antisocial-800
ANTISOCIAL MEDIA
featuring i♥️, eafo & The Grominator
March 3–19, 2016

 

Antisocial Media is a collection of works by i♥️, eafo and The Grominator made in the wake of several cliché personal experiences involving love, addiction, and stupidity. They both mourn and rejoice in this unsolicited education. The variety of mediums and styles marks a major creative transition, but each artwork retains a sense of self-reflection and an affinity for illustration. Click here to see photos on Flickr >

i♥️ was born somewhere in western Canada, sometime in the late ’80s. Given the nature of what he does, iHeart remains anonymous. By appropriating elements of digital culture the artist blurs the boundaries of life on- and offline. iHeart’s solo exhibition, #asignofthetimes, was an unsanctioned gallery installed under the Granville Street Bridge in the summer of 2015. The show explored some dark twists on society’s obsession with social media. Despite the City of Vancouver’s efforts to curb iHeart’s nefarious behaviour the artist continues to live and work in Vancouver.

Earthfolk, aka eafo, is a Calgarian boy who makes things. He mostly draws and writes things on walls and canvas and paper and stuff. He is not really sure why he does this, but there is a lot of happiness, sadness, and uncertainty involved. He writes ambiguous love letters and sends them to strangers. He likes drawing iconic things, especially hands and the face of a man. The man is imaginary and is kind of a weirdo, but is a pretty nice guy.

The Grominator, a Canadian graffiti artist, is widely recognized for his psychedelic monsters and graffiti on trains throughout Canada and the United States. He began painting trains in 2008 in his hometown of Calgary AB, and initially creating art in 2006. Since then he has traveled throughout Canada and the United States and created a strong following in North America and worldwide. He is consistently creating and sharing new forms of artwork ranging from canvas’, model trains, and toys to collaborations with clothing companies and long boarding companies. His work has been in skate shops, glass shops, galleries and murals throughout Canada and the United States. He continues to hit every town and city he visits, always making a undeniable presence.

Pizza!
I CHEW CHEW CHEW YOU
A Pizza Art Show
February 11-27, 2016

 

Pizza Punks zine and Hot Art Wet City bring you a group art show tribute to your favourite food: pizza! Show pizza how much you love it with this Valentine’s show. Paintings, drawings and digital works depicting the beauty that is pizza. See photos from the show on Flickr >

Artists: Aaron White, Alexandra Dewar, Alexandra Little, Amelia Smart, Andrea Hooge, Anita Bhatia, Arinn Westendorf, Ben Hawkins, Ben Z Cooper, Brent Haddow, Brie Katherine, Bryce Aspinall, Carla Stein, Carli Erin Boisjolie, Cass Wall, Chelsea O’Byrne, Chelsea Ramos, Chris Bentzen, Cole Pauls, Dan Brown Hozjan, Dan Kaspick, Dani Yannece & Maria Asselin-Roy, Darrien Pearce, Emily Rau, Eric Button, Eric Juan, Erin Gibbs, Flavia , Gary Lee, Gerry Cleary, Hannah Ravening, Hayley Dawn Muir, J Lord-Purcell, Jasmine Choi, Jenna Sokalski, Jennifer Chernecki, Jenny Newman, Jill Corbett, John Shigeta, Joni Taylor, Jules Bussey, Kangi Connie Wang, Kathy Moyou, Kay Slater, Kaz Simpson, Kelly Baker, Kirsten Hatfield, Kristian Adam, Lara Hjorthoy, Lara Ripley, Lauren Carr, Lindsay Chetek, Lindsay May, Lyndsey Paramo, Madeline Kloepper, Mallory Donen , Mandy Lau, Mari Ono, Michael Hong, Michelle Federici, Natalie Schnitter, Nic Lypowy, Olivia DiLiberto, Payal Bansal, Pirabalini B, Ratsalad, Rita Loehr, Sara J Molcan, Sara Wilson, Serena Bon-Binky, Stephanie McDonell & Phaedra Harder, Susanna Leu, Taylor Krulicki, Tim Bauer, and Zed Alexandra.

Thanks to Courtney Colbon for supplying pizza cookies and Fire Pizza for supplying actual pizza for our opening reception!

The Special
The Special
featuring Kevin Lanthier
Curated by Pennylane Shen
January 7–30, 2016

 

Like any city, Vancouver has its myths and clichés. Being a lifelong resident of the Lower Mainland, these are as common to artist Kevin Lanthier as the North Shore Mountains, or Number 1 Highway. As a digital photo artist, the ability to extract and recompose elements allows him to explore these ideas. So while every subject of his images can be found within the Greater Vancouver area (unless they’ve already become victims of the city’s ever-reconstructing nature), none will be found in the context in which you see them here.

