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The artwork for Chris Brown’s post-beatdown album Graffiti was released earlier this week (pictured above), and it looks like we might have spoken too soon with the Worst Album Covers Of The Year post we did a few months ago.
The cover is kinda reminiscent of something Prince might do, but since the album is entitled Graffiti, and it features Chris Breezy using an aerosol can, it might have behooved him to hire an actual graffiti writer to help illustrate his cover. In fact, big names from the graf world have been designing album art since the dawn of hip-hop. Check out 10 artists who could have helped Chris Brown’s Graffiti look less corny…
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If Ink Were Blood (Man and Woman) by Dustin Yellin. Resin, acrylic, and ink, 182cm x 60cm x 34cm.
Nike’s collaborative art project with Livestrong, entitled STAGES, opened in New York on Friday night at the Deitch Projects space on 480 Broome street. The collection is a series of art that features big timers like Tom Sachs, Ed Ruscha, Shepard Fairey, Kaws, and Jose Parla. If you live or are in NY for the next month, go check it out, the work is impressive and a great way to check out some contemporary heroes all in the same spot.
For the New York edition of STAGES, a few new pieces were brought into the mix, including a piece by Brooklyn artist Dustin Yellin, a two part sculpture titled, “If Ink Were Blood (Man and Woman)”. Before this, we didn’t really know Dustin’s work, so we took the opportunity to catch up with him. Hit the jump to check out an interview with Yellin where he explains his process, then peep some of his more recent work.
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Complex’s August/September Style & Design Issue is burning up newsstands this week with a bunch of pretty ladies and awesomeness in the world of—yup, you guessed it—Style and Design. Brian Donnelly, A.K.A. KAWS, collaborated with N.E.R.D. on Complex’s 2008 Style & Design cover story, so this time around we decided to profile the artist in our regular interview series “The Shotcaller.” Donnelly has had a breakout year, with gallery shows in NY and L.A., artwork on Kanye’s 808’s & Heartbreak, and a recent collabo with Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama.
We just put the uncut interview with KAWS online, where he speaks on Sorayama, Clipse, working with Supreme and BAPE, and new projects on tap. We also put together an exclusive bonus video that features a smoking hot model making out with the KAWS x Hajime Sorayama x Medicom/Original Fake NO FUTURE COMPANION figure…
• CLICK HERE TO READ THE UNCUT KAWS “SHOTCALLER” INTERVIEW
OR KEEP READING FOR THE BONUS VIDEO…
Sure he has an extensive celebrity clientèle like 50 Cent, Eminem and Marisa Miller, but famed California tattooist Mr. Cartoon is now lending his work to limited edition products like a Samsung r450 mobile phone from MetroPCS. The phone, which has a product run of 30,000, features Cartoon’s artwork in his preferred yellow and black scheme, and also features special pre-loaded wallpapers and ringtones. When Cartoon was in town, we got a chance to build with the legend and talk about his latest project. Watch the video below…
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You’ve seen the amazing art from our Keri Hilson cover story (catch up!), but do you know the artist behind the eye-popping work? Over the last few years, French artist/designer So-Me has crossed over into the U.S. market in a major way, thanks to his work on music videos for Kanye West (“The Good Life”) and Kid Cudi (“Day N’ Nite”).
When it came time to recruit an artist to help create the cover of our annual Style & Design issue, So-Me was at the top of our list. The man’s also in high-demand overseas, providing art direction for Ed Banger Records (Justice, Uffie) and designing for his clothing brand Cool Cats, so we were honored that he took the time to make Miss Keri look even better. Check out a quick interview we did with the elusive artist about his Complex collaboration …
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In Complex’s August/September issue, on stands now, we interviewed a variety of cultural tastemakers for our 2009 Style & Design Package, asking them to list all the things that are affecting their world now, and the things that they feel are going to have an impact moving forward.
One of our four tastemakers (representing the “living” portion of the package) is former Complex Shotcaller Aaron Rose, the man who put on pretty much all of your art heroes back in the day with Alleged, and continues to kill it with projects like ANP Quarterly, Beautiful Losers, and various art shows around the world. He gave us a rundown on the top ten things that he sees affecting his world/our culture right now, and for the next few years. Check out the extended version that didn’t fit in the magazine below…
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By now, you’ve probably peeped the cover stories from our annual Style & Design issue (Kid Cudi x Augor Cover | Keri Hilson x So-Me Cover), but do you know the full story? Los Angeles graf artist Augor, who collaborated with Kid Cudi to create one side of the issue’s striking visuals, took to his blog yesterday to give the world a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, including a gang of exclusive sketches that led him to the final product. Take a look at some of the images and artist’s insight below…
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Before there was Terry Richardson, there was John Rankin Waddell, known to the fashion and art world as “Rankin”. The dude was born 1966 in Glasgow, UK, and is a British portrait and fashion photographer. Rankin takes some of the sexiest photos ever, of the hottest models and most beautiful people in the world. A lot of them are naked as well, which we’re sure you’ll enjoy if you Google, “Rankin sexy hot Kate Moss naked”.
Today, a 25-year retrospective of his work (600 images) opens at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, in London. Since that is London, and we’re in New York, we’re not there. Instead, we’ve composed a brief history of what this guy does to help you on the way to learning who he is (so you sound cultured) and what he does (so you have a little inspiration on what to wish for/new T-shirt graphic ideas). Read on below for an abridged history of Rankin’s work and then go get your Google on. The man is a beast…
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Today, the art world mourns the loss of downtown golden boy Dash Snow, the 27-year old New York artist who reportedly passed away. Snow was known for his multimedia installations, photography, and painting and exhibited in galleries and museums including The Royal Academy in London, the Whitney Museum of American Art’s 2006 Biennial, Deitch Projects, Saatchi Gallery, Peres Projects and the Nicole Klagsbrun Gallery in New York.
Snow was an alternative icon, and perhaps you were familiar with his work. If not, read on below for our quick look-back at 5 of his greatest works…
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Images surfaced yesterday of the Damien Hirst -designed TREK bike that Lance Armstrong will be riding in the eighth stage of the Tour de France bike race next week. The bike, like most things Hirst is attached to, is impressive, and the graphics look like they were created by a crazy man. To put it lightly, Hirst is a crazy man. Crazy paid, that is.
The name “Damien Hirst” is famous, and perhaps you posted his Supreme skateboard collaboration to your blogspot/Twitter and pretended to know his deal. Or maybe you copped that 10Deep T-shirt (?). Dude is actually pretty awesome, and just in case you find yourself pulling a blank when the British homie gets brought up in conversation, we figured we’d break down the bullet points for you. Hit the jump and get educated on Damien Hirst’s most iconic/interesting work so next time you sneak into a gallery function for the free Krug you’ll be all set.
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