Think Tank Gallery

Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles is an alternate arts space that focuses on the complexities of a quickly urbanizing world, and is caught right in the middle of it. The space in its Downtown LA location of the historic Santee Shopping District is a 13.5k square foot raw warehouse with pristine gallery walls, and a Post-Street Art vibe that remains indebted to spectacle. They revel in audience immersion and insightful but visually striking work by thoughtful artists.

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GERMAN STREET ARTIST’S 1010′s MASSIVE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS

1010 is quickly amassing a huge following, both in the graff and street art worlds and the neurologist and op art realms, too. And realms they most certainly are, inspired by the relationship between optics and neurology and beginning to escape his motherland of Germany to other places like Poland and beyond. 

They always seem three-dimensional. They are extremely ambitious and very accomplished in that goal. 

At the same time, however, 1010 explains that his work is not just about mind tricks. In addition to illusions, the the artist is hoping to tease out his longtime aesthetic inquiry: what is it within his artwork and the shades of color that attracts or disgusts the public?

Read more at VICE’s creators project.

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DK barrel cocktail tables #DIY #privateevent #WIP @lootcrate (at Think Tank Gallery)

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#DK shelves incoming #WIP #privateevent #DIY @lootcrate (at Think Tank Gallery)

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#Tetris lights #privateevent @lootcrate #WIP #DIY (at Think Tank Gallery)

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Fairy cocktail table lamps n pizza @lootcrate #DIY #WIP

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Getting some counsel on our #Tetris lights and #Zelda coasters for the @lootcrate 3yr anniversary party tomorrow. #WIP #DIY (at Think Tank Gallery)

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JIM MAHFOOD AND MIKE DIVA TEAM UP FOR GRRL SCOUTS PILOT

Our homie Mike Diva has shot a lot of stuff at the Think Tank, and even after winning MTV music video awards, we can safely say this is his most exciting project that we’ve had the chance to collaborate with him on. Teaming up with the famous comicbook artist Jim Mahfood (who just made a DOPE pop up book), Diva has made the pilot episode to a series we’re really, really hoping gets picked up. Cuz it’s fun as hell.

When an evil society sweeps through their town, three small time weed dealers known as the GRRL SCOUTS must untangle a vast conspiracy to save the world and keep the party going.

Like Kung Fury in vibe, but more Mike Diva in style and humor (check the Mad Max video he just directed for Corridor Digital), the GRRL SCOUTS pilot is just straight up fun the entire way through. Check it out above, and comment here that you want to see more. His investors would love to hear it ;)

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LOCAL ARTIST SHEPARD FAIREY ON HIS MUSEUM SHOW IN SPAIN

Shep currently has a show up at the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo in Málaga, Spain, and recently he spoke with Juxtapoz about the show and what it means to him at this stage in his career. The show runs until September 27th, if you find yourself in Spain looking for dope art to check out, and the museum describes it by saying that “Your Eyes Here is not just a historical overview of Fairey’s works, but is a dynamic up-to-the-moment showcase of his artistic evolution influenced by music, politics – peace and war – and environmental issues. The exhibition surveys the artist’s 25-year career, which includes paintings, screen prints, stencils, stickers, rubylith illustrations, collages, photographs, sculpture, and works on wood, metal, and canvas.”

It’s his largest show to ever be displayed, featuring over 300 works from the span of his entire 25-year career, and the museum produced a catalog custom for the retrospective. 

Evan Pricco: How long has this exhibition/survey been in the works? Shepard Fairey: For about 18 months. I think it came about because a couple of years ago the CAC put on a huge exhibition of Selim Verol’s collection including my work, D*Face, Kaws, Faile, JR, and several other artists from the street art or urban contemporary scene. Apparently, there was a warm reception to my work, which prompted an invitation for me to do an 8 story mural in Malage. There was such a strong response to my mural that I think the museum decide to invite me to do a solo show. D*Face did a large mural as well, and was also invited do a solo show at the CAC Malaga, so I guess that proves that street art is the fastest way to get high-brow art world recognition! I mean, I just started doing this stuff 25 years ago. D*Face is more of an “overnight” success… he only started 15 years ago.

Check out the entire interview here. 

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AUSTRALIAN DUDES BUILD SKATE RAMP IN THE BIGGEST WEED FIELD

Australian folks get down, and we all know this. To celebrate the Australian clothing brand Afends’ new hemp pieces, some of them decided to build a mini ramp in the middle of Australia’s biggest weed field. Aussie skaters Boyd Young and Bibi Bradbury got together with Flamingo Amigos and photographer Sam Nolan, as well as surfer Josh Sleep. They got some beer and some rolling papers and partied til the sun set, documenting the whole thing.

