Primarily focused on blurring the traditional and contemporary representations of class boundaries, Kehinde Wiley’s subjects have primarily tended to be young African-American men, straight from the streets of Harlem. But World Stage: Africa, Lagos - Dakar at Studio Museum Harlem is moving beyond the boundaries of the urban New York landscape. Taking Wiley’s well-known style and transplanting it to a global spectrum, the new series of 10 paintings were conceived in temporary studios set up along his travels through Nigeria and Senegal. Consequently, traces of regional architecture and textiles have found their way into his new works.

Although his stylistic signature has always been juxtaposing the elements of traditional renaissance portraiture with that of urban African–American culture, this new exhibit gave Wiley the freedom to represent the historical dynamics between power and privilege in an entirely new setting. Suffusing his works with a hint of the post-colonial, Wiley paints his subjects in poses replicated straight from independence–era statues scattered around Lagos and Dakar.

Whilst these new paintings retain a powerful vibrancy, there is arguably a loss of the familiar garnered in Wiley’s earlier works. The instant identification garnered by the Harlem-based settings of his earlier portraits is somehow lost when transferred to the African landscape. But this new dimension in Wiley’s artistic realm is producing iconic results that are sure to resonate with a bigger crowd than ever.

In the dark recesses of the late 90s and early 2000s, a tremor ran through the music industry as more material made its way to the web. Amidst the uncertainty, people questioned what would happen to the music and if creativity would die along this new avenue.

What could not be foreseen was the way the internet and the digitization of media would open the door to a more democratic way of making and experiencing music. Through its floodgates have come (sometimes questionably) talented stars such as Souljah Boy and venues such as MySpace and iTunes.

Fast-forward to 2008 and the ever-talented, ever-ingenious, self-acclaimed analog girl Erykah Badu, has also appropriated the digital world to her own ends. Looking for a remix to her latest non-album single, “Real Thang,” Badu has launched an internet-based remix contest open to any creative body with beats on the mind.

Proving the fast-pace of the web and the ability of its plethora of users to turn out a quick download, you can find a number of remixes to the track already up on the paean to self-promotion, YouTube. The remixes are diverse with sounds that range from dub with 80s Barrington Levy samples, to spacey electronic tracks to a mellowed out Madlib groove (remixers, breathe — Madlib produced the original track and cannot be a part of the contest). Don’t feel limited to “urban” types of sounds either — creativity is key so if you think you can make “Real Thang” rock, literally, go for it.

Sound good? Then plug in and get it poppin’.

For “Real Thang” vocals, grand- and runner-up prizes and more information on the contest, click here.

Deadline for entry: July 31.

The International Center of Photography’s most recent exhibit is bringing Japan back to New York City. Heavy Light, featuring photography and film from 13 of Japan’s most talented artists show that there is more rising from this island nation than just the sun. From Hiroh Kikai’s stunning black and white street portraits to Miwa Yanagi’s eerie theatrical re-creation of childhood fairy tales, the exhibition represents a link between traditional culture and emerging elements of Japanese society.

Asako Narahashi’s series Half Awake and Half Asleep in the Water blends the turbulence of nature with the futuristic urban architecture that lines Japan’s coast. Asako’s images evoke an isolation that could only result from floating just out of reach from the safety of land.

Masayuki Yoshinaga’s video installation showcases the modern rituals of Japan’s infamous motorcycle gangs. His light screen display of Lolita Gothic fashion is also a must-see. Photographed in some of the most famous trend-setting districts in Japan, such as Harajuku and Shibuya, Yoshinaga’s collection explores bizarre and daring Japanese street style.

Don’t miss out on this illuminating display, running now until September 7th. More info here.

With the glut of “designer toys” cluttering shelves and display cases and floating around the interweb, it has naturally become a bit more difficult for designers and artists to distinguish themselves from the plastic masses. Difficult, but not impossible.

Enter The Mirf.

No, it’s not a blaxploitation-era Kung Fu flick about a housing project super who’s visited in the night by a mystical cockroach—the body of which houses the spirit of an ancient Wu Shu master—who then blesses said super with near invincibility and the fighting skills of the 12 most powerful Shaolin monks of antiquity, thus allowing him to clean up the streets and kick some Vice Lord ass, ending their reign of terror, getting the girl and generally saving the day and all that jazz.

Though that would make a pretty dope flick, The Mirf’s got little to do with the stuff of Kung Fu legend. The brainchild of 1134NYC’s graffiti duo Mint and Serf and NYC’s art toy house Thunderdog Studios, the Mirf is truly the first of its kind: a graffiti-inspired, wall-mountable soft-vinyl toy. Available in four different colorways (with 200 pieces of each), the Mirf’s creators consider the piece more of a sculpture than a toy. Getting bump from design and graffiti world luminaries such as HAZE, Claw Money and Carlo McCormick, as a bonus the limited edition piece comes in so fresh and so clean packaging which features a slide out box, silver foil and a two-sided, flocked blister tray.

And to bleed off the steam that’s been building since hype over this paradigm-shifting piece of soft-vinyl deliciousness first buzzed about the Lower East Side a month ago, 1134NYC, Thunderdog Studios, Rogue Status and Vapors Magazine are putting their power rings together to drop the Mirf bomb in dual Left Coast launch events tonight and Thursday night. New York hip-hop trio Team Facelift will be holding it down at both events. With that said, expect lots of nudity (thank you Fat Jew), more than a few Jewish girls from Long Island, a tangerine bathrobe or two and possibly even some drunken, passionate Mirf chants (most likely in the nude). You know you love it.

