FREE BOOK: Please God Save Us - CPOP Gallery Detroit - Friday August 1st

1st emailer to ask for a copy of this book AND include your mailing address gets it!
GONE !!!


Please God Save Us
Derek Hess & Kent Smith @ CPop Gallery For Book Signing
Friday, August 1st

Derek Hess and Kent Smith mark the release of book with free party and signing

(Detroit) –Former Detroiter, CCS standout and internationally renown artist Derek Hess, along with Cleveland politician Kent Smith will celebrate the release of their new book, the socio-political art tome, Please God Save Us, with a release party and book signing at the CPop Gallery ONE NIGHT ONLY, on Friday, August 1st, 2008.

The party will run from 6 PM to 9 PM, offering attendees the opportunity to not only purchase Please God Save Us, but also to ask questions and share thoughts with both Hess and Smith who will be in attendance.

The book, which was officially released on July 4th, is a collection of politically charged art works by Hess and complimenting text by Smith created to challenge the current ideals of society and create awareness of both political and religious issues inundating government today. The pieces were first introduced to the public at a local art show in December of 2006 and have since taken on a life of their own, drawing both praise and criticism. Addressing a variety of topics including Stem Cell research, the war in Iraq, the Christian right and the environment among others, the book, according to it’s authors, is intended to “educate and inspire its readers whether or not they agree with either the art or the words”.
CPop Gallery has been proud to haveexhibited Derek Hess’ Rock Posters, Fine Art pieces and illustrations in 4 solo shows and 2 group shows over the past 15 years. Considered the “Michaelangelo of Rock Art”, Hess no longer produces rock posters, but incorporates his Humanist vision into his work, as well as being the namesake of the incredibly popular hard rock tour, “Strhess Fest” and his own Strhess clothing line .

Please God Save Us, is published by Hess’ own Strhess Press is 112 pages and will retail for $25.
For more information about the Please God Save Us release party or the book itself please contact, Tom Thewes at tom@cpop.com or visit www.strhesspress.com.


About Derek Hess: Internationally-known artist Derek Hess has spent the past fifteen years creating rock poster art that has not only made him a household name, but has also caught the attention of both the Louvre and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where his work is featured in both institutions permanent collections. After years of creating posters and flyers for well-known bands such as Deftones, Thursday, Every Time I Die and Taking Back Sunday, as well as popular fine art. Hess has recently diverged into creating witty and thought-provoking art that pushes the envelope of societal ideals.

About Kent Smith: Kent Smith is an award-winning Cleveland-area elected official who has been friends with Derek Hess for years. Smith has written for the Cleveland Free Times and is currently a PhD candidate in the Economic Development program at Cleveland State University. Before running for office, Smith worked as a community organizer for Democratic campaigns in seven states.


CPop Gallery
4160 Woodward
Detroit, MI 48201
313 833-9901
www.myspace.com/cpopgallery
http://www.cpop.com/

Derek Hess' First Detroit Solo Exhibition In Over 10 Years Opens March 21st - Join The Advanced Collector Preview NOW!

 

