Upper Playground releases Awful/Resilient, the newest book from acclaimed artist Alex Pardee. This new collection of work expands upon the previous work showcased by Alex in Awful Homesick, to bring us a broader picture of the extent of his twisted genius and the dark themes that run through his work. 172 pages fills the book with entrails and decapitations, the gaping maws of razor-sharp teeth, improbable appendages, and suppurating fleshy masses, yet we discover a vein of goodness and humanity. Awful/Resilient features 250 detailed illustrations that have made up the breadth of Alex’s career and measures in at 8.5″ x 11″ in hardcover. It is available now at the Upper Playground online store.

Upper Playground is releasing a collection of four t-shirts designed by Alex Pardee. Fresh off the opening of his pop-up shop for partner brand Zerofriends, Alex has delivered four t-shirts – Hellraiser, Spider Ram, The Carpenters, and The Second Hugging – exclusively to Upper Playground, that all stay true to Alex’s twisted animation style. Alongside the release of the tees, Upper Playground and Alex Pardee are offering an opportunity to snag some limited edition giclee prints – the first 15 purchases of each of the four t-shirts in the Upper Playground online store will receive a corresponding giclee print of the design.

SA Studios, The Weinstein Company, Upper Playground and Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 film Inglourious Basterds come together to present THE LOST ART OF INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. The exhibition will showcase a series of artist interpretations based on Tarantino’s well-received and Oscar-nominated World War II film. Artists on-board include David Choe, Sam Flores, Estevan Oriol, Grotesk, Jeremy Fish, Patrick Martinez, Alex Pardee, Dora Drimalas, Munk One, N8 Van Dyke, Rene Alamanza, Morning Breath and Skinner Davis. Only 6 pieces will be available for each creation and hand-signed by Tarantino himself. The exhibition takes place on February 18th from 6 pm – 9 pm at Upper Playground Los Angeles with each print priced at $300 USD. Sales from the prints will benefit Haiti Earthquake Relief on behalf of the Red Cross.

THE LOST ART OF THE FILM “INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS”

BENEFIT ART PROGRAM TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE

SA Studios Global’s Film Marketing Division has teamed up with Quentin Tarantino, Upper Playground and The Weinstein Company to present, THE LOST ART OF INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.

On February 18th, 2010 from 6p – 9p the world will get to preview and purchase the “Lost Art of Inglourious Basterds” at The Upper Playground Art Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles. All proceeds from this program will be donated to The American Red Cross to help the victims of the Haiti Earthquake.

This creative team has assembled the following select group of accomplished artists, David Choe, Sam Flores, Estevan Oriol, Grotesk, Jeremy Fish, Patrick Martinez, Alex Pardee, Dora Drimalas, Munk One, N8 Van Dyke, Rene Alamanza, Morning Breath and Skinner Davis, to create their own poster art based off their interpretation of the Oscar Nominated film, “Inglourious Basterds” artwork.

Each print will be numbered and signed by Quentin Tarantino. Only six (6) of each amount will be made. The prints can be viewed at http://www.upperplayground.com/inglouriousbasterds.php beginning Tuesday February 15, 2010.

The gallery will open will be open to the general public from 6p – 9p on Thursday February 18th, 2010 at Upper Playground Los Angeles located at 125 East 6th Street in Downtown LA. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the limited edition prints for $300. The prints are giclée archival and are only available for purchase at Upper Playground, Los Angeles. Phone orders and web orders will not be accepted. Prints will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. The purchase of prints will be limited to one per buyer.

About INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS:
Quentin Tarantino’s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is currently nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor.

In the first year of the German occupation of France, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish American soldiers to perform swift, shocking acts of retribution. Later known to their enemy as “the basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of the Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquis, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own…. Employing pulp and propaganda in equal measure, Quentin Tarantino’s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS weaves together the infamous, oppressed, real and larger-than-life stories of WWII.

About SA Studios Global:
SA Studios Global is a full service marketing and creative agency that specializes in strategically positioning brands, products and feature films at the core of the Street, Youth and multicultural market. Powered by the creative minds of world famous artist Mister Cartoon and famed photographer Estevan Oriol, SA Studios Global is based in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. Embedded in multi-cultural tradition, heritage and lifestyle, SA Studios Global immerses brands, products and feature films into the coveted Urban and multi cultural marketplace.

