E7S will be at the Subzero 5th Annual SubZERO Festival this Friday...

5th Annual SubZERO Festival 2012

South FIRST FRIDAYS presents the 5th Annual SubZERO Festival

Focused on emerging and present subcultures thriving in our region, SubZERO is a diy, artistically bent, hi/lo-techno mashup where street meets geek. Come downtown on June 1st to San Jose's SoFA District from 6pm 'til midnight for an inspired evening of arts & culture. In addition to the South FIRST FRIDAYS monthly art walk you'll find outdoor stages of entertainment plus artists, performers & creative businesses celebrating the indie creative spirit!

FRIDAY JUNE 1, 2012 from 6pm-midnight
SoFA district in downtown San Jose
(on South First Street between San Carlos & Reed Streets)

W: http://www.subzerofestival.com

F:: https://www.facebook.com/subzerofestival

T: http://www.twitter.com/subzerofestival  hashtag: #SubZEROFest

ALL HAIL THE PROGENITORS OF CULTURE!

If everyone that attends the festival spends just $50. with any artist, performer or musician, we can pump over $500,000 into our subculture economy in just 6 hours. We hope you'll join us!

E7S x Gift 2 Gab presents Inglorious Vandals (sticker show)

Wrath of Andromeda - artwork and reception

Tyson Johnston definitely delivered an amazing show!

It's great to see Tyson's progression in his techniques and methodology over the years.

The show is up for one more week (last day is May 25). 

If you didn't make it to the opening,  we'll be open this Wednesday & Friday from 12-6pm.

-Carlos & Jennifer 

Tyson Johnston Studio visit...

Tyson Johnston, a 36 year old South Bay native, grew up in Los Gatos, CA. His musical interest since his younger days have been Punk Rock and Heavy Metal to Ice T, Ice Cube and now underground Hip Hop. Growing up Tyson began finding mischief on the regular basis. He began to experiment with graffiti and decided art was another outlet to exercise his creative thoughts. Tyson seeked as much training as possible, dabbling into art classes through his high school years and then continuing at De Anza College to avoid getting ripped off at a more expensive art schools or training institutions like Universities.

In the early 90's, Tyson stumbled upon a shop called New Skool Tattoo located in San Jose's downtown. During his many years of employment at New Skool, Tyson was fortunate to work amongst many iconic and talented successful individuals. He mentioned that he was honored to have met Sean Barber, Henry Lewis, and work with, Mike Giant, Grime, Phil Holt and Jason Kundell.

So after many years of working around so much talent, Tyson discovered more of himself and his art. He pursues art more now then ever as it helps maintain his focus in life. His work is a meditative tool allowing him to keep busy and away from the world of trouble.

Back in 2009, Tyson Johnston was part of the group show at E7S called "Eaten by Wolves". His new body of work is intense and his bold illustrations layered on top of Jackson Pollock's type backgrounds are just a preview of what's to come. Tyson's current body of work incorporates alot more animals and symbolic weapons from different regions of the world. He refers to his passion for old films like Clash of the Titans. This is just one of the classics he enjoys 'til this day since it's something he watched as a kid. "The title of the show really doesn't have anything to do with the actual paintings " Tyson says. "It's just a catchy title because of the movie. However there will be some Greek mythical influences through some just to make it more fun".

Two art show openings this Friday in Japantown! Wrath of Andromeda by Tyson Johnston @ E7S and Jesico @ Cukui

Before or after you check out Tyson Johnston's show at E7S, walk down to Cukui to see works by Jesico (details below)



Poesia solo show at AD Gallery tomorrow night...

Some of you may remember seeing some of Poesia's work at our "Walls of Fame" group show last November 2011. Tomorrow night he'll be having his solo show at Anno Domini, part of South First Friday's monthly art walk. 


(Below is reblogged from AD Gallery's web site)

The Immaculate Conception, 72 x 41 inches, spray enamel, oil paint, oil pastel and bitumen.

"In this exhibition entitled, More Force than Judgment, Poesia draws inspiration from a quote by renaissance biographer Giorgio Vasari describing the work of Tintoretto. The quote resonates with Poesia because of his involvement over the past two decades with the graffiti movement. Graffiti as an art form has not usually been taken seriously because it is perceived as consisting of actions and aesthetics that have to do more with force than judgment. Art historians and collectors in the past have been unable to make the connections between the power of a spray painted tag on the street, a Pollock drip on a canvas, or a Tintoretto sketch on a piece of paper. These relationships are made synonymous on these canvases as a pointed metaphor about the importance of the graffiti writer's mark on art history, as well as on the physical world itself.
In the paintings themselves, Poesia creates a direct dialogue with art history and graffiti's recently recognized, yet still contentious, central role in it in the new millennium. The compositions involve revised versions of old masterpieces that are influenced by the artist's history as a graffiti artist and the techniques and materials that he uses. As his traditional subject matter, he repaints historical masterpieces from the High Renaissance through the Baroque period. As his challenging commentary, he utilizes geometric abstraction to slice into them and graffiti tools wielded with an expressionistic stroke to disperse and obscure them. Poesia uses this visual dialectic to create a simile between new millennium masters and their historical counterparts, thereby making a statement that elevates both the art form and their practitioners, as well as progressing it's stylistic palette into the future."


Exhibition text by Daniel Feral

Opening Reception: Friday, May 4, 2012
Music: DJ Cutso
Exhibition on view: May 4 – June 16, 2012

Opening Reception is part of the South FIRST FRIDAYS monthly art walk, May 4, 2012.