Best Of: Bottleneck Gallery's "More Than You Imagined" Art Show

Bottleneck Gallery's first big show, "More Than You Imagined," opened last Friday and appears to have been a smashing success. So much so, in fact, that when the prints went online the influx of folks visiting thebottleneckgallery.com crashed the site and forced Bottleneck to move to a bigger server. Well, good news, the site and storefront are now very stable and there is a ton of great artwork currently available for purchase. Today's "Best Of" post will be a little different than my usual, but I'll get to that in a second. First, I wanted to talk a little more about the show itself, starting with its premise (taken from Bottleneck Gallery's website):

"Television plays a crucial role in our lives, influencing our opinions, actions, and daily routine. It is only natural that the small screen would also influence art, linking the two through memorable stories and images. Bottle Neck Gallery has decided to embrace this connection and commission an incredible group of artists for 'More Than You Imagined: Art Inspired by Premium Cable.' This exciting and entertaining exhibit will feature work influenced by some of the most popular HBO, Showtime, and Starz programs, giving you a reason to get off of the couch."

Now that's something I can get behind. Premium cable's original programming was a turning poing in the movie vs. television argument, with shows like The Sopranos and The Wire forever changing our entertainment landscape. Below, I've included my favorite pieces from the "More Than You Imagined" exhibit that are still on sale and have broken up its contents by show and network. Have at it and let me know what you think!

Band of Brothers (HBO)

"Band of Brothers" Art Print
Paul Shipper
16" x 24" (Giclée) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 20
Inspired By: Band of Brothers

Note: This paragraph should be read with the "Star Spangled Banner" playing softly in the background. Band of Brothers is so good, it deserves to be watched on a yearly basis (preferably sometime around the 4th of July.) Brothers makes you want to be a better person. Paul Shipper's print masterfully captures that sense of heroism and would likely make for a great gift to the war buff in your life. Shipper's Band of Brothers inspired print is available through Bottleneck Gallery for $60. To learn more about the New Zealand-based artist, head over to paulshipper.com and follow @paulshipper on Twitter.

Boardwalk Empire (HBO)

"Half A Gangster" Art Print Kevin Justin Ang 18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered $30 - Limited to 50 Inspired By: Boardwalk Empire

"The Tin Man" Art Print N.E. (New Flesh Prints) 18" x 24" (Screen Print) - S / N $35 - Limited to 65 Inspired By: Boardwalk Empire

Now, I'm a bit behind in my Boardwalk Empire viewing, but I've finished the first season and can attest that the Scorsese-produced series has all the visual elements necessary to inspire some fantastic Prohibition Era artwork. Sure enough, Kevin Ang and the guys at New Flesh Prints were up to the task. Both prints beautifully highlight the show's often morally-nebulous characters with a monochromatic, but by no means nostalgic, aesthetic. "Half A Gangster" and "The Tin Man" prints are now available for $30 and $35 respectively. To learn more about Kevin, visit his deviantART page. And to learn more about New Flesh prints, I'd recommend heading over to newfleshprints.com, and following @newfleshprints and @NEnewflesh.

Carnivale (HBO)

"A Dark Heart Dwells Where Branches Meet" Art Print
Brandon Schaefer
12" x 18" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$25 - Limited to 50
Inspired By: Carnavale

I freaking loved Carnivale and was devastated when it was cancelled after only two seasons. Part period piece, part Russian nesting doll made out of mystery and enigma, Carnivale was a blast to experience and, as he's wont to do, Brandon Schaefer created a compelling and appropriately mysterious poster. "A Dark Heart Dwells Where Branches Meet" is currently available through Bottleneck Gallery's website for $25. To see more of Brandon's work, visit seekandspeak.com and follow him on Twitter @seekandspeak.

Dexter (Showtime)

"Dexter's Secret" Art Print
Tony Bui
16" x 20" (Giclée) - Signed and Numbered
$50 - Limited to 10
Note: Dexter

Tony Bui, an artist I wasn't familiar with until today, has created a fairly terrifying (and awesome) print inspired by everyone's favorite serial killer. And as a huge fan of creative typography, it doesn't get much better than a title comprised entirely out of the tools necessary for murder and / or body disposal. "Dexter's Secret" is ready to be purchased for $50. The print is limited to an edition of 10 and measures 16" x 20". I'm not 100% sure if this is the correct Tony Bui, but it may be worth checking out tonybuifanclub.com.

