Art Brut

August 19, 4:40 PMSF Art ExaminerMarisa Nakasone

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Giant Robot, founded in LA by Eric Nakamura and Martin Wong in 1994, has since become one of the foremost hubs of contemporary urban art.  Originally a self-published zine that discussed a variety of topics related to Asian popular culture (i.e. Instant Ramen reviews, footbinding, the Yellow Power movement and everything in between), Giant Robot has expanded into a glossy, widely-distributed art and culture magazine with satelite art galleries in New York and San Francisco. Though Giant Robot focuses largely on response to Asian popular culture, its growing popularity and recognition speak to its diverse readership and culturally relevant and stimulating art and editorial content.  

 

Giant Robot SF's small gallery space right off of Haight St. boasts work by new and or up and coming artists, many of whom incorporate urban, anime/manga, pop surrealist and "low-brow" styles--though refreshingly, much of the work can not be classified into any one category. GR's latest exhibit, You Only Excist (sic) Because of Us: The Art of Imbeciles, features work by Ryohei Tanaka, Sean Boyles, Ako Castuera, Joe To, and Rob Sato.  Ryohei Tanaka takes Kirigami (traditional Japanese art of creating intricate designs in paper by folding and making small incisions) and updates it by creating complex and provocative designs that recall graffiti art.  Sean Boyles' loose brushwork, innovative use of materials, grittiness, and movement make his street-inspired paintings and mixed media pieces exciting to look at.  The graphic and illustrative styles of Joe To, Rob Sato, and Ako Castuera are colorful, edgy, and highly detailed.  Far from "imbecilic," the fantastic, grotesque and subversive imagery in this exhibit are ironic, fun, and very contemporary.