Art of Bruce Whistlecraft

Ladies and Gentlemen, We would like to cordially invite you to the upcoming group exhibition       Gentle Giants!    Opening at Strychnin Gallery Berlin on July 15th at 7 pm

If you would like to be informed about our presale for this exhibition please write a short note to:
team@strychnin.com

Robots are a phenomenon which everybody is aware of and that is often viewed differently by many people. Today their origin, definition and purpose is widely discussed and not only their construction, technology and application range have drastically evolved, but the design, function and general perception of today‘s robots have changed in many directions.
Nowadays there are robots of any size, made from any material and built for any task imaginable. Furthermore, they have transformed from being solely tools to often depicted and thematised objects of popular culture as well as being subject and means of expression in the world of arts. Iconic stories and movies such as Terminator, Transformers, RoboCop, The Iron Giant or Walle have displayed the divided perception of robots as friends and humans‘ little helpers as well as a dangerous threat to society.

The creations of robot art take, interpret and shape the commonly perceived attributes of and also the views on robots and thereby give them even more meaning and personality. Strychnin Gallery’s ‘Gentle Giants’ will showcase a diverse selection of some of the most influential and innovative creations of robot art done by a well selected group of artists. The exhibition will focus on the gentle, smart, helping and almost human aspects of robots that are enriching our society.

The list of participating artists includes: Michael Salter, Himatic, Doktor A, Mike Libby, Skeleton Heart, Seymour, Nemo Gould, John Lytle Wilson, SQUP, Caroline LeBreton, Stefan Fromberger and many more.

Solomon Bigglesworth Jones
Small time rug salesman and carpet cleaner, Sam Jones dreams of higher goals.
At night he tinkers in his cellar workshop, crafting a vehicle of mythic beauty and breathtaking audacity.
Soon he will unveil his elegant invention, take to the skys and leave his dusty day job far behind him.

Polyurethane Resin, Epoxy resin, Styrene, Vinyl, Brass, Copper, Steel, Aluminium, Polymer clay, Rubber, Lead, Silk.
9″ tall ( 11″ tall in vintage glass display dome).

The Imaginary Menagerie show opens at Oh No Doom in Chicago tomorrow night.
Here are some of my pieces from the show. Hop over to their website to see all the pieces by all four artists artists and vie to purchase something for yourself..

The Self Made Man
“More organs means more Human”!
The twisted logic of a crazed surgeon bent on the attainment of actual organic life.
He harvests all manner of internal organs from whatever unlucky indigenous lifeforms he can procure.
Assembling and re-combining them in increasingly bizarre and imaginative ways about his inner cavities in the hope that one day he will truly be alive.

Vinyl, Epoxy resin, Polymer clay, Lead, A.B.S, Brass, Copper, Rubber, Glass, Vintage Brass drawing instruments, Steel.
12.5″ tall.

Hugo Neko-Lapin
Hugo was originally fashioned with the countenance of a Cat.
He has never felt it suited him. In fact he has always been happier following the life of a Rabbit.
He eventually discovered a network of secret underground clubs populated by likeminded souls who also felt erroneously equipped. Here he could indulge in his Rabbit fantasies without ridicule.
Sadly he cannot afford to undertake the alteration work himself, so has applied to the City Hall for a grant to cover the engineering.
To prove he is serious in his intent he must live openly as a rabbit for a year.
“Too many ears!” people whisper unsympathetically behind his back.

Collaboration with Amanda Louise Spayd.
Customised Mini Skelve figure from Circus Posterus. Designed by Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters.
Polyurethane Resin, Epoxy resin, Polymer clay, Rubber, Lead Brass, Vintage clock and watch parts, vintage display dome.
4.5″ (7″ in display dome.)

Colonel Henry Walrus Caruthers with his latest  – Specimen the Gullyskumpler.
Although appointed leader of the Herringbone wildlife research expedition the Colonel doesn’t really have a proper grasp on their intent.
Drafted in from the army to provide experience and knowledge in the fields of remote and difficult travel across uncharted terrain.
Adept at handling fire-arms with his prehensile moustache, he unfortunately cannot resist the urge to take occasional pot shots at the wild-life.
Especially sad when it is some of the rarer fauna.
“Well there wont be many chances to bag one of these buggers soon”!  is his justification.

Collaboration with Chris Ryniak.
Customised Lefty toy designed by HiCalorie.
Vinyl, Epoxy Resin, Lead, Brass, Walnut wood, Brass, Glass, A.B.S. Found Objects.

