Die Young is an exhibition of works by iconic Sydney Illustrator, Ben Brown.

Ben’s obsessive-compulsive artistic relationship with skulls and bones is clearly a consequence of being born with super human illustration skills and x-ray vision.

His latest series of candy coloured portraits split Kurt Cobain, James Dean, Sid Vicious, Jimmy Hendrix, Buddy Holly and music’s most recent victim, Amy Winehouse, quite literally, in half. The Andy Warhol inspired comical renders, are part morbid tongue in cheek (or skull) and part eternal depictions (flesh). Die Young salutes popular idols with untimely deaths. As Ben puts it…”the celebrity life-style that we seem to aspire to, had killed them all by the age of 27?

An illustrator for over twenty years, Ben Brown is a regular contributor of comics for editorial, including the notorious surfing publication ‘Stab’. He has designed extensive clothing graphics for brands such as Mambo, Insight, Globe, O’Neill, Rip Curl, Ocean & Earth, Nice Produce and Supply, and he has designed music and festival posters for the likes of Nirvana, Frenzal Rhomb, Silverchair, Fat Boy Slim, The Hoodoo Gurus, Big Day Out, Good Vibrations Festival, Homebake and The Falls Festival.

Die Young opens on the 9th of December from 6pm to 10pm and is on exhibition until the 24th December 2011 at The National Grid Gallery, 24 Chard Rd, Brookvale.

Bens Website

After a two year hiatus the Sidewayz Art Exhibition returns. Keeping with the original format of artworks on recycled skateboards and snowboards the exhibition continues to be a non-profit exercise, raising funds for a couple of good causes.

Opening at The National Grid Gallery on Saturday 4 June, over 65 artists from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are contributing to this years exhibition.

Sidewayz 2011 contributers include; Scott Marr, PigeonBoy, Konsumterra, Kalen, Sarah Scully, RJ Williams, Esjay, Vars, SMC[3], Stylo, E.L.K, Teem, Bennett, Anton Benois, Tim Andrew, Brandon Els, Qwux, Willem Van Stom, Tez, Phibs, Lise Pod, Jimmy Neilly, KON, Ellie Schroeder, Dave Kaziro, Benny Haz, Reka, Ben Goad, Ben Frost, Pinky, Lucas McGrath, kulk, Zoe Young, Wade Burkitt, Robert Bates, Rick Swaine, Beastman, Ollie Lucas, Mia Taninaka, Luke Taaffe, Julie Doye, Dina Raus, Deb, Cameron Wall, Bridge, Beth Josey, Barrett, Jeremy Shaw, Dave Smith, Kane Stamp, Liz Laughton, Jon Jones, Andrew Fawcet…plus heaps more!

PRINTS FOR SALE ONLINE

On show will be numbered and signed limited edition prints, plus original works in
ink and paint. The show continues the themes of Bens previous solo show -
‘Kill your Idols’ – which combined celebrity, junk culture, zombies and skulls
in a graphically charged visual extravaganza. These new works pick up
where the previous show left off and the iconic images that are burned in
to our collective cultural psyche are given a new life… albeit as the living dead.

There will be a bonus live performance from  rock ‘n’ roll demons Hong Kong,
who have been burning up various floors around town in recent times with
their melodic skuzzball wall of sound.

Opening Night: Friday 10th December 6-9pm.
Come and join us for a Christmas drink! We have loads of new goodies in the shop too, along with all the latest Art Books and Mags.

Exhibition is open from 11th December to 24th January.

Next up at the National Grid Gallery is an eclectic group exhibition featuring the creatures of some unique creatures.
With artist backgrounds steaming from tattoo,  street, and the traditional.  They have been invited to interpret the theme “creatures” in thier own creative voice.

Featuring :: CASPIAN DE LOOZE, LUKE MORRELL, SAM CLARK, TEZ,
CAMILLA ZAVATTARO, CLAIRE REID & APESEVEN

Opens FRIDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 6-10pm

The exhibition runs from Sept 25th-Oct 23rd
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Saturdays 12pm-3pm

INTERVIEW BY THE NATIONAL GRID GALLERY

NG:  ApeSeven, tell us the thinking and process behind your new works that will be on show at The National Grid Gallery in Brookvale from August 6th— what can the people expect?
AS:  My latest body of work KLAN takes a look at my imagined family albeit future tribe. An emotive, mysterious, somewhat elegant figurative visual language has been developed to illustrate my search for belonging in this world, amongst my peers, family and dreams.

Apeseven’s  works currently focuses on elements of alchemy . A process of transmutation depicted by a fusion of childhood creatures, science, complex symbolism akin to early scientists and an aesthetic drawn from an observation of the potential, imagined and observed worlds .

OPENING NIGHT FRIDAY 6TH AUGUST 6PM-10PM
EXHIBITION RUNS UNTIL 3RD SEPTEMBER 2010
THE NATIONAL GRID GALLERY. 24 CHARD RD. BROOKVALE
WWW.THENATIONALGRID.COM.AU