Eastbound & Down (HBO)

"Kenny Powers" Art Print
Zeb Love
20" x 16" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$25 - Limited to 45
Inspired By: Eastbound & Down

All I've got to say to this is, "F**k yes!" Zeb Love's Eastbound & Down inspired print is the pitch perfect (get it?) representation of Kenny Power's philosophy (and his profanity-laden audiobook.) This great looking print is still available for $25, which is a pretty unbelievable price for something this intricate. For more Zeb-related insanity, head over to zeblove.com and follow @zeb_love on Twitter.

Flight of the Conchords (HBO)

"Flock of the Conchords" Art Print
Jesse Riggle
8" x 10" (Giclée) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 20
Inspired By: Flight of the Conchords

Conchord's "The Most Beautiful Girl [in the Room]" still gets constant play in my household. In fact, with all this recent wedding planning nonsense, I've found that the Brett and Jemaine composed opus has been chosen as the first dance song by a decent amount of people. Believe you me, I was tempted. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and we decided on Tim and Eric's sublime "I Sit Down When I Pee." (Apologies for that terrible joke, folks.) Brooklyn-based artist Jesse Riggle channeled his inner Kiwi and created a gorgeous looking portrait of the two musicians in their natural habit (i.e., sheep bodies), that's a must own for any fan of the show. Riggle's "Flock of the Conchords" print is now available for only $30 through the Bottleneck website. To learn more about the artist, visit jesseriggle.com and follow @jesseAlso.

Game of Thrones (HBO)

"Winter is Coming" Art Print
Marie Bergeron
27.25" x 11.25" (Giclée) - Signed and Numbered
$80 - Limited to 20
Inspired By: Game of Thrones

"Game of Musical Chairs" Art Print Isaac Bidwell 12" x 18" (Giclée) - Numbered $30 - Limited to 50 Inspired By: Game of Thrones

"Born to Run" Art Print Campbell Whyte 11.75" x 16.5" (Giclée) - Numbered $30 - Limited to 10 Inspired By: Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones seems to be the show that everyone wanted to create artwork for. And why not? It's an epic sword and (minimal) sorcery tale that feels far more realistic than you would ever think possible. In other words: there's a lot of inspiration to be had what with all the skulduggery present in the Seven Kingdoms. The three prints above ("Winter is Coming," "Game of Musical Chairs," and "Born to Run") represent a vast spectrum, with one being hilarious, another a beautiful (if barren) vista, and a third falling somewhere in between. It's that diverse creativity, which goes to show you how affecting the series can be and how brilliantly conceived the show is to warrant such dedication. "Winter is Coming," "Game of Musical Chairs," and "Born to Run" are all available through the Bottleneck Gallery storefront. To see more of about the artists, visit mariebergeron.com, isaacbidwell.com, and campbellwhyte.com.

Homeland (Showtime)

"Hero or Threat?" Art Print
Chris Garofalo
12.5" x 19" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$20 - Limited to 40
Inspired By: Homeland

Truth time: I haven't seen a single episode of Homeland ever. Don't get me wrong, I plan on changing that, but I've got a few shows higher on the priority list right now. With that said, while I may not have seen the series, I'm familiar enough with the synopsis to appreciate Chris Garofalo's inspired print. Garofalo's art often has a grimy sort of sheen over it, which lends his work a lived-in and slightly dangerous look. This approach worked for his Hellraiser poster and it works here too. The "Hero or Threat?" screen print is available through Bottleneck for only $20. For more info on the artist, please visit his Tumblr and follow @QFSChris on Twitter.

Weeds (Showtime)

"Agrestic Burning" Art Print
Joshua Budich
12" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 100
Inspired By: Weeds

I think I enjoyed Weeds more at the beginning than I did in later episodes, but I always thought the premise was great. Posterocalypse favorite Joshua Budich, with his usual skill and aplomb, has chosen to depict the community of Agrestic in all its uniform glory under the weight of a fiery and destructive ganja-related force. Overseeing all of this devastation is the Botwin family and their accountant friend Doug Wilson. Budich's "Agrestic Burning" is available through Bottleneck Gallery for $30 and is limited to an edition of 100. To see more of the artist's work, be sure to visit joshuabudich.com and follow @jbudich on Twitter.

