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04•03•06
Juxtapoz show went off with nary a hitch. Thanks to Tim Kerr, Chris Ryniak, Bigfoot, Chris Mars, Anthony Ausgang, and all the artists who made it out for the show. Also a huge thanks to the Melvins, who had 2 blowout shows that were AMAZING. Check out the show online here. By the way there’s a handful of Melvins singles from the shows that just went for sale (and were promptly sold out) at www.amphetaminereptile.com – If you weren’t here, well for the last time for a while –MAN YOU REALLY MISSED IT!!
Why do I say “last time for a while”? OX-OP is taking a well deserved break from hosting physical art shows for 2006. 3 years and 36 shows is enough to put most galleries to shame! The track record speaks for itself. Why take a break now you ask? At the breakneck pace we pushed it, OX-OP took over from my day job and slowed the progress of other projects like the toys, more books, etc., that OX-OP wants to do. We plan on focusing our energy on several big projects that have been in the works, and throwing a monster blowout like we just did with the Juxtapoz 2006 Group Show seemed the perfect bookend to this chapter of the OX-OP entity as it transforms. The show being split with Soovac was no coincidence, as they’ll be hosting several OX-OP events in the coming year. Also we want to focus on new artists, and to be honest, that becomes all but impossible with a bricks and mortar space, and simple math. Also getting artists that have quickly become more established, back to the Twin Cities as they now get flooded with offers from NYC, Tokyo, Paris, etc., has become a far more massive challenge than in years past. We hope to start hosting some online shows for some emerging talent and some old faves as well. More on that soon –so stay tuned!
The biggest project in the works now (and has been for a year) is A PURGE OF DISSIDENTS. It’s collaboration between Ox-Op curator (that’s me) HAZE XXL and DALEK. It’s a massive undertaking and will be a touring mixed media fine art show this fall. As well as being a Book, DVD, CD release coming out on Ipecac. In a nutshell, it’s a collection of short animations by Dalek with soundtracks done by HAZE XXL (with a ton of special guest musicians). A website detailing this will be launching in the next couple weeks. Once you see the scope of this project it makes sense that keeping OX-OP’s insane show schedule, while doing a project of this size, just isn’t going to work.
Bottom line? Those that know me know I like to shake shit up at the peak rather than out of weakness. The gallery space I feel has hit that mark, and it seems the perfect time to transform rather than a couple years from now when there are a dozen galleries in town doing a similar thing, all the bigger artists from this genre can’t be coaxed to visit a frigid Minneapolis, and we start suffering the burnout factor and start doing shit half assed - and then we’re forced to make such a transition from weakness. Right now we have the resources and the reputation......so the transformation begins!
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Melvins rock the room at SOOVAC during 1st night of Juxtapoz 2006
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New band “Old Punx Brigade” first ever promo photo – Chris Mars, Tim Kerr, Haze XXL & Grant Hart, they did an acappella version of Black Flags “Six Pack” outside OX-OP opener.
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03•01•06
Okay here’s all you need to know if you want to attend the JUXTAPOZ 2006 Group Show in Minneapolis. It’s being held at 2 locations. Friday Mar. 24th night opener is at SOOVAC (2640 Lyndale Ave S.) 7-11pm, and Saturday Mar. 25th opener is at OX-OP (1111 Washington Ave. S) 7-10pm. The Melvins are playing both opening parties. The Melvins performances are ticketed ($10). They’ll be playing at 7pm sharp at SooVAC (after the performance entry to the art show is free) and at Grumpy’s Bar (next door to OX-OP) at 11pm sharpish. Ticket sales: for Friday show contact info@soovac.org - For Sat show contact rob@ox-op. Folks in Minneapolis should purchase tickets at the counter of SooVAC or Grumpy’s. Tickets can only be purchased for show at shows location. These tickets are ONLY for Melvins performances and not for the art show. The Art shows are free! Hopefully I just saved myself from 101 questions!
Anyone coming in from out of town should look at staying at the Hyatt Regency on Nicollet Mall, as it’s a pretty central location to both shows, it’s downtown, and they cut us a deal on The Melvins rooms (ha-ha).
There’s 70 artists in the show. Below is a list of who’s involved. Anybody interested on obtaining art can contact Rob and be put on lists, get pricing info, get jpegs (if we have them before openers),or hell, buy the damned art!
