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Vertical Gallery, RYCA pay homage to hip-hop history with ‘All My Heroes Are Dead’

Vertical Gallery, Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art gallery, is very proud to present ‘All My Heroes Are Dead,’ showcasing multidisciplinary pop artist RYCA.

‘All My Heroes Are Dead’— RYCA’s first solo outing at Vertical, following group show appearances and co-headlining efforts — pays homage to the American hip-hop masters who shaped the East London-based artist’s life, bringing together silkscreens and sculptures immortalizing fallen heroes Tupac Shakur, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Big Pun, MF Doom and the Notorious B.I.G. The exhibit runs November 1-23; Vertical’s flagship West Town location (2006 W. Chicago Ave. #1R) hosts an opening reception Friday, Nov. 1 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. 

‘All My Heroes Are Dead’ transports viewers back to hip-hop’s pre-millennium golden age, with an emphasis on the early 1990s — a period synonymous with striking evolutions in rhyme schemes and production techniques. RYCA’s tributes take many forms, from Andy Warhol-inspired portraits to 3D busts to glass lyric pieces in the style of Victorian pub signage.

“There are genres and themes that recur throughout my work, and hip-hop is a theme I’ve touched on a hell of a lot. So for ‘All My Heroes Are Dead,’ I challenged myself to celebrate my favorite music in many different mediums and formats,” says RYCA, a.k.a. Ryan Callanan. “There are always people who come into a gallery for the first time and ask ‘Is all this work by one person?’ when it’s actually a 20-artist group show. But in this case, yeah, it’s all by one person. I can’t make a whole show of one style. It doesn't interest me anymore.”

‘All My Heroes Are Dead’ reserves its greatest affection for Christopher Wallace, the late, lamented Brooklyn rapper and street stoic known to the world at large as the Notorious B.I.G. “He was the voice that got me really sucked into hip-hop. His stuff is mad. It’s like poetry — fucking crazy metaphors,” RYCA says. “Trying to catch someone's attention in today's world is really hard, but art is still a tool for that. If even one person comes to this show and it makes them Spotify Biggie, or a rapper they’ve never heard before, then I’ve done my job.” 

RYCA hopes ‘All My Heroes Are Dead’ inspires others to acknowledge hip-hop’s megaton impact on contemporary art and design. “I don't think there's enough hip-hop art out there. There's a massive void that needs to be filled, because this music is not celebrated enough,” he states. “Instead, every time I look at Instagram, all of the artists I thought were cool are doing cringey content. Everyone’s trying to tell jokes or to be quirky. I want to see art that stops me in my tracks. It’s time to bring the old school back.”

RYCA studied 3D design and modelmaking at London’s Barking & Dagenham College, and worked as a sign maker before embracing street art and screenprinting. In addition to solo exhibits in London, Miami and Paris, he has collaborated with artists ranging from DJ Fatboy Slim to Ben Eine. In 2016, RYCA featured alongside Brad Novak and Chris Cunningham in Vertical Gallery’s ‘ICONS,’ going on to contribute to Vertical’s anniversary group shows in 2019 and 2020.

RYCA
‘All My Heroes Are Dead’
November 1 – 23, 2024
Opening reception Friday November 1^st, 5:00-8:00pm
Vertical Gallery, 2006 W Chicago Ave #1R, Chicago

Vertical Gallery, Alex Face make their ‘Impressions’ on New York City

Vertical Gallery, Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art gallery, is very proud to present ‘Impressions,’ celebrated Thai street artist Alex Face’s first New York City solo exhibit. 

‘Impressions,’ produced by Vertical Gallery, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Impressionist movement, projecting Alex Face’s signature child characters into dreamlike landscapes inspired by Claude Monet and other fin-de-siècle French masters. The show runs Oct. 10-26 at 247 Elizabeth Street, NYC, 10012, kicking off with an opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 10 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm ET.

