract brush marks across a forearm to a plus and minus adorning the fists playing on the duality of nature to more conventional tattoo art, including an excellent portrait of blues singer Leadbelly. (See it and more after the jump.)

In some of her work, which she terms, "Conceptual Tattoos," Wachob uses distilled water in place of indelible ink so that the piece is impermanent visibly but leaves a trace as the body heals. “It is intended that as your body heals the the mark, the symbol's energies are absorbed,” she writes on her website.

These days Wachob partners with Daredevil Tattoo in Manhattan's Lower East Side, which has flourished as one of the premier tattoo parlors since New York legalized tattooing in 1997.

Third Ward Open Call Photography Exhibit

by CH Contributor

by Tisha Leung

Are you an avid photographer who thinks outside the box's box? Third Ward, Williamsburg's go-to resource for the creative design professional, recently announced their first-ever Open Call for photography. With a goal of finding the best new creative work from emerging photographers, the missive turns to photography's evolution as a catalyst, looking to its development from daguerreotypes to glass negatives and from Polaroid film to limitless digital shots.

The result will be a group exhibit of 26 winners with one first place award of $500 and a Third Ward Green Bike (a lime-colored single speed bike, custom designed in Brooklyn). All those featured in the group show at 3rd Ward's gallery will also be written up in their quarterly publication, receive a one-month basic membership with access to their four photo studios and gain citywide exposure through post cards, fliers and press.

Magnum photographer Peter van Agtmael, Sean Fader, who's a FIT Professor and one of Third Ward's Solo Show Artists (a similar competition-based exhibit) and Amani Olu, co-founder and executive director of Humble Arts Foundation, will judge the submissions.

Check out 3rd Ward for details. Submissions are accepted through 7 August 2009.

Mark Gonzales: South West

by CH Contributor

by Ariston Anderson

Mark Gonzales, aka the Gonz, might be better known for skateboarding or his shoe and clothing lines, but lately we've been taking note of his paintings and illustrations. In a new show in the Lower East Side, entitled South West, the artist explores patterns and cheery images in delicate watercolors.

He tells CH, "A lot of the artwork in the show is supposed to be like South-Western style rugs done on paper and it's kind of hard to get the lines straight." The playful body work reveals Gonzales' careful and dedicated energy on and off the ramp.

See more images after the jump.

South West
Through 2 August 2009
Half Gallery
208 Forsyth Street
New York, NY 10002map

Junior Massive T-Shirts

by Lost At E Minor

What's in the Australian water that keeps producing all these t-shirt brands? Junior Massive is the latest, a newly launched boutique label making limited edition tees using only Australian cotton. It's street meets indie; design meets durability; edgy fashion meets…well, edgy fashion. We like it already.