Search Engines
These helpful little fellows were designed to help hunt out all those things you have trouble finding.
Set them a item to find in a bustling department store, or a departure platform at a sprawling railway station and they will track them down for you in a mere jiffy.

Customised Android toys created by DYZ Plastic.
Series of 5.
Vinyl, Polymer clay, Lead, Rubber, Vintage Brass clock key.
3″ tall.

And now a word from one of my sponsers :

Hello Everybody!

I am Lana and I am one of the co-owners of OhNo!Doom Gallery. I wanted to make sure everyone was well informed about our upcoming exhibit preview for Imaginary Menagerie. We will be doing things a little bit different this time around and want to have a smooth and fair preview process for everyone. If you have not yet signed up for the preview but would like to receive it, please do so before this Thursday to insure you are processed in time to receive the goods: http://www.ohnodoom.com/gallery/info.html

I will be sending these guidelines (below) to the entire preview list Thursday afternoon, if you do not receive it by Thursday evening please re-sign up for the list and/or contact me at info@ohnodoom.com

Preview Guidlines:

Due to the overwhelming amount of emails regarding the work in the Imaginary Menagerie exhibit we will be implementing a couple new guidelines for requesting and purchasing pieces from this preview.

1. There will be a purchase limit of 1 piece of artwork, per artist, per customer. Multiple pieces may still be purchased but not from one single artist, for instance: you may purchase 1 piece from Amanda, 1 piece from Dok A., 1 piece from Lana and 1 piece from Chris.

2. Please list your selections in order of preference. (First choice, second choice, third, ect…) If your first choice is no longer available we will offer the next available. If you would like to purchase from multiple artists please note your preferences for each artist and that you would like one from each you have listed.

3. If you are able to purchase your single piece (YAY!) but would like to purchase additional pieces by that artist please make note in your email to be put on the waiting list for the other pieces.

A waiting list will be created and preview list customers will be re-contacted in order of initial request after the opening event for any remaining unsold works. Customers will be contacted form the waiting list between Sunday July 10th and Tuesday July 12th. Tuesday July 12th at 6pm CST all unsold work will be placed in our online store. So, you have first dibs on the preview and then first dibs again before the show goes live on our site.

4. The Preview will be sent out (tentatively) at 10am CST Friday July 8th. There will be a viewing period of 2 hours and an exact time for receiving requests will be posted in the preview. Requests received before the time marked in the preview will not be valid. The preview will close at 6pm CST Friday July 8th

5. I answer emails in the order they are received based on the time stamp. I try to set up one order before moving to the next to so please be patient. I will respond to each email and your place in line will not be in jeopardy. Requests will need to be sent to info@ohnodoom.com to be recognized.

6. Payment will need to be received by the end of the day July 8th in order to be completed and guaranteed. If payment is not made by end of day July 8th the item will not be marked as sold for the opening. If for some reason a phone transaction is required and therefore delaying payment you will not lose your place in line. Stuff does happen.

7. Shipping is billed separately and at the end of each exhibit. We begin sending out shipping emails 1 week after the exhibit comes down and the following opening has occurred. If you are local you may pick up pieces at the shop the day we take down the exhibit, which is Tuesday August 2nd.

Thanks so much!

Wanderer and dreamer, Mr. H.P.Reilly answered the unknowable call of the sea and set forth on an endless adventure.
He feels the distant pull of some ancient  unnamed island.
He drifts in unimaginable vistas of time and fathom dark expanses of primordial oceans.
He dreams of loathsome protoplasmic abhorrences which gibber and twitch in his fevered somnambulistic imaginings.
He dislikes seafood and trigonometry.

Customised Kluth the R’Lyeh Student. Designed and made by Sergey Safonov.
Polyurethane Resin, Lead, A.B.S, Gold, vintage display dome.
4″ tall (6″ tall in dome).

For the “Imaginary Menagerie” show at Oh No Doom Chicago. Opens 9th July.

GregoryLumpling
General manager of the gentlemen’s socks and smalls department in one of Retropoli’s thriving department stores.
As a boy he dreamed of being a world class yachtsman but somehow ended up in underwear..

Customised Buffmonster toy designed by Buffmonster and produced by Mindstyle.
Vinyl, Polymer clay, Brass, A.B.S, Lead, Steel, Rubber, Glass.
4″ tall.

For the Imaginary Menagerie show at Oh No Doom. July 9th.

A recent commission for a t-shirt design for the 3 Wishes Fearie Festival in Cornwall.