Also The Melvins will be doing a book signing and toy signing at Robot Love at 2-5pm Sat. Mar 25th. (It’s next door to SooVAC). They’ll also have copies of LP version their newest collaboration with Jello Biafra which is signed by all band members and cover artist Camille Rose Garcia.
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Aesthetic Apparatus • Arens, Kii • Attaboy • Ausgang • Badrak, Oksana • Blanchard, Jim • Barr, Glenn • Baseman, Gary • Bigfoot • Biskup, Tim • Buffmonster • Cabrera, Nathan • Caesar, Ray • Christian, Colin • Christian, Sas • Coop • Cooper , Dave • Dalek • Dancey, Mark • English, Ron • Fairey, Shepard • Garcia, Camille Rose • Greis, Ryan • Green, Doze • Han, Thomas • Hattori, Naoto • Hayon, Jaime • Hess, Derek • Hong, Seonna • Horkey, Aaron • Hwang, Caroline • Jurevicius, Nathan • Kayukawa, Yumiko • Kelly, Ryan • Kerr, Tim • Kinsey, David • Kozik, Frank • Kozyndan • Krafft, Charles • Largaespada, John • Mars, Chris • Mars-1 • Mason, Angie • McBroom, Rob • McGrath , Liz • McPherson, Tara • Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists • Mizuno, Junko • Mothersbaugh, Mark • Musgrove, Scott • Niagara • Ontiveros , Martin • Osbourne, Mackie • The Pizz • Pooch • Ryden, Krk • Ryniak, Chris • Shag • Smith, Mark • Soto, Jeff • Spoons, Bwana • Taxali , Gary • Thompson, George • Tour, Ben • Weiner, Jonathan • Williams, Robt. • Woodward, Ben • Yagishita, Keiko
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Overdue for some updating. For starters January’s Baseman show was every bit as great as expected. There’s a whole bunch more shaking soon. Aesthetic Apparatus make their OX-OP return Feb 4 so get off yer ass and come on down. These guys have re-invented and reviving the whole art poster movement and deserve the support. They’ll be heading to L.A.’s Subliminal Projects (the Obey crews space) shortly after this show.
Coming in Feb will be the Toy2R OX-OP Series 2 Qee figures. This has been in the works well over a year. Fuck any imitators says I. Packaging was done by my favorite ruskie in the whole world Oksana Badrak . Included this go round...Tara McPherson, Dalek, Baseman, Biskup, Yumiko Kayukawa, Dave Cooper, Oksana Badrak, Kii Arens, Thomas Han, Shag, Kozik, Shepard Fairey, Buffmonster, Haze XXL & THE MELVINS. Sneak preview below.
Juxtapoz 2006 Group Show is still on for March. Check back soon for more info. Grant Hart has come up with an amazing display to be unveiled, Melvins exclusive single is being pressed as I write, and more more more.
11• 14 • 05
Mark Mothersbaugh will be back, making a stop at OX-OP Dec. 3rd with his Postcard Diaries tour. It’s been pretty well established that aside from aurally twisting the world through his long running stint with DEVO, Mark is every bit as adept in visual mediums. This show is from the postcard art side of things and a whole different ball o’ wax than the Beautiful Mutants show we hosted a couple years ago.
SO I missed getting everyone advance word that Canadian master Gary Taxali was coming, well in the news section anyhow ( those on the e-mail and postcard lists got a proper heads up). Blisteringly amazing show you can see it online now. All ’round swell guy Taxali was a treat to host. For those of you outside of Minneapolis, you might wanna seriously start considering heading out for our openings. Great food, booze and art and an atmosphere more akin to a good rock show than stuffy wine & cheese setting, is always a plus.
Big news announcement. The 2006 Juxtapoz Group Show will be hosted in Minneapolis by none other than (drum roll)....OX-OP! March 24/25th we’ll be having a two day festival with The Melvins playing both days, as well as 75 artists. So big, the show will be taking place at OX-OP as well as Soo Visual Arts Center and it’ll have 2 opening nights! It’d be easier to tell you who won’t be involved than who is. At any rate we’ll be posting the list in the next month or so of that are great and in the show. For those of you in close proximity to Minneapolis, please keep in mind it took many moons of cajoling and harassing the staff at Juxtapoz to host one of these in flyover country and break the cycle of NYC-LA-NYC-LA-NYC..... So mark your calendar now and keep yer eyeballs peeled for updates and more info coming soon.
