Choque Cultural News
Pop Revisted
Our current show at Choque Cultural, Sao Paulo is called Pop Revisted. For the first time we are presenting artists from the UK with individual shows by Gerald Laing, one of the UK's most significant Pop artists and John Simpson, an up-and-coming artist and printmaker. The show in association with Ocontemporary Gallery, UK. Alongside these two British artists is a solo show from Daniel Melim and small group exhibition, the aim of the show is to draw parallels between Pop art and contemporary "Urban Art".
choquecultural.com.br/blogs/exhibitions
www.ocontemporary.co.uk
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Titifreak at Instituto Tomie Ohtake
Today I was lucky enough to visit the Tomie Ohtake Institute in Sao Paulo. To celebrate a 100 years of Japanese Immigration in Brazil this contemporary art museum (which is an amazing building - www.institutotomieohtake.org.br was presenting an outstanding show of Japanese art. The show included works by famous Japanese and Japanese/Brazilian artists from the last hundred years, to include traditional styles, modernism, manga - right up to the present day. Titifreak was invited to represent his work with an outstanding installation taking up one whole wall. Taking photographs was not allowed so I found some on Titifreak's blog that show the piece, although they don't do it justice - Outstanding work!
www.tfreak.com/exhibitions.php
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Travels with Remed
Although he is originally from France, Remed has been adopted into the Choque Cultural family as he has spent much of his time in Sao Paulo over the last two years. We are very pleased to present his first print with us, which was created in response to his travels and time in the city.
Remed's work is often involved with word play and well as image play. In this print words mixes around some Portuguese words. Adora - Agora - Love - Now.
Alegria! - Happiness!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Daniel Melim at Cans Festival
Daniel Melim was one of the artists invited to the cans festival in London last week. The response was incredible!
www.thecansfestival.com
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Daniel Melim and Speto show at Ocontemporary
Daniel Melim and Speto double-headed show at Ocontemporary gallery in Brighton.
Not to be missed collaborative show on until 18th of May...
Saturday, April 19, 2008
El Tono print
El Tono is one of Spain's most interesting street artists.
www.eltono.com/blog
He recently made a small art tour of South America, putting on shows and creating works on the street. As part of his tour he visited Choque Cultural gallery. Choque gallery in turn introduced him to one of the last surviving woodblock printers in Sao Paulo. Together we produced a number of prints using traditional techniques. Some of the prints were used as part of installations on cheap coloured paper a small collectors edition was printed on heavy weight paper. We have a small number of both available.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Bruno 9li
Finally the long awaited Bruno 9li prints are here and in stock.
For more info you read more here -
www.bruno9li.com
Bruno's work has been extremely successful with shows in Barcelona and San Jose.
His limited edition book with Rojo also sold out in a matter of months.
Here's some youtubing from the book for a taste of his work...
Monday, March 10, 2008
Ramon paints Choque
One of our favourite painters Ramon Martins has just painted the front of our gallery. You can see more here - www.flickr.com/photos/ramonmartins/2133617204
His new "Bunny Cloud" print is also now available. We expect to be seeing a lot more from Ramon in 2008!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Made in America show
Choque Cultural Gallery is proud to present, in conjunction with Jonathan Levine gallery - the Made in America show.
Opening reception will be January 21st, 2008. Original artworks from Shepard Fairey, Jeff Soto, souther Salazar, Camille Rose Garcia, Shag, Tim Biskup, Mars 1, Andrew Brandou, Gary Baseman, Dalek and AJ Fosik.
This will be Choque's first show of North American artists and the first time that many of these artists will have exhibited in South America. An exciting moment in this Choque Cultural Gallery's history.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
New Prints
New Prints are here from Carlos Dias, Zezão, Speto and MZK. Produced in collaboration with Ocontemporary gallery in Brighton on the occasion of our second round of Choque Cultural "Cor da Rua" shows.
One more print to come from Ramon Martins will complete this set.
About the prints
Carlos Dias - one of his themes is birds, this exuberantly hand drawn print is a classic of his street style.
Zezão's street work often takes him underground to the sewers of Sao Paulo where his fluid designs adorn found rusting textures. In this print he uses gold to represent rusting metal and a found sewer lid as a support for his signature shapes.
Speto's girl eating melon print is inspired by his girlfriend who loves to eat melon!
MZK - Mambo mexican styles in this Day of the Dead matchbook print.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Zezao on the BBC
Zezao was featured the BBC on the today.
Here is a link to watch again - news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news/england/video/133000/bb/133195_16x9_bb.ram
As you can see from the piece when Zezao visited Brighton he was given special permission to paint in the famous Victorian sewers which are open to visitors.
Image is Zezao's installation at the Ocontemporary gallery.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Magoo / Znort / Presto
Our current São Paulo show features the following three artists...