I have yet to see one printed.
If they have them up for sale online at some point I will let you know.

A little teaser for my piece in next month’s Robot show at Strychnin in Berlin……….
I should say this is probably one of the most whimsical pieces I have ever made.

Well see MY name in lights..
Who would have thought customising toys would get one’s moniker up in light in Times Square and Las Vagas..
Odd (but good) world…

NEW YORK, June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Brooklyn Workshop, the creators of Skatecycle—the world’s first “hubless” self-propelled skateboard, have inspired 13 notable artists to create custom Skatecycles for sale, from which all proceeds will go to Global Giving in support of the Japanese earthquake relief effort. The one-of-a-kind Skatecycles will be sold exclusively on Gilt Groupe’s Gilt MAN on Thursday, June 23, 2011.
A preview event of the customized Skatecycles will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2011 at Toy Tokyo Underground art studio, The Levarek Gallery. Thirteen specialty Skatecycles will be on display for buyers to get a sneak peek before they are available for purchase on Gilt MAN.

Alon Karpman, founder of Brooklyn Workshop, designed the award-winning Skatecycle, and after years of development, launched it in 2010. Constructed with a solid aluminum frame and two polyurethane wheels, the Skatecycle is a self-propelled hubless skateboard that combines the snake-like movement of a caster board with the carving action of a snowboard. The Skatecycle’s 9″ donut-hole wheels enable rides with power, quickness, and a small (2′) turning radius.

For this project, a mixed group of today’s top creative vinyl artists have each customized a Skatecycle using their own signature graphics and artistic interpretation. Vinyl artists are known for blending sculpture and popular art, which can be seen in the exclusive Japan Relief Skatecycle collection. The artists involved in the project are: Frank Kozik, Doktor A (Bruce Whistlescraft), Jon Burgerman, Travis Cain, Owen Dewitt, Matt JOnes (A.K.A. Lunartik), Jeremy Madl (A.K.A. MAD), Touma, Dave Bondi, Derek Welch, Motomichi, PON and Tokyo Plastic.

“Brooklyn Workshop is honored to collaborate with such an extensive group of progressive talent. In recent years, it seems that the lines have been getting blurred between high art and what’s accessible and available through merchandising. The Japanese culture has embraced this concept the earliest. Vinyl toys, at one time might have been looked down upon in the art world, but have now become a highly collectable, valuable, and legitimate medium for artistic expression. This is largely due to many of the artists who are contributing to this event. I wanted to pay homage to the Japanese culture for their support of the vinyl art community, by having the artists create pieces that benefit the relief effort after Japan’s recent tragedy,” noted Alon, founder of Brooklyn Workshop.

“I’ve always been a fan of street art, pop art, and especially anime.  Having the Skatecycle customized by some of my favorite artists, is really a dream come true. I hope that this will inspire others to personalize their Skatecycles,” continues Alon.

The Skatecycle sale will start at 12 pm EDT on Thursday, June 23, 2011 at www.Gilt.com. All proceeds of the custom Skatecycles will be donated to Global Giving to benefit earthquake and Pacific tsunami relief efforts in Japan.

About Brooklyn Workshop, Inc.

Founded by former lawyer Alon Karpman, Brooklyn Workshop specializes in innovative, urban riding machines. The Skatecycle—released in 2010—is Brooklyn Workshop’s first product. The Skatecycle is foldable, and weighs just 7.3 lbs. Priced at $149.95; the Skatecycle is available at www.brooklynworkshop.com.

VIDEO:  http://www.youtube.com/user/BrooklynWorkshop#p/a/u/0/g2hpp55eIMY

Japan Relief Skatecycles will be sold exclusively on Gilt MAN to Open at 12pm EDT on Thursday, June 23rd at www.Gilt.com

About Gilt MAN
Gilt MAN (www.Gilt.com), launched in October 2009, was the first in the flash-sales space to offer a dedicated entry point for male shoppers—curating a broad range of daily sales from apparel and lifestyle items to gadgets and sporting gear—and is the first to offer a dedicated voice, Gilt MANual: The Daily Guide to Permanent Style, a trusted resource for advice and information on how guys can incorporate clothes, accessories, and gear into their daily life with confidence and style.

About Global Giving

Global Giving is an online platform that connects donors to the causes and countries they care about.  Since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami hit Japan in March 2011, Global Giving has been working with local Japanese and international organizations to support emergency disaster relief and aid, and they will continue to support longer-term relief and rebuilding efforts.

SOURCE Brooklyn Workshop, Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.brooklynworkshop.com