Below is GRAFFUTURISM’s recap of ‘Perseverance‘ at Known Gallery, the long anticipated exhibition featuring three graffiti heavyweights; REVOK, RIME and ROID.
Photos:
– Arrested Motion.
– Carlos Gonzalez.
“When you think about these 3 names, one of the first things that might come to mind is each of their graffiti legacies. Each writer is considered to be one of the worlds best. Well rounded in every aspect of graffiti, and a history that surpasses most writers. They have paid their dues many times over. What most people might not know is that they are each establishing themselves as forces to be reckoned with in the gallery scene. This show is a testament to graffiti’s constant, and rapid ascension into the fine art world. You have to give Known Gallery the respect and props it deserves for continually showcasing important artist’s in our culture. There are many galleries that talk about graffiti or dabble in graffiti. Not many galleries are, and have been immersed in it since the beginning. Before street art, before every gallery wanted to legitimize themselves by throwing in a spray paint artist. Known Gallery and the Seventh Letter was pioneering, and building a platform for its artists to showcase their talents. It is important to recognize the gallery also for putting together a great show like this.
“Now lets talk about the show. As you can see by the pictures all 3 artists came with their A game. When you talk about Revok, Rime and Roids each artist has their own unique style. What each of these artists share is that they each bring that all out attitude in their works. In scale Revok, In detail Roids, and with all around flow Rime. Each artist brings that aggressive and all or nothing essence to their work. This is one of our favorite traits of a graffiti artist when it comes to painting. Whether its hitting the most prolific spot, painting the largest piece, or continually pushing themselves to outdo each other, this trait alone is one of the strengths of our artform. Its great to see that it is showing itself in the galleries as well.
“I have been a fan of Revok’s recent work, he has moved into more abstract and now sculptural pieces. His installation type of pieces which we first witnessed in Miami last year make up a large part of this exhibition. For “Perseverance” he has taken them a bit further, adding some intense colors that contrast well with the weathered found material. I especially liked the new work featuring some strong geometric shapes. Set on strong contrasting colors with quotes and symbolic images in other cases these paintings were impressive. Overall impressed and proud of Revok’s work, and its importance for today’s graffiti artists. Revok is a perfect example of a legendary graffiti artist being able to transition into the gallery setting. I know we will be seeing some amazing work from Revok for some time.
“When you look at the work of Rime in the show, you are immediately hit with the bright colors and intense imagery. When i say intense, I am referring to the movement and intricate detailing of Rimes character’s. Rime has been known for his amazing pieces. A true style master when it comes to letters and characters. Rime was able to transition, and harness the aesthetic of his walls and bring that intensity into his canvases. True to the essence of our art form, Rime stays true to himself in this new work. Using his strengths of color and flow, Rime creates character wild styles with intense movement and rhythmic flow. Really curious to see where he continues this work. A very strong showing for Rime.
“Roids was the unknown for us in this show. We didn’t know what to expect from him. Based on his walls alone, we were excited to see how he would approach this new medium. Roids’ work came correct, and the amount of detail he put into his pieces was amazing. His ability to mix letters and his use of intricate geometric forms showcased his style perfectly. There are some great paintings from Roids, as he positions himself to become another force to reckoned with in the seventh letter collective. Excited to see more work from Roids.
“Grown up graffiti art, maybe not your typical graffiti show where the walls are covered in graffiti. You might see some canvases in the foreground. This is the evolution of graffiti in its truest form. Great art showcased in an environment that allows the art to become not just graffiti art, but art. I think the biggest point to be made here is that this show involved the top artists in our culture being allowed to create work that transcends our culture and walks a line somewhere between. The impact is strong, although these artists aren’t painting pieces. As a graffiti artist when you look closely you still can see the same language being used. The difference is that we need to be bilingual now in this new arena, and the trio has done that well.” –Graffuturism.
More info:
– Graffuturism.com
– KnownGallery.com
– Revok1.com
– JerseyJoeArt.com