‘Impressions,’ which follows roughly two years after Vertical Gallery’s Chicago flagship hosted Alex’s solo showcase ‘Faces,’ reinterprets Impressionism’s spirit and sensibilities for the 21st century, embracing the movement’s most enduring innovations — among them discontinuous brushstrokes, shimmering colors and radical contrasts between shadows and light — while remaining true to the Bangkok-based painter’s stylistic hallmarks and thematic concerns. 

“I studied fine art [at Bangkok's King Mongktut University Institute of Technology] and I love graffiti and street art, and I wanted to mix them together,” Alex (born Patcharapol Tangruen) says. “When I first saw Impressionist painting, it made me want to be an Impressionist artist. I always carried my canvas and paints outside to paint landscapes, and Impressionists were the first artists to paint outside. What they did is really no different from street artists spray-painting graffiti on a wall.”  

Alex learned Impressionist techniques firsthand when he worked for a Thai company that sold reproductions of Impressionist-era paintings. “I painted a lot of reproductions, and I learned a lot. I even tried to mix the exact same colors of paint they used, but there’s almost too much color in those paintings for your eye to see,” he recalls. “When I had a chance to go to Europe to see real Impressionist paintings, I realized they were so much different than they seem in books. It’s not only one layer of paint. They painted over and over and over. That’s what I’m doing for this show: I paint the first layer and let it dry, and then I paint another layer and let it dry. I want that same texture.” 

‘Impressions’ breaks with Impressionist trademarks and tools by incorporating spray-painted images of children in fuzzy animal costumes — avatars instantly familiar to longtime Alex Face enthusiasts. “I paint little children because they represent the future,” Alex explains, noting that the show prominently features wolf and rabbit characters (signifying hunters and prey, respectively). 

Alex Face made his Vertical Gallery debut in 2019, co-headlining the exhibit ‘Mythical Creatures’ opposite fellow Bangkok street artist Muebon. He subsequently contributed to Vertical group shows including ‘Atomic Number 13’ (2021) and ‘Ode To…’ (2023). In addition to solo outings in Los Angeles and Singapore, his work resides in MOCA Bangkok’s permanent collection.

Show Details:
Vertical Gallery presents Alex Face “Impressions”
October 10-26, 2024
Opening Thursday, October 10^th, 5:00-9:00pm
247 Elizabeth Street, NYC, 10012

Email us at sales@verticalgallery.com for the collector's preview.

Vertical Gallery, Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art gallery, is very proud to present ‘B-Sides,’ an immersive multimedia showcase featuring illustrator, designer and muralist Blake Jones. 

‘B-Sides,’ Jones’ first solo exhibit at Vertical following a series of group show appearances and collaborative efforts, channels the artist’s lifelong passion for music into an array of canvases, drawings and bespoke objects celebrating the sensory delights of collecting records. ‘B-Sides’ runs October 4-26; Jones will attend the show’s opening reception, taking place at the gallery (2006 W. Chicago Ave. #1R) on Friday, Oct. 4 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.  

‘B-Sides’ transforms Vertical’s West Town space into an ersatz record shop, highlighted by more than 100 original drawings packaged inside polyethylene LP sleeves and displayed in bins fabricated by Chicago designer Jacob Polhill. The exhibit also incorporates hand-painted cassette players, custom neon signs and myriad other totems and talismans familiar to music retail habitués the world over. 

“‘B-Sides’ pays homage to the musicians who blew my mind when I was growing up, as well as the new music I’m discovering today,” Jones explains. “When you flip through the drawings, each one includes a QR code that goes to a 8.5-hour playlist I created for the show. I also designed fake record label logos and graphics, and I’m projecting short animated videos inspired by old-school MTV music videos. This is still an art show, but it’s branded like a real record store to make it more cohesive and more interactive.”

