Vantagepoint Radio

The paintings and drawings of Berlin based American artist Allison Sommers act as a portal to a universe very similar to our own but in which some evil genius has altered a few lines of the code. Grotesque in subject matter but handled with exquisite artistic attention, the viewer is left struggling to decide whether they should turn away in disgust or give into the urge to explore the endless details of oozing contorted flesh and sticky tissue.  Sommers’ work expands tonally and dimensionally with her mixed media assemblage pieces and sculptures, hinting more perhaps to her degree in history than her two dimensional work does. After recently moving from New York to Berlin her artistic outlook and output have come to a crossroads and it was a pleasure to speak with her at this pivotal time in her career.

The post EP 132 – ALLISON SOMMERS appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

Lady Aiko has been a hugely influential force in the "urban art” scene for significantly longer than there has even been an “urban art” scene. Since moving from Tokyo to New York in the early 90s Aiko has been a constant presence and has collaborated with or even played a pivotal roll in the early carriers of industry giants such as Takashi Murakami, Faile, Banksy, and Martha Cooper just to name a few. Her solo work focuses primarily on hand cut stencils for which she has developed an instantly recognizable technique. Mixing Japanese aesthetics with images from her travels and life experience as well as pop culture, her work speaks to themes of Feminism, innocence and love. It was a great pleasure to sit down with Aiko during her short trip to Berlin to paint a collaborative mural with Martha Cooper on the facade of the Urban Nation Museum.

The post EP 131 – LADY AIKO appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

It is not at all an over exaggeration to say that Paradox (Mr. ParadoxParadise) is one of the most prolific, most unique, and most visible graffiti writer in Berlin, a city full of prolific and unique graffiti writers.  Because of that however, they are extremely secretive and anonymous which is why this episode of VantagePoint is so special.  Paradox exploded into public consciousness through the development and implementation of a special technique of painting graffiti that involves repelling down from the roof of a building and hitting parts of walls that are otherwise completely inaccessible.  Because of this special (and insane) technique his graffiti is vertical rather than horizontal which only adds to it’s uniqueness.  Furthermore, the lettering style Paradox has developed is unlike any other.  What appears to most people as a long lost alien language only reveals itself as letters and words to those who take the time to decipher the code. Recently Mr. Paradox has branched into new methods of output including apparel and fine art sculptures as well as self producing and directing a new feature length film documenting his story (four years in the making) titled “SPIRITUAL LETTERS”.  It was an extreme honor and thrill to finally get to talk to the person behind the mask for this VantagePoint exclusive.

The post EP 130 – MR PARADOX PARADISE appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

For some people, turning your hobby into your career can suck all of the fun and passion out of it.  For others, it allows them to do what they love every day and adds an extra level of excitement and motivation.  RAWS stands confidently in the second group.  As a teenager he discovered his love for graffiti.  At university he studied graphic design.  But it wasn’t until after finishing his studies that he realized his true calling fell somewhere between the two.  By blending his design and graffiti aesthetics RAWS has created a specific and unique artistic voice  that can be appreciated by people across a wide spectrum.  His decision to shift his focus from commercial work to fine art has proven to be a wise one with galleries and collectors seeking him out and solo shows lining up one after another.

The post EP 129 – RAWS appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

Kkade discovered his love of letters while writing graffiti in his youth.  His love became an obsession when studying graphic design at school and realizing that the middle point between letter styles and design is typography. From his small city in Switzerland, Kkade as gained global recognition for his ultra clean and stylized typographical designs and logos as well as his graffiti and murals both individually and as a member of the Schwarzmaler Crew.  Continuing in the rich history of Swiss designers and typography heavy-hitters, Kkade has cemented his place as the ‘go to guy’ for logos and corporate identity from tattoo and streetwear companies to high end restaurants and beyond.

The post EP 128 – KKADE appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

Krimsone and Scott Nagy formed a friendship as kids and dove headfirst into the local graffiti scene together. Years later they casually joined forces and have spent most of the past few years painting full time as a mural duo.  Their explosive use of bold colors and beautifully composed scenes depicting a wide range of native Australian plants and animals have the strange effect of feeling both surreal and familiar at the same time.  The two young artists have had a ton of success acquiring walls and projects across Australia and beyond while developing their skills and artistic voice and are poised to be a real force to reckon with on the mural scene moving forward.

The post EP 127 – SCOTT NAGY & KRIMSONE appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

I am driving with windows down late at night through the sticky Miami heat to meet an artist who has the name of a sci-fi creature and who’s work deals with portals and dimensions of time and space… I have no idea what to expect.  When I arrive at HOXXOH’s house what I find is a super laid back guy with a lot to say and a small but aggressive dog who wants me to know right off the bat who the real boss is.  As we sit and talk about his work and journey through the art world I realize this space creature’s super power is his drive and thrust for experimentation.  Known mostly for his large-scale murals depicting abstracted colorful circular portals painted with his trademark “flare” marking, it’s actually his studio work where the real magic is found.  Countless hours of experimenting with mechanisms and techniques lead to discoveries that eventually turn into beautifully complex works of art.  Over the next 60 minutes HOXXOH walks me through his fascinating story including a moment of intense tragedy on the job a few years ago and how that moment and all the others in the past decade have lead him to this exact moment in space and time.

The post EP 126 – HOXXOH appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

Li-Hill was born and raised in Canada but it was while living in Brooklyn that he made his bones in the art world. His rare ability to translate his work across mediums and scale and from 2D to 3D sets him apart and makes him the envy of many artists. From small studio paintings and sculptures to massive murals and public art installations, Li-Hill's work illustrates the intersection between the natural and man-mad world through a beautifully unique and energetic visual language. Although the subject of his work is the relationship between opposite forces such as technology and the natural world, or man vs. animal, ironically it is the beautiful symmetry and symbiotic relationship between these opposing elements that the viewer experiences through his work.

The post EP 125 – LI-HILL appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

In the late 90s Akut together with two friends formed a crew that would become one of the most influential crews in one of the largest art movements in the history of art.  It sounds like an insane statement to make, but the fact is that Akut and the MaClaim crew were expanding the boundaries of what could be done with a spray can and inspiring countless numbers of artists who would later go on to form the beginnings of the new muralism and urban contemporary art scene.  In just 4 years they managed to introduce a level of photorealism into the graffiti scene that hadn’t been seen before and even had a hand in designing one of the most popular and respected spray paint brands in the world.  In 2004 Akut transitioned into a new chapter of his career when he linked up with fellow german artist Hera and formed the powerhouse duo Herakut which quickly became one of the most respected and sought after names in the urban contemporary world.  With high profile gallery shows and landmark murals across the globe and a 20 year career under his belt, it was an incredible honor and pleasure to sit down with Akut in his Berlin studio for a coffee and a chat.

The post EP 124 – AKUT appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .

Brad Eastman, better known as Beastman, has spent the past decade cementing his place as a leading figure in the Sydney art scene. Although murals and studio work have always been the core of Eastman’s career, the diversity of his work and output is perhaps his most impressive superpower.  His ability to balance high-profile commercial campaigns with international brands against intimate gallery exhibitions and community projects is a  skill often overlooked in the art world.  In the past 10 years his work has slowly evolved from very illustrative creature based paintings with strong black outlines to bright geometrical abstract work seemingly void of figure at all.  The diversity of his visual world is paralleled by the diversity of media he uses to create it.  From aerosol and acrylic to sight specific installation with found objects and a wide range of digital work including video and mapping, Eastman remains consistent and authentic across the board.

The post EP 123 – BEASTMAN appeared first on VANTAGE POINT RADIO .