Portfolio Review: Artist Collective CYRCLE Blurs the Line Between Classical Sculptures and Street Art
The collective takes us on a journey through their impressive portfolio.
Image via Complex Original
The L.A.-based collective CYRCLE mixes the past and present, depicting ancient sculptures alongside contemporary designs and using traditional symbols in modern forms. Though they are often referred to as street artists, the duo tries to avoid labels. Their work crosses over into design, fine art, and various collaborations. In their words, they "blur the lines of contemporary art."
We spoke to the artists recently and asked them to take us on a tour through the history of their collective. From insanely large murals in Echo Park, L.A., to a collaboration with Woodkid, to their most recently their solo exhibition at StolenSpace Gallery in London, check out our Portfolio Review: CYRCLE Talks Murals, Exhibitions, and Their Impressive Collaborations.
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"Organized Chaos!"
"This is a shot of the "Organized Chaos!" show we put on in Nov. 2012. It represents a time when we started to think bigger than our own capabilities and began to work with new technology, exploring the relationship between man and machine."
CYRCLE x Woodkid, RUN BOY
"After meeting Woodkid in 2012 and painting dicks on our studio walls, we ended up collaborating on his return to L.A. in 2013. The piece was our interpretation of the story in his music and videos."
Magic Is Real
"Magic Is Real is a mural in Echo Park on Bedrock Studios made of 150 gallons of paint, hundreds of cans, and a 12,000-square-feet of wall. This is what it looks like when you capture a Rabi jumping for joy."
Key Cube
"This is a shot of our limited edition Key Cube piece from 'Organized Chaos!' It's a representation of the six conceptual elements influencing the show...Google it!"
CYRCLE x Vhils
"This is our friend Ysabelle standing in front of our collaboration with Vhils for 'Work in Progress,' Hong Kong 2013. We'll never forget using those crazy chisels and drills. Our hands literally turned purple."
Conquer the Divide!
"This is the Conquer the Divide! wall in Azores, Portugal for Walk And Talk Festival where we had the best cheese on the planet. Word!"
LA Manifesto
"This is where it all started. Fucking love LA!"
Youth Outreach Climbing Wall
"Mild mannered reporters by day, wall-scaling, web-slingers by night! We painted this wall for Youth Outreach in Sai Ying Poon, Hong Kong. This is by far the wildest painting experience we've had thus far."
Capture the Flag: The Domestication of All Things
"This was our first mural in this style, inspired by the mythology existing within the cowboy and Indian. We're expressing the struggle all nations carry through our nations. Sometimes you're a cowboy, sometimes you're an Indian, and sometimes you're both."
POW! WOW! HAWAII 2014
"We were stoked to be invited out to POW! WOW! Hawaii this year. Great people and weather—what the hell else can you ask for? We painted this big poppa in Kaka’ako, Honolulu."
"Capture the Flag!: Conquer the Divide!"
"This was an installation done in Lisbon, Portugal for Underdogs Gallery. It implies a new Ameryca [CYRCLE spells the country without the letter 'I'], cooperation over competition. We started getting real patriotic LOL."
OVERTHRONE Detroit
"This photo just reminds us of how fucking cold it was out in Detroit when this was painted. The cans turned into ice blocks, and our tits fell off. Despite the weather, we're really proud of the piece, and it got lots of love from Library Street Collective!"
All Idols Have Clay Feet
"We painted this one just a few weeks ago in Shoreditch, London leading up to our show at StolenSpace Gallery. We titled the piece All Idols Have Clay Feet! That felt appropriate because it's a portrayal of Achilles raping Polyxena, and Achilles, as the story goes, had only one weakness: his heel. The idea is that we are all flawed, even our idols."
Metamorphosis 1 & 2
"These are two wooden sculptures we created in Hong Kong for 'Work in Progress,' 2013. No, the doors and elevators weren't large enough to fit the finished pieces. Yes, that created complications."
"OVERTHRONE: Pooring Reign"
"This was taken at our latest show, "OVERTHRONE: Pooring Reign," in London at StolenSpace Gallery. The 'OVERTHRONE' concept is something we've been playing with for a couple years and are excited to finally be able to introduce it to the public."