In last few weeks, I returned to Berkeley Art Museum (BAM) several times, not for its exhibition, but for the preparation of the upcoming retrospective of Barry McGee, trained in San Francisco Art Institute in painting and printmaking, made name as a graffiti artist, whose work I first encountered in New York City - a wonderful pink cursive writing graffiti covering a large white wall.
Berkeley Art Museum assessed him with following paragraph:
“Throughout his career,” writes Alex Baker in the exhibition catalog, “Barry McGee has continued to surprise and contradict expectations.” Including rarely seen early etchings, letterpress printing trays and liquor bottles painted with his trademark cast of down-and-out urban characters, constellations of vibrant op-art painted panels, animatronic taggers, and an elaborate re-creation of a cacophonous street-corner bodega, along with many new projects, this first midcareer survey of the globally influential San Francisco–based artist showcases the astonishing range of McGee’s compassionate and vivacious work.The exciting aspect of watching is enormous show coming into places, with mind-boggling amount of pieces, gave me a sense what he was striving at and what Herculean effort he and the presenters put in to stage the show. During those visits when the show was being put together, I couldn't help taking some pictures and I hope that BAM and Mr. McGee are not to be offended - I was just too carried away and too excited and wanted to let as many people know about the exhibit as possible. It was quite a wild scene and I am often speechless and giddy, by his wit and and his inventiveness.
This exhibit is gearing up to be a monster hit and I am very looking forward to seeing this exhibit. Thank you Berkeley Art Museum!
The show opens on Friday, 24 August. Be there!
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Berkeley Art Museum gave us further information on its press release:
McGee, who trained professionally in painting and printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute, began sharing his work in the 1980s, not in a museum or gallery setting but on the streets of San Francisco, where he developed his skills as a graffiti artist, often using the tag name “Twist.” McGee’s use of this and other monikers—such as Ray and Lydia Fong—as well as his frequent collaborations can make it difficult to precisely situate the artist’s unique authorship. Using a visual vocabulary drawn from graffiti, comics, hobo art, and sign painting, McGee celebrates his Mission District neighborhood while at the same time calling attention to the harmful effects of capitalism, gentrification, and corporate control of public space. His often-humorous paintings, drawings, and prints—all wrought with extraordinary skill—push the boundaries of art: his work can seem refreshingly informal in the gallery but surprisingly elegant on the street.
McGee has long viewed the city itself as a living space for art and activism, but his more recent work has brought the urban condition into the space of the gallery. Increasingly, his installation environments express the anarchic vitality of the inner-city street, incorporating overturned cars and trucks, and often spill beyond the frame of the gallery or museum.
Barry McGee is organized by Director Lawrence Rinder, with Assistant Curator Dena Beard. Barry McGee is made possible by lead support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and presenting sponsor Citizens of Humanity. Major support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Ratio 3, Cheim and Read, the East Bay Fund for Artists at the East Bay Community Foundation, The Robert Lehman Foundation, Prism, Stuart Shave/Modern Art, and Cinelli. Additional support is provided by Rena Bransten, Gallery Paule Anglim, Jeffrey Fraenkel and Frish Brandt, Suzanne Geiss, Nion McEvoy, and the BAM/PFA Trustees.
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