A Word of Art

/A WORD OF ART in partnership with our bestest friends GreenPop were just notified that we are one of the winners of the Design Indaba; Your Street Challange http://www.designindaba.com/projects/your-street
We will be using the money to transform the Greenpop Nursery on Mountain Rd Woodstock,with a mural,art installations and a public jungle jim/tree house .
This is Ricky from /AWOA and Misha of Greenpop receiving the prize form the Mayor

Join us next Thursday for a drink and some great art!

For the upcoming show titled “Transformative” Paul Senyol and Wesley van Eeden explored the notions of reality and society in a constant stage of change. Van Eeden was taken by the idea of how something we do today will have a certain influence on the way we live tomorrow, next week, a month from now and for many years to come. Trying to grapple for a grasp on the present moment, we find ourselves in eternal stages of change. Senyol took a deeper look at the very fabric of his everyday life and those who orbit his existence as a starting point for working towards a final outcome. Senyol explored his surroundings within Woodstock allowing all aspects of its transformation from day to day to influence him.

For more images or to schedule interviews with the artists or curators, please email elmarie@a-word-of-art.co.za. Images available upon request.

PAUL SENYOL

Paul Senyol was born on 25 October 1980 in Cape Town, South Africa. Senyol has been drawing and painting since he could hold a pencil but has never received any “formal” art training. At 16, he discovered the freedom of skateboarding and the punk rock music scene in the beautiful suburb of Welgemoed, where he grew up. The aesthetics of skateboard graphics, album covers, magazine layouts and illustrations have influenced his work from an early stage.

Senyol also became exposed to the creativity of graffiti and street artists such as Marc Gonzales, Ed Templeton, and Barry McGee - all forming part of his early art education.

He was later moved by the creative thought and artistic genius of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Cy Twombly.

His lack of formal training and schooling has given him the freedom to break away from traditional notions of painting, to explore genres and styles, and to meld mediums, allow him complete creative freedom. Senyol is primarily concerned with the aesthetics of how something looks, feels, forms shape, lines and expresses colour.

ARTIST WEBSITE:
http://senyol.blogspot.com/

“The butcher”
1500mm x 1100mm
Mixed media on canson montval 300gm (framed)

WESLEY VAN EEDEN

Wesley van Eeden, like Senyol, was also drain to the freedom and excitement surrounding the skateboarding world from a young age- wanting desperately to grow up to become a professional skateboarder. This formative vision unknowingly introduced van Eeden to his next passion, art, while experimenting with painting his own graphics onto his boards.

This also served as his first introduction into the DIY ethics of Punk Rock which revealed to him that anyone could become an artist if they wanted to. With a formidable drive and rich visual vision van Eeden has developed his own personal aesthetic over the years through his exploration with themes such as rebirth, forgiveness, loss, love and value.

A strong part of his creative process is to work from found objects and then incorporate his own sketches, first exploring the landscape of what is available and then adding to that. Van Eeden currently lives in Durban with his wife and baby boy.

For catalogue and images please see http://www.a-word-of-art.co.za/exhibition-space/present-exhibition/

Excited about this current painting project I am curating.

Curated by me, Freddy Sam (Cape Town) with international artists in residence KNOW HOPE (Tel Aviv), Gaia (NY), Franco JAZ Fasoli (Buenos Aires)

Johannesburg: Dec 23 - 29 / 2012
Cape Town: Dec 29 / 2012 - Jan 30 / 2013

WALLS / TRAVEL / COMMUNITY / ART / EXHIBITION

Exhibition opens at /A WORD OF ART Jan 23 and runs till March 10
/A WORD OF ART - 66 Albert Rd ,Woodstock Cape Town.

Project sponsored by:
The Maboneng precinct, The Woodstock Exchange and /A WORD OF ART.

Follow the project here:
http://acrylicwalls.tumblr.com/

I was selected as part of a list of “11 guerrilla street art greats” on National Geographic,along with the likes of Banksy, JR, Space Invader and Know Hope.
I really don’t think I deserve this at all but its motivating to know that Im being noticed.
“Ricky Lee Gordon aka Freddy Sam /A WORD OF ART founder.