Gary Taxali, whom insisted we call him “Jimmy the Mod” and parked his customized Vespa in the middle of the gallery for the opener. More amazing was that he drove the scooter all the way from Toronto!
9 • 7 • 05
Nathan Jurevicius is almost here. Originally from downunder he’s now calling Toronto home. You can view his creation Scary Girl here, and realize the fine art shows he’s done with Australia’s highly influential Outre Gallery show a considerable depth past the sizable one he’s already achieved at the forefront of the Art Toy movement. Wow did I just sound that stiff? The stuff is amazing and fun. Get your ass down here for the opening Sat. Oct. 8 and be one of 100 people able to get the INSANELY limited OX OP edition Scary Girl!!!
Shepard Fairey / OBEY “Visual Disobedience” show was amazing. Stacked against Labor Day weekend, a massive thunderstorm, and a Twins game, he still packed the house and stomped eyeballs with a show heavy in original art. Shepard is one of the those folks that we’ve been showing since 1999 and is still leaping forward in huge bounds aesthetically every time we show him. Judging from the suitcase full of LP’s he pulled from local record stores he’ll be popping up DJing across LA for the next 10 years without need of a new record. I’m bitching because it forced me to go into the same stores and load up as well. If you see a guy pushing a big black SUV that’s out of gas (spent it all on records) and it’s blasting Discharge ..say hi already, because it’s me.
OX-OP Scary Girl preview (new edition is bigger than previous version), Shepard standing by some original art done on LP covers that fund his ever growing LP habit.
08 • 02 • 05
SAT NIGHT FOLKS (Aug 6th) - Jaime Hayon hails from Barcelona, Spain. Recently referred to as “the most promising of a new wave of young Spanish designers.” Fine Artist? Industrial Designer? Sculptor? Graphic Designer? You try and peg him. The guy moves seamlessly back and forth. This show is definitely a departure for OX-OP as it includes all facets of Jaime’s work from fine art porcelain to drawings, toys you name it. Besides all that he’s a blast to be around. This guy is giving Philippe Starck & Karim Rashid a run for their money, and you really should get down and meet him as next time he shows in the states it’ll probably be at MOMA.
Mr. Hess reportedly had a good time in Minneapolis. I freakin’ missed it. Booked a trip, promptly forgot, and then changed the Hess opening to move it away from 4th of July holiday. I’m a genius. Sea Whores played outside the gallery and it was an event I heard about second hand while I was out in California (no kidding). I attended Comicon this year, which might as well be renamed “JuxtaCon” as the vast majority of all that are great were in attendance. It was amazing being able to see (deep breath) Robt. Williams, Baseman, Biskup, Pete Fowler, Kozik, Junko Mizuno, Coop, Jeff Soto, Seonna Hong, Tara McPhereson, Bwana Spoons, Martin Ontiveros, Thomas Hon, Mad Barbarians, Long Gone John, Pizz, Taxali and dozens more I’ll get into trouble for not listing. Had a handful of horrible cel phone pics, below are the best of the batch, unless you wanna see the side of Mark Ryden’s head whilst eating steak. By the way huge thanks to Ryden, Biskup, & Baseman who treated a bunch of us to some extremely tasty steaky treats!
 Monsterisms Pete Fowler & Kozik outside for one of many smoke breaks, Tara McPhereson, Toy2R’s Raymond with Mad Barbarians (that’s “Troublemaker on right) and Tim Biskup a split second before I ungratefully tackled him at the Steak House.
6 • 13 • 05
Who else do you know that cut his teeth doing posters for the likes of Hammerhead and the Cows and still managed to have his art wind up in the Louvre’s permanent poster collection? Why that’d be Cleveland’s Derek Hess, and he’s coming to OX-OP. July 9th to be exact. This Cleveland stalwart had a big hand in the early years of the 90’s rock art poster revival that seems to have become a separate art form unto itself (check out gigposters.com lately?) and hasn’t stopped moving onward since. The intensity still seems razor sharp as he comes to town with a varied show of originals & prints. You know the drill - BE THERE!
