~MATT LEINES/YOU ARE FORGIVEN/DESERT ISLAND !!
MATT LEINES – ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ – BOOK RELEASE PARTY & SIGNING !! – TO-NITE !!
FRI – OCT 24, 2008 – 7-9 PM
DESERT ISLAND – 540 METROPOLITAN AVE – BETWN UNION & LORIMER – BROOKLYN !!
AND, YES !! CHECK OUT !!: DESERT ISLAND
‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ – the first monograph by MATT LEINES – is a ‘lavish’ hardcover book featuring more than 100 color illustrations and including an introduction by GARY PANTER and an essay by TAYLOR McKIMENS !!
A limited edition silkscreen print will also be released at the event. MATT LEINES will be on hand to sign both the book and the print.
” . . . MATT is mapping the collective art of a none-existent tribe in a no-mans-land far away. Exotic and invincible. A magnanimous people, yet possessed of a fierce and independent spirit, forged and tempered by age after age of adversity or clam, calamity and advantage. Centuries of plenty and eons of famine – everlasting warfare and subterfuge. Maybe he will tell us everything about these nations and maybe not. Yet, we can learn much about them by observing the artifacts produced by so great and tenacious peoples. – GARY PANTER
” . . . MATT is relentlessly inventing extraordinary characters and the scenarios that envelop them. The imagery has the strangely familiar look of medieval or archaic artwork. But as much as it appears to have been unearthed in some archeological dig in the ruins of an ancient lost civilization wrought with mysterious powers and gods, very little of it is directly referencing any specific historical artworks or imagery. The intricate line work and patterning lends a timeless quality which is then shaken up by a clash with subject matter that seems to reference multiple times and dimensions.” – TAYLOR McKIMENS
PUBLISHED BY: FREE NEWS PROJECTS – 1026 ARCH ST, 2nd FL – PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
FORMAT: HARDBACK, 9.5 x 10.925 in. / 144 pgs / 125 full color
ISBN: 978-0977652358 – PUBLICATION DATE: 10/15/2008 – PRICE: $45.00
and, YES !! CHECK OUT !!: FREE NEWS PROJECTS
UP-DATE: TUES NOV 4, 2008 – PHOTOS FROM THE DESERT ISLAND BOOK LAUNCH !!
MATT LEINES was on hand to sign copies – at the book launch – of his first major hardcover book, ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’
at DESERT ISLAND, the new comic, zine & print store in Williamsburg.
behind him is one of his banners – the flag of an imaginary MATT LEINES nation – I’d like to live in.
these banners first surfaced in his CLEMENTINE GALLERY SHOW – ‘The Righteous Age’, of last spring,
Feb 21-March 29, 2008. brilliant graphic designs, produced by dye transfer release on woven polyester –
there were 3 of them – of very different design – on yellow, red and white backgrounds – each edition of 50
and selling for $300 a pop.
our only gripe back then – was that for a multiple they were so high priced, esp considering the edition number – that the young hard core fan base for his work – could not benefit from the chance, a multiple usually allows them – to get their hands on the art at hand. . . looking back. and, re-considering the fact of their size and excellent technical format – well – I was just mad – I didn’t have the $300 to buy one !!
to see a photo of the banners, and the rest of that awesome show, check out: GO FIGURE !! 2008-03-20
this book launch was all about multiples ‘value’ – at $45 the book is a way solid buy – a beautiful art product – large scale, hard cover, good quality & weight paper, excellent full color reproduction – 144 pages of MATT LEINES artwork – presented full page – straightforward & unadorned or messed with. PUBLISHED BY FREE NEWS PROJECTS – an artist community-centric PUBLISHING HOUSE out of PHILLY.
plus, at the launch – he didn’t just sign the book – he inscribed it – for his fans – slowly and carefully – with one of his signature gestures.
capping off – the night of opportunity – MATT LEINES and DESERT ISLAND produced a limited edition (60)
silkscreen – for $25 ea. – signed and numbered !!
and, basically a hand-out/thank-you to his hard-core fans !!
DESERT ISLAND – is one of the newest additions to a thriving art book and multiples, as in zines and prints, even limited edition artist T-shirts – in BROOKLYN. located at 540 Metropolitan, it’s just between Union & Lorimer – where the L train – Lorimer St. exit is – don’t let the storefront’s original use/historic sign !! – fool ya.