The visual artist INSA lays down a stack with his latest exhibit “Dirty Cash.” Set in London’s Flawless Gallery “Dirty Cash” is an ode to INSA’s raunchy style of artwork. With vulumptuos curves, dripping paint and roots in the art of graffiti INSA places himself in a category all his own. The exhibit will be open through the month of July. For more information click here.

Leaving an imprint on New York’s indie fashion circles for the past few years with experimental, expressive collections, young NYC-based designer Brian Wood sees his latest African Warlord line culminating with the drop of his upcoming Africa Vintage Logo limited edition tee.

Known for artistic pieces suited for the streets and runways alike, Brian Wood’s designs are a product of creative vision and the tutelage of visionaries like Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui. The African Warlord concept was an examination of the impact Western popular culture has had on continental African sensibilities. Ripe with color and content, each piece spoke to the collision of two world cultures.

With the Africa Vintage Logo tee, Brian Wood presents his most artfully crafted piece in the collection thus far. The cut and sew tee features 6 printed iconic vintage logos, with a 4 panel-pieced front, and raw edge sleeve finish. The back neck label is also stitched on an appliquéd square of authentic Khenti cloth. Limited to only 100 total pieces produced, the Africa Vintage Logo tee will surely be a rare delicacy among the boutique circuit.

Be on the lookout for a July 1st drop, and check here for a current listing of shops where you’ll be able to invest in this work of textile art.

The mercury retrograde is over and a fresh breeze of regeneration will be felt by all this Saturday, June 21 with the Avant Yard offering of “Ancient Futures: The DNA of Culture and Civilizations” at MoCADA, the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts at 5pm.

This multi-media group exhibition will confront socio-political boundaries in “underground” movements with a dynamic blend of painting, photography, installation art, photo-illustration, and music. Featured artists include, Terry Boddie, Fikisha C., Jennifer Crute, Francks Deceus, Joshua Humphries, Dirk Joseph, Laura James, Kip Omolade, William Rhodes, Danny Simmons, Jamel Shabazz, and Malik Yusef Cumbo (Avant Yard).

Live music will be presented by The Essential M.C. (CA), Game Rebellion (NY), The Welfare Poets (NY), Yolanda Zama (SA), Nucomme (TX), and a long awaited Survival Soundz reunion featuring Carla Csharp Gomez (ATL).

Known for giving young artists the stage to speak their voice, Avant Yard will set the day in bloom with a special photographic collaboration from the students of Life Academy High School for Film and Music from 2pm until 5pm.

An opening reception hosted by Defrei of Ahficianados with resident DJ’s, The Majestic Twinsound and Ahficial Music continues on to the main exhibition from 5pm until 9pm, including a dance from LOVESPACE MUSIC Alter-Native Movement.

MoCADA is located at 80 Hanson Place in Ft. Greene.

The entire event is FREE.

“Ancient Futures: The DNA of Culture and Civilization” will be on view at MoCADA through September 7^th, 2008.

For more info, click here

What do you get when you cross a French filmmaker and a closet jammed with shoes and books? The neat freaks and green-thinking among us, relax- for Mr. Brainwash, better known as MBW, it is only fodder for his art.

MBW has spent the last nine years attempting to make the ultimate documentary about graffiti art. While filming, MBW began putting his camera aside and making art of his own, displaying a Banksy-esque predilection for coloring on the walls. Graduating from a few hand drawn stickers to giant billboard sized paste-ups, MBW has become one of the most prolific street artists in California.

MBW’s first exhibition, “Life is Beautiful,” opens in Los Angeles this week, running four days in a former Hollywood studio complex. The exhibit features more than 300 paintings, sculptures and prints, alongside installations made from 100,000 of the aforementioned shoes and a life-size recreation of Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks.” MBW also does his own take on graffiti, Andy Warhol and icons of American pop culture- neither Marilyn Manson, Michael Jackson nor anyone in-between, are spared his aerosol treatment.

For more information on Mr. Brainwash’s show, click here

Also, be sure to check out the opening reception, Wednesday, June 18, 7P-11P: the first 200 people walk away with a hand finished limited edition print by MBW himself.

Life is Beautiful
June 19 - 22

CBS Studios
6121 Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA

“Tr: To Drink and To Penetrate Jubilantly,” Jean Faucheur

Every time I turn a corner into a bookstore, at least a dozen new graffiti books threaten my faith in this form. Ostensibly “art books,” these publications simply flood shelves with terrible photographs of mediocre wheatpaper posters and wall-scrawls as empty as the cans that were wasted on them. Art book? No — and it undercuts the value of graffitti to give these paperweights that pretense.

Then there are the gems, few and far between. Graffiti Paris, available this month from Abrams, is not exactly a gem, however. It suffers from the kind of documentary, head-on photography that leaves the graphic in the frame but little else, decontextualizing the work from the neighborhood that produced it. Especially in Paris, where geography permeates identity, that context is key.

But Graffiti Paris is still one of the better books out there. Paris is full of strong, living, fighting and politicized graffiti and Fabienne Grévy, the art historian and photographer who created Graffiti Paris, has a great eye for picking the quality pieces off a wall overrun by quantity.

As Grévy notes in the introduction, Graffiti Paris includes photographs taken over the last 15 years. The project’s priority was to preserve a record of Paris street art from the 1990s and late-80s, street art that will soon be worn away. In other words, the point here was never to make an “art book” exactly and, as a record of some of the best graffiti to grace The City of Lights in the past decade, Graffiti Paris is really rather good!