Berlin's Urban Spree will be opening the new year with arguably their biggest solo show with of works by NYC graffiti legend and abstract graffiti pioneer, Lenny McGurr aka Futura 2000. On Friday, January 11th, Urban Spree will open "Futura: The 5 Elements," an extensive exhibition taking up the entire floor of their large space in Berlin's Friedrichshain with more than 60 original paintings on display.
Although a show of such scale might feel like a retrospective presentation (the kind of showcase Futura 2000 definitely deserves), the new presentation is comprised of all new works tackling the ambitious theme of the "Creation of the Universe." Known for his energetic visuals that blend the spray paint haze and drips, along with strict linework, dots, and unmistakeable atomic whirl, the NYC-based artist constructed a series of works that provide a path to the exploration of the universe as well as a backdoor into his internal galaxy. Since working with abstraction, his creations can be read as anything from the cosmos, the planets, the infinitely small, or the fundamental elements, all intertwined with his iconic tag and signature elements. Using a limited palette of mostly primary colors, and carefully adding signature elements to these complex creations, the new series of works are revealing some previously unseen concepts and ways of manipulating the materials and creating work. The new paintings were produced in early 2018 in Lille, France, during a residency organized by Art-Together, a newly launched platform for the development of urban contemporary arts. —Sasha Bogojev
The opening night will mark the release of a set of 4 silk-screen prints based on the painting series, Pure (Pure Air, Pure Water, Pure Earth, Pure Fire), along with a 128-page companion book titled Futura, Les 5 Éléments. The exhibition will be on view through Feburary 24, 2019.
