Pictured: Special & Delicious FWY Chocolate bar from Magic Pony.
We at Lunch are very excited about the week to come. This week the opening of Daydreamers - the first solo exhibition of FriendsWithYou paintings in recent years, as a part of the Wish Come True Festival during Luminato.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Narwhal Art Projects
Street:680 Queen Street West
Narwhal Art Projects is pleased to present a FriendsWithYou solo exhibition, "Daydreamers". With their first exhibition of their painted works in recent years, FriendsWithYou artists Sam Borskon and Arturo Sandoval III draw on a personal mythology of magical themes and spirituality from their colourful universe. Much like the powerful enchantment and creative adventure they insert into all their projects, "Daydreamers" will be specifically dealing with the spirit of their experience with their "Wish Come True" installation for Luminato Festival in Toronto.
FriendsWithYou are globally-renowned for their vivid pop art aesthetic and brilliant character design. "Daydreamers" offers a rare look into the dense, delicate personal layers that take place behind the large-scale, physical presence of the artists' experimental installations. Exploring the more unseen dimensions of the FriendsWithYou psyche, "Daydreamers" presents a softer, more ephemeral portrait of their recent narratives, as Borkson and Sandoval put forward a deeply intimate glimpse into the representations of their transitory, dream-like states where the spirit of their expressive process is just coming into invention. Reflecting themes of metamorphosis, pleasure seeking and pure innocence in the portraiture of their fledgling subjects, Borkson and Sandoval present an unadulterated celebration of the imagination that defines their artistic practice and the visionary outlook that inspired their project for "Wish Come True". Much in the manner that Borkson and Sandoval aim to create immersive totalities for the playful environments of their installations, with "Daydreamers" the artists bring us into an inward realm unto themselves, creating heartfelt emotional space between the greater unknowns of their magical world.
In 2002, Miami-born artists Sam Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III began FriendsWithYou with the aim to promote a different kind of creative practice, and one that is fundamentally inspiring. Developing larger-than-life artistic environments to immerse patrons into their FriendsWithYou universe, the duo seeks to create common ground to give people the chance to believe in themselves and connect with one another. The imaginative world of FriendsWithYou has taken shape in the form of designer toys, large-scale installations, experimental gallery exhibitions, digital video, graphic design and other media—running the gamut of fine arts, public events, advertising and entertainment.
From the "Skywalkers Parade" with 60-foot tall characters for Art Basel Miami, to an inflatable fun house for 30,000 people at Scope Art Fair, to creating a permanent playground "Rainbow Valley" inside Miami's largest shopping mall, one can see why Borkson and Sandoval would describe their large-scale art projects as an "explosion". Creating modern-day sanctums, they curate wonderful performances that are part confessional and part mystical ceremony—furthering the artists' mandate to foster good wishes for luck, friendship and fortune. As a message that is invariably accessible and positive, FriendsWithYou believe in promoting a sense of exuberance against today's general attitude of detachment. As Borkson feels, "In the sterile settings of modern society, spiritual outlets have become a low priority within our daily routines".
With a strong emphasis on belief, FriendsWithYou maintain that the more you believe in their magic powers, the more they become a reality. FriendsWithYou truly believe that items can be enchanted totems and talismans can bring good fortune. And after having established their place in the art world, the group have expanded their reach with FWYstudios to create incredible and innovative products; a home for the characters and concepts that foster/bridge new territory between the fine art and the commercial realm.
I'm very excited about FriendsWithYou taking over Queen's Park. Very excited.
I'm even more excited to invite you to Narwhal Art Projects solo exhibition "DAYDREAMERS" by FriendsWIthYou artists Sam Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III, with an opening reception on June 10th, from 6-10pm.
But wait, there's more - Magic Pony's just announced FriendsWithYou pop-up shop!
Opening Reception:
Saturday, June 12th
5-8pm
Magic Pony is proud to present the "Wish Come True" Pop-Up Shop, a special collaboration with Miami pop artists FriendsWithYou. For a limited time, visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a world of luck, friendship and magic where the art wizardry of FriendsWithYou comes alive in a unique site specific retail installation showcasing a diverse range of creative multiplies within an enchanted space of dreamy wonder. The "Wish Come True" Pop-Up Shop marks the official launch of a brilliant new line of Magic Pony x FWY apparel and limited edition art prints, alongside favourite FriendsWithYou toys such as the "Wish Come True" mini figures, "Luckies" magical charms, and a showcase of early FWY product design including original plush and wood characters.