Shag’s show was a Shag show. Packed, hot, insane, and sold out in minutes. Pretty fun though as Shag made a working Wheel of Fortune, Decks of cards, and Casino style chip sets for the event (don’t ask they sold out), so the gambling theme was running wild. Would have been smooth sailing if the cops hadn’t shut down the dice game in the gallery parking lot. Yeah people shooting dice isn’t exactly the suave Vegas theme Shag had going throughout the shows paintings, but hey it’s Minneapolis. Then again, what other town welcomes Shag with a 2 page spread in the big daily paper!
This was the look I received from Shag upon my offer of a winner takes all poker hand for the PUSH YOUR LUCK show’s proceeds.
5 • 13 • 05
Shag is coming! This’ll be Shag’s 4th show with us in 6 years, and it just keeps getting better. Here’s the scoop on list to buy for the show. OX-OP always gives preference to those attending the opening night party. You can send a list request to rob@ox-op.com but keep in mind that list will be contacted in order of request received and only for art not sold opening night. June 4th is the date.
Billy Childish was in great form. The art show mainly consists of woodcuts (most in editions of less than 5) and a lot of those are vintage works from as far back as 1984. Why so heavy on the woodcuts?, because I love ‘em that’s why. His spoken word/music performance? Well let’s say poetry readings are something I normally equate with interpretive dance. In other words I’m about as likely to enjoy them as much as a broken glass & nails enema. That said, when Childish is at the helm, it’s a whole different story. It’s as gripping, moving and as intense as seeing say Black Flag in ‘82 (yeah I’m that old) or some other moment in which art/music/literature knocks you on your ass. Him also performing varied tunes from his 25 year repertoire is a gimme. I’d tell you you should have been there, but it was a packed sold out house, so we didn’t miss you (ha-ha).
 Mr. Childish delivered a triple play of art, music and spoken word. Not many can pull that off, let alone AMAZINGLY!
3 • 25 • 05
Real quick update. Kii Arens postcards went out with a typo date. The opening is Sat. Apr 9!!!!! (fuckin’ oops). Also BASEMAN has switched his OX-OP show of May to Jan of 2006! This might have been a disaster if THEE LEGENDARY BILLY CHILDISH hadn’t stepped up and taken the month. As one of the original founders of the Stuckist Movement in the U.K. His aesthetic pedigree is more than in order , but in addition, his time served with such legendary raw rock & roll outfits as Thee Mighty Caesars, Thee Headcoats, & The Buff Medways, has the likes of Jack White and Ian MacKaye as ardent fans/supporters. Is that enough? No? Then dig into the volumes of critically acclaimed poetry and published novels. Anyhow, OX-OP has him and not only will he be at the opening of the show, but after that he’ll be doing a Solo Blues & Spoken Word performance, next door at Grumpys!
A Taste of the Kii Arens Yard Sale invasion beginning Apr 9.
2 • 16 • 05
Burlesque of North America™ is coming. March 5th will be the opening of FIRST BLOOD: PART III. For those unfamiliar, take a handful of graf artists that used to work on Life Sucks Die Magazine, that have recently organized a loose collective design outfit that does everything from fine art to poster art, and see what you get. Included in the gang are Todd Bratrud • Mike Davis • Aaron Horkey • Skye Rossi • George Thompson • Wes Winship. Now if we can protect the bathrooms from the folks whose highwater mark in life is writing their name above a urinal and all will be great.
All 3 artists from Triangulated Fire really delivered. The show went amazing right up until artist Chris Ryniak started snapping photo’s while tearing off all his clothes and screaming something about ants covering his pancakes and then ran screaming down the alley. At least everybody assumed it was a performance piece and weren’t there to see when we finally found him curled up behind a Cuban Restaurant down the street.
Actual photo moments before the Ryniak “incident”.
02 • 03 • 05
Sat. night is the opening for Triangulated Fire. That would be a 3 man show with NAOTO HATTORI (Tokyo), RYAN KELLY (Minneapolis) & CHRIS RYNIAK (Cleveland). Kelly & Ryniak will be in attendance, but Naoto will be triangulating from Tokyo. All three have amazing pedigrees and completely different approaches to Pop Surrealism, but share in achieving amazing results.
