::Art Battles, Red Bull & Alchemy Properties present The Living Art Exhibition:::NYC 6/9-6/19::

It's apparent that there's a twisted oxymoron in the act of showcasing street art in a high brow gallery. The removal of a perceived social deviance from its origin of the public space, where it is typically dealt with and looked upon as a nuisance, into a space of commodity and pretension has always fascinated me. In addition, the fact that much of the contemporary art scene has become IMO increasingly beguiling, yet narcissist and vacant of any valid sociopolitical voice, never ceases to both amaze and anger me (yeah, yeah...I know I'm a sourpuss. So sue me). And if my man Tahir at Staple Crops is as on point as he usually is with his social insights, the conventional avenues of showcasing art are all but antiquated. So with all of the above taken into consideration, what are we self-described purist art lovers and creators to do? It seems Art Battles and Alchemy Properties are toiling away at answering that same question. But until there's a definite consensus, they've come up with a dope little offering in the meantime.



The Living Art Exhibition runs through June 9th to the 19th at SoHo's Red Bull Space. The concept is cool, engaging, and quasi-participatory. I won't go into detail about it here. That's what their website is for. The cost is cool: $15 for a two-week pass ($10 if you cop online), which includes a free year's subscription to Time Out New York magazine and other goodies. Red Bull is really trying to diversify their brand image. First the Red Bull Music Academy, now this. Seems like they're neck and neck with Scion's pursuits. I'm typically wary of corporate interests in underground culture. But if their pursuits don't contaminate the pure intention and intensity of the art, then we real cool.

For more info on The Living Art Exhibition, go here.