“Brothers in Arms” Exhibition
Carmichael Gallery – West Hollywood, CA
9/10/09
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Carmichael Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of all new Hollywood-themed paintings, video and photography by British artist collective The London Police. Internationally recognized for their artwork, toy design and street interventions, this is their first solo show with Carmichael Gallery.

“Brothers in Arms” is a celebration of The London Police’s ten year anniversary. The show features works on canvases, a photographic montage, a site-specific installation and a short film documenting the artists’ creative process. The show’s title reflects both the film (a social experiment about personal space and the artistic and private challenges presented while handcuffed to another person) and the brotherly friendship of partners Chaz and Bob, who have withstood a decade of adventures around the world to present their most focused and exciting body of work yet. This new series of boldly monochromatic pieces pay homage to the city of angels and the classic films of their childhood, such as “Back to the Future” and “Star Wars”. Recognizable imagery is integrated into the symbolic London Police world of smiling characters and futuristic cityscapes. Building upon successful shows in London and Amsterdam during the spring, the collective’s synthesis of high and low culture in “Brothers in Arms” allows for a greater conversation of aesthetics, psychology and globalization.

The London Police have developed a clean, distinct, and highly recognizable style over the years. The sensory thrill of their work is influenced in part by technology and science fiction, the magic of the cinema, and the empowering nature of the urban environment. Their interest in artistic identity and branding and ability to reappropriate and remix likens their style to that of Takeshi Murakami, while the iconic function of the LADS, on the other hand, is not dissimilar to Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse.

As a collective, The London Police have worked hard to balance their very different techniques and approaches to the creative process. Careful execution and attention to detail are combined with an air of enthusiastic improvisation and creative flow. Each of the pieces created for “Brothers in Arms” contains a juxtaposition and tempering of character (drawn by Chaz) and background (created by Bob). Their tools of production are minimal – black marker pen on linen – but used to their fullest potential. Chaz’ LADS have evolved from a primitive stick-figured character in 1998 to the sharp, rounded figuration that he is known for today. Bob’s dimensional capabilities and streamlined edifices stem from his knowledge of sculpture and fascination with architecture.

The London Police employ a very personal lexicon of playfulness and humor in their work. Their pieces are filled with symbols and layered meanings. The detailed elements of cityscapes emphasize Bob’s vision of the urban environment as “a living machine, a feast for the senses”, initiating an excuse to escape into a private, virtual fantasy. The LADS and the land they occupy are representative of the future, speaking to the universal human desire to communicate and stay connected to the world around them. With black and white uniforms and heavy footwear, the former often marked with a mysterious numeral, they fit into any city as if they are your new best friend. Their cheerful cocked grins and lack of gender or arms renders them approachable by all.

Marc Schiller of Wooster Collective has commented in the past about the greater psychological significance of the LADS, saying, “Chaz and I have spent many nights talking about the positive energy that his Lad character has and what it gives to people in cities all over the world. Chaz’ gift is that he can freehand a perfect circle and with this as its foundation, the Lad has an incredible energy that people can feel as they walk by. It makes people happy.” Close examination of the work of The London Police reveals that the artists have created multiple roles for themselves: they are at once critics, rebels and products of an international youth subculture obsessed with consumerism, Hollywood, and all things Pop. Their unique portrayal of globalization is aesthetically pleasing in its childlike simplicity and embraces such adolescent fundamentals as subversive liberation and clandestine naughtiness with a giddy glee, however they do not shy away from the negative repercussions of mass media and the symptomatic frustrations associated with a planet where cultural exclusivity has been distorted and destroyed.

Chaz and Bob founded The London Police in 1998. Born in Chelmsford, Essex in 1977, they have now been based in Amsterdam for over a decade. From 2000, the duo collaborated with a third member, Garrett Chow, however when the group disbanded mid-decade, Chaz continued The London Police alone. Bob’s recent return to the collective signaled a new beginning in the history of The London Police and 2009 has proven to be their finest year to date.

The London Police are universally acknowledged as two of the most pivotal voices in the history of street art. A decade of activity across Asia, North and South America, and Europe has shaped an ever-growing network of loyal fans infatuated with the collective and the qualities of freedom and liveliness inherent in everything they do. Their street interventions range from tiny stickers to larger than life murals; their most significant to date can be found in Kreuzberg, Berlin on a six story building. The London Police have taken part in major exhibitions in cities around the world such as London, Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Shanghai, Tokyo and Amsterdam, to name a few. They have also produced a successful range of supplementary merchandise which includes toys and clothing.

LOCATION:
Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art
1257 N. La Brea Ave
West Hollywood CA 90038

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www.carmichaelgallery.com