FriendsWithYou artists Sam Borkson and Tury Sandoval III will be participating in a special appearance and signing at Magic Pony on June 12 and from 5-8pm to officially launch the Wish Come True Pop up shop. All are welcome to join in celebrating this exciting new project and welcoming the artists for their first Canadian appearance. The "Wish Come True" Pop-Up Shop will be on exhibit until July 4, 2010.
Magic, luck, and friendship are the qualities that FriendsWithYou, a visual arts collective based in Miami Beach, seek to spread throughout the world. Now, in an unprecedented spectacle created just for Luminato, they invite Toronto to come out and play.
FriendsWithYou turns Toronto into Rainbow City, a delightful explosion of colour and jubilant energy. Led by the Rainbow King, Luminato 2010's Festival mascot, a host of celestial characters transform Queen's Park with larger-than-life dimensions of giant totems, bounce houses, and inflatable friends. Meanwhile, emissaries from this magical world fan out across Toronto to spread their universal message.
Inspired by the simple happiness of everyday life, the Wish Come True Festival is free. So come bounce, dance, and revel in the sounds of laughter and joy.
Queen's Park
Wed., June 16, From: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Thu., June 17, From: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Fri., June 18, From: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
We're pretty excited about FITC in Toronto this weekend. Not only are we thrilled to be sponsoring a special Saturday night installment of Inter-action (For details go to Inter-Act.ca along with lunch family members,Fatbox, Pixelpusher and STEM - but we're thrilled to be a studio sponsor of FITC along with our partners atRelish
Lunch's founder Amy Miranda will be doing double duty as a panelist & moderator with North Kingdom's David Eriksson, Tool's Jason Zada, Birthplace's Adrian Gunadi and TBWA Vancouver's Jennifer Mete in her panel on Producing Creative in the Global Digital Playground
We also seem to be out in full force this year judging the FITC Awards show with: Andrew Harris, Pixelpusher, Nathan Jurevicius, Narwhal/Lunch, Amy Miranda, Lunch, Adrian Busschaert, SociMedia, and Dayton Pereira of Indusblue being included among the many judges.
We're excited that 95% of the lunch family will be in town for FITC this year!
Looking forward to seeing everyone in the next few days. It's been a big year for digital and we're all looking forward to celebrating it with you!
kozyndan's second collection (series 2) has hit PUMA Stores.
I'd put in a link to the PUMA online store, but apparently the new collection isn't up yet.
So, if you're a fan of kozyndan head down to your local puma store. Brick and mortar all the way!
Kozy & Dan Kitchens, model couple. To me anyway, they're hugely talented, funny, and Kozy like me enjoys UFC and once high fived me over our collective commitment to not having babies.
This month they're featured in Computer Arts magazine.
"The pair met while studying illustration at university. Friends to begin with, they started dating after a year and have been inseparable ever since. “Our first collaboration happened randomly, after we’d been together for about two years,” recalls Dan. “I saw a long doodle of the interior of our apartment that she was drawing for a class project, and really liked it. I decided to scan the drawing and colour it in Photoshop. Kozy joined me in the colouring process and we had a lot of fun doing it. That became our first panoramic, and the beginning of Kozyndan.”
Opening January 28th from 6-9pm (right after inter-action)
"The Taxali 300" showcases hundreds of small illustrations and collages originally created for such esteemed publications as Rolling Stone, Time, GQ, Newsweek, Esquire and The New York Times among others. Spanning 2 decades and multiple awards and accolades, "The Taxali 300" presents Gary's exceptional collection of commercial illustration as a complete body of work in a gallery setting for the first time, allowing viewers to appreciate the prolific scope of visual communications and tactile character design intrinsically associated with Gary Taxali's artwork.
"Gary Taxali visually blends now with then. His style, inspired by vintage comics and advertising art, is repurposed with the goal of communicating the ironies and comical essence of popular culture. His work is at once alluring and endearing. Despite the vintage look, he is neither maudlin or nostalgic. His imagery is rich in satiric verve."
- Steven Heller, art director, author and educator
Show runs from January 28 - February 28th, 2010.
For show and sales information, please contact the gallery at 647.346.5317 or contact@narwhalartprojects.com
www.narwhalartprojects.com
Gary is available for digital work and represented through Narwhal by Lunch
Narwhal is up for best Gallery in BlogTOs Best of Toronto 2009.
So, you should vote. It was Narwhal's first year and what a year it was.
With exhibitions this past year starting with the 'Life Drawing' group show, to Tara McPherson, Junko Mizuno, Nicholas Aoki, kozyndan and Stephen Appleby Bar. Of course not only are all of the artists above Lunch artists through Narwhal Kristin and Steve have done a stellar job curating the gallery and bringing Canadian and International artists into the spot light.