As such, The Special is not at all about the strict documentation of the city, but rather presents a crafted idea of it as it exists in our thoughts and memories. The flattened perspective of the buildings suggests reducing those structures to symbols, as a child would draw a house by placing a triangle atop a square, yet they maintain photorealism. The assembly of the pieces is done with the intention of creating a series of hyperreal, yet nostalgic little worlds, each of them distinctly and recognizably Vancouver.

Since it’s first appearance in 1965, the Vancouver Special has become ubiquitous throughout the city, especially it’s eastern half. The only house style completely unique to Vancouver, they were initially targeted for immigrant families looking for an affordable, modern home designed to optimize use of the 33 foot wide city lot. The original plans could be purchased at City Hall for $65, permits were given out almost immediately, and they could be built in as little as three weeks. With no basement to excavate, they were quick, convenient, and inexpensive. By the mid 80’s their boxy, utilitarian, stucco/wood paneling/brick or stone veneer aesthetic had become so reviled that they earned their derisive name and bylaws were passed to prevent their further construction. Over 10,000 remain today, symbols of the city’s rapid growth and working class practicality.

Today, a new style of house is being mass-produced, one with almost the same uniformity and pervasiveness of the classic Vancouver Special: a house design I think of as being the “New Vancouver Special”. All over the city, older houses are being knocked down and replaced with this new design here. While the classic Vancouver Specials are having something of a renaissance, becoming targets for renovations that take their strengths in efficient use of space and modernizing the aesthetic for the more trendy, affluent homebuyer of today, I wonder will these brand new houses have the same nostalgia surrounding them in 40 years? Do they even have a quality of build to sustain such long-term use? Do they offer anything worth the waste created by knocking down the older houses they replace?

The Special

EVERYTHING must go
Everything Must Go
December 9-23, 2015

 

A collection of work from past shows. Lots of hidden gems, a few new pieces and some lost treasures we’ve dug out of storage. Great prices on great work. Plus prints, cards and more for your gift giving pleasure.

SEXXXMAS ft Emma Cooper

DR SKETCHY’S ANTI ART SCHOOL
featuring Emma Cooper on stage
and vintage peep show curated by
Robin Bougie
December 15, 2015

 

Dr Sketchy’s Anti Art School is what happens when a simple question is asked: why can’t figure drawing be sexy? Part art class, part cabaret, join us on the third Tuesday of the month at Hot Art Wet City for 3 hours of drawing and decadence! drsketchyvancouver.com for more info. Join the Dr Sketchy’s Facebook page to keep up to date and see pics >

Come Draw with Me
Alicia Tobin’s Come Draw With Me
December 11, 2015

 

Come Draw With Alicia Tobin and get some of her patented* comedic critique of your 5-minute drawings (*not actually patented). Then enjoy the comedy of her special guests Kevin Banner, Stacey McLaughlin, Emmett Hall and Charlie Demers! Come draw with us! Supplies provided. No talent necessary.

Comedy Bucket
Kyle Bottom’s Comedy Bucket
with guest host Katie Ellen Humphries
plus Jane Stanton, Aaron Read, Kathleen McGee, and Ivan Decker
December 10, 2015

 

Comedy Bucket is the only show in town where comedians are guaranteed to talk about what’s on your mind. Everyone who attends this show will receive a slip of paper, on which they can write anything… anonymously. You don’t sign it, no one looks at it. Straight into the bucket it goes and what comes out is comedy gold… hopefully. A talented crew of jokers including Jane Stanton, Aaron Reed, Kathleen McGee, and Ivan Decker will attempt to perform comedic alchemy, right before your very eyes. Whatever you’re thinking about, whatever crosses your mind. Write it down and see what happens. The best comics. The best laughs. Monthly at Hot Art Wet City. Special guest host Katie Ellen Humphries!

Vancouverite

Vancouverite: A Comedy Show
December 4, 2015

 
Amber Harper-Young & Brent Constantine host Vancouverite, a comedy show featuring funny stories about what adjusting to Vancouver has been like, from some of the best Vancouver comedians including Ben Mills, Sean Devlin, John Cullen, Brett Nikolic, Chris Gordon, and Kevin Banner.

Come Draw with Me
Alicia Tobin’s Come Draw With Me
November 27, 2015

 

Come Draw With Alicia Tobin and get some of her patented* comedic critique of your 5-minute drawings (*not actually patented). Then enjoy the stand-up comedy of her special guests Kyle Bottom, Gavin Matts and Kathleen McGee. Come draw with us! Supplies provided. No talent necessary.

Agatha Frisky

Dr Sketchy’s Anti Art School
ft Agatha Frisky
November 17, 2015

 

Dr Sketchy’s Anti Art School is what happens when a simple question is asked: why can’t figure drawing be sexy? Part art class, part cabaret, join us on the third Tuesday of the month at Hot Art Wet City for 3 hours of drawing and decadence! drsketchyvancouver.com for more info. Join the Dr Sketchy’s Facebook page to keep up to date and see pics >

© 2014 Hot Art Wet City