The Wire (HBO)

"King of Baltimore" Art Print Tim Doyle 16" x 20" (Screen Print) - Numbered $40 - Limited to 150 Inspired By: The Wire

"The Saint of West Baltimore" Samuel Ho 11" x 19" (Giclée) - S / N $35 - Limited to 10 Inspired By: The Wire

"You come at the king, you best not miss..." Words to live by, no? Tim Doyle's and Samuel Ho's prints celebrate the strange and ghostlike Omar Little, both choosing to treat the character as an almost god-like presence. Truth be told, I'm shocked these haven't already sold out, because not only does the entirety of the Internet worships The Wire (myself included), but for a show so universally loved, there's a surprising lack of decent artwork available for it anywhere. Do yourself a favor and pick up one or both of these before they're all gone. You won't be sorry. The "King of Baltimore" and "The Saint of West Baltimore" prints are currently available for purchase. To learn more about Tim Doyle, be sure to visit nakatomiinc.com and follow @nakatomitim. Visit samuelho.com and follow @samuelho to see more of Samuel Ho's work.

And that's it! What were some of your favorite pieces?

Giveaway - "12 Angry Men" Movie Poster by Kevin Ang

UPDATE (3/17): Thanks so much for entering everyone, this was one of Posterocalypse's most successful giveaways yet, hopefully the good times will keep rolling! Random.org has picked a winner and it's Mike (lucky contestant number 5)! Congrats Mike! He'll be receiving the 12 Angry Men movie poster later this week. I've got a lot more posters to hand out, so be on the lookout for another giveaway next week. Most importantly, thanks for reading!

It's February already? Well, I guess that means it's time for another contest and this one might be my favorite yet, or at least tied with last month's in terms of awesomeness. You may or may not remember I wrote about the amazing Kingdom of Nonsense curated "The Machines Are Winning: A Tribute to Sidney Lumet" show last September, where I specifically called out some of my favorite pieces. If you happened to read my post, or better yet, purchased some artwork from the show, you probably saw Kevin Ang's gorgeous 12 Angry Men print. Surprise! Mr. Ang's breathtaking work of art will be this month's giveaway. Yes, you read that right. You could own this lovely poster just by leaving a comment. Simple, right? Take a look at the rules and instructions below and good luck!

12 Angry Men Movie Poster
Kevin Ang
18" x 24" - Numbered
Limited to 35

1) 12 Angry Men poster by Kevin Ang

Unfortunately, since I'm the one paying for shipping this contest is only open to readers in the US (sorry everyone else, international shipping can be expensive and complicated). I've decided to change the rules up a bit this time: in order to win you'll need to leave a comment on this post with your email address, your name, and your favorite Sidney Lumet film and on March 17th I'll randomly pick and email the winner to get his or her shipping address. Entries are limited to one person per household.

Kevin Ang's "Seven Samurai" Movie Poster

If you've ever taken a college course on film history, or even a cursory glance at a book on the subject, there's a good chance you'll have heard of what is widely considered one of the greatest Japanese films ever made. Hell, one of the finest movies ever shot. Period. And if you read the post's title or looked at the image below, you could easily ascertain what film I'm talking about, but I like to think that even if you only had this paragraph to go by, Akira Kurosawa's wizened face would still briefly flash through your head. Yes, I'm of course talking about the exceptional samurai epic Seven Samurai.

Seven Samurai Movie Poster
Kevin Ang
12" x 18" - Numbered
$10 - Limited to 77

Just take it in for a second. Let its beauty wash over you. Kevin Ang, who had previously stunned us with his amazing Twelve Angry Men poster and Attack the Block print, has done it again. Now that I'm somewhat familiar with Kevin's work, I think I can safely assume two things: he's a hugely talented artist, and he has incredible taste in movies. For the record, I've seen several Seven Samurai concepts online, and have found them to be, more often than not, minimalist to the point of almost being nonexistant. And while I appreciate the intention behind the proliferation of cleverly sparse designs, I don't think I've ever seen one of Kurosawa's masterworks celebrated in such an obviously skillful manner. You can look at each of the seven men above and easily tell who's who, which is all the more impressive when you realize that every character also sports a somewhat indefinable quality as their outlines appear to fade in and out of the white or black background. The alternating lines of light and dark used to separate the titular feudal warriors are also inspired, as they look like they could be strokes from an antiquated calligraphy brush circa 1587 (just ballparking it). When it comes down to it, this poster is pretty much perfect in my opinion and I would gladly live in a world where Mr. Ang's artwork graced the cover of Criterion's lauded release of the film - and that's just about the highest praise I can give any work of art.

Kevin Ang's brilliant Seven Samurai print will be available later today through the Kingdom of Nonsense store for $10. Yes, you heard right. $10! The print measures 12" x 18" and is limited to an edition of 77 (I see what you did there). The poster will be available at 12 PM MST (11 AM on the West Coast and 2 PM on the East). For more information on artist Kevin Ang, be sure to checkout his website, deviantART page, or his Tumblr blog. Good luck everyone!

