Pitchfork Pals: Seminal Underground Show by Mike Leavitt + Charlie Krafft @ Stolen Space Gallery, London (May 13)
Shown above is an original sculpted 12 inch tall polymer clasy bust of British tabloid & rock star Amy Winehouse by Michael Leavitt, done for the ongoing "Pitchfork Pals" project with artist Charles Krafft. The finished piece, along with nearly 100 other objects / sculpts will be on display at Stolen Space Gallery in London from May 13th (6-9pm), and runs thru May 30th, 2010. Both Mike and Charlie will be in attendance at the opening. CLICK THRU for an excerpt of the event-text, or go direct here, and view list of art for sale here
[ Ahmadinejad "Pitchfork Pal" Bust 2009]
EVENT-TEXT: “Pitchfork Pals” spawn from an ongoing dialogue between two artists separated by 30 years of age who share a mission for art alternatives. Since 2005 the two Seattle natives have formed a series of media icons, politicians and celebrities such as Kim Jong Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Aleister Crowley, Nick Griffin and Amy Winehouse. Leavitt sculpts these busts 20 to 30 cm tall, then each edition is slip-cast and hand-painted by Krafft in his basement. Some become classic busts, teapots or the British “Toby mug” knick-knack. Taking pride in their handiwork, these two iconoclastic craftsmen are not armchair critics. The artists’ politics range widely, so their meditation on manufactured evil is not easily digestible. Looking into the deeply carved pupils of a “Pitchfork Pal” conjures biographical depths underneath easy editorializing. Totemic power and sculptural nuance make these tainted characters undeniably mesmerizing.
