EXCLUSIVE: Robert Wilson IV's "I Am Not Naturally Evil" Art Print

Hey folks! I'm sure you've already heard about Guzu Gallery's musically inclined "Deep Cuts" show, but on the off chance you haven't, here's the gist of it (taken from guzugallery.com):

"We asked over 20 artists to choose a beloved music icon, cult hero or legend and let his/her creativity spill to paper. There were, however, three conditions: One, the artwork must be a screen print; two, the artwork must be album cover size; and three, the artwork must cost $25. Oh yeah, and four -- the artwork must kick ass, of course. The opening reception will be Thursday, March 7th from 7 to 10pm and the artwork will remain up through April 7th. In the classic Guzu style, we will have live music on opening night to shake the walls and rattle the art."

I bet you're wishing you lived in Austin now, right? Me too. And while my wife (and available credit) has banned me from purchasing plane tickets and hotel reservations for all my wonderful readers, I do have the distinct pleasure of introducing Robert Wilson IV's Morrissey inspired "I Am Not Naturally Evil" print! Go ahead, soak up all that Mozfather cool.

"I Am Not Naturally Evil" Art Print
Robert Wilson IV
12.5" x 12.5" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$25 - Limited to 50

But wait, there's more! I've also included a pic of the "Deep Cuts" gig poster below to further make you salivate with impatience and envy as the show's opening night grows closer. I don't mind saying, that's a pretty impressive list of artists.

"Deep Cuts" Gig Poster

And lest you say I never gave you anything, here are a few more pieces from the show that are sure to excite.

"Viddy Well, Little Brother. Viddy Well." Art Print
N.E. (New Flesh Prints)
12.5" x 12.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Edition Size TBD

"Remember the Coop" Art Print
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
12.5" x 12.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Limited to 30

"Wizard of Thunder" Art Print
Billy Perkins
12.5" x 12.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Limited to 100

"The Metallian" Art Print
Graham Erwin
12.5" x 12.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Limited to 30

"Heads That Talk" Art Print
Cody Schibi
12.5″ x 12.5″ (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Limited to 40

For more info on Guzu Gallery's "Deep Cuts" show, be sure to visit guzugallery.com, hit up their Facebook page, and follow @guzugallery on Twitter!

Write Up: Ghoulish Gary Pullin's "Martyrs" Movie Poster

[Note: There's one sentence in the first paragraph that is a little spoiler-ish, meaning if you haven't already watched the film but plan to, skip to the second paragraph. Thanks!]

Much like the movie Martyrs, Ghoulish Gary Pullin's poster may be a bit divisive given its graphic nature. But for anyone who's ever seen the film, love it or hate it, a huge part of what made the story so memorable was its indelible ideas and visuals, like, oh you know, flaying someone's body as a way to trigger transcendence. In summation: Martyrs is nucking futs, and in all honesty, I'm still not sure how I feel about the movie, but I can say, without any reservations, that I'm a big fan of Gary's take on the controversial French horror flick.

Martyrs Movie Poster
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 75

My advice to fans of the film: I'm guessing there won't be too many more opportunities to pick up another illustrated Martyrs print (at least of this quality) in the near future, so act fast if you want to snag one. Now that I've finished doling out sage advice, let's take a closer look at Gary's artwork. Yes, this poster holds nothing back, and yes, it probably wouldn't make a great gift for grandma (although, you'll never know until you try), but what makes Pullin's composition so interesting is that it doesn't just grab your attention, it demands it. And while the poster's gory appearance may put some off (on second thought, let's just give grandma a framed photo of the grandchildren this year), there's a beautiful symmetry to the grisly visuals that really floats my boat. Here's what the artist had to say about his relationship with the movie and his approach to the poster's design (taken from the FrightFest Originals website):

"Martyrs is the kind of horror film that I would call a 'game changer'. It is a modern day masterpiece, pulls no punches and was the first horror film in a long time that truly disturbed me and left me gasping for air a few times. It takes you places, gets under your skin and stays there. I wanted to create a poster that played up the surgical aspect of the film and Martyr theme - a woman reborn in the Jesus Christ pose on a surgical cross is mysteriously fully enlightened. The creature in the basement, which is what you see in the background, is pure b-movie, scary fun, in an otherwise sobering, straight laced horror film. I felt the poster design should feel very European, a bit inspired by the ghastly artwork from the films of Lucio Fulci or Dario Argento. A disturbing movie should have a disturbing poster. I hope fans of the film like it."