DESERT ISLAND is owned and operated by entrepreneur and comic/graphic screenprint artist GABRIEL FOWLER,
with a little help from his friend, KERI BUTLER. Mr. Fowler seems to be downplaying his own artistic ambitions,
in the goal of promoting the artists whose work he is selling – but his own brand of creative impulse is undeniably driving the store’s unique rush of visual and highly animated energy.
case in point – the store’s business – postcard !! and, I believe a GABRIEL FOWLER design/production !!
the DESERT ISLAND logo & screenprint store poster – is by MATTI HAGELBERG.
at the MATT LEINES book launch – comic ‘doodler’ artist – and, just managing to keep a straight face, JEFF LADOUCEUR at the left, and comic book artist – straight up – and cracking up – MATT THURBER !!
JEFF LADOUCEUR has a big one man show coming up, at the very beginning of the New Year 2009, at ZieherSmith.
you can check out his work, here: ZieherSmith/website !!
and don’t miss his large inflatable installation – ‘floater’ 2008 – that caused a big sensation, this past summer when it was hung a outside the VANCOUVER ART GALLERY, see: inflatable !!
MATTHEW THURBER actually has a comic book, 1-800-MICE – available at DESERT ISLAND. this is issue #2.
MATTHEW THURBER, 1-800-MICE, issue # 2, is a PICTUREBOX PRODUCTION, published Spring 07,
comic book, black & white, 24 pgs. ($3.99)
back cover, MATTHEW THURBER, 1-800-MICE, issue # 2.
speaking ’bout PICTUREBOX – at right: WILL LUCKMAN, an assistant publisher/editor at PICTUREBOX, drops by the MATT LEINES – ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ – DESERT ISLAND book launch. with him at left, MATT THURBER – PICTUREBOX artist/comic book author.
also at the launch – PAUL BRIGHT – of COMMUNITY OUTREACH GALLERY, Toronto, ONTARIO,
which represents MATT LEINES, (and Taylor McKimens !! & MISAKI KAWAI ..) in Canada.
note: COMMUNITY OUTREACH seems to have morphed into a new gallery, the new – PAUL BRIGHT GALLERY – 1265 Bloor St, Toronto. in fact – the inaugural exhibit, illustrated cartoon videos by MARC BELL, opens this Thursday, Nov 6, 2008.
see: PAUL BRIGHT GALLERY
the comic book offering at DESERT ISLAND
BLACK HOLE – uh huh. next time I’m in there – I’m gonna check that one out..
what about – OPTIC NERVE ?
what about: PAPERCUTTER ?
this looks to be a canvas by the DESERT ISLAND founder, himself – GABRIEL FOWLER
how do I know ? well, check out the store’s buttons !!
in-store project by LAUREN WEINSTEIN
as part of the same project – LAUREN WEINSTEIN also did the DESERT ISLAND store window – an open community invitation to bring in cartoon figures drawn on paper. no dimension specified.
MATT LEINES – OUTSIDE DESERT ISLAND, BROOKLYN. ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ book launch.
Oct 24, 2008
MATT LEINES – ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ – PUBLISHED BY: FREE NEWS PROJECTS
FORMAT: HARDBACK, 9.5 x 10.925in. / 144 pgs / 125 color
ISBN: 978-0977652358 – PUBLICATION DATE: 10/15/2008 – PRICE: $45
THE PUBLISHER’S NOTE – SAYS IT APTLY:
” ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ provides a vivid retrospective of the past several years of Leines’ detail-obsessed and process-driven work. Through his graphic and illustrative techniques, Leines blends imagery from his suburban American youth with iconographic visual traditions from far-flung civilizations, creating a highly original, modern psychedelic stew. ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ offers an in-depth look into the world of MATT LEINES, beautifully assembling his diverse and intricate body of work into a lavish hardcover book.” right on.
MATT LEINES – from: ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’, PUBLISHER: FREE NEWS PROJECTS, Philadelphia
MATT LEINES – from: ‘YOU ARE FORGIVEN’ – PUBLISHER: FREE NEWS PROJECTS, Philadelphia
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
