Beastman designs art for Smirnoff

Sydney street artist Beastman has caught the attention of vodka brand Smirnoff, producing artwork for a limited edition bottle design released this month.

The campaign is a clear sign of both his work's mainstream crossover qualities and an established popularity among the brand's target demographic.

An ad featuring his work is currently rolling around on Sydney buses.

Sydney artists Vexta and Ben Frost were among four artists who also hand-painted Smirnoff bottles for an aBMUSH Gallery charity auction. Vexta's raised more than $700 for Borneo Orangutan Survival Australia.

You might like:

■ Beastman interview
■ Acid Midget visits Beastman's studio
■ Acid Midget meets Ben Frost, Vexta
■ Ben Frost gets more tattoos
■ Vexta stencil in Darlinghurst

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Street Art Videos: Meggs, Beastman

Meggs for Endeavor from Endeavor Snowboard Design on Vimeo.

Hey dudes. Here are a couple of videos to help you detox off photoblogs. The first features Melbourne artist Meggs talking about how tough the creative life is.


Beastman x VNA from Make Some Tea on Vimeo.

This second video is a Very Nearly Almost interview with Beastman as he discusses the creative process and his inspirations.

Ears, Beastman and Numskull's studio

(Ears bar fridge sketch)

I was invited to the Annandale studio of some of Sydney's most prolific street artists this week.

I hung out with Beastman, Numskull and Max Berry where they're also based with Ears, Phibs and four other artists.

Art print retailers Stupid Krap are also based there.

There were canvases, posters and Ironlak cans strewn around the place. It got me wondering how hard it would be for these guys to maintain a high output without this creative space.

Darlinghurst street art, Sydney **UPDATED**

 (Langley St, Darlinghurst, Sydney)

The back streets of Darlinghurst often reveal exciting pieces of street art. Exciting because you might not expect them as you turn a corner or step out of a window.

The angel in this wheatpaste masks its face in shame. Sad.

 

This one is from Sydney artist Ears. Haven't seen much by Ears lately, although there are plenty of his pieces at retail outlets and cafes around Sydney and Melbourne.

 

I've seen this dashing duck before but can't remember who does them. If you know please get in touch and I will update.

**UPDATE: This is by Numskull. Thanks to Colin for the heads up.

 This is a collaboration between Beastman and Ears. What I'd like to see them create one beast. What would that look like? What's your biggest fetish? There, you have it.

This one is apparently by Sam Aja. It reminds me of a body tracing on Denison St, Newtown in this post.

I'm not sure who did the next two, although it's probably obvious to you. Let me know the name if you do.

**UPDATE: Thanks again to Colin for letting me know these cone head pieces by Max Berry.

 

Do you sometimes dream images likes this? Does it remind you of when you were young?

Another one from Ears. Are his masked characters just like us? They have multiple faces/personalities. They look unhappy.

Thank you for watching.

End.

Interview: Sydney artist Beastman

 (All images supplied by Brad Eastman)

Brad Eastman has become a household name in Australian urban and street art since he began exhibiting several years ago.

Using his name to create the portmanteau Beastman, the richly-detailed creatures he paints are at once intimidating and attractive. These playful, genderless beasts populate a parallel world, much like in Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.

Other imagery Eastman uses includes repetitive geometric shapes, such as those found in nature, and a repetition of eyes. His beasts also personify kings, queens and cigarette smokers in angst.

Stylistically, Eastman has attributed his influences to a number of artists - Kill Pixie being one of the most obvious.

More recently, Eastman received a SMAC Awards nomination in the Best Artist category. Results were pending at the time publication.

I contacted Eastman recently to ask about the SMAC Awards, projects he's currently working on and what 2011 will hold for him.

What are you thoughts on the SMAC award nomination for best Sydney artist? Were you surprised?

I actually didn’t even know I was nominated until a friend told me... But yes I was surprised. It's refreshing to know that the people of Sydney are paying attention to the type of artwork I create, and the hard work I put into it.

What pieces/murals are you working on at the moment?

In a couple of weeks I have a big mural job for FBi Radio in Sydney, and another mural job up in Byron Bay for Stone & Wood Brewery.

What upcoming exhibitions will you be involved in?

I haven’t got many exhibitions planned for 2011, this year I will be concentrating my efforts toward some other interesting projects... I will have a couple of new paintings in the Empty Exhibition which is at Ambush Gallery in Sydney on 22 April.

What's the most unusual thing you've experienced recently?

I purchased a brand new suit the other day for my upcoming wedding... That was a pretty unusual experience.

 
What will keep you busy in 2011?

This year I have a bunch of different projects coming up – the [weAREtheIMAGEmakers] Book, the 12x12 Exhibition, a photography exhibition... Plus I'm getting married and travelling around the world with my new wife, this will obviously be the highlight of the year.

For more Beastman visit his website.

sydney street artists destroy mural, stab at council

 

This video depicts five popular street artists - Beastman, Max Berry, Numskull, Phibs and Roach - painting a mural for Scratching the Surface as part of Creative Sydney 2010.

Creative Sydney was a NSW Government and corporate funded creative industry forum held at the Museum of Contemporary Art this month.

The Scratching the Surface website (link) says it featured:

"An installation and live painting event exploring the quality and temporary nature of public art in Sydney."

This makes it clear what these artists painted was public art, not street art. Public art being funded/sanctioned of course. The state government was a major sponsor of the event and would not support vandalism. Graffiti costs the Gov/us over $100 million a year, according to the Sydney Morning Herald (link).

But if you watch the final minute of this video the mural is painted over. This was done by 'council workers', dressed in fluoro vests and mullets, who then stencilled "cleaned by Sydney Council" in the centre of it. These very talented artists defiantly destroyed their mural to 'metaphorically fuck' council for buffing street artworks.

This was ironic, considering the City of Sydney was one of three major Creative Sydney partners.

The Scratching the Surface website also says it was presented by Pedestrian, a pop culture website which recently took a hit at the Acid Midget (link).

This video was generated by We Are The Image Makers. Their site said the point of the mural's destruction was to "make a bold statement about the high quality but temporary nature of public or 'street' art in Sydney."

From what I gather, Creative Sydney was curated to appeal to middle-class Sydneysiders by putting them 'in touch' with art industry experts and cutting-edge artistic trends.