Kevin Ang's & Alex Pardee's "Attack the Block" Prints

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my US readers, and a happy Thursday night to everyone else! I've haven't been able to write nearly as much as I wanted to this past week, but I'm hoping tonight I can right that wrong. You may not be aware of this, but I really, really enjoy movies. I like funny movies, sad movies, fantastical movies, action packed movies, adorable movies, and I really appreciate any movie that can effortlessly combine all of those elements in a single package. Which is why, for my money, Attack the Block was one of the few films this year that pretty much worked on every level, and it's for this reason that I'm really pleased to talk about both Kevin Ang's amazing Attack the Block movie poster and Alex Pardee's beautiful Attack art print.

Attack the Block Movie Poster (Glow-in-the-dark Ink)
Kevin Ang
18" x 24" - Numbered
$30 - Limited to 60

If your ears perked up when you heard the name Kevin Ang, you might be remembering his amazing 12 Angry Men print (somehow still available for purchase) from the Kingdom of Nonsense curated "The Machines Are Winning" show. Well, Kevin has done it again, although this time with a slightly more contemporary and out-of-this-world movie. I was really excited when I found out about this print because even though I feel like the entirety of the Internet got behind Attack the Block, there were very few artists who actually attempted to create something inspired by the film. Kevin's poster features the majority of the cast, as well as the amazing and downright ferocious alien creatures complete with glow-in-the-dark fangs printed with glow-in-the-dark ink. What I love most about this print is Mr. Ang's depiction of the alien infested building and, more specifically, his inclusion of the black-as-midnight monstrosities scaling the Block. I'm also a huge fan of his lettering. I'll admit, it took me a while to get behind the cartoonish looking font he chose to go with, but now that I think of it, Kevin's comic book-esque style really captures the intense and unbelievable situation these kids find themselves in. I imagine this poster would be the cover for an Attack the Block graphic novel. The only complaint I have, and it's by no means a deal breaker, is that Nick Frost's character portrait (above the title between Jodie Whittaker and Hi-Hatz) is just a little too feminine for my taste - it took me a second to figure out who it was supposed to be. That minor criticism aside, I'm a huge fan of this print and will definitely try to grab one of these poster tomorrow (11/25). Kevin Ang's Attack the Block poster will go on sale through the Kingdom of Nonsense storefront on Friday (11/25) at 10 PM MST (that's 9 PM PST for us West Coasters and midnight for the East Coast). The poster will cost $30, measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 60. I couldn't find any sort of Twitter or blog affiliated with Kevin, so I'll instead direct you to follow @tweetofnonsense for future releases and to visit the Kingdom of Nonsense website and storefront for more info. Believe, bruv.

"Attack the Block" Art Print
Alex Pardee
17" x 22" - Signed and Numbered
$50 - Limited to 100
Inspired By: Attack the Block

I remember when Alex Pardee saw Attack the Block in theaters and was so blown away*, that he not only designed a "My Favorite Monsters" print depicting the movie's relentless alien attackers, he also created the above image in tribute to what remains one of my favorite films of 2011. With that said, I had no idea that his Attack the Block art print was actually something I could own until this morning, and I couldn't be more pleased. Pardee's print really highlights how perfectly the creature design in the film is executed and how dark Attack the Block was, both in set design and lighting. As a fan of Pardee's work, I know this print will be absolutely mind blowing up close and the detail is sure to delight. I'm also really digging this print because it highlights one of the coolest movie characters seen this year, and by that I mean, John Boyega's sword-toting hoodlum Moses. It's a beautiful print and I'm through the roof excited now that I can purchase one of these for myself and as a gift for the alien-obsessed loved ones in my life. Alex Pardee's Attack the Block art print is currently available for purchase through Pardee's Zerofriends store. The print measures 17" x 22", costs $50 and is limited to an edition of 100. For more info about the artist and his future releases be sure to follow @alexpardee on Twitter and visit his website at eyesuckink.com.

* Note: I wasn't stalking Mr. Pardee or anything (I've stopped doing that), I just follow him on the Twitter...is what I'll tell the jury.

Kingdom of Nonsense's "The Machines Are Winning" Show

You may have heard about the "The Machines Are Winning: A Tribute To Sidney Lumet" show curated by John Vogl and Jay Shaw and thought it was just another movie-themed art show, but after checking out the work below, I think you'll agree the quality here rivals and in many cases exceeds what we see coming from Mondo and Gallery 1988. I was thinking about covering all of the art currently available, but that sounded like a lot of writing, so I'm just going to stick to the four pieces I purchased (and are somehow still available through the Kingdom of Nonsense store).