Detroit, Michigan - March 2014                                                         1xRUN & Strhess Present: New Work from Derek Hess Opens March 21st Join Us For Hess' First Detroit Solo Exhibition In Over 10 Years! Opening March 21st from 7-10pm, Inner State Gallery is proud to showcase new work from acclaimed artist Derek Hess. "Critical Infrastructure Against External Threats" is a continuing examination of Hess' evolving body of work that explores his use of line and form to create a sense of emotion and depth. The exhibition will feature new work highlighting Hess' recent reclaiming of long lost vinyl album covers, 8-tracks and Playboy magazines, all alongside his signature pen and ink pieces. The show will be Hess' first Detroit solo show since 2002. Throughout the last 25 years, Hess has created hundreds of rock posters and album covers for bands ranging the spectrum of rock music from Pink Floyd, Iggy Pop, Pearl Jam and Nine Inch Nails to Pantera, Clutch, Deftones and countless others. Solidifying his place in rock music history Hess' work has joined permanent collections at the Louvre in Paris as well as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Musee de la Publicite at the Palais du Louvre called his work "...a remarkable series of posters" and the European journal of poster art, called his work "the most highly sought after concert posters in the world". Although much of Hess' work is primarily executed with pen and ink, his strong technical skills and compassionate feel of his craft have continued to set him apart from his contemporaries.  His continually changing work in screen printing has crossed genres and developed a unique and recognizable style that has in turn built a fanatical base throughout the world, with many of his fans showcasing his artwork on their body as well as their wall. Hess' work is known for it's humor and irony that often depicts dynamic figure drawing and angelic characters in adverse situations. Though his creative career grew largely out of his ability to express the emotion in the indie, hardcore, and hard rock scenes of the mid-1990s, his work now has grown into a standalone career with a full length documentary in the works and Hess' own apparel company, Strhess Clothing. Recently, Hess has turned his obsessive concentration on the human form to a vast series of grease pencil nudes on retro Playboy covers from the 60's and 70's - the very same issues Hess first discovered as a fourth grader in his father's closet. The nostalgia brought back by the taboo material of Hess' childhood made the project even more fun for the artist. Drawing loose and fast, Hess was able to capture the vibrant feeling of the figure. In 2013 the limited edition book "He Ain't No Vargas" was released. The book has drawings spanning Hess' earliest experimentation with Playboy covers in 2010 all the way into his most recent works done in August, 2013. "Vargas" refers to the artist Alberto Vargas, who was responsible for the pin-up nudes in Playboy for decades, and the book title is a tongue-in-cheek shot at Hess and his ability to draw. Hugh Hefner gave his personal blessing, perhaps giving the book the highest praise one can receive from Playboy magazine, and the book also contains a foreword written by current Playboy Executive Editior Jason Buhrmester.  A limited quantity of "He Ain't No Vargas" will be available at Critical Infrastructure Against External Threads at Inner State.  About Inner State: Inner State Gallery is Detroit's premier art gallery for both established and emerging artists, both locally and internationally. Located in Eastern Market, the 1800 square foot gallery is home to two exhibition spaces, an artist live/work space, as well as a retail boutique for the gallery's online counterpart 1xRUN. Gallery Hours Thursday - Saturday 11am - 4pm   Additional Hours Available by Appointment  More information at innerstategallery.com derekhess.com 1xrun.com & strhess.com

TOMORROW: Derek Hess @ 323East

Derek Hess in-store book signing

Black Line White Lie

Friday April 27th 6-8p

323East Gallery

323 E. 4th St. Royal Oak, MI 48067

Black Line White Lie is the long overdue book featuring over 275 black and white images by artist Derek Hess. This book covers over 20 years of his black and white drawings from images of his earliest flyers to some of his more recent works like Cancer of the Soul and Valentine. Derek dedicates this huge 300 page book to his fans which also includes a chapter of over 70 tattoos that people have done of his works.

Internationally-known artist Derek Hess has spent the past twenty years creating fine art & rock poster art that has not only made him a household name, but has also caught the attention of both the Louvre and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where his work is featured in both institutions permanent collections. In addition to numerous CD covers he has been featured on TLC, MTV, Fuse, VH1, Alternative Press, Spin, Juxtapoz Magazine and many others. After years of creating posters and flyers for well-known bands such as Deftones, Thursday, Every Time I Die and Taking Back Sunday, as well as his very popular fine art Hess has finally compiled a book of his much in demand Black and White drawings.

Derek will be at 323East signing his books and speaking with fans. Derek is a participating artist in LYRIC 2 curated by Glenn Barr which will be one display during his signing. A limited edition print of Derek's Lyric piece "Ground" inspired by the Celtic Frost song will be released on 1xRUN and we will have a few on hand at the book signing this Friday from 6-8p. Check out 1xRUN for more information on the print release - http://1xrun.com/runs/Ground_Print_Book_Combo

UPCOMING BOOK SIGNING: Derek Hess @ Lucky Monkey Tattoo in Ann Arbor -

Please God Save Us Derek Hess & Kent Smith @ Lucky Monkey Tattoo Parlour
For Book Signing in Ann Arbor
Friday, October 24th 7:30-10 PM

Former Detroiter, CCS standout and internationally renown artist Derek Hess, along with Cleveland politician Kent Smith will celebrate the release of their new book, the socio-political art tome, Please God Save Us, with a release party and book signing at the Lucky Monkey Tattoo Parlour in Ann Arbor ONE NIGHT ONLY, on Friday, October 24, 2008.

The party will run from 7:30 PM to 10 PM, offering attendees the opportunity to not only purchase Please God Save Us, but also to ask questions and share thoughts with both Hess and Smith who will be in attendance. The book, which was officially released on July 4th, is a collection of politically charged art works by Hess and complimenting text by Smith created to challenge the current ideals of society and create awareness of both political and religious issues inundating government today.

