pix by irenne diaz / madrid 2011

photos by Karolina Miernik & Florian Auer

From 27^th May Advanced Minority Cubicle Artspace will present the exhibition „Smooth Getaway“ by Tes One (aka Leon Bedore). The smooth aesthetics of this street artist from Tampa, Florida can be enjoyed until 16^th July at Westbahnstraße 22, 1070 Vienna.

Tes celebrates street art in his very own hybrid form of expression. His works are impulsive snapshots, just like the superimposed sensations of a cool, urban trailer. He virtuosically combines digital graphic elements with the traditionally rough language of spray- and graffiti art. With concentrated creativity, Tes unites abstract elements, organic illustrations, clear architectural lines and figurative portraits into expressive collages. Stencilling meets painting, spray cans meet brushes, digital meets tangible. The result is an explosion of colours and shapes, which merge in unexpected visual harmony.

The autodidact, living in Florida began to indulge in his art at a very young age and by 1992 had established himself as a serious street artist in the local graffiti scene. The fascination of the rapidly developing new digital technology encouraged him to experiment successfully as a graphic designer and at the same time opened up a new lucrative market for his creative form of expression. Meanwhile he is working for a number of renowned clients, such as Nokia, Kanye West and MTV, who have discovered his strongly emotional visuals made up of stencils, paintings and digital components as a perfect style for their concepts. Tes approaches his canvas instinctively: specifically arranged wooden boards act as medium and picture element at the same time. The inspiration for his artworks comes from his immediate environment: „I have always been fascinated by nature and technology and the contrasts they form. All their parallels are an endless source of inspiration to me.  I enjoy discovering their similarities and at the same time allow them to form a contrast. For me the objective of my works is the visual display of these conflictive elements.  I want every piece to have its very own energy, every work has to obtain its own personality“.
„Smooth Getaway“ shows exactly this energy and personality in a special selection of his creativity.

Opening Thu. 27.5.2010, 18h
SMOOTH GETAWAY opens at ADVANCED MINORITY CUBICLE Contemporary Artspace
Westbahnstrasse 22 . 1070 Vienna
From 27.Mai 2010 until 16. Juli 2010
Opening times: Monday to Saturday from 13-18 hrs

Web: www.advancedminority.de
Web: www.tesone.net
Contact: nina.divitschek@advancedminority.com

As from Thursday February 25th AM CUBICLE – contemporary artspace and the House Gras present „SHOOTING PREJUDICE“ – a loaded show with depth. On show will be »Kunst zum Erschießen« (Art for Shooting) – photographs of the Belorussian artist Jane Doe, Happy-Shooting-Drawings by Leunam Sarg and money delicacies by the House Gras CEO Manuel Gras.

The project »Kunst zum Erschießen« (Art for Shooting) by the House Gras is aimed at reflecting the basic attitudes, the ideas and the principles of faith with regard to art, the association with and the relationship to it and shall demonstrate its responsibility in every aspect to reflect on. To create art, to publish it, to exhibit it, but also to buy and own it is a process of highest responsibility – for both the producers and the consumers. To jolt this reflection the House Gras calls to arms and propagates the active comparison between a sense of responsibility in the art sector and the deployment of fire arms.

The artworks for shooting always portray stereotypes of our society. This way the House Gras broaches the often forgotten issue: to have an opinion means to take on responsibility – just like in real life this responsibility is also found in the world of art. Prejudices regarding art are, for example: „It is expensive, it must be good, no matter whether I like it or understand it”. The buyer is free to decide why he wants to buy his stereotype, in order to shoot at it. Either because he accepts that prejudices should be questioned or because he approves this prejudice… just like in the arts: The artist’s motive to create a picture and the buyer’s motive to purchase a picture are rarely in accordance with each other.

As part of a social community every person has to live and act socially and self-dependently. In this sense it is unavoidable to be aware of what art can be, how it may be used, deployed and equally abused. There is no difference in owning a weapon. How does the saying go: „Weapons do not kill, people do.” Transferred to the arts one can say: „Art does not want anything. Artists and buyers do.”

Opening Thu. 25.2.2010, 18h
SHOOTING PREJUDICE opens at ADVANCED MINORITY CUBICLE – Contemporary Artspace
Westbahnstrasse 22 . Ecke Zieglergasse . 1070 Wien
from 25. February 2010 until 2. April 2010
Opening times: Monday – Saturday from 13-18 hrs

Web: www.advancedminority.de
Contact: teresa.klicpera@advancedminority.com

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