I missed an update, and that would have included the Jan. Opening for BUFFMONSTER from Los Angeles. Don’t ask me for details as I had pneumonia and if weren’t for the Codeine cough syrup I was nipping at all night I wouldn’t even have been able to just park my ass on a barstool all night, which is about all I did. Despite that and Buffmonster getting sick himself, we managed to hang a really cool show that was part installation as well as new works. Very cool indeed.
The amazing 8” reproduction of Gary Baseman’s QEEDROPHONIC entry has just arrived and is available in the SHOP section of the website. Only 500 made. Almost as good as owning the hand painted one.
Breastacular! OX OP Qee’s get press in GQ, BUFFMONSTER tops GQ with installation, “wall of implants”.
11 • 18 • 04
Dalek is making his return to the Twin Cities Dec. 4th. In the year and a half since his Minneapolis debut Dalek has been a busy boy. With blowout shows in London and Paris, he’s had more art toy projects than you can shake a stick at. To the point where his appearance at Kid Robot in NYC had a line out the door. The evolution of Space Monkeys is inevitable, and unless you plan on being broke down on Darwin’s Highway to nowhere, I suggest you make this show a priority. On the crass sales side of things the show will end in time for folks to get their purchases before X-Mas.
While I’m sounding like a used car salesman I might as well let it be known that you’d better move fast on what is left of the Yumiko & Oksana show. Opener was a blast to say the least. Both artists were in attendance and the mix of styles was phenomenal. I still owe Oksana a proper drinking contest, but the scrimmage we had was no slacker.
Yumiko receives what’s known as a “Moscow Handshake” from Oksana. Paddy from Dillinger 4 and Haze XXL show their ‘Emo” side with “sensitive” booze selections.
10 • 15 • 04
NOV 6 we host an opening for Yumiko Kayukawa (Japan) and Oksana Badrak (Russia/L.A.). An amazing blend of art from opposite sides of the planet. Yumiko hails from Hokkaido, Japan. I got to preview her 16 pieces for the show while getting them framed. AMAZING stuff to say the very least. Oksana has had several show stoppers in previous OX-OP group shows, so I’m more than pumped to see her latest offerings. Be there Sat. Nov 2 at 6pm to meet both artists!
GLENN BARR just graced our walls with his show opener Oct.2 – and all was GREAT! Recent work from this Detroit master is a new step forward stylistically, and that’s from somebody already outpacing the pack! If you can’t make it down to the show don’t miss out on his new book Lowlife Paradise! Only a couple of the originals still available.
KRK Ryden was here in Sept. It was a plenty weird. First the majority of the art for the show didn’t make it, improvising, we put together an installation of 2 paintings and 20 postcard sized prints jammed into the far corner of the room, and KRK donned a silver hood and proceeded to play a theremin on the opposite side of the room. Despite the fiasco involved it was priceless watching folks walk into this. Lemonade my friends, lemonade. Art showed up a couple days later and was worth the wait.
KRK as Mystery Musical guest. Glenn Barr does OX OP.
QEEDROPHONIC stormed Tokyo on Oct. 8th. No room for pictures but it was a stellar turnout opening night. Aaron Horkey was in Tokyo for the show and fled the claustrophobic conditions. Also in attendance were Coop, Dalek, Jaime Hayon, Run & Rolito from Semper Fi, and the newest OX-OP family members Masumi & Katsuya from MAD BARBARIANS whose karaoke skills slaughtered us Americans easily!
8 • 27 • 04
KRK Ryden graces Minneapolis for his opening on Sat. - Sept. 11, 7pm. There’s been promise of theremin perfomances and other strangeness. Aside from the guaranteed amazing KRK art, you need more of a prompt?.
Camille Rose Garcia showed up a week ahead of her scheduled opening and cut loose on the OX-OP walls. Making her show one of the most talked about OX-OP history. Aside from completely transforming OX-OP, up until that point everybody had told me QEEDROPHONIC had set a new high, it didn’t even hold the record for a month before being destroyed by this L.A. upstart! Bad pix compliments of HAZE XXL.
 Camille Rose Garcia installation at Ox-Op.
