Hi-Fructose Magazine

Artist Steven Quinn is known for his street photography and collage work. Quinn was born in Belfast and is currently living and working in London. The skull collages featured here, which were recently spotted at Laughing Squid, are comprised of old photographs and other magazine images. The many vintage images of stars add deep and dazzling perspectives to these kaleidoscopic collages. See more here: 

http://hifructose.com/2013/05/16/artist-steven-quinns-kaleidoscopic-skull-collages/

Known for her hyperrealist sculptures of fleshy, humanoid creatures, Patricia Piccininirecently created an enormous fantastical character in the form of a hot air balloon titledThe Sky Whale. Commissioned by the Centenary of Canberra, the majestic Sky Whale recently took flight over the Australian countryside for the first time. Driven by the desire to spark a sense of wonder in her viewers, Piccinini designed the otherworldly creature as a disruption of the mundane. Take a look at videos by Blueboat of the Sky Whale’s first flight and Piccinini’s studio, as well as some photos of the Sky Whale below courtesy ofTolarno Galleries.

MORE: http://hifructose.com/2013/05/14/video-patricia-piccininis-sky-whale-hot-air-balloon-sculpture-takes-flight/

Argentinian artist Gerardo Feldstein depicts men in jet black suits with extremely exaggerated gestures. These bald characters with big outstretched hands embody humorous narratives as they point, climb, reach, and grab at the unknown. The strikingly long bodies defy gravity and seem to stretch before the eye as they balance tediously on white pedestals. His work is reminiscent of the bold works by Swiss sculpture Alberto Giacometti, who came to be regarded as one of the leading surrealist sculptors in the 1920s through the 1960s. Feldstein’s detailed sculptures are a combination of resin, wire, and an array of other materials. See more of these bizarre sculptures below.

In Japan, the word “cute” or kawaii can be stamped on just about everything when it comes to aesthetics. Cute dogs, dolls, cartoons and cars are the accepted standard. Now picture human bodies with wolf heads tearing each other apart. Pigs crowded around a dinner table salivating over their roasted brethren. Japanese artist and Tokyo resident Ryohei Hase illustrates beautifully disturbing scenes with obsessive detail. Cannibalism is at times a running theme in his work. Using Photoshop and other software, Hase creates digital art that almost challenges traditional painting if not coexisting without notice. Take a look at some of his work below.

MORE: http://hifructose.com/2013/05/07/ryohei-hases-morbid-digital-artworks/

Known for his appetizing yet dangerous-looking sculptures, mixed-media artist Scott Hove will debut a new body of work at San Francisco’s Spoke Art this Thursday, May 2. Titled “Guns & Ecstasy,” Hove’s latest body of work was created with heavy topics borne in mind. Presenting candy-colored assault weapons decorated like extravagant birthday cakes, Hove uses the tension between the violent and tantalizing aspects of his work to probe issues surrounding America’s gun policies in light of the recent tragedies that have occurred around the country. In addition to the gun sculptures, Hove will debut an elaborate, labyrinthine installation. Take a look at a sneak peek at the installation and some shots from Hove’s studio courtesy of Francis Zera and check out the show at Spoke Art May 2- May 25.

MORE: http://hifructose.com/2013/04/29/preview-scott-hoves-guns-ecstasy-at-spoke-art/

This Saturday, Varnish Fine Art will celebrate 10 years as a prime destination for new contemporary art in San Francisco with a group show titled “DECADE-1.” Featuring 14 artists working in diverse disciplines, the group show will feature the work of Christian Rex van Minnen, Ransom & Mitchell, Jennybird Alcantara, Isabel Samaras, Robert Bowen, Victor Castillo, Chris Mars, Lee Harvey Roswell, Ron Garrigues, Brian Goggin, Jessica Joslin, Lucien Shapiro, Rob Reger and Chuck Sperry. Between Alacantara’s whimsical paintings, Ransom & Mitchell’s otherworldy photo illustrations and Jessica Joslin’s delicate-looking sculptures, “DECADE-1″ will cover vast aesthetic ground. Take a look at a preview of the show below and check out the show April 20 – May 18.

MORE: http://hifructose.com/2013/04/18/preview-decade-1-anniversary-group-show-at-varnish-fine-art/

Hailing from Saint Petersburg, Russia, street artist Sy creates prismatic murals that evoke retro video games and computer graphics with their geometric shading. Sy’s Pop-inspired imagery is loud and saturated with color, offering clean, angular designs that seem tongue-in-cheek. Blocks of color join together with intensity to create offbeat characters and exaggerated expressions. One can’t help but sense a hint of nostalgia for an outmoded vision of the digital age. Take a look at some of Sy’s work below, images courtesy of the artist.

MORE: http://hifructose.com/2013/04/05/sys-stylized-angular-murals/

This week, artists, character designers and animators will be gathering in Berlin for this year’s Pictoplasma Festival. Going from April 10 – 14, the event will feature concurrent exhibitions at over 20 art spaces throughout Berlin, conferences, film screenings and parties. Highlights from the festival include Jeff Soto’s (Hi-Fructose Vol. 16 cover artist) show at Platoon Kunsthalle Berlin and Low Bros’ (featured in Hi-Fructose Vol. 26) show at Letters Are My Friends. Among the many talented emerging artists participating in the festival, newcomer El Grand Chamaco at Mercado San Cosme and Bakea at Instituto Cervantes caught our attention. Take a look at our preview of the exhibitions going on during Pictoplasma below and check out the festival’s website for a detailed schedule of the events.

MORE: http://hifructose.com/2013/04/08/preview-pictoplasma-conference-and-festival-in-berlin/

We’re pleased to announce our next quarterly issue of Hi-Fructose The New Contemporary Art Magazine Volume 27. In April’s issue we find the best New Contemporary artists form around the world. In it we get overwhelmed by the hyper-real sculptor Sam Jinks, discover the paintings of Stacey Rozich, get mesmerized by the paper sculptor Lisa Nilsson, then find the colorfully bold sculptures of Troy Coulterman. We then travel to Wales to visit Dudug and the Black Duke cruise ship as it gets re-purposed, then to South Korea as we explore the paintings of Lee Jinju and learn about her troubled past, followed by a feature on the dynamic paintings of this issue’s cover artist Erik Jones. Then we take a peek under the anatomical style work ofMichael Reedy, destroy currency with acclaimed tatooist/artist Scott Campbell, but not before we take a look at the Hi-Fructose exclusive special 16 page Inside the Sketchbook insert of artist Marco Mazzoni! Plus Taschen‘s TreeHouses book, a new book fromMitch O’Connell and a new show by painter Dan Quintana. Hi-Fructose Vol.27 is set to arrive in April but can be pre-ordered from the Hi-Fructose store today here.