The pieces were first introduced to the public at a local art show in December of 2006 and have since taken on a life of their own, drawing both praise and criticism. Addressing a variety of topics including Stem Cell research, the war in Iraq, the Christian right and the environment among others, the book, according to it’s authors, is intended to “educate and inspire its readers whether or not they agree with either the art or the words”. Hess, has been referred to as the “Michaelangelo of Rock Art”, Hess no longer produces rock posters, but incorporates his Humanist vision into his work, as well as being the namesake of the incredibly popular hard rock tour, “Strhess Fest” and his own Strhess clothing line .

Please God Save Us, is published by Hess’ own Strhess Press is 112 pages and will retail for $25.

For more information about the Please God Save Us release party

Lucky Monkey Tattoo Parlour
308 S. Ashley
Ann Arbor, MI
734-623-8200

http://www.luckymonkeytattoo.com
www.strhesspress.com



"MCB IS DETROIT"
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TONIGHT: Inner State Gallery Presents: Derek Hess & Ron Zakrin

Opening Friday, April 28th Derek Hess returns to Inner State Gallery to showcase an entirely new body of work titled EDP. With a collection of new paintings, drawings, mixed media 8-tracks and three-dimensional works on cardboard, the Cleveland-based artist continues to create emotion and depth through bold lines and form with new works that epitomizes his unique and recognizable style known the world over.

Joining Hess at Inner State will be Detroit’s own Ron Zakrin, whose new body of work Exiles continues to evolve Zakrin’s massive body of work with an ever growing cast of mythical beings and social pariahs reimagined in a modern context. 

Both shows are free and open to the public with an artist reception from
7-10pm on Friday, April 28th, 2017

Inner State Gallery

1410 Gratiot

DIETROIT

Executed primarily with pen and ink, much of Hess’ work for EDP depicts dynamic figures and angelic characters in adverse situations. Showcasing Hess’ strong technical skills and compassionate feel of his craft, these new works allow the artist to give fans a glimpse into his own personal struggles. 

“EDP is a term used by law enforcement when referring to an ‘emotionally disturbed person.’ As someone who deals with the dual diagnosis of bipolar and alcoholism these issues tend to be subjects of my work, or more precisely the feelings they create,” Hess said from his Cleveland studio. 

For Hess’ second solo exhibition at Inner State casual fans and longtime collectors alike are both sure to be surprised by this entirely new collection which features Hess’ first fully refined works created with three-dimensional cardboard assemblage. These new layered works bring viewers one step closer into Hess’ unique world. 

“I was drawing on cardboard one day, but I didn’t like the background of a piece, so the idea came to me, why don’t I just cut the foreground figure out, redraw the background on another piece of board, and adhere the figure on top of it? There it was. A figure coming out of the piece and creating nice cast shadows at the same time. I then began pushing the layer numbers creating all sorts of backgrounds, middle grounds and foregrounds,” Hess added. 

Bringing new work of his own, Detroit artist Ron Zakrin captures the outcasts, loners and beings that do not fit in with society with new paintings created in the heart of the city. Although a sense of isolation permeates the series, Zakrin’s portrayals are filled with undertones of beauty, motion and humor. 

“For this exhibition I will not only be showing new figurative works -- an angel hitchhiking, Satyrs burning cities to the ground, fauns in lingerie, you get the idea -- but there will be a few of my new paintings on tar paper which, unlike my previous works on tarpaper, undergo a surface preparation resulting in a surface quality unlike anything else,” Ron Zakrin said from his studio in Detroit’s Historic Eastern Market District. “I have also been revisiting techniques that have not been exhibited in quite some time so there will definitely be a surprise or two,” Zakrin added. 

See the entire line of paintings for the show via 1xRUN here.

ART REVIEW: Derek Hess @ Inner State Gallery Detroit by Lance Sanders

This weekend at Inner State Gallery brought the opening of "Critical Infrastructure Against External Threats", celebrated artist Derek Hess' first solo Detroit showcase since 2002. Those most familiar with his work as an extremely talented and stylized poster artist may have been confused to see gallery walls full of broken, defaced 8-track cassettes, nude female sketches scrawled upon the worn covers of old Playboys, dozens of bargain-bin record jackets screened with the same identical, Detroit-themed design, and more charcoal-sketched, angel-winged corpses than you could swing a hangman's noose at. 

Yet, for a middle-aged, worn-out, and irrationally sentimental cynic, such as myself, these works represented a longing for the innocent childhood pleasure of stumbling upon a withered and torn Playboy in the concealed sanctuary of my neighborhood woods or the musty scent of mildew released while flipping through an Uncle's milk crates of abandoned records, forsaken in favor of chunky, colorful 8-track cassettes, stacked in unstable towers upon a dusty, smoked-plastic turntable cover. Unsettlingly, each series of works and Hess' drawings contained the very real themes of adult desperation and despondency, revealing the insecurity of broken love, aging, loss, and the sometimes overwhelming futility of life itself. Hess' command of the human form remains undeniable on some pieces, while others portray an exhausted and almost uninspired style, which only enhances the emotional arrest conveyed throughout. The Detroit-flavored record covers in one section featured identical silkscreening, each album jacket belonging to Detroit-based musical artists. Overall, the showing was a major success, with Hess, dog in his arms, greeting the sizable crowd of admirers, visitors, and collectors. Highly recommended.

