The Karma Underground Charity Art Show Raises Over 10K!

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The Karma Underground Charity Art Show Raises Over 10K!

On September 21st 2012 the TKU held its first charity art auction, at ArtShare in Downtown Los Angeles. The event brought in over $10,000 for Karmablast, a non-profit group dedicated to building schools and monastaries for the Tibetan people. whose current project is a school for nomadic girls.

Upon entering the large, multi-room ArtShare venue, we were taken aback by the 10 foot by 8 foot Buddah alter by Paul Chatam and Loren Crawford. Across from the alter, Hit and Run did live screen-printing (the T-shirts sold out) and further up the stairs before the entrance was a friendly, well-stocked bar across from the event merchandise table.
The event install flow was perfect – including the area which displayed prints and photography. Over 1000 people passed through the doors throughout the warm and friendly event.
TKU’s first event featured live painting by Samir Arghandwall of 7th Letter and DJ sets by J. ROCC, TICK (Latch Brothers/Routines/Dragons), and Kiino Villand and Special Guests.
Event artists included Allison Torneros, Andrea Lahue, Angela Clayton, B+ (Mochilla), BD Miller, Birdman, Brenda Proudfoot, Casey Gray, Chuck P, Coop, Cyrcle, Daniel Jung, Dawn Wirth, Deedee Cheriel, Devin Liston, D Young V, E , Eddie Colla , Edition 100, Eric Pederson, Erwin Recinos, Esther Pearl Watson, Filthgrime, Gilbert Johnquest, Greg “Craola” Simkins,, Heather Hoxsey, Henry Rollins, Hugh Leeman, Jack Speciez, James Moreno, Jeffrey Vincent Parise, Jennifer Lafferty, John Carr, John Park, Kevin Rolly, Kiino Villand, Koffinz, Lantz Huston, Laura Shumate, Leba, Lydia Emily, Malleus, Margaret Leahy, Mark Todd, Michaela Devon Kary, Mike Maxwell, Miles Thompson, Paul Chatem, Rich DeSimone/Lucky Bunny, Risk, Sage Vaughn, SALTR, Samir ìEVOLî Arghandwall of Seventh Letter, Sean Cheetham, Sequoia Emmanuelle, Shaun Roberts, Shaunna Peterson, Shepard Fairey, Skyler Grey, Sophia Gasparian, Steven Ballinger, Tada Chae, Tara McPherson, Texas Tom Carr, Tim Kerr, Brendan Behan, Ruby Hurley, Medgar Evers, Tom Neely, Van Arno.
Many of the pieces were sold – those which were not will be available via on-line auction at http://www.thekarmaunderground.com. Stay tuned for more TKU benefit events!

Interview With The Collective Known As Negativland

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Interview With The Collective Known As Negativland

Erica White attended the opening for Negativland’s “Our Favorite Things”, at La Luz de Jesus which included a rare live musical performance by Negativland. She conducted the following interview via email with the collective.

Cannibal Flower 12 Year Anniversary Celebration

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Cannibal Flower 12 Year Anniversary Celebration

Cannibal Flower celebrated their 12th anniversary in grand style on Saturday, September 19 in their new location on the fourth floor of Hope and 12th in Downtown LA..

Preview: KarmaBlast Art Show Benefiting the People of Tibet

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Preview: KarmaBlast Art Show Benefiting the People of Tibet

The Karma Underground and KarmaBlast Charity Art Show and Auction to benefit the people of Tibet takes place on Friday, September 21 from 7pm – 10pm at Art Share LA, 801 East 4th Place in Los Angeles CA, 90013. This phenomenal benefit event features live painting by Samir Arghandwall of 7th Letter and DJ sets…

Interview: It’s All Done With Ransom & Mitchell’s Smoke and Mirrors

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Interview: It’s All Done With Ransom & Mitchell’s Smoke and Mirrors

Ransom & Mitchell have taken their photographic and film-making know-how, along with their love of pop-surrealist art and classical painting, to an elevated level by combining narrative themes, an illustrative approach, cinematic lighting, theatrically design sets, and a whole lot of inspiration from the Italian and Dutch Master painters. The end-result is their first fine-art exhibition, Smoke and Mirrors, which opens at Varnish Fine Arts in San Francisco on Saturday, September 8.

Welcome to Disasterland

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Welcome to Disasterland

As I approached the gallery entrance last night, I was greeted by a young woman clad in a black leather Mickey Mouse bondage outfit. She handed me a show card and let me pass. My kind of party! Welcome to Disasterland. Enjoy the pixie dust.   “Disasterland” is Jose Rodolfo Rodolfo Loaiza’s much anticipated solo…

Annie Owens’ Motherland and The Ace Is Wild

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Annie Owens’ Motherland and The Ace Is Wild

Artist and Hi-Fructose founder Annie Owens’ “Motherland” show at Copro Gallery was inspired by “her nagging desire to connect with her roots and the various encounters along the way” and featured her beautifully flowing interpretations of family members, her southern origins and her early love of Edward Gorey, Charles Addams and old Tim Burton animations. Annie uses the figure of a house to symbolize the nurturing mother and as a part of her “Motherland” installation included two 2-3 foot tall suspended houses made of wood, balsa and paper.

Andy Kehoe and Kelly Allen at Thinkspace Gallery

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Andy Kehoe and Kelly Allen at Thinkspace Gallery

Andy Kehoe’s “Into The Depths” explores the artist’s memory and imagination. His fairytale-like works touch on both childhood fantasies and adult nightmares/fears, using a dream-scape of nature themes populated with creatures, some sinister, some freighted.

Harry Benson – The Beatles Book Signing at Taschen

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Harry Benson – The Beatles Book Signing at Taschen

Harry Benson went on several of The Beatles’ tours and captured brilliant stills of the world’s best known rock ‘n’ roll combo during their rise from ’64 to ’66.

Speedy Graphito French Invasion Print Signing at Moura Starr

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Speedy Graphito French Invasion Print Signing at Moura Starr

Artist Oliver Rizzo, aka Speedy Graphito – well known French street artist, hanging out in town for the “French Invasion” art exhibition at Fabien Castanier Gallery featuring Graphito, JonOne and Tilt at Fabien Castanier Gallery, did a print signing event at the Moura Starr showroom, in what is called the Avenues of Art, Fashion & Design in Beverly Hills.

It Was A Red Hot Night of Art, Film and Music!

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It Was A Red Hot Night of Art, Film and Music!

It was a balmy Los Angeles summer night June 25th as Cartwheel presented “A Red Hot Night of Art, Film & Music” featuring Fishbone and John Scarpati.