Ghoulish Gary Pullin's Martyrs movie poster is currently available through the FrightFest Originals store for £40 to UK buyers and £50 (around $79) for international customers. Note: both prices include shipping. The screen print measures 26.5" x 38.5" and is limited to an edition of 75. For more info on FFO, head over to frightfestoriginals.com, sign up for their mailing list and follow @frightfestorigi on Twitter. And to see more of Gary's work, visit ghoulishgary.com and follow @ghoulishgary.

Heads Up: Skuzzle's "Teen Wolf" and "Bloodsport" Movie Posters

I meant to talk about the following three posters before the big move, but naively underestimated the amount of work it takes to pack a one bedroom apartment and move its contents 330 miles North. Thankfully, I'm (sort of) set up at my new locale and loaded to the gills with Bayer Back & Body, in possession of an Adderall-like focus, and intent on delving into exactly what makes Skuzzles' latest offerings so bloody fantastic. Let's take a look at the evidence, shall we?

Teen Wolf Movie Poster (Regular)
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$40 - Limited to 165

Teen Wolf Movie Poster (Variant)
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 75

As you may already know, I'm a big, big fan of Ghoulish Gary Pullin. And, if like me, you're looking at the above, I think it's safe to say he's done the Michael J. Fox starring cinematic slice of 1980s life justice ... hirsute, bristly, lupine justice. There's a lot to love about Pullin's delightful taken on Teen Wolf, but my favorite touch is something you probably didn't immediately notice. I'm talking about the ingenious use of basketballs to suggest the varied lunar phases above the film's title. It's not a mind-shattering addition by any means, but it speaks volumes about the artist's attention to detail, as it's clear the guy behind this print gave a damn and then some about his design and the film. A regular and variant version of Gary's Teen Wolf poster, both measuring 24" x 36", are currently available through skuzzles.com. To learn about the talented man behind this artwork, head over to ghoulishgary.com and follow @ghoulishgary.

Bloodsport Movie Poster
Randy Ortiz
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$35 - Limited to 175

Not content to leave the 80s be, Skuzzles also recently released an officially licensed Bloodsport print by artist Randy Ortiz. Unlike the jam-packed Teen Wolf movie posters, Randy's Bloodsport artwork has a simple and singular focus: Jean-Claude Van Damme's bloodied but determined visage. While I wouldn't have minded seeing a spinning kick or two, I've got to admit, there's something really intimidating and altogether badass about the design's stripped down approach. This brings back warm (if hazy) memories of watching Showtime as a kid. (Yay for children watching uber-violent uber-cheesy action flicks without their parents' knowledge!) Randy Ortiz's Bloodsport print is currently available through the Skuzzles storefront for $35. To see more of the artist's work, be sure to visit damnthedesign.com and follow @damnthedesign on Twitter.

If you like what you see above, or hell, even if you don't, I highly recommend checking out skuzzles.com, signing up for the mailing list, and following them on Twitter @skuzzlescan. This may just be the Aspirin talking, but I'm pretty sure the Skuzzles storefront has healing properties.

Preview: Bottleneck Gallery's "Can't Beat Em, Join Em" Zombie Art Show

Remember Bottleneck Gallery? The folks that just hosted the premium cable-inspired "More Than You Imagined" art show? Well, it seems they're not terribly interested in resting on their laurels and are about to premiere a new exhibition titled, "Can't Beat Em, Join Em: The Zombie Show." Once again, Bottleneck head honcho Joe Bouganim has curated what looks to be an awesome collection of art and artists, this time celebrating our putrified and decaying brother from another mother six feet under. For those of you on the East Coast, "Can't Beat Em, Join Em" will be opening on October 5th (Friday) at 7 PM at 60 Broadway in Brooklyn. Any inventory that hasn't already sold out will be available through Bottleneck's website on Saturday for what I'm sure will be some very reasonable prices. While we still have a few more days before the show is up and running walking slowly with a limp murmuring "Brains...,"as every zombie worth its weight in yummy grey matter is expected to do, I've got a few sneak peeks that are sure to excite (or at the very least create an insatiable hunger for human flesh.)

"Methodology Of Dispatching The Dead" Art Print
Nick Gagnon

"Bite Me" Art Print
Liam Brazier

"George Dakei" Art Print
John Rozum

"Nude Ghoul" Art Print Ghoulish Gary Pullin

"Barbara" Art Print Ghoulish Gary Pullin

"Ben" Art Print
Ghoulish Gary Pullin

"The Living Dead" Art Print
Francesco Francavilla

"Rule 32" Art Print
Doug LaRocca

"Zombie Target" Art Print
Andrew Vastagh

Once all the artwork goes live on the Bottleneck site I'll be sure to put together a comprehensive "best of" post!

