Mint&Serf: Support, Therapy and Instability

For Immediate Release And Listing

MINT & SERF: Support, Therapy and Instability

November 7 - December 31, 2014

Opening Reception: Friday, November 7th from 6pm - 9pm.

Chicago, IL-  This November, Maxwell Colette Gallery presents Support, Therapy and Instability, a show of new paintings from New York City based graffiti writers Mint & Serf. This will be the artists’ Chicago debut and will showcase their large-scale works on canvas.

Mint & Serf
Cheap Thrill (2014)
Mixed media on canvas, 41 x 31 inches

Mint & Serf make visceral artwork that challenges the tenuous relationship between graffiti and contemporary art. In a scene dominated by artists who polish and objectify graffiti to make it palatable for consumption, Mint & Serf are a visually dangerous anomaly. Their paintings explore graffiti reduced down to it’s most primal and weaponized form. The work is raw and fearless, imbued with a savage elegance and narcotic sheen. 

For Mint & Serf the creative process is one of collaboration occasionally involving other members of their crew (the Peter Pan Posse or PPP). In these instances the canvases are worked over many late night sessions in the studio, with successive layers building organically the way they would on the street. In other cases the artists wield a tight curatorial control over the creation process; combining just the right amount of torn paper and scrawl to create dark, powerful work that is more lyrical.

Mint & Serf's paintings have been likened to sections of wall ripped from a seedy dive-bar bathroom or an abandoned property. There is a palpable authenticity to this work; a gritty realness that is often missing from graffiti-based fine art. These layers of paint, ink and paper contain fragmented tags and phrases that are not merely gestures chosen for their decorative value. At their core these are paintings rooted in the action of graffiti rather than simply the aesthetic.

About the Artists: Mint and Serf live and work in New York City. Their artwork has been exhibited both nationally and internationally and they have collaborated with diverse brands including the Ace Hotel, Marc Jacobs, Soho House and the New York Yankees, among others. Their recent press includes Art Forum, Interview Magazine, and the LA Times. Additional information may be found on their website: www.mintandserf.com

About the Gallery: Maxwell Colette Gallery specializes in post-street contemporary art. The gallery was founded in 2010 with a commitment to erasing the distinctions between fine art, street art and graffiti. All programming at the gallery is free and open to the public. www.maxwellcolette.com

Exhibition Location: 908 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 

Open hours: noon until 6pm, Wednesday through Saturday

Maxwell Colette Gallery

T: +1 312 496 3153  

E: gallery@maxwellcolette.com 

Mint & Serf

Fierce Marketing Budgets (2013)

Mixed media on canvas, 84 x 72 inches