Speaking of QEEDROPHONIC, the L.A. Opening at Subliminal Projects (Sat Aug 14) was stellar. Huge turnout and a big chunk of artists in the show were in attendance (Shag, Pizz, Biskup, Hong, Rob Clayton, Badrak, Kozik, Taxali, Shepard,
Burke, to name a few!). Some snaps of fun had. Aside from my drunk ass not being able to find the after party, which led me to having the best MOONS OVER MY HAMMY Denny’s has ever created with none other than Kii Arens – all was great.
Next stop Tokyo!!
L-R, Long Gone John & Lovely Lisa, Shepard spins, Random crowd shots 1 & 2, Kozik pals up to Moe, Taxali mugs by his QEE creation.
7 • 15 • 04
Camille Rose Garcia is coming to Minneapolis fresh from the blow out success of her recent Merry Karnowsky solo show in Los Angeles. Opening night OX-OP party is Sat. Aug. 7 at 7pm. One of the more incredible talents emerging from the explosive L.A. art world, this is a must-attend show to say the least. See more of her art here if you’re not convinced. Sorry about previous date mix up regarding her show posted here previously.
QEEDROPHONIC is still going through the end of July. You can see some opening night event pix here, Incredible turnout made even more amazing when you know how hard it is to get folks to do anything here in Minneapolis in July (the one month you can go outside). Kozik, CSA, Aesthetic Apparatus, George Thompson, Raymond Choy (Toy2R) all in attendance, and the feedback was incredible. I hope everyone gets a chance to see this show as it was fuggin exhausting and it’ll be a while before I try to do something on this scale again. Check out the book as it has the entire show in all it’s glory in the shop section. Hell of a lot cheaper than airfair. Don’t forget the Los Angeles leg of this show starts with a huge party Sat. Aug 14 at Subliminal Projects.
6 • 17 • 04
Okay it’s been too long since the last update. Reason being the preparation for the upcoming QEEDROPHONIC show has been insane to say the least. What is QEEDROPHONIC you ask? OX-OP teams up with infamous Hong Kong art toy manufacturer TOY2R. They supplied the blank 8” vinyl QEE figures and we rounded up the most amazing 35 artists we know, have them custom paint / stencil / sticker / spatter...you get the picture, the blank figures. I’ll list ‘em below. OX-OP QEEDROPHONIC opening is SAT-JULY 10 – 7-11pm!
In addition to the show there’s a book of the whole shebang. Amazing spreads and graphics done by the artists capturing their pieces for posterity. It actually takes the whole show and puts it into a graphic context that stands on its own as an art book. Some sample pages below!
If that weren’t enough, there’s exclusive 8” QEE figures that will only be available at the shows. OBEY, COOP, CSA DESIGN, DALEK & HAZE XXL, designs previously seen in the 2” OX-OP Series will have custom boxes, and only be made in editions of 500 each design. They’ll be for sale at exhibits only until the Minneapolis and Los Angeles shows have ended. If there’s any left from the limited supplies that make it stateside they’ll be available here on the OX-OP site.
Los Angeles? Qeedrophonic, after showing in Minneapolis (July 10-31) then packs up to SUBLIMINAL PROJECTS in Los Angeles (Aug 14-29 ). After L.A. It moves on to Tokyo, at the Laforet Center , (OCT 7-17).
If all that weren’t enough expect to see an additional 100 more customized QEE’s from the prior U.K. And France exhibits, with too many additional Asian and European artists to list here.
Get yer ass down to one of the openings, if you don’t think this will be amazing here’s who’s involved, and some of the folks at the openings... Aesthetic Apparatus • Arens, Kii •Badrak, Oksana • Buffmonster • Barr, Glenn • Baseman, Gary • Biskup, Tim • Burke, Dave • Choe, David • Chow, Saiman • Clayton Brothers • CSA Design • Coop • Cooper, Dave • Dalek • Dancey, Mark • Fafi • Fairey, Shepard /OBEY • Hayon, Jaime • Hong, Seonna • Horkey, Aaron • HOUSE Industries • Kozik, Frank • Mad • McBroom, Rob • McGrath, Liz • Meomi • Mothersbaugh, Mark • Niagara • Ontiveros, Martin • Pizz • Semper-Fi / Chick.Dany.Rolito.Run • Shag • Soto, Jeff • Spoons, Bwana • Taxali , Gary • Thompson, George • TILT • Touma • White, Eric.