Magoo
Is an icon of the pop culture and low brow art in São Paulo. In his first exhibition in Choque Cultural Gallery, the artist will show airbrush paintings on metallic plates, bowling pins and some other surprises. Pay attention to his wonderful real flames. See some of Magoo's pieces at: www.flickr.com/photos/choquecultural/sets/72157600065749279
Znort
Constructs his universe going from tenderness to bizarre. The artist's imaginary is represented by surreal characters and landscapes. The artist sculpts dolls in fabric, clay, lead and wood. His delicate drawings are made with pencil, ink and engraving. He is now installing his world in a little room at Choque Cultural. See some of Znort's pieces at:www.flickr.com/photos/choquecultural/sets/72157602863504572
Presto
Started painting at the streets in 1996 and since then, developed a unique sense of style, filled with fantastic figures and a rich, almost abstract, calligraphy. Aging canvas, wood and rusted metal are his favourite materials, ideal for bringing his colorful cartoon characters to life. See some os Presto's pieces at:www.flickr.com/photos/choquecultural/sets/72157594584738052
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Brighton - the second round
Starting this Friday the 9th November is the exciting second round of Choque Cultural's two month show at Ocontemporary gallery in Brighton. This month brings the combined talents of Carlos Dias,Speto, Ramon Martins, MZK and Zezao.
The guys have just arrived, bringing some amazing work with them and are producing some great installations inside the gallery. Friday is the opening night and the show runs through until December the 9th.
Prints to combine with the show will be available to order on the opening night from Ocontemporary and then followed by a release here at our webstore.
Monday, November 5, 2007
October round-up
So much going on right now... Our show at Ocontemporary Gallery in Brighton has been a great success and we look forward to our next one in November.
Meanwhile back in Sao Paulo we are also looking forward to shows from Presto, Znort & Magoo. Keep in touch here - www.choque-cultural.blogspot.com
Calma's excellent print is now available on our Art pages.
Soon available will be the prints released for the show at Ocontemporary gallery - www.ocontemporary.co.uk from Titifreak, Kboco, Slivana Mello, Andre Muller and Daniel Melim.
We will soon be able to announce our release date for the co-edition Titifreak "Sempre" print that has already been partly released in collaboration with Pictures on Walls - www.picturesonwalls.com. News as soon as we have it...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Brighton blog
Our guys have been busy this week setting up the exhibition in Brighton's Ocontemporary gallery. The show opens this Friday Oct 5th.
Keep up with what they are doing through our brighton blogspot...
www.choquebrighton.blogspot.com/
We also have a great blogspot for our current show in Sao Paulo with Stephan Doitschinoff aka Calma...
www.calmachoque.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Calma show
Currently showing at the Choque Cultural gallery, Sao Paulo is a solo show by Calma a.k.a Stephan Doitschinoff
www.stephandoit.com.br
This show has been much anticipated and original canvases for sale can be viewed here - www.flickr.com/photos/choquecultural/sets/72157601772865768
Stephan Doitschinoff, aka Calma (30), was born in São Paulo, but since 2004, he has lived and worked in São Paulo, Bahia, London, Manchester, Madrid and Barcelona.
He didn't have a formal art training but aged 16 he began to work with scene painter Zé Carratú. Over three years he painted backdrops for rock festivals including bands such as Black Sabbath and Bad Religion.
After some time in Europe he returned to Brazil and formed an artist collective known as FACA with Carlos Dias, together they painted murals and produced posters and stickers that were placed on the streets of Sao Paulo.(As featured in the Graffiti Brasil book)
His iconography and symbolism uses elements of sacred art, urban art and pop culture. As the son of a protestant pastor he was born in a church. He likes to play with religious iconography but without eliminating the intention of these profane icons. His research doesn't shy away from secret symbols or the handwriting of pichação.
Stephan compositions combine the written word with imagery reminiscent of heraldry, for example, Skulls, daggers, clouds and keys intertwining. The images become, at the same time, pop and architypes. In the illustration, Stephan expertise with images and symbology have yielded him the important Tortoise Illustration prize, in 2006, for the book "Word Gypsy", Publisher Cosac Naify.
After several expositions and important publications in Europe and the United States, Stephan presents his first individual show in Brazil, at Choque Cultural. A theme in the exhibition is a descent into purgatory, presented in the originals of the series "To Divine Comedy" (commissioned by the band Burial), including unpublished output of paintings, drawings and installation, about the which the artist presents their esthetics of "pop fundamentalist".
Calmas screenprint series will soon be available at this website.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Choque goes to St Tropez
On their way to the Brighton show in the UK and in association with Choque Cultural; Titifreak, Daniel Melim and Kboco will be showing in St Tropez.
Galerie Nathalie Duchayne from 15th September.
http://www.duchayne.com/
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Blogs - extra artist info
In preparation for the up coming Choque Cultural shows in Brighton, UK we are working on some artists blogs for artists who will be showing.
www.kbocochoque.blogspot.com
www.carlosdiaschoque.blogspot.com
www.ramonmartinschoque.blogspot.com
www.silvanamellochoque.blogspot.com
www.choqueartists.blogspot.com
www.andreimullerchoque.blogspot.com
www.danielmelimchoque.blogspot.com
These are still being worked on but we plan to make one for all the artists we work with.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
'A Cidade Limpa - Zezao'
A Cidade Limpa - "The clean city"
A new film of Zezao's current show. Amazing to see the layers of the gallery stripped down to its raw state.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Choque Cultural in Brighton,UK
In association with Choque Cultural, Ocontemporary gallery are planning an extended two part show featuring 10 artists from Brasil.
The first part of the show will be from Friday 5th October - Sunday 4th November. The second round, Friday 9th November - Sunday 9th December, we'll be posting up more details over the coming months.
To celebrate the forthcoming show Ocontemporary will be offering two brand new exclusive pre-show releases (works on canvas) by Titifreak and Daniel Melim. For more information visit www.ocontemporary.com
Friday, July 20, 2007