Saturday February 18th was a big day in Trenton Hip Hop with the release party for FOREVER BLACK (available on itunes), the dope new album from Black Collar Biz. S.A.G.E. Collective and Black Collar go back like Snapbacks and Starter jackets, so you know we'd be in the building. LUV 1 blessed the walls with some really nice pieces and KASSO, not only rocked the album art and postcard illustration, but came thru to Live paint and he asked me (LANK) to join in. For an event such as this, the only move was to knock out some portraits of the man himself, so I got to cutting up an image of Collar on the mic and placed them either side of KASSO's portrait. Went with one white and one red (shout out to LUV1 for the idea to do the angel/devil theme) and added text for some background texture.
All the artists, poets and MC's were great, Collar rocked it, and everybody had a great time. Cop the album and come thru next weekend for Garden Variety at the Trenton Atelier on the 25th to see what real hip hop looks like!
DELVE, LANK, and KASSO each contributed to the relief efforts at GARDEN SK8 park in Pinebrook, NJ. The park was serverly damaged during Hurricane Irene, leaving the park submerged in 3+ feet of water. Artists from all over the country donated their time and creativity to re-produce artwork within the park...culminating into what is the largest indoor graffiti instillation in the country!
On Saturday, Nov. 5th, 2011(originally 0ct.29th but cancelled do to less than ideal weather conditions). GARDEN SK8 will reopen its doors to celebrate its recent makeover in what is shaping up to be one of the livest art parties of the year! With performances by MANNY D, VENEOMOUS 2000 and DJ PRIORITY, ANIMAL CRACKAS and Trenton, NJ's own BLACK COLLAR BIZ, its sure to be a great time!. The show kicks off at 6pm-12am.
On the weekend of Oct 8th and 9th, 2011, SAGE collective was invited back to the Highland Design Farm to produce another massive mural project as part of the Hopewell Tour Des Arts. Last year, our combined efforts resulted in the HIGHLAND SENTINEL, which was the first mural of its kind in the Hopewell, NJ area.
This year we had to spread out and work in sections. Unlike the HIGHLAND SENTINEL, where we all worked in close proximity, this project had us in different locations to start, so we had to jump around a bit. We also had more square footage to cover with this project, but at least this year, unlike last year, majority of the work was done on the ground and not on ladders, so that in itself was a blessing.
LUV1 kicked things off with a murky background primed into the first section of wall. He then rendered a few crystals and gems busting out of the far right corner. The gems then spilled into his trademark Celtic knots with earth tone loops and swirls. KASSO came in and added a few mid tone geometric shapes that balanced out the composition which then flowed into DELVE's hollow straight letter spelling out his name. From there, LANK stenciled in an owl which help carry the far left corner, along with KASSOs abstract colorful shapes that morphed into robotic bird. Between the bird and the owl lay an image of an fetus, which represented the patron, Sean Mannex, in saying that the Design Farm is his "baby". It was also a nod to Leonardo da Vinci; being that one of his famous images is one of a dissected fetus from his sketch journals.
Turning the corner, LANK painted an image of a welder forging a massive abstract image of twisted colorful shapes painted by KASSO, which flowed into LUV1's energetic black, white and grey composition that framed a pre-standing wooden structure of the Chinese alphabet layered in gold. This was then book ended by LANK's stencil images of two lions....which gave the impression that they where guarding a secret gate or passageway of some sort.
DELVE began his section with his usual abstract minimalist approach. Working with a muted color palette, his shapes start in a circular graphic manner, then stretching out into KASSO's portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. KASSO chose the reference of da Vinci from a drawing the renaissance master did of himself at the twilight of his years. Like DELVE, KASSO decided to run with a limited palette, but incorporated a few pop colors to break things up. LANK dropped his lion statue stencil next to the portrait and also nuts and bolts stencils around DELVE's graphic shapes. The nuts and bolts are elements from last years mural, which tied in both murals with a similar theme.
LUV ONE flowed off the portrait and was inspired to paint a hand with a glass of Absinthe...implying that da Vinci is drinking the controversial cocktail. Along the other side of the structure, AJA worked her contribution; an abstract mesh of subdued colors in a swirl of galactic splendor. LANK capped off the section with a stencil of a compass anagram which spelled out all of our names.
After two exhausting but fun days of work, the hardest part was finding a title for the mural. With the underlying theme centered around da Vinci, we decided to go along with title "Highland Sfumato". "Sfumato" being a renaissance term meaning, in part, "areas blending into one another". Our goal with this project, as with all of our projects, was to keep everything well integrated. No one person can claim an entire wall. Each member of SAGE has a piece of every wall...from a small corner to a huge section. It was truly a collaborative effort.
