Vernissage: 09.01.2009, 7pm

Info:

310 Squad is one of the best-known graffiti crews in Russia. They started more than 10 years ago and since then have managed to not only convince with their activities, huge murals and extraordinary motive combinations of highest quality in Russia but also in the rest of the world. By combining traditional graffiti with modern styles of Classic Art such as Realism, Minimalism and Pop Art, 310 Squad stands out from the gros of international street activists. Within their pieces you might find a dripping style right next to a portrait of a woman with tears in her eyes which reminds of the works of Lichtenstein or increased raster points next to minimalist shapes and so on. By doing so the crews dared to create a very unique style that lives through the combination of art and graffiti without loosing its aerosol authenticity. Compared to street art in European cities the crew from Moscow manages to bring art pieces of the ‘Moderne’ onto the streets instead of bringing art from the streets into the galleries. The only existing publication about street-art and graffiti from the former Eastern Bloc ‘Objekts3’ contributed a whole chapter on the crew and their protagonists. Their first exhibition in Europe is called ‘Kontraband’. Even though the art works of the three Russian graffiti pioneers had a rather adventurous journey to Berlin, the title of the exhibition relates to two other work characteristics: Within the war on our streets between art and commerce, aerosol and authority, graffiti can still be regarded as a contraband. On the other side 310 Squad knows how to smuggle meaning into the banished art form, usually known from classic art genres, without distancing themselves from their graffiti writer background. In collaboration with REDSPECTIVE, ATM is proud to present Urban Art from the heart of Russia in a Double-Show for the very first time in Europe. The show consists of more than 30 different works produced by 310 Squad who are on their way to write graffiti history.

Also showing at:

REDSPECTIVE
open: monday – saturday 12 – 8pm
Rosa-Luxemburgstr. 18
10178 Berlin Mitte
www.redspective.com