 Soto, Biskup, McGrath, Clayton Brothers sample pages. Coop manufactured 8” Qee. QEEDROPHONIC book cover by Oksana Badrak.
4•8•04
Bwana Spoons and Martin Ontiveros will be hitting Minneapolis via Portland in the beginning of May, and you shouldn’t be anywhere else on opening night! Martin does amazing fine art as well as illustrating the genius Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot series of books. Bwana Spoons, well he’s freaking Bwana and check out his stuff at Grasshutcorp.com to see what I mean.
I know it gets repetitive in the news column here, me telling you how much fun a show opener was, but RATED XX probably took the cake. The show is AMAZING (see it online here) and the crowds were great, but with Cristina Martinez at the helm for the celebration, and Lori Barbero spinning discs in the bar post opener, and me having about 5 Vodkas too many – I haven’t had that good of a time in while, nor had to pay for it as mightily the next day. Also Oksana Badrak’s genius design for the show invite was selected to be printed in American Illustration 23 !
Inset, Ms. Martinez with Angie Mason, Later Cristina hauls ass to escape HAZE XXL’s karaoke stylings of many a Meatmen classic!
3•22•04
RATED XX Group show is nigh upon us! Hosted by Cristina Martinez (Bust Magazine fashion editor/Boss Hog) is our guest curator on this and hosting the opening party (Sat. Apr 3 –7pm). The theme of the show is no Y chromosones involved! Check out the 17 AMAZING artists involved on the calendar page. Make sure to attend this event, as it will the Twin Cities debut for many of these nationally known artists!
Melvins appeared at OX-OP (Sat. Mar 20) to hold a book signing of their new “Neither Here Nor There” book. Why at OX-OP? Well if you see the book it makes perfect sense. Aside from containing ton’s of art from friends o’ OX-OP like, Biskup, Fairey, Wong, Dalek, Camille Rose Garcia, Spoon, Ontiveras and more more more. It is a straight up awesome graphix/art book worthy of anybody’s collection, check out video of the book at Melvins.com. Kudos to Mackie who put it together and designed the whole shebang! At any rate great turnout, and they blew through their stock in an hour!
1•16•04
February has OX-OP hosting local talent in the form of George Thompson. His pedigree includes everything from Rhymesayers Entertainment to Life Sucks Die magazine. From graffiti to graphic design and more than a few points in between, you’d be hard pressed to categorize him. Don’t miss the opening Sat. Feb 7, 7pm – 2004.
Mark Mothersbaugh’s debut of his new Beautiful Mutants art tour was a smash! You can see pictures from the opening event on Mark's Mutato website. The show will be on display at OX-OP through the end of Jan.
OX-OP’s Qee series toys are finally in! Check the OX-OP shop for availability. It’s very limited series, with some of the designs only being available in numbers as small as 500.This collaboration between OX-OP and Hong Kongs Toy2R is just the start of bigger things in 2004. Not only will the small toys become available as 8” figures (check back frequently), but the whole Eastern art toy, Western art mix up will culminate into a show called QEEDROPHNIC. Over 35 artists painting one of a kind 8” QEE figures. The list of artists includes The Clayton Brothers, Gary Baseman, Shag, Coop, Fafi, David Choe, Shepard Fairey, Dalek, and well dozens more top notch folks. The show is scheduled for July in Minneapolis (Ox-Op) and then set to go to Los Angeles (Subliminal Projects) in Aug. and then off to Japan and Hong Kong. Stay tuned as this is going to amazing!
This is as close as it came to a lull during the Mothersbaugh opening.
11•17•03
Charles S. Anderson Design is doing one of a kind, hand painted prints. They've had their work exhibited in musuems worldwide including The Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York; The Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; The Library of Congress Permanent Collection, Washington D.C.; The Museum Für Gestaltung, Zürich; The Museum Für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg; The Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris; The Nouveau Salon des Cent-Centre Pompidou, Paris; The Museum of Modern Art, Hiroshima; and The Ginza Graphic Gallery, Tokyo. So it only stands to reason that they are now doing a show at OX-OP! Opening night is Saturday, Dec.6, 7-10pm and then the show runs DECEMBER 6 - DECEMBER 31.