- Special Report for MCB by Lance Sanders

Tonight!!! Celebrate 11 Mexican Artists Making An Impact In The Contemporary Art Movement at Inner State Gallery Detroit

 

Fifty24MX and 1xRUN Presents Cinco De Mayo Exhibition In Detroit Celebrating Mexican Artists Making An Impact In Contemporary Art   TONIGHT Inner State Gallery and trendsetting Mexico City gallery Fifty24MX are proud to announce a group exhibition opening May 8th from 7-10pm featuring 11 Mexican artists that are making an impact in the new contemporary art movement. In addition the exhibition will also bring two of Mexico City's most prominent muralists to Detroit for a large scale mural campaign in Southwest Detroit kicking off on May 4th in celebration of Cinco De Mayo.   Please RSVP on Facebook Inner State Gallery 1410 Gratiot Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48207 Map - Directions     Spirit Of Detroit by Saner "After visiting Mexico City in 2013 we were inspired by the style and creativity coming out of the city and this younger generation of artists. When we returned to Detroit we wanted to find a way to unite Southwest Detroit's community with these artists and felt these murals and exhibition celebrating Cinco de Mayo were a perfect fit," gallery co-founder Jesse Cory said. Chulel by Smithe   El Triunfo De La Vida by Mariana Villanueva Indio Nocturnal by Marka27 Estudio 2 by Violeta Hernandez 3D Walnut by Chivo Arcadia by Jesus Benitez Burning Skies by Curiot Una Pal lg by Freddy Diaz Ciler 2 by Ciler Good & Evil by Mariana Magdaleno Working Class Dream by Apolo Cacho     Though the two organizations have worked together extensively on projects throughout Mexico, this May they will adopt Southwest Detroit as the center point of a mural campaign featuring Detroit artist Freddy Diaz, as well as visiting artists Saner, Jesús Benitez and Marka27 in the heart of Detroit's vibrant Mexican American community.  Check this week's Mural Progress in South West Detroit   About Fifty24MX: Fifty24MX is a Mexico-city based gallery dedicated to promoting Young Contemporary Art. They seek to provide unique visual experiences.   About Inner State: Inner State Gallery is Detroit's premier art gallery for established and emerging artists, from Detroit and across the globe.  Located in Eastern Market in Inner State Gallery has exhibited the work of local artists Glenn Barr, Camilo Pardo and Tyree Guyton, as well as international street artists Nychos, Askew, Ben Frost and Meggs. The 10,000 square foot building is home to two exhibition spaces, an artist residency program, a print studio and the gallery's publishing company 1xRUN.   For additional information please contact Roula David info@innerstategallery.com (313) 744-6505     Thinkspace and 1xRUN Present LAX / DTW Exhibition at Inner State Gallery Featuring Over 75 Artists From The New Contemporary Movement In Detroit To Join the advance collector preview please email info@innerstategallery.com Please RSVP on Facebook   Opening Saturday, June 6th at Detroit's Inner State Gallery "LAX/DTW" will feature over 80 local and international artists curated by Los Angeles-based gallery Thinkspace. The massive group exhibition serves as introduction to the burgeoning New Contemporary art movement for art lovers in the Midwest, handpicked by one of the scene's most prolific galleries. "With roots firmly planted in illustration, pop culture, comics, street art and graffiti, put quite simply the New Contemporary Art Movement is art for the people," Thinkspace co-founder Andrew Hosner said. For the eighth iteration of Thinkspace's traveling group exhibitions, co-owners Andrew and Shawn Hosner hand picked Detroit to showcase one of their most ambitious collections to date. As part of the exhibition the Hosners have also picked two featured artists, Stephanie Buer and Liz Brizzi for their unique hyperreal depictions highlighting Detroit's vast and varied landscapes. "We are extremely honored to present this amazing group show alongside Thinkspace. We have always admired the way Andrew and his partners have pushed boundaries and constantly strived to elevate each of their artists. Their attention to detail and passion in this community is unparalleled," Inner State Gallery owner Dan Armand said.   