Daniel Raven-Ellison who created the listing said: ‘It’s in my nature to enjoy art that amplifies a point of view, allowing it to be “heard” above the din of a loud and busy city.’
See the full listing here:
http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2012/09/20/11-guerrilla-street-art-greats/

So here we go:
I ART Videos.
Good job Rowan Pybus

MARTHA COOPER
http://i-art-joburg.com/martha-cooper-i-art-joburg-video/
CAMERON PLATTER
http://i-art-joburg.com/cameron-platter-i-art-joburg-video/
ESPO
http://i-art-joburg.com/espo-i-art-joburg-video/
ROA
http://i-art-joburg.com/roa-i-art-joburg-video/
FALKO
http://i-art-joburg.com/falko-i-art-joburg-video/
REMED
http://i-art-joburg.com/remed-i-art-joburg-video/

Hannah Parr is a painter from England now living in Berlin.

I am so excited to announce some of my favorite people/artists are coming to Cape Town on residency for Dec 2012 - Jan 2013
Artist will go on an ART TRIP with me Ricky Lee Gordon aka Freddy Sam
We will be painting murals in Joburg, Cape Town, Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and more.
With the trip culminating at the end of January with an exhibition of original works and documentation of the trip.

Artist’s:
Gaia (New York / Baltimore)
Franco JAZ Fasoli (Beunies Aeries)
KNOW HOPE (Tel Aviv)

GAIA (NEW YORK / BALTIMORE)
Voted number one street artist of the year by Vandalog (See here http://www.complex.com/art-design/2012/07/the-50-greatest-street-artists-right-now/ ) GAIA is young and prolific putting up street works almost daily ,making gorgeous studio work and he is also the organizer behind projects like http://openwallsbaltimore.com/ (witch I was fortunate enough to be invited to earlier this year)
GAIA is not only an amazing artist but an amazing person,having a conversation with this guy is a event in itself.
I am so excited to see how South Africa and GAIA connect.
View website:
http://gaiastreetart.com/

Franco JAZ Fasoli (Beunies Aeries)
Voted number two street artist of 2012 by Vandalog; JAZ is an extraordinary talent, coming from a theatre set painting background,JAZ is a true master, his style is so unique and original and even better he is always smiling and always friendly.And he dances really funny.
We are lucky to have you here my friend :)
View website:
http://www.francofasoli.com.ar/

KNOW HOPE (Tel Aviv)

A street poet through and through, KNOW HOPE punches harmony through the grey of life with prolific statements and truths, stringing words and symbols together to create harmonys that resonate with the human heart.
KNOW HOPE is a humble artist who I am sure believes in the same philosophy /A WORD OF ART stands for: ‘Removing the greyness from the soul of the city is the job of artists, musicians and poets”.
View website:
http://www.thisislimbo.com/

//PRESS RELEASE//
/A WORD OF ART presents to you:
“Postcards from Molotia”

A new exhibit by the The Blackheart gang (Ree Treweek and Markus Wormstorm)

OPENS NOV 30TH 2012 / 7:30 - 12:00 PM (RUNS - JAN 17TH 2013)
MUSIC CURATED BY MARKUS WORMSTORM


The Blackheart gang is a collaboration between Ree Treweek and Markus Wormstorm. They think of themselves as archivist documenting the realms of imagination. Over the last ten years they have explored many such worlds- documenting them through music, animation, prints, etchings and sculptures.

Their previous film “The Tale Of How” raked in a score of international awards and propelled The Blackheart Gang onto the international stage. They have exhibited their work around the world and spoken at many international design conferences.

Their new exhibit explores the unsteady relationship between imperialism and tribalism. “Postcards from Molotia” is a collection of prints and sculptures documenting the people from the war-torn jungles of the Molotian Bog.

The opening night event is part of http://www.artweek.co.za/

“Rooster Bear”
Hand carved and painted wood sculpture.
140CM X 60CM

“Rooster bear”
Etching on archival paper
53×63cm(Framed)

Wind has delayed painting,
But here is what Ricky Lee Gordon aka Freddy Sam’s wall is looking like on day 3 for the MyCiti bus station.
Just a few more days to go.

A bit overdue but finally we have images from the opening night of /A SPACE IN BETWEEN and “UNION”
Artists Include:
CHRISTIAAN CONRADIE (SA)
DATHINI MZAYIYA (SA)
ELICSER ELLIOTT (CDN)
FRANCO ‘JAZ’ FASOLI (AR)
GAIA (USA)
TROY LOVEGATES AKA ‘OTHER’ (CAN)
EVER (AR)
LX.ONE (FRANCE)

See the full set here:
http://www.a-word-of-art.co.za/a-space/past/2012-exhibitions/a-space-in-between-union/