While ‘B-Sides’ retains many of the hallmarks of Jones’ recent projects (including his vivid color palette, striking line work and menagerie of anthropomorphic characters), its emphasis on interactivity harks back to the Texas-born artist’s earliest endeavors. “When I was in my teens and 20s, I used to love doing installation work and making my own little videos, but I haven't done that stuff since I moved to Chicago seven years ago. In fact, a lot of people here have no idea that’s what I used to do,” Jones says. “‘B-Sides’ brings me back to that more experimental, DIY mindset. It’s about the stuff that I'm into as a person. I want the show to feel like a pop song — the kind that’s undeniable when you hear it. Most of all, I want people to have fun.” 

Jones came of age in La Porte, Tex. and studied design at the Art Institute of Houston. Prior to ‘B-Sides,’ he headlined solo exhibits in Chicago, New York City, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and partnered with brands including UVD Toys, Collective Arts Brewing and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.

Email us at sales@verticalgallery.com for the collector's preview.

Vertical Gallery is proud to present “Hero’s Journey” the solo exhibit from Chicago-based painter, Adam Augustyn.

“Hero’s Journey,” which runs September 6-28 and opens with a reception on September 6th from 5-8 pm, follows a series of morphing characters as they travel into the unknown, strung with tokens and saddled with belongings from their past phases as they move toward new realms. The series also represents the artist’s personal reflection of his own venture back into painting and the adventure that is parenting three ever-changing girls.

“My work typically obsesses over darker themes reflecting current events rendered bright and cartoonish–it’s my form of sense-making when I’m mad at the world. But for this show, I wanted to focus more on the personal–on the strength of individuals who knowingly embark on adventure and have the wherewithal to appreciate the journey while the journey is in motion, simultaneously celebrating life, and taking joy in overcoming obstacles.”

Augustyn fostered a love of art from a young age and across many forms, spanning film, special effects, games, and sculpture. His career has focused on creating art and animation and providing art direction for video games. This is his second solo show with the gallery, following “The Sky Is Falling” in 2022. He has participated in numerous group shows, showing work in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Adam Augustyn
“Hero’s Journey”
September 6 – 28, 2024
Opening night, Friday September 6^th, 5:00-8:00pm
Vertical Gallery, 2006 W Chicago Ave. #1R, Chicago

Vertical Gallery is very excited to announce our Summer Group Show featuring 50+ artists, each contributing two 11x14 in. (30x40cm) works! 20 of the artists we are showing for the first time; along with some familiar names; and some artists you haven't seen at the gallery for many years. This is a super star show! 

Join us August 2 - 24, 2024, with an opening reception Friday August 2nd, 5:00-8:00pm.

Featuring: Adam Lister (US), AJ Ainscough (US), Akut (DE), Andie Taylor (AU), Angel Onofre (US), Ben Peeters (BE), Bianca Pastel (US), Bird Milk (US), Brad Novak (NZ), Brochevski (US), Candice Tripp (UK), Carlos Fdez (ES), Casey Gray (US), Chris Cunningham (UK), Copyright (UK), Daniel Sueiras Fanjul (ES), Dovie Golden (US), Flog (FR), Grant William Thye (US), Greg Gossel (US), Jaime Sancorlo (ES), Jake and Josh (US), Jérôme Masi (FR), Jerome Tiunayan (US), JJ Zamoranos (PH), Jordan Ferguson (US), Joseph Renda Jr. (US), Justin Hein (US), Kazland (UK), Laura Catherwood (US), Lefty Out There (US), Lie (US), Liz Flores (US), Louis (Masai) Michel (UK), Marcelo Suaznabar (BO), Martin Whatson (NO), Matthew Shutt (UK), Mighty Monkey (UK), Mila Useche (CO), Muretz (BR), My Dog Sighs (UK), Nate Otto (US), OakOak (FR), Pizza in the Rain (US), Ramiro Huizar (US), Ruby Roth (US), Sandra Rojo Picón (ES), Sergio Farfán (US), Shamsia Hassani (AF), Shishidomia (JP), Steve Seeley (US), Super A (NL), Yiğit Can Alper (TR).

Email us at sales@verticalgallery.com to be added to the collector's preview list.