About Upper Playground:
Based in San Francisco, CA, Upper Playground is the leader in today’s progressive art movement with its innovative apparel and accessories line and art galleries. Since 1999, Upper Playground has been recognized as a catalyst for the fusion of fashion with fine art. UP apparel and accessories are designed by local and international artists including Sam Flores, Jeremy Fish, Estevan Oriol, David Choe, and Alex Pardee. The Upper Playground collection is sold in over 300 boutiques worldwide and online. In addition, Upper Playground has stores and galleries in San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Mexico City and London.

http://www.upperplayground.com

About The American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization ‹ not a government agency ‹ and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org

You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org

Tonight’s the opening night of Alex Pardee’s latest exhibition at GALLERY 1988 titled “Hiding From The Normals”. Pardee’s exhibition will involve not only artwork but interactive installations as well with the night also involving a celebration of the DVD/Blu-Ray release of Michael Dougherty’s Trick R’ Treat movie. The movie-launch will be accompanied by a t-shirt created by Alex Pardee in association with Dougherty and G1988 based on the character Sam. The opening party starts at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, October 6th.

Alex Pardee “Hiding From The Normals” Exhibition
Gallery 1988
October 6th – October 21st
7020 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA

This past weekend, SURU LA launched its latest art show titled Celeritas. Unconventional canvases in the form of motorcycle related equipment such as a 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa would serve as the source of inspiration for a high-powered line-up of artists which included Alex Pardee, Barry McGee, Darren Romanelli, Estevan Oriol, Futura, Jeff McMillan, Mark Dean Veca, Mike Shinoda, Stash, and Usugrow among others. Many of the artists would go on to replicate their signature aesthetics for an interesting angle in which the world of motorbikes meets art. All proceeds from the show which runs until August 16th were donated towards Riders for Health.

Our friends at Vimby catch up with one of the Bay Area’s premier contemporary artists in Alex Pardee at his studio in Novato. Taking some time from his busy day, Mr. Pardee gives us some in-sight into his development as an artist and what projects the master painter has up his sleeve, including a look into his animated series on WB and clothing line. Definitely an awesome piece from one of the more talented individuals in the industry. Check it out!

In conjunction with Juxtapoz, Upper Playground and Sparks, the 2008 IGNITE WHAT’S NEXT tour kicks off this Sunday, September 13th. The three-city tour will feature installations from three prolific contemporary artists in Sam Flores, Alex Pardee, and N8 Van Dyke. In addition, each event will include up-and-coming DJs dropping the beats in various settings ranging from boutiques to bars and nightclubs. As mentioned the tour begins this Sunday, September 13th at Lenny’s Bar in Atlanta, Georgia with subsequent tour stops at Boston’s Underground Snowboards (September 20th) and Phoenix’s Marquee Theater (October 3rd).

Doing his part in the upcoming San Diego Comic Convention festivities and corresponding perfectly with the recent The Dark Knight Batman movie, artist Alex Pardee has teamed up with Zerofriends to release an exclusive print. The print features Batman alongside some of his worst nemesis. A symbolic run of only 45 prints were created which correlate with 45 different arch-enemies Batman has defeated in his past including Rogue’s Gallery and League of Assassins members. Each 17″ x 22″ print is signed and numbered with a price set at $80 USD. Available at the Zerofriends booth (N13) at the SDCC.

Taking place over the weekend, Alex Pardee’s Scratches & Abrasions exhibition played host to a packed house as the artist showcased some of his latest works. In addition, some of his exclusive t-shirts for the event were also on display for Pardee who finds comfort and release through his creativity.

Source: The Gluttony

In what amount to Alex Pardee’s only exhibition of the year, “Scratches & Abrasions” is the latest collection of art inspired by many years of horror movies, graffiti and gangster rap. Marked by a distinct comparative art style which includes elements of torment and absurdity in a vivid form of visual communication. This effectively creates a mood altering experience as viewers are instantly forced to create their own feelings upon each Pardee piece. However with all this deranged art before him, the whole process is interestingly therapeutic. The show “Scratches and Abrasions” begins at 7:00 pm on July 12th with products coming in the forum of limited prints and a SURU t-shirt.

Alex Pardee “Scratches & Abrasions” Exhibition
SURU-LA
7662 Merose Ave
Los Angeles CA