Vertical Gallery will be closed 3/24 - 4/4, re-opening on Fri Apr 5, 5:00-8:00pm for our Anniversary Show!
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        Introducing pop artist Brad Novak

        Vertical Gallery is very excited to introduce New Zealand artist Brad Novak to the US market! Brad Novak is an urban artist whose work sits between fine art and street art. Under the moniker “New Blood Pop”, or “NBP76”, his one-of-a-kind, hand-collaged and stencil-spray-painted works involve the layering of popular imagery. His works, while at first glance visually striking, call for a paradigm shift in the way we experience life itself. Our over-reliance on science and technology has taught humanity to see the world through a dreamlike state which causes suffering. Many of Novak’s works depict people shedding tears formed from computer circuitry. The artist calls this ‘subconscious escapism’ – the loss of our collective minds. However, Novak challenges us to reconnect with reality by practicing mindfulness – getting out of our heads so to speak. Western medicine and psychology is finally catching up to the teachings of ancient Eastern philosophy.

        Whilst living in London in the early 2000s the urban and street art scenes greatly influenced Novak’s work. Additionally Richard Hamilton’s manifesto on Pop Art provided inspiration. In the letter written to Peter and Alison Smithson in January 1957, Hamilton, a British artist, defined the different characteristics of pop art - describing it as ‘transient, glamorous, expendable, sexy, and popular’. The frivolity of these terms forms the basis for Novak’s artistic exploration. Novak, however, combined his love for street and pop art to create his urban series – entitled New Blood Pop.

         

        Novak uses popular culture, specifically the depiction of celebrities from the hyper-inflated world of American stardom. Icons such as Harrison Ford and Marilyn Monroe inhabit his creations. Their iconography is underpinned by the use of repetitive images of fellow superstars, such as Carrie Fisher and Christopher Reeve.

        The artist’s background in community-medicine also comes to the fore in this series. Medical iconography is drawn upon, with the Caduceus symbol frequently featured. However, by redeploying elements of street art and urban art, along with influence from his personal study and practice of mindfulness, Novak creates an original artistic dialog through his New Blood Pop series. The artist describes his own experience of the works:

        “New Blood Pop is concerned with how we experience life itself, the 21st century issues we face such as inequalities in wealth and health, sustainability and globalization. I’m also interested in the idea of escapism (from internal pain and suffering) especially through science fiction and the superhero franchise. Of the things we choose to believe, what’s real, and what’s not? These works are global, flagrant, iconic and ironic.

        I endeavor to create powerful multi-layered works, with an emblazoned foreground overlaying a “veiled” background, to show that many of us are living life through a distorting veil, clouding our perception. Our awareness tainted by biases and judgments – an unfulfilling fantasy that we’ve created for ourselves – the practice of mindfulness promises salvation.”               

        Click here to see available work from Novak

        Greg Gossel makes his Chicago debut with "Superficial!"

        We're very excited to have Greg Gossel coming to Chicago for his solo show Superficial! Greg is partnering with 1xRun for a special hand-printed series. 1xRun will be releasing 21 of the edition and we will have 11 of the edition. Contact us if you would like a preview of the edition. The show at our gallery will also feature over 30 new original works on canvas, wood, and paper.

        I have to agree with Greg to his reaction to the work for the show: POW!

        Click here to read the full interview at 1xRun.

        Click here to purchase a work from the hand-painted series Superficial!

         

        My Dog Sighs in Chicago!

        It has been an action-packed week here in Chicago! My Dog Sighs has completed 4 walls, and now getting ready to hit the streets with paste-ups and free art. A very special thanks to everyone that has helped with the walls this week: Pawn Works, JC Rivera, Sentrock, Billy Craven, Galerie F, and Howard Natinsky. And thank you to everyone that has stopped by and photographed the locations: Danny Cantu, Tori Howard, and @drewinchicago. The opening is this Saturday, Sept 6, 6-10pm. The first 25 people get a free gift! Photo attached is from the final wall finished yesterday located on North Avenue on the side of Trencherman. Thanks to Danny Cantu for this great photo! Also, remember, find a can on the street ("can clone") and bring it opening night to be entered to win an original hand-painted can! Follow @mydogsighs on instagram, twitter or facebook for clues.

        XENZ "Cicero" - The Simple Good raffle

        For his debut US solo show, London-based graffiti artist Xenz focused his body of work on the underworld of Chicago, as described in "The Outfit" by Gus Russo. Click here to read the full description of the exhibition. Xenz also wanted to give back to the local Chicago arts scene. While at an antique market in Andersonville, he found a vintage cigar box that had a hole cut in the top to use as a bank. A cigar box... a bank... the underworld... perfect for an Al Capone dollar bill, and for 100% of the proceeds to be given to the Chicago-based non-profit The Simple Good.

             

        The raffle will go through the length of the exhibition. Tickets may be purchased at the gallery, or you may send money through PayPal as a gift, and we will email you your raffle ticket number. Tickets are $5 each, 3 for $10, or 7 for $20. For PayPal entries, send payment to patrick@verticalgallery.com, and include your name, phone number and email address. We will email you a confirmation and ticket numbers.

        Description:

        Xenz
        Cicero, 2014
        Acrylic and 22-carat gold-leaf painted box, with ink on one dollar bill.
        Signed by Xenz

        Winner will be drawn at random on July 26. Winner will be contacted by email, and we will publish the winners name on our blog after they have been contacted. Please contact Patrick at Vertical Gallery if you have any questions.