Best Of: Gallery 1988's "Jeff Boyes, Joshua Budich & Jay Shaw" Art Show

I'm absolutely gutted that I couldn't make it to last night's show at Gallery 1988 Venice. I had planned to be there and finally meet some of my favorite artists, unfortunately, some wedding preparations necessitated an emergency trip to the Bay Area. So here I am, sitting on my mom's couch trying to put this post together, with her 60 pound Australian Shepherd staring at me in ways that aren't entirely comforting. But enough of my whining, what I'm really here to talk about are my favorite pieces (that are still available) from the recent Jeff Boyes, Joshua Budich and Jay Shaw art show. Note - as of this writing all of these prints are still available for purchase.

The Conversation Movie Poster
Jay Shaw
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 100

All the President's Men Movie Poster
Jay Shaw
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 100

Blow Out Movie Poster
Jay Shaw
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 100

Jay Shaw's paranoia-themed movie posters are deviously brilliant in their execution. From a distance they're deceptively simple, but as you edge closer, all the minuscule details rise to the surface often completely changing your understanding of the artwork altogether and / or strengthening the poster's connection to the film. Case in point: Shaw's All the President's Men print. From afar, we're clearly seeing a somewhat distorted picture of Richard Nixon, but on closer inspection, it becomes evident that the President's head is completely made up of characters that you might find on a, oh, I don't know, typewriter! (I'm also reminded of all the ASCII art that was so popular back in the dial-up days of the Internet, but I'm guessing that's more likely me projecting than the artist's original intent.) It's a print that works on multiple levels and is easy on the eyes while also being tonally in check with the movie - a combination of elements which are quickly becoming a hallmark of Jay's art. Ultimately, Shaw's more stripped-down design for The Conversation ended up being my favorite of his. Not only because it's a poster for The Conversation (which is freaking amazing in and of itself), but it also concisely boils down the entire film and Hackman's character to a single simple image, while making the typography integral to the design instead of sticking it on as an afterthought. I think it's safe to say that this star will continue to rise, that is, if he doesn't collapse from exhaustion brought on by his nonstop work ethic! All of Jay's posters (sans his Invasion of the Body Snatchers print) are still available through Gallery 1988's website. To learn more about Mr. Shaw, sometimes known as Iron Jaiden, visit kingdomofnonsense.com and follow him @tweetofnonsense on Twitter.

“L.A. Massacre” Art Print
Jeff Boyes
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$50 - Limited to 60
Inspired By: Thrashin'

I've never seen Thrashin', but that doesn't really change the fact that I think this is a radical print. You've got to admire Boyes for even choosing to posterize this film. It should be dumb, it should be corny, it should be a big fail, but Jeff has managed to make something fun and cool without having to lean on the "it's cool because it's ironic" crutch. The artist also did one hell of a job depicting a young Josh Brolin (especially that hair) and Robert Rusler, and I've got immediate respect for any poster that uses split-fountain printing in a way that actually adds something to the artwork, which I think the red / violet skyline does admirably. This is the first time I've written about Jeff Boyes on this site and I'm thinking it certainly won't be the last time. Jeff has a bunch more prints available (including this one) through Gallery 1988's online storefront right now. You can see more of Jeff's artwork at visualtechnicians.com.

"Tetsuo" Art Print
Joshua Budich
18" x 18" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 75
Inspired By: Akira

"Dave" Art Print
Joshua Budich
18" x 18" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 75
Inspired By: 2001: A Space Odyssey

"Optimus" Art Print
Joshua Budich
18" x 18" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 75
Inspired By: The Transformers

I don't have too much more to say about Joshua Budich's posters that hasn't already been written in my review of his "Tetsuo" print (you can read it by clicking here), but I will say this: out of the three artists at this show, I think Budich had the most interesting and experimental theme. There's no denying that Boyes and Shaw brought their A-game, but I was extra impressed by Joshua's "Sistine Pop" series and his continuing evolution as an artist. All of Budich's posters are still available for purchase through Gallery1988.com, and you can visit joshuabudich.com for more info on, that's right, Joshua Budich.