Mid-City Arts » THE MAC

New video from Viet Nam

MAC — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Here’s a new video put together by the good folks at VNTWT in Saigon, VietNam. It’s based on footage and interviews from when I painted there in 2010. I don’t think I was as eloquent as I could have been, but other than that I think it’s a great video and hopefully gives a little bit of an insight into how/why I paint what I do. I really found a lot of inspiration in VietNam and look forward to going back to paint there some more, and hopefully visit some other parts of SE Asia as well.

Also, I have a bunch of other updates to put up, but I’ve been locked away in the studio preparing for upcoming gallery shows & mural projects, but I’ll be adding some more stuff soon..

from EL MAC

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New mural, new year (El Mac)

MAC — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:18:00 +0000

The first day of 2012 saw the release of this month’s LA Times Magazine, which included a portrait I painted for an article by respected civil rights attorney and social justice champion, Constance “Connie” Rice. When the project came to me I was excited to paint her and thought it would be great to paint the portrait as a mural, so it could have a life beyond being seen in the magazine. The Times was into the idea, and after asking around, I was able to secure a location for the mural on the side of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics in West LA. I was also able to meet with Ms. Rice at her Advancement Project offices and take some photos of her for reference. Very inspiring woman. I painted the mural in a couple days, and it was barely completed in time for the publishing deadline. Many thanks to Connie, Cary, Hannah, the LA Times Magazine, Aris, Carol, Mary, the CSPG, Oscar and John for their help making this possible. Carlos Gonzalez also got some cool process shots.

From EL MAC

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New piece in Phoenix on "Calle 16"

MAC — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:06:00 +0000

I was in Phoenix recently and painted a little something on the side of a new artspace called Por Vida Gallery (right next to the infamous Barrio Cafe on 16th street). My good friends Pablo Luna, Lalo Cota & Breeze Marcus just got the space recently and should be opening it soon. The portrait is based on a photo of the homie Chee from LA, though it could represent a lot of different folks.

Breeze said something about this mural that perfectly explains one of the reasons I love painting for the public so much:

“What I like best about this piece is there are a dozen dudes walking around this neighborhood that look just like this painting, and they all think its them. This piece now belongs to that community, and they appreciate it and respect. That’s the most important thing.“

As an example, below is a shot of “O.G.” who lives nearby and does share a resemblance, if maybe a little older. He came through a couple times and expressed his support.

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New EL MAC video from Barcelona

MAC — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:51:00 +0000

Here’s a classy new video documenting the mural I painted recently at the MTN factory outside Barcelona, Spain.

This is a statement from the good folks at Popcranc that made the video:

“From the very start, when we had the opportunity to speak with Mac and find out more about his work, we decided to center the video idea not on the mural process, but on the style and inspiration of the author. The suggestive image of the girl which he painted really reminded us of Andy Warhol’s screen tests, and the simple details characteristic of Jean-Luc Godard’s Anna Karina. So we threw ourselves into the project, playing with that inspiration. The main thing was to use the dramatic combination of black and white, just as Mac did with his piece. We had a great time during the whole process with Mac, Ari, and Kim, and hope that they’ll come back to Barcelona soon. Many thanks to Montana for the opportunity!”

- From El Mac

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New Print: "Prayer"

MAC — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:38:00 +0000

I will be releasing a new print titled “Prayer” this tuesday Nov.22nd through Moon Editions of San Francisco. I haven’t put out a print for a little while now, and this is a special one. It’s based on the painting I created for the New Masters show at Subliminal Projects in LA earlier this year. I put a lot of time into painting this just how I wanted it, and the guys at Moon did a perfect job making it into a print. Thanks to Nick Portalupi & Brett Aronson for taking the time & effort to do it right, and thanks to Patrick Kawahara for the great documentation.

Here are some details:

EL MAC “Prayer” 2011

Two-color serigraph on archival Stonehenge 320 gsm.

100% cotton, acid-free.

Print is 21″x28″

Signed, stamped and numbered by the artist.

