‘URBAN LEGENDS’ Celebrating Public Art

Contacts:
Paloma Belara - paloma@estria.org
415-992-1428
Shawni D. - UrbanArtPR@gmail.com
213-255-0059Full size image files available upon request

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unprecedented Los Angeles Exhibition ‘URBAN LEGENDS’
“Celebrating 45 Years of Public Art Around the World”
Opening Friday, April 27th at Source LA, LA Mart Design Center.

An Exclusive Exhibition and Fine Art Auction Showcasing 45 Years of Global Public Art, Featuring Works by Judy Baca, Chaz Bojorquez, Kent Twitchell, Herakut, Mear One, and More; Presented by The Estria Foundation, L.A. Art Machine, The DoArT Foundation, and Honorary Partners, The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles (MCLA), and Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC).

March 19, 2012 (Los Angeles, CA ) --  Oakland based arts organization, The Estria Foundation (TEF), known for their nationwide graffiti competition (The Estria Battle), and global #WaterWrites Mural project, is honored to announce ‘Urban Legends’, Celebrating 45 Years of Public Art Around the World, opening Friday, April 27th at the LA Mart Design Center, Downtown Los Angeles. This “first of its kind” exhibition with works for sale and auction, will showcase and celebrate 45 years of global public art, from the mid-1960’s; through today, including examples of how this movement is affecting and uplifting urban life through the vibrancy of color and large-scale sociopolitical works of art, inclusive of all global communities, highlighting artists from the U.S., Europe, Africa, Mexico, and more.

The legendary roster of more than 40 includes distinguished pioneers of the 60’s & 70’s revival of muralism in Los Angeles, Judy Baca (USA), Kent Twitchell (USA), and Master typographical graffiti writer Chaz Bojorquez (USA.) In addition are many prolific artists of the hip hop movement, as well as traditional muralists who began in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, and are now today’s most sought after, collected and internationally known urban/street/graffiti artists including, among others, Vyal, Mear One, Kofie, RETNA (Los Angeles); Estria (Hawaii); Brett “Dizney” Cook (Berkeley), SANER (Mexico), and Vogue TDK (Oakland).

In addition to the above mentioned are, documentarians such as Martha Cooper (New York), and longtime Los Angeles heavies, photographer/film makers, Eriberto and Estevan Oriol; Yusef Davis (Atlanta); Jher (Colorado); TEWSR, Warren Heard (Costa Mesa, CA); Ckaweeks, Katch (Hawaii); ABCNT, Canlove, Codak, Cryptik, Erin Yoshi, Andrew Hem, Sand One, Woier, Shark Toof,  Alexander DC Smith & Hans Haveron,  Evan Mendleson,  John Park & Christina Angelina, Max Neutra, Van Saro, FOODONE (Los Angeles); Level (Miami); Cern, Doves, Mare 139, Meres (New York); BAM (Oakland); Chor Boogie, Pablo Cristi (San Francisco); EKLA (France); Herakut & MACLAIM (Germany); KIDGHE, LIBRE (Mexico); Aly Kouroma (Senegal); and Freddy Sam (South Africa.)

The show will offer works for sale and auction, commissioned by The Estria Foundation, The DoArT Foundation, and L.A. Art Machine’s Vox Humana program, as well as showcasing on loan collections representing historical site specific installations from The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles (MCLA), Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) and Graffiti of War Project. A focal point of both the VIP and public openings will be, The MCLA’s inaugural slideshow screening of the Graffiti Visual Mural Tour, and an exclusive screening of SPARC FROM THE ARCHIVES: 36 Years of Community Mural Making. Select pieces from TEF’s Estria Battle, will be exhibited for the first time since the competition began five years ago, and will be included in the evening's live auction, and for sale.

The evening will conclude with the ‘Urban Legends’ Fine Art Live Auction, a first of its kind in Los Angeles, happening during the VIP opening. Included will be select works from past exhibitions, installations, and public art & music festivals, spanning decades, as individually curated by the contributing organizations - and auctioned under one roof the evening of Friday, April 27th.  

Details for both nights are listed below, and are ticketed events, benefiting all artists, presenting and honorary partner organizations. Tickets may be purchased in advance at:  www.publicartlegends.eventbrite.com; (or at the door unless sold out.) The Estria Foundation was founded in 2010 by graffiti artist Estria Miyashiro, and Jeremy LaTrasse, co-founder of Twitter.

Free admission to ‘Urban Legends’ will begin May 1st. This exhibition is open to the public on select days Tuesday, May 1 through the closing on Saturday, May 26, 2012 and also by appointment. For sponsorship opportunities, press credentials, and media interviews, please contact: Shawni D. at: UrbanArtPR[at]gmail[dot]com // 213-255-0059 or Paloma Belara at: paloma[at]estria[dot]org // 415-992-1428.

'URBAN LEGENDS' PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION AND FINE ART AUCTION

FRIDAY, APRIL 27
VIP Preview, Exhibition Opening and Auction:
Press and VIP Preview 6:00pm -7:30pm
Exhibition Opening 8:00pm-11:00pm

VIP Opening Night Highlights:
- Artist meet and greet
- Preview of all works for sale
- Hosted bar, hors d’oeuvres, live music performed by Mark D Clive Lowe Jazz Trio
- Multiple gallery spaces
- Fine Art Live Auction of select art works
- Recognition of a group or individual representing contributions made in the public art sector
- On loan collections representing historical site specific installations from MCLA, SPARC and Graffiti of War Project.

SATURDAY, APRIL 28  

PUBLIC Exhibition Opening: 

7:00pm - 10:00pm

Public Opening Night Highlights:
- Select artists in attendance
- All works for sale
- DJ’s
- Food trucks
- Multiple gallery spaces
- On loan collections representing historical site specific installations 

from MCLA, SPARC and Graffiti of War Project.

WHERE: LA Mart Design Center
Source LA 1933 South Broadway
12th Floor Suite #1240
LA, CA 90007

PRESENTED BY: 
The Estria Foundation
L.A. Art Machine
The DoArT Foundation

HONORARY PARTNERS: The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles (MCLA)
Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC)

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Event Hashtag > #PublicArtLegends
@estriaorg
@themcla
@laartmachine
@doartfoundation

 ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS

The Estria Foundation - www.estria.org
The Do ArT Foundation - www.doartfoundation.org
L.A. Art Machine (LAAM) - www.laartmachine.com
The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles (MCLA) - www.muralconservancy.org
Social & Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) - www.sparcmurals.org

ABOUT THE LIVE AUCTION
‘Urban Legends’ Fine Art Auction - This first of its kind live auction, which will occur during the VIP opening, will include select works from past exhibitions, installations, and public art and music festivals, spanning decades.  The show is curated by the multiple contributing organizations and auctioned under one roof on the evening of Friday, April 27th. Works will consist of large scale murals; collages; rare, limited edition photographs; and more. This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the serious or beginning art collector to bid on and purchase rare works of art from an international roster of legendary, critically acclaimed muralists, graffiti writers, and contemporary urban artists.   Collectors will not want to miss the most exciting art auction happening in the city of Los Angeles. Tickets can be purchased here: www.publicartlegends.eventbrite.com. For more information, please contact: Shawni D., at (213) 255-0059 // UrbanArtPR[at]gmail[dot]com.

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