OX-OP toys are near! The first series of OX-OP QEE toys made by art toy king pins TOY2R of Hong Kong are near completion! They include a who’s who of artists that have exhibited at OX-OP in the past and coming soon. CSA Design, Shepard Fairey, Coop, Saiman Chow, Meomi, Aesthetic Appartatus, Haze XXL, Glenn Barr, & Jeff Soto are all included. Special mystery toy from an artist we’ve had show as well. We’ll have pricing and availability info posted here soon stay glued to your monitor!
10•10•03
For those that missed either Tim Biskup's Phantom Thread show or David Burkes, well you fucking missed it, didn't you! Both were AMAZING shows (Burkes is still up through Oct.). Sorry if I blow the OX-OP horn here but the openings are way more fun than the usual wine & cheese outings (being located in the BEST bar in the Twin Cities helps), so get off your backside and make it down for the next one. That would be Jeff Soto on Saturday Nov 1st. It looks like we'll have a special ltd. print available for the show as well. Keep your eyes glued here for next update. It's a surprise but I'll give you a hint, OX-OP TOYS ARE COMING!!!!!!! More soon...........
Lovely Lisa, Haze XXL, Strouth, on the bottom would be DB his self. New Soto print!
7•21•2003
Shag show is just around the corner. I'm going to apologize right up front to anybody who might wind up feeling as though they've been slighted. Please realize we've received HUNDREDS of requests to be on the list for a show that will only have 35 pieces available. That combined with the fact that we are a MINNEAPOLIS gallery, and our local clientele MUST get preferential treatment, as they are the folks supporting OX-OP month in and month out. That said, this show will likely be even more fun than the previous two times we've hosted for Shag and his swinging entourage. I'll make sure to post pix here. Talk has been floating around of a Hawaiian pig roast during the opening gala!
Niagara with her posse of Detroit misfits stormed the twin cities in a haze of alcohol and good tunes. The show is stunning, and you'd best haul ass to see it. Just barely made it in time with the limited edition Niagara box sets. Didn't make in time with the new Flame Rite Zippo though. The Doll Rods were INCREDIBLE and Niagara wound up joining them onstage for a song!! Even if you are familiar with Niagara's work, the line of custom one off ART purses and pill boxes by Detroit’s Padded Cell are stunning and on display as well.
Confirmed for 2004 - Mark Mothersbaugh makes his Minneapolis debut this January! Also we have just gotten word from Camille Rose Garcia that she'll be coming in June as well!!!! Cristina Martinez of BOSS HOG fame will be curating the RATED XX (as in chromosomes brainier) all women show. More info to follow. Expect to see the first half of the OX-OP 2004 schedule posted here next month!
The Tim Biskup list is growing daily so please don't delay if you like to be included on that as well.
Niagara at OX-OP enjoying for her what is a rare daylight appearance, Shag and Biskup postcards respectively.
6 • 25 • 2003
Shepard Fairey's Prints and the Revolution show is still going ( through July 10 ). Make sure to get down to OX-OP and see the outdoor installation Shepard did for this show. Here's a pic (courtesy of Dan Corrigan) for those of you out of town. Also below are some pix of Gary Baseman tagging OX-OP's exterior the month before. That work was covered by Shepard, and OX-OP will covering Shepards wall the first week of July with a new building facade. So hop to it.
Shepard's handiwork on OX-OP exterior for the July 2003 OX-OP show.
Niagara is coming! July 12 is the opening party (Show runs July 12 - Aug 1). She's dragging fellow Detroit Rockers the DEMOLITION DOLLRODS to play a set during the festivities. As well as new Niagara paintings, prints and glicees the opening will see the release of the Niagara box set "Beyond the Pale." Hyper limited edition of 250 for release during this show ONLY! Signed and sealed they deliver tracks from Niagara's 20 plus years of rock action with former Stooges, MC5 and more. More info on the boxset coming soon on Amphetamine Reptile Records. Box set designed by those studs at Aesthetic Apparatus. Also introducing new Niagara Flame Rite Signature Series Zippo at the opening!
Niagara box set art. Click here to see actual finished product !
Emmy awards my ass, this Baseman guy is just another Graffiti vandal and I have the pix to prove it!
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