While it might not be as creative or impressive as some of our last videos of skaters setting out to skate in and on the most unlikely of places and things, it might be the most purely fun day of anything we’ve ever posted on our blog. 

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35,000 people attended #NightOnBroadway last year and this number is expected to be almost double in 2016. If you or someone you know is interested in performing in front of thousands of folks in one of Broadway’s historic theatres, check out 👉 nightonbroadway.la/perform to find out how you can get on stage. Night on Broadway is LA’s fastest growing festival - hop on board and be a part of it. (at nightonbroadway.la/perform)

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DISNEYLAND ANNOUNCES NEW STAR-WARS-THEMED LANDS

It is the pinnacle of an experiential art, and there are no better creators of magical experiences on earth than the designers who work for Disney. At the D23 EXPO 2015, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced that Star Wars-themed lands will be coming to Disneyland park in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., and what we’ve all been waiting for since the acquisition finally came true. 

Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single-themed land expansions ever at 14-acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

Its safe to say that we Angelenos, here next to Anaheim, can’t fucking wait.

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The Think Tank is proud to announce our end-of-summer community series, a weekly #SummerSendoffBBQ & Brew get-together every Thursday night in September. Each week a different headlining artist will be paired with #DeafMansBBQ and a selection of panelists, along with a free musical act. For our first week we are hosting the incredible watercolor artist @bakersson and a surprise collab with @hamoneverything, @iheartcomix and more. Keep checking back here for more info, and RSVP at http://Facebook.com/thinktankgallery/events (link also in bio) 🍗🍔🍻👋💨☀️🔥 (at Think Tank Gallery)

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(1/2) We ride hard with the homegirl @secret_hotgirl, who has a smooth and smart NYC to LA style. Her cartoons very efficiently get that across, too. She is out here now, and we're really excited to see the new stuff our #ArtistoftheDay is making, taking her drawings into the third dimension. Check out teasers at her profile.

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(1/2) Many have tried and will continue to try but none can match the style of the infamous @vanessa_alice aka #MissVan. Our #ArtistoftheDay picked up a brush and applied it to a wall for the first time at the age of 20, in 1993, and the feminine curve of Street Art was born. You will always see chicks tryna cop her style, but don't let those pieces (like the horrible 9th and Los Angeles electrical box we have to look at every day) get you jaded, you can feel something special when you are in Miss Van's presence.

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The Think Tank is looking for people who like to party on a school night. Too often, our space sits here pathetically alone waiting for someone to call it on Sunday, Wednesday, and Monday nights. If you or someone you know wants to keep it company with up to 350 of their friends, hit up [email protected] with the email subject "School Night Rental" to take advantage of our current discount. (at Think Tank Gallery)

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Tumblr IRL is about to flank the nation. 

On the left coast: The soaring beauty of MS MR (msmrmusic​) meets the hallucinatory GIFs of kidmograph​. Be at the EMP in Seattle on August 6th. [RSVP]

On the right coast: This whole crazy thing where a bunch of Tumblr artists are making art about Gucci Mane. The Burrprint (theburrrrprint) is behind this genius shit. Get yourself to Brooklyn by August 10th. [RSVP] 

All of this is free, natch. 

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SKATERS BUILD THEIR DREAM TREEHOUSE WITH HOT TUB AND SKATE BOWL

There is something about the skate community that embodies creativity and camaraderie. Many have spoken on why that might be, like Ryan McGinness with Vice’s Creators project recently, but the proof is everywhere. Check out two recent skate-world DIY project blog posts, or either of our two skate art shows.

Professional nomad personality Foster Huntington embodies this idea better than any. He recently put together a campaign that funded his dream treehouse and built it with his friends, creating a gorgeous video documenting the process that will surely inspire the hell outta you. There are ample shots of his friends peeing, tons of process footage – he also shared thousands of drawings and an instructional book to build your own – and some gorgeous cinematography. Here is how he describes it:

In the Spring of 2014 a small group of close friends broke ground on a building project in Skamania County, Washington in the Columbia River Gorge. Their primary endeavor was a multi-platform tree house, but also included a skate bowl and a wood fired soaking tub as well. The crew came from all over the country and from a variety of backgrounds. Some were professional carpenters, others learned on the job, gaining experience along the way. The Cinder Cone is Foster Huntington’s short film that documents this year-long process of building his dream home with this community of tight knit friends.

You will be inspired if you watch this video.