Heads Up: Ghoulish Gary Pullin's "The Big Lebowski" Movie Posters

I had the distinct feeling I was in for some fantastic art when Poster Collective and Tuscon-based The Loft Cinema first announced their partnership. Little did I know they'd be dragging out the daddy of all cult films, The Big Lebowski, on their second go around (their first print / movie was The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and would bring artist Ghoulish Gary Pullin along for the ride. Now, The Big Lebowski is not a forgiving film to design a poster for. First and foremost, the movie's just so damn good - you definitely don't want to be that guy who drops the (bowling) ball and creates a crappy Lebowski design. Second, the film's fans (hey, that's me!) are very protective of its legacy and reputation - thou mustn't bore / anger / insult the White Russian-swilling masses (hey, that's still me!) with subpar art or else we'll "cut off your chonson." And finally, given the surplus of "Dude" inspired posters, memes, concept art, and animated gifs, it's easy to get lost in all that noise - you've got to make something memorable. Well, rest easy, my friends. Ghoulish Gary has not only stepped up to the plate, he swung for the fences and connected with that there ball! (Note: that's probably the one and only sports metaphor I will use this year.) Gary chose Lebowski's trippy dream sequence as his source of inspiration, while still managing to pack in all of the film's biggest and funniest characters without having the print feel busy or crowded. It's a killer work of art and, no doubt, another feather in the cap for Mr. Pullin. There's a lot more I could say, but it's past 2 AM here and there's already a great interview with Ghoulish Gary over at postercollective.com.

The Big Lebowski Movie Poster (Regular)
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$30 - Edition of 100

The Big Lebowski Movie Poster (Metallic Teal & GID Ink Variant)
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$40 - Edition of 25

Both of Gary's Big Lebowski posters will be available through the Poster Collective website at 9 AM ET (6 AM for us West Coasters) on Friday (8/31). The regular version costs $30 and is limited to 100, while the variant will cost $40 and is limited to only 25. Both prints measure 18" x 24" and will be numbered. Also, I think it's worth noting that these posters were printed by Tim Doyle and the good folks at Nakatomi Inc, so you know it'll be a quality work of art. To learn more about Ghoulish Gary Pullin head over to ghoulishgary.com and follow @ghoulishgary on Twitter. Sleep time for me!

Ghoulish Gary Pullin and Phantom City Creative's "Fright Nights" Gig Posters

It's become quite clear that those of us who don't live in or around Toronto are missing out on some pretty cool going-ons. Take, for example, "Fright Nights," an event co-sponsored by Rue Morgue and TIFF, but most importantly, headlined by Guillermo del Toro. Just imagine, five nights and five screenings of some of Guillermo's favorite horror films along with an introduction by the man himself. Sounds like a pretty great idea, right? It gets better. There's not one, but two different gig posters for the event, and they're available to everyone (for a price, of course)!

"Fright Nights" Gig Poster (Regular) Ghoulish Gary Pullin Phantom City Creative 12" x 36" - Signed and Numbered $40 - Limited to 100

"Fright Nights" Gig Poster (Variant) Ghoulish Gary Pullin Phantom City Creative 12" x 36" - Signed and Numbered $65 - Limited to 30

If you're a fan of del Toro, then this is simply a must own. The artists have not only managed to lovingly craft a wonderful portrait of one of the film world's most creative minds, but were also able to pay tribute to the five movies that played during the "Fright Nights" program. And for those wondering, the five films in question are: L'arcano incantatore, Black Sabbath, The Innocents, Cronos, and The Devil's Backbone. There are many, many things to like about these prints, but I think my favorite two elements are the cathedral setting and the incredibly detailed Cronos device. First, the setting. I love how these posters were designed as if the image was going to be immortalized in stained glass. The backdrop takes the idea of Guillermo del Toro as the patron saint of fantastical horror and movie loving, and really runs with it. Finally, we come to the incredibly detailed Cronos device, which in all honesty, is so beautiful, it could've had its own poster. Seriously, look at it!

The "Fright Nights" gig posters are currently available from Phantom City Creative AND Ghoulish Gary Pullin, through their respective storefronts. Both posters measure 12" x 36" and are signed and numbered. The regular edition costs $40 and is limited to 100, while the variant is limited to an edition of 30 and costs $65. To learn more about Phantom City Creative, be sure to checkout their website at phantomcitycreative.com, their previously mentioned store, and follow them @PhantomCityCrtv. And for those wanting to find out more about the incredibly talented Ghoulish Gary Pullin, head over to ghoulishgary.com, visit his storefront, his Tumblr blog, and follow him on Twitter @ghoulishgary.