12 Angry Men Movie Poster
Kevin Ang
18" x 24"
$30 - Limited to 35

I love this film. 12 Angry Men is a movie I've probably seen about ten times in my life, and about eight of those times were in school (for some reason public schools seem to love 12 Angry Men, Roots, and ironically Ferris Bueller's Day Off). Kevin Ang, an artist I'm not really familiar with, has done a great job capturing the eclectic (and by "eclectic" I mean white male) group of angry jurors, complete with the circumstantial evidence in the forefront. His use of black and white is certainly a nice touch and his depiction of the righteous and reasonable juror number 8 (Henry Fonda) is appropriately inspired. Kevin Ang's 12 Angry Men poster is available through the Kingdom of Nonsense store for $30. The poster measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 35. If you're a fan of the movie, this is a must own, and if you haven't seen the movie, then you should know that Criterion is coming out with a newly remastered version of the film on DVD and Blu-ray in November and plan accordingly.

Fail-Safe Movie Poster
Lloyd Stas
18" x 24"
$30 - Limited to 35

I stand by the statement that Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is my favorite film of all time - it's the most perfect piece of cinema in existence in my opinion (alright, "perfect" might be a tad extreme). But if I was to list a few more of my favorite nuclear doomsday films, you can bet that Fail-Safe would be near the top of that list. If the name Lloyd Stas is familiar to you, it might be because of his outstanding concept posters celebrating Edgar Wright's filmography that took the Internet by storm. Well, Stas has once again proven he's an incredible artist with a great eye for some of the deeper and less surface elements in the films he chooses to cover. In this fantastic Fail-Safe print, Lloyd focuses on General Black's nightmarish visions of the matador, and has taken some artistic license and made the bull-bomb metaphor a bit more explicit and a lot more beautiful. Lloyd Stas' Fail-Safe poster measures 18" x 24", costs $30, is limited to an edition of 35 and is available through the Kingdom of Nonsense store. To learn more about Lloyd I recommend checking out lloydstas.co.uk, his Tumblr and following him @lloydstas.

Network Movie Poster
Mayra Fersner
18" x 24"
$35 - Limited to 35

Network is by far my favorite Lumet movie. I heard about the film when I was in high school, when I thought Requiem for a Dream (which by the way is an awesome film) followed by a viewing of Donnie Darko was the zenith of cinematic appreciation - in other words: I had a lot to learn. Films like Network were gateway drugs of a sort and introduced me to the likes of Putney Swope and Dr. Strangelove. Given the special place in my heart that Network holds and Mayra's beautiful design work, this poster has to be my favorite of the bunch. Her interpretation of the television anchor-cum-prophet is pitch perfect and practically exudes the piety that Howard Beale preached to the television-watching masses. Mayra Fersner's Network poster is available for purchase through the Kingdom of Nonsense Big Cartel store. The poster costs $30, measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 35. Like the vast majority of the artists mentioned in this blog, I'd never heard of Mayra before, but will definitely be waiting to see what she does next. Be sure to check out Mayra's blog at hagcult.com, her Tumblr and follow her @HagCult.

Deathtrap Movie Poster
Jacob Van Loon
18" x 24"
$35 - Limited to 35

I'll be honest. I've never seen Deathtrap, but I bought this print on the quality of the art alone. It's absolutely gorgeous! It's like M.C. Escher, Inception, and In the Mouth of Madness had a mutant baby that mind-bendingly bended my mind. Is it a bad idea to purchase artwork for a film you've never seen? Not when the it looks this good! In full disclosure: after purchasing this print I immediately added Deathtrap to my Netflix Instant Queue. Jacob Van Loon, the creator of this work of art, is another artist I had no familiarity with, but will devoutly follow from this point on. Jacob's Deathtrap print is available through the Kingdom of Nonsense storefront for $30. The print measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 35. To learn more about Jacob be sure to visit his blog at jacobvanloon.com, his Tumblr and follow him @tvparty. I'm totally tempted to get another one of these just to give away in a contest - brilliant stuff!

...And that's what I bought from the show. There's still fifteen posters available through the Kingdom of Nonsense store, so my brief reviews for the four prints above are only a fraction of the awesome on display. To read about the future comings and goings of show organizers, Bill Vogl and Jay Shaw, be sure to visit thebungaloo.com and kingdomofnonsense.com.