“Fake” is all the rage right now – what with Mr Trump and his ‘fake news’, Damien Hirst and his recent art show comprising of ‘fake’ artifacts from a made up lost civilisation, the rise of unpaid internship aka ‘fake’ jobs and now, added to this list is Mr Tyson Tabbert and his brilliantly curated travelling John Waters tribute art exhibition full of ‘fake’ pieces of pop culture trash.

We at ‘Art Whore’ were exposed to the ‘Lost Merchandise of the Dreamlanders’ John Waters tribute group show and immediately blown away! Here was a show devoted to one of our favourite directors – Mr. John Waters – and featuring a whole slew of amazing pop art pieces. From toys, to bed sheets, Halloween costumes, ash trays and more. The show itself featuring thirteen artists working both collaboratively and independently, all under the loving eye of curator Tyson Tabbert.

(Photo below of artist and show curator Tyson Tabbert)

Coming to the end of the exhibit’s first showing at ‘LaMaMa’ in New York City (May 25th to June 24th), and just about to travel to Lethal Amounts in Los Angeles (July 8th to July 28th) – we thought it would be good to have the exhibit’s curator Tyson Tabbert explain it all, so we asked him a few questions. From who the other artists involves are, how they all came to connect, if there had been any legal issues, potential John Waters sex toys and much more.

Read it all below…

Keep reading →

Mike Diana is an underground comics legend. Starting out in the underground mail order zine scene in the 80’s, Mike rose to worldwide prominence in the mid 1990’s thanks, in no part, to being convicted and gaoled for obscenity for his art – the first and so far only comic artist to befall such a fate!

Since then he has moved to New York and continued creating – exploring painting, developing his art and collaborating with people such as Kembra Pfahler, Bruce La Bruce, Richard Kern, Mike Kuchar and many others.

Interestingly, Mike references Dali, an early proponent of outrage and artistic freedom as a major inspiration. With Mike remembering childhood trips to the Dali museum in Florida as pivotal artistic moments:

“I enjoyed the nightmare like paintings, strange jewelry and even a hologram Dali made of singer Alice Cooper. I felt it inspired me to continue with my art, take it to new levels.”

(Picture below of some art by Mike)

With Mike constantly working, and with a documentary about him in the works, now is the perfect time to get to know the man + his world, by reading the Art Talk below…

Keep reading →

Insuh Yoon is a Korean born, New York based artist and photographer. Working primarily with the female nude, Insuh’s work is evocative of the New York photography greats such as Larry Clark, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, Ryan McGinly et al. Work that is erotic, personal, underground, provocative, filled with multiple themes, beautiful lightning and engaging composition.

Insuh is also an admirer and frequent collaborator with his fellow artists, models and friends – creating works that bounce off of each other in an almost endless feedback loop: photo to painting to photo to painting and on. To this end Insuh has collaborated with Bunny Lee, Frenchinald, Kelvis, Unfinished Lines, Sarah B. Whalen and many others – creating a multiplicity of artworks of various genre.

(Photo by Insuh, below)

With Insuh’s art finding more and more admirers and with his debut solo show ‘Flowerland’ just behind him now is the perfect time to get to know the man and his art, by reading the Art Talk, below…

Keep reading →

American multi disciplinary artist Edwin Vazquez first came to Art Whore’s attention back in 2013 and has been working in a variety of mediums – art, design, app development, publishing, sculpture, printing and comics – ever since.

Edwin is mainly known for his work in the comic and illustration spheres, however recently he also decided to turn his skills to the mediums of design and digital media so as to grow – both artistically and personally.

With much to catch up with Edwin – such as a trip to Korea, working on the ‘Suspect Device’ anthology, and his ongoing ‘Werewolf of NYC’ comic – now is the perfect time to see were Edwin is at, by reading his 2nd Art Talk, below…

Keep reading →

Boyd Braden is a young American artist and designer pushing hard into the design scene, with both his apparel label ‘EPSW’ and recent debut art toy The Minatorg causing major waves.

(Picture below of the just released Minatorg resin – a collab with ole Scott Kinnebrew of ‘FOD’)

With lots on the horizon, and a work ethic to be envied, now is the perfect time to get to know Boyd and his myriad of projects, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

Keep reading →

Ariel Lauren Sexton-Shaw AKA Loveariel is a Sydney born and bred artist and musician whose work is evocative of the occult, the painterly tradition and classic graffiti. Her practice has gained her an international base of collectors, a hugely successful solo show ‘Saintanism’ and living legend status on the streets of Sydney, her hometown.

(Picture below of a painting by Ariel)

With a 3rd upcoming solo show, a new musical project and a variety of sculptural works all bubbling away in Ariel’s well stocked cauldron, now is the perfect time to get to know her, by reading the Art Talk below…

Keep reading →

D. White is a New York based pop artist and cartoonist whose vibrant and colourful work hints at the eternal darkness that can sometimes be modern urban life. A darkness that is also all imbued with a sense of joy, amazement and childlike wonder. Leading to highly engaging and provoking creations.

(Picture below by Danny White of ‘Birds in Boxes’)

In his Art Talk D. spills about the realities of being a artist whilst also holding down a 9to5 job, his early artistic development, submersion in the art hustle, his love of music, upcoming projects and much more.

Read the Art Talk with Danny in full, below…

Keep reading →

Mr. Benny Kline of ‘Tenacious Toys‘ outta New York, USA is one of the many gods – most likely Thor – in the pantheon of the art-toy and new-pop-art spheres. A man who does all that he can both privately, and publicly to promote, grow and nurture the new pop art scene on a global level.

I could not think of any person more apt to be the first Shop Talk for ‘Art Whore‘.

Why? For all the reasons above, and because Benny is a man constantly living out his personal motto:

“Learn, evolve, reach. Do it all yourself. Don’t quit.”

(Picture below of one of the many ‘Tenacious Toys’ logos – this one by Sou John)

As man always on the move, and with his pulse well and truly attuned to the contemporary pop art scene, now is the right time to get to know Mr. Benny Kline of ‘Tenacious Toys’, by reading the Shop Talk, below…

Keep reading →