Vermilion red / Edition of 49

Metallic copper / Edition of 39

Teal blue variant / Edition of 9

Available Tuesday (Nov. 22) at a random time @ shop.mooneditions.com

For more information visit: mooneditions.com

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New EL MAC mural in Barcelona, Spain

MAC — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:10:00 +0000

Here are shots of a mural I painted at the Montana paint factory just outside Barcelona, Spain. I’ve used the paint produced there for years and I had always imagined the place to be located in some harsh industrial wasteland. It is in fact surrounded by mountains and forests, just north of the famous Montserrat abbey and mountain range. This contrast between something so industrial and urban, and an environment so peaceful and natural seemed like a good setting for what I painted. I had access to hundreds of colors but decided to limit my color palette to just black, white and grey (and leave the full spectrum to the classic Os Gemeos mural across the way). Thanks to Lacheln for modeling for this, thanks to Ari and Kim for ground support, Jorge y Javier de Avant-Garde Urbano, y gracias a Jordi, Albert y todos los de MTN por hacer posible este mural.

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New EL MAC mural in London: "Un Campechano en Londres"

MAC — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Painted this quick little mural in the Shoreditch area of London a couple months ago. Based it on a photo I took of a local campesino when I was in Campeche, México last year. Wasn’t even in London a full 24 hours, and basically spent the whole time there just painting this. Special thanks to Jim & Matilda of EOTL for the wall & amenities, thanks to the Bristol City Council for the paint, and thanks to the weather for not starting to rain until I finished.

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"Let the Arts Roam" – New video portrait of Mac & Retna

MAC — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:13:00 +0000

This is a new video just released by I Am Los Angeles / Joris Debeij that I think came out really nice. It documents some of the creation of my most recent collaborative mural with Retna for a school in LA, across from MacArthur Park. Here’s their description for the video:

“Wherever they go, they try to make something that makes sense for the neighborhood, and the community. And they always make something positive, something the artists hope people can enjoy — regardless of whether life has greeted them with great fortune. Armed with a vision and their cans of spray paint, El Mac and Retna will transform a forgotten wall into a piece of art.

El Mac and Retna are street artists, born in LA. They use building walls as blank canvases for their imagery, and the duo has collaborated to create murals all over the world. El Mac and Retna have very different styles, and have been collaborating the last few years. They combine their artistic forces in a specific way: El Mac creates huge lifelike portraits and Retna, calligraphic brushwork and decoration. The result is striking imagery that is unique and recognizable as theirs. It’s not uncommon for street art fans and documentarians to gather to watch the progression of an El Mac and Retna work in progress.

El Mac and Retna art feels appropriate for the street because the artists themselves embrace the city streets, the different neighborhoods, and the blend of cultures and backgrounds of the people that fill them. Street art, including the work of El Mac and Retna, also reflects a new attitude about accessibility to art in our environments. “Why not see all the walls painted,” says Retna. “Let the Arts Roam!”

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Steel & paper

MAC — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:46:00 +0000

Here’s a photo of a train. The guy painted on the train looks just like my friend Jaba. Next are a couple recent sketches- one of the extremely talented Rene Almanza who I met when I was in Monterrey earlier this year, and one of some guy sleeping on the subway in NYC. I think drawing from life is very important, like exercising. Neither of which I do enough of these days. The last photo is of a really cute little girl I exchanged sketches with at a Vietnamese restaurant in Montreal.

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Mid-City Arts Presents: By The Time I Get To Arizona, opening Saturday June 26th

Mid-City Arts — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:08:11 +0000

Mid-City Arts Presents: By The Time I Get to Arizona

Art show and Installation

Sponsored by:
33third Los Angeles / 33third.com
Montana Store Los Angeles
Puma

Saturday June 26th
7:30-10PM
Open to the Public
Featuring Works By:

Axis
EL MAC
RETNA
MEAR
KOFIE
DABS & MYLA
ESTEVAN ORIOL
THE PHANTOM
DASH 2000 FIDEL
VYAL
EYE ONE
HASTE
RITZY PERIWINKLE
ACAMONCHI
CACHE
CODAK
JAMIE GERMS ZACARIAS
KOPYE
SURGE

Mid-City Arts Gallery

5113 W. Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles

Ca. 90019

(310) 694-3460

midcityarts@gmail.com

Mid-City Arts Gallery
5113 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019

(310) 694-3460
midcityarts@gmail.com

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