CBS Lords Takeover Los Angeles Gallery

CBS Lords and SubSpace art present “The Broken Windows Theory”

SubSpace art in Culver City, CA announces its final show (opening October 15^th, 2011).  With pending building demolition the young but acclaimed pop-up gallery is pulling out all stops as they welcome CBS (Can’t Be Stopped) crew’s top international graffiti artists and street muralists to take over their gallery in a no holds barred exhibition of more than 45 premier members from Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay area and Milan, Italy.

The All-Star lineup includes a featuring of both fine art works and groundbreaking public murals.  The CBS writers and muralists are converting the public gallery space into a cohesive, fully painted environmental experience.  From illegal paint on trains, subway walls, buildings and other counterculture “bombings” to works consistent with street culture and well deserved of gallery exhibition, The Broken Windows Theory offers insight to the crew and its diverse pool of talent.   With its singular focus on one of the world’s most well respected and renowned crews, this exhibit poignantly addresses the nature of street culture, defining “fine” art, and commenting on the clash of cultural and urban development.  Ten years ago LA artist POSH (aka Poor Al) made a connection with Lords crew (San Jose).  With almost mirror images in style and approach, the two groups developed a close bond (Cobras / Lords) and began developing their unified approach. 

“We all know that graff culture is a hot commodity these days.  It’s good to know that (CBS) haven’t wielded to any curatorial demands of whitewashing style to accommodate some preconceived notion of what street art should be.  This is out and out, a direct representation of the true voice of the streets.  It’s the people’s media.  Why shouldn’t it be in a public place free from censorship, politics and policing?” says gallery founder Randi Kreeft.  “What’s important is keeping the work true to its history and social commentary. I’ve always identified with it (graffiti) coming from a childhood spent in trailer parks and skate parks.  I always felt it was the artist’s job to rise above and give a not-so-subtle f*** you to the bourgeois class and to ultimately challenge the misdirected values of the high art society…It’s a working class ethos, subversive punk values and hip-hop fueled aesthetic that brings raw cultural energy into the artistic equation.”

The CBS sub-culture is deeply rooted in visual representation of city living with the local crew’s distinctive connection to their surrounding natural environment. Societal disconnects and artistic associations with underground pop cultures are key identifiable factors in the rich history of this crew, now in their 27^th year of development. Lords extends well beyond aerosol arts - including members of various musical genres, graphic designers and tattoo arts.  Featured in conjunction with this exhibit will be a live tattoo studio with top artists from California.

Featured artists include:

HEX, MERS, NICNAK, HASTE, WERMS, PAYNE, REBUKE, TIMBER, ESEL, SIBL, POOR AL, GENA, AURA, MESSENGER, CZER, TYER, DCYPHER, ADEE, DRAST, BIG5, SATYR, DEFIE, AWFUL, SUPHER, CHIP, PHEVER, KYM, XHAUST, SHYNE, OWIE, SLOKE, NEWS, UNEAK, DYTCH, MARCOS LAFARGA, RAPTUZ, GATO, DMENT, ROAR, GUNK, 7SEAS, SRAM, RICHARD “XPRES” TAYLOR, L.A.JAE, SKYPAGER, NATOE & RICKY WATTS

Exhibit Opening - Saturday October 15^th - 7pm to 11pm
Canvas works on display through November 13^th, 2011

Murals on display until public closing and building demolition