Featuring 16×20 inch works from: 123Klan Aaron Nagel Adam Caldwell Alexis Diaz Allison Sommers Amanda Marie Andy Kehoe Angry Woebots Anthony Clarkson Bec Winnel Brett Amory Brian Mashburn Carl Cashman Chie Yoshii Christine Wu Craig 'Skibs' Barker Curiot Dan-ah Kim Dave MacDowell David Cooley Derek Gores Derek Hess Drew Leshko EINE Ekundayo Erik Jones Erik Siador Frank Gonzales Fumi Nakamura Gaia  Glenn Barr Greg Mike Henrik Aa. Uldalen Hueman Jacub Gagnon James Bullough James Marshall (Dalek) Jeff Ramirez Jeremy Hush Jim Houser Jolene Lai Joram Roukes Joseph Martinez Kelly VIvanco Ken Flewellyn Kevin Peterson Kikyz1313 Ki Sung Koh Kojiro Ankan Takakuwa Kozyndan Kwon Kyung-yup Kyle Stewart Labrona Lindsey Carr Linnea Strid Luke Chueh Marco Mazzoni Mari Inukai Mary Iverson Matthew Grabelsky Meggs Michael Ramstead Michelle Tanguay Mike Egan Naoto Hattori Naturel Nick Jaskey Nosego Okuda Paul Barnes Paula Zammit Persue Peter Adamyan Rodrigo Luff Ryan Hewett Sarah Joncas Sean Mahan Sebastian Wahl Seth Armstrong Shark Toof Stinkfish Tony Philippou Tran Nguyen Troy Lovegates    Featured artist Stephanie Buer: Portland based artist Stephanie Buer explores derelict and abandoned urban spaces in her meticulously detailed oil paintings and charcoal drawings. Looking to the barren architectural vestiges of industry, Buer explores the life of marginalized structures once they're divested of function and condemned to vacancy and neglect. Buer is fascinated by the living histories of absence, and by the poetic solitude of remnants; these buildings, once brimming with purpose and commercial enterprise remain untenanted reminders of human desertion and waste.   Stephanie Buer's work is inspired by an untiring search for the spectral half lives of desolate spaces. Ever in search of dissonant juxtapositions and interesting details, Buer captures the poetry of imperfection in the graffiti marred walls of abandoned factories, and in the permanent vacancy of old buildings overgrown and dispossessed by the progress of nature. Initially, Buer began her search for these urban ruins and relics in the abandoned industrial recesses of Detroit. From these early urban explorations sprang an interest in the stories of structures, and in the spatial poetry of architectural remains. Her works are very much about the process of looking, of excavating beauty and value from inglorious castoffs and flawed fragments. Critically, her work encourages the viewer to consider the larger significance of a culture that pursues indiscriminate and unsustainable development; the abandoned buildings themselves endemic of the progress that once necessitated their development. Buer reminds us that things continue to live, even once they have been discarded.   Featured artist Liz Brizzi: Los Angeles based, French born, artist Liz Brizzi's mixed media collage paintings combine photography, paper and acrylic washes of paint on board to build complex and layered graphic works that capture the architectural specters of the urban core.   Brizzi is an artist adrift and in search of the mutable lives of structures. Through her travels, Brizzi has sought to capture the cultural specificity of her subjects, looking to the ways in which architecture speaks of its city's past and present. A central component of her practice involves the undertaking of urban "safaris" on which she seeks and arrests the absentia of industrial relics and buildings through photography. Her work can be defined as architectural portraiture, seeking the evasive identities of these receding and often forgotten edifices. Whether in a decrepit neon sign, a vacant alley way or a gutted building, Brizzi excavates the lives of partial vestiges. In the absence of human subjects, the works focus on these architectures and environments as living entities subject to the ravages of time and neglect.   Brizzi's gritty and colorful works are ambient, and capture the moodiness of these urban hauntings with impressionistic license. At once graphic and painterly, the works are often composites of fractured moments and vistas. Architectonically devised compositionally, the panels are nonetheless as deeply emotive and stirring as they are technically impressive. They feel both holistically bound and fragmentary - a beautifully injured vision of remnants and unknown hollows. An avid traveller with an interest in Japanese philosophy, particularly the tenets of Wabi-Sabi which expound an appreciation of transience and imperfection, Brizzi is a spatial poet in search of ragged edges and haunted fissures. Please email mailto:info@innerstategallery.com?subject=LAXDTW%20-%20Please%20add%20me%20to%20the%20advanced%20collector%20preview to join the Advance Collector Preview for LAX DTW.   Click below to forward this email to a friend Xo Xo -Team 1xRUN   Inner State Gallery 1410 Gratiot Ave Detroit, MI 48207