New York Art Department's PRIVATE PROPERTY is a collaborative project between downtown New York lifestyle brand ALIFE and Brooklyn-based contemporary furniture manufacturer Uhuru (perhaps you recall the post I did on Uhuru's Coney Island furniture line).
The exhibition, which was at The Hole in New York's Bowery, featured sustainable furniture by Graffiti artists Earsnot (Ear) Irak, Semen (Semen Irak aka SeMeN SPeRmS), Jim Joe, KR (Craig Costello aka Krink), Max Fish (Bar and Art Gallery) & ALIFE.
The PRIVATE PROPERTY furniture collection consists of the following pieces:
EARSNOT AND SEMEN IRAK:
EARSNOT IRAK Antique MOD Mirror:
Antique Mod Mirror, steel-framed, floor-length mirror. Etched by EARSNOT, President of NYC's IRAK Crew. Dimensions: 30"x80"Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 2. $7500
SEMEN IRAK Antique MOD Mirror:
Antique Mod Mirror, steel-framed, floor-length mirror. Scratched and cracked by SEMEN of NYCʼs IRAK Crew. Dimensions: 30"x80" Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 2. $7500
Artists Earsnot and Semen at work on the mirrors:
MAX FISH
MAX FISH Slab table and chairs:
One-of-a-kind hardwood slab set on trapezoid steel legs with 4 1X1 metal and wood chairs. Marked by Max Fish patrons overthe month of April 2011.Table dimension: 84"x42"x29.5", Chair dimension: 17"x18"W x35"Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. One-of-a-kind. $25,000
JIM JOE:
JIM JOE on LAP Coffee Table:
1/4" Aluminum plate and solid wood 3"x3" base. Drawn on by Jim Joe.
Dimensions: 46"x46"x16" Signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 4. $7500
underside of the coffee table:
Artist Jim Joe at work on the coffee table:
additional images of Jim Joe coffee table courtesy of Seth Lassman's (Setlasmon) fabulous sets on Flickr
KR aka Krink aka Craig Costello:
KR on SUMMER SNOW Benches:
Solid Ash tops over 1"x1/2" steel tubing powder coated white. Painted by Craig Costello. Dimensions: 60"x16"x18"Signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 5. $7500
ALIFE NYC:
ALIFE NY CRACK Table:
1/4" steel plate with 1/2" glass top. Dimensions: Base: 26.5"x41"x15.5" Top: 48"x34" Signed and numbered. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 15. $3600
ALIFE Metal STOOLEN:
A metal version of Uhuruʼs signature stool, created in 4 custom colors for ALIFE.Dimensions: 16"x18"Signed and numbered. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 15. $1800
About the Metal Stoolen: The Metal Stoolen was created using scraps of steel from Brooklyn area metal shops. Bundled together haphazardly and encased in a ring of longer pieces, the hollow ends of metal form the objectʼs top. This produces a dynamic pattern filled with highly charged empty space. The effect is like a photonegative of the original Stoolen. The eye-catching powder coating adds to the pieceʼs sculptural quality and highlights the tension between positive and negative space.
(NY Mag) PRIVATE PROPERTY brings together high-end sustainable furniture design and downtown New York graffiti culture: The project counts on the participation of infamous graffiti writers EARSNOT, SEMEN, JIM JOE and KR; legendary Lower East Side hang out Max Fish and its unruly clientele; and lifestyle brand ALIFE—all of whom have produced self-titled pieces.
To be displayed for sale during New York Design Week, the idea behind the project began as a friendly conversation between Alife and New York Art Department founders Robert Cristofaro and Arnaud Delecolle, and Uhuru founders Jason Horvath and Bill Hilgendorf. The four agreed to collaborate and create a New York-centric project that would represent all partiesʼ respective areas of expertise.
The result is a unique collection of handcrafted sustainable furniture that plays with the concept of vandalism, private property and each's appropriation of the other. PRIVATE PROPERTY is produced by creative consultancy and design company New York Art Department with support of lifestyle brand-consultancy company WhY-Q.
"The collaboration between ALIFE and Uhuru creates a dialogue between designers and artists, Urban landscapes and interiors. Ultimately, it will aim at producing a merging of viewpoints to challenge conceptions between fine art and furniture," says Jason Horvath.
“This project allows ALIFE to play and execute with yet another medium. This is the first time ALIFE applies its vision to furniture, but it's something we've wanted to do for a long time. It's more quality content from the ʻalifevisionʼ,” says Arnaud Delecolle.
“The artists selected for this project represent Alifeʼs vision of the New York graff scene. Each individual chosen in this lineup is recognized within the New York downtown lifestyle as a trailblazer in his respective niche. Whether it be manufacturer of art supplies, DJ to the “Downtown”, wordsmith or just an infamous personality within the graffiti scene, all have all paid dues and contributed to this art form,” says Rob Cristofaro.
"Getting involved with NYAD to produce Private Property was a no brainer for WhY-Q. For the past 10+ years WhY-Q has produced avant-garde events such as Ryan McGinley's first solo exhibition & the NY Minute Exhibition in Rome, we felt this was one of those events: Real New York street art collaborating with real New York high end furniture design. It hasn't been done before," says Why-Q Partner Teddy Liouliakis.
Alife opened in 1999. One of its main goals then was to showcase people around it whose work enriched our lives with original ideas and the honest commitment to the qualitative execution of those ideas, independently of the medium. From fashion to graffiti, this was the criteria we lived by. Also, we had to like the end product.
the press release:
New York Art Department, 201 —The artists and contributors that are part of this project meet these same requirements and were asked to participate because of their contribution to the downtown graffiti scene:
Earsnot and Semen Sperms of the infamous IRAK crew. Over the years, both—each in their own way--have destroyed vast amounts of private property with undisputed flair and attitude, represented here with two of the most destructive marking techniques.
Craig KR Costello, a downtown ambassador of good taste and purveyor of fine inks and markers to street vandals and studio artists alike, brings controlled chaos with his well-known and often imitated KRINK drips.
A witty newcomer with art school charm, JIM JOE showcases the melding of art education, graffiti culture and his personal obligation to illegally write his name and phrases everywhere, as evidenced by the threatening note attached to The Hole gallery door by a neighbor.
Legendary Lower East Side watering hole and artist safe haven, Max Fish and its patrons provide us with the colorful impromptu composition of layered drunken vandalism characteristic of its bathrooms on Ludlow street.
Finally, Alife comes in as the curator and long-time supporter of the scene with its stamp of approval: NY CRACK
ALIFE X UHURU DESIGN: PRIVATE PROPERTY ran from MAY 14 – MAY 17, 2011, some of the items are now up for auction at Blacklots.
images courtesy of Alife, Uhuru, High Snobiety, Metro Velvet and Alife on Flickr.
