opening on January 20th: STUCK UP!

Maxwell Colette Gallery and DB Burkeman are excited to present STUCK UP: A Selected History of Alternative and Popular Culture Told Though Stickers. This traveling exhibition, curated by Burkeman from his extensive personal collection, provides an unparalleled opportunity to explore the expanding role that stickers have played in popular culture over the past four decades. The collection focuses on Music (including Punk Rock, Hip Hop, and Rave Culture), Skateboard Culture, Political Campaigns, Branding, and Culture Jamming. STUCK UP... features stickers from Street Art legends (Banksy, Barry McGee, Shepard Fairey, Space Invader, KAWS), and internationally lauded contemporary artists not necessarily known for stickers (Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, Tom Sachs) shown side by side with anonymous stickers peeled from the streets of NYC.

STUCK UP... will kick off its run in Chicago with two days of special events. On Friday, January 20th Maxwell Colette Gallery and DB Burkeman will host the exhibition’s opening reception from 6pm - 10pm. Beverages will be provided courtesy of Modelo.  Then on Saturday, January 21st the gallery will host a book signing from 1pm - 3pm featuring DB Burkeman and the celebrated photographer, author, and self- described sticker thief Martha Cooper.  Coffee and baked goods at the signing will come courtesy of Sweet Cakes Bakery and Metropolis Coffee Company.  Burkeman and Cooper will be signing copies of Burkeman's book Stickers: From Punk Rock to Contemporary Art  which is available in Chicago at Quimby's.

Concurrent with these happenings, the gallery will present a selection of sticker-based collage work from the ever-talented Chris Mendoza, and will showcase an incarnation of Slap Happy , the charity sticker invitational that made its debut as a part of SCOPE 2011 in Miami.  Slap Happy features stickers created by an international group of 75 visual communicators. This will be the only place outside of SCOPE where the limited edition stickers and signed black books from the project will be available to view and purchase in person.

Mark your calendars now and be sure to join us for this incredible weekend of sticker-related festivities!

the best place to vote in Chicago

The huge Keith Haring mural in the hallway makes Wells Community Academy High School our favorite polling location in Chicago (see a partial view above).  We can't help but hope the 2011 Mayoral Election requires additional run-off voting.

The site-specific work was designed by Haring during the May 1989 stint in Chicago that produced two murals in Rush Memorial Hospital and a massive one in Grant Park as well.  Though planned by Haring, the piece at Wells High School was actually painted by students.  Haring did stop by upon it's completion to give his approval and pose for a pic with his student collaborators.

Populist Tendencies

Our first online show "Populist Tendencies: Selections From Keith Haring's Pop Shop" has been posted on our website. You can view it here.

You may also enjoy perusing two of the original 1980's Pop Shop mail order catalog posters here. Many of the items in the show are pictured on these posters.

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sneak peak: VINTAGE POP SHOP

We're very excited that 2010 will see us launch a series of online art shows. These shows will be available to view on our website maxwellcolette.com. In addition to posting all the work from our gallery shows, we will also debut a series of shows that will only be viewable on the site. Information about these "openings" will be following shortly, so make sure that you are signed up on our mailing list to receive the details. To be added to the list please send an email to gallery@maxwellcolette.com with the header "mailing list".

Our first web show of the year explores the nexus of street art and commerce and celebrates the democratic sensibility that embraces the artist multiple. "POPULIST TENDENCIES : SELECTIONS FROM KEITH HARING'S POP SHOP" is a look back at the timeless characters in neon colors, the broad consumer appeal and the marketing genius of Keith Haring.

The show is comprised completely of items which were originally available through Haring's Pop Shop. Included are 1980's vintage multiples and ephemera as well as limited edition prints. Twenty four years after the store was first opened "POPULIST TENDENCIES" provides us with the opportunity to celebrate Haring's role in transitioning the artist multiple out of the museum gift shop and into the world of serious art collections.

The show opens on FRIDAY MARCH 19 and will be available to view online only. For now you can click on the picture above for a sneak peak at some vintage Pop Shop goodies.

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