Special thanks goes out to the Highland Design Farm for having us out yet again and for the unprecedented hospitality. Also a big thanks to "Liquitex Artist Materials" for the donation of FREESTYLE brushes used during the production of this project.
S.A.G.E. Collective was in the house at The Center for Contemporary Art's Anti Gala on 9/24/2011 doing live mural painting and bodypainting with Leon Rainbow and hula hooping by Andrea Gianchiglia. Check out the fun video below shot by Jolene and edited by me. Was a total blast being there, thanks to Ellen and everyone from the CCA http://ccabedminster.org/ for having us out!
S.A.G.E. Collective w/ Leon Rainbow will be rockin' the walls and bodies in the blacklight dance party! Circus acts too?! This should be interesting...more info visit the CCA
Shout out to RAS and LANK blessing the TerraCycle wih a Peter Falk memorial. Filmed by LUV1 and EWIN. The little guy did good, used a good amount of his footage...future SAGE documentarian! Scratch that, current and official!
KASSO, LUV, LANK, AJA at the Urban Arts Festival in New Brunswick, NJ. Big ups the State Theater for having us out. Big ups Albus Cavus who we were out there reppin'. Check the video...
Shout out to all the dope Jerz eMCees in the building, too many to start naming. Serious fire brought out last night tho, 'specially in those early round freestyle chyphers. Shout out to all the people who kept standing in front of the flood light making it impossible to see. Lastly shout to Kasso for hosting the show! Rest in Power Mr. Gil Scott Heron and thank you for all you did!
On April 8, 2011 at 219 Gallery in Trenton, NJ, S.A.G.E. Collective's first exhibit as a collective successfully opened. Over one hundred people from all over Trenton and surrounding areas made the trip thru the rain to see the artwork and meet the artists responsible for over a dozen murals in Trenton itself. The music performers, who were going to be on the street like a siren calling visitors from the capitol, had to move the show inside because of the rain, which made for a very cozy scene. Windows fogged, house packed, the art show became part concert! The first video is a virtual walkthru of the exhibit for all those far away who can not make it to see the works in person. All the artists really worked hard and pulled off some amazing pieces.
Many thanks to all those involved and everyone that came out! The artwork will be on display by appointment for the next month, if you're intersted in stopping by email Kasso Below are a few snippets of the incredible talent Trenton has on the mic who came out to support...Hustle MC, Polo, and Black Collar Biz...BIG ups!
Sunday, March 21st found me someplace i didn't ever really expect to be, atop a float in the Trenton St. Patrick's Day Parade... An invitation from Leon Rainbow and the folks at Artworks in Trenton led me there and my Western European roots and love of all things Irish (read: the pogues & beer) had me very excited for a new experience. I had just over a mile and about an hour and a half to paint my side of the 4ft by 8ft panel. I chose to paint a bagpiper as my main image(a portrait of a good friend of mine, who was piping away with The Lia Faile Pipe Band at the front of the parade). Layered that over a large shamrock and framed it up with some traditional Celtic knots. Throw in the sponsor logos, a S.A.G.E. logo and an ornate "LANK" and it was a wrap....
I had a great time and was really pleased with the finished product. Thanks to Art All Night and Artworks for building the float, thanks to Rain for inviting me aboard and thanks to Brian Gentry and James Peeples for solid flicks and video work. (Oh! and a special shout out to the dude driving the big rig that the float was on, because he worked miracles piloting that thing around the small side streets of Trenton!)
Our mural entitled "Highland Sentinel" was recently published in the latest Utrecht Art Supply catalog. This is a huge honor and we are very appreciative to have our work featured! If you take a look to the left hand side of the page, there is an image of crew member LANK doing a demo with the new Montana Gold line!
Press for the BIG BLUE Mural...LANK above holding the original outline for the wall www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2010/11/art_lover_and_landlord_work_to_1.html
SAGE Collective paid a visit to Newark Ave. in Jersey City this last weekend and left behind a life size 90 ft. blue whale. Many thanks to Dylan Evans and the Jersey City Mural Arts Program for having us out! Big props to Lanky Lank for cutting a stencil that size! Thanks to the community for showing us love all weekend long! Hope to see more murals going up in the area soon, if anyone has a location they think would work please hit us up. Below is a video and some flicks from the weekend. Enjoy. one love - LUV1
I recently heard the news that the Raritan River Art Walk caught the buff because the city of New Brunswick is no longer supporting Albus Cavus's project there. Very sad indeed. It got me looking thru my flickr set reminicing. Here's a slideshow of some of my favorite flicks I took there over the years. If you like the work, remember all this is now buffed out thanks to the city New Brunswick, let them know how you feel about it, SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS
Below is an example of the SAGE works done there... Many of these walls below were still running, until the buff I'm assuming. Still haven't made my way over to see for myself. When I do...:) it won't be sad, just a new begining!
