The Infinite Monkey Theorem by Kyle Platts
Mutant by Craig Questions
Krent Able
Jonny Negron
Untitled by Nick Gazin
Sam Taylor
The VICE Illustration Show 17th May – 2nd June 2013 Pure Evil Gallery, 108 Leonard Street, EC2A 4XS
www.vice.com
Gathering together the most visceral and ‘challenging’ work on offer for the very first time, ‘The VICE Illustration Show’ is an essential guide to VICE’s unique visual history in print and online, and a preview of what’s coming next from this collection of highly unusual minds.
Classic work from each artist has been unearthed from the archives and gives an unchartered insight into a pre-digitised process where beautiful, messy line drawings are king. This collection of original and unseen work will sit alongside new pieces created exclusively for the show, designed to give an insight into the modern illustrator at work.
Art has played an integral part in VICE’s visual fabric for over 10 years, accompanying stories varying from the war in the Middle East to divorce based homicide. A VICE illustrator is able to capture humour and absurdity in equal measure, honing a talent not only for the technicality of producing world-class work but also the wry social commentary that adds the fuel to its fire.
Johnny Ryan has become a poster boy of American alternative comics with his range of characters unapologetically stomping over the lines of good taste and remains one of VICE’s longest standing contributors. Further bold graphics of the show vary from the caustic comic talents of Kyle Platts and Sam Taylor’s colour-saturated drawings to Daniel David Freeman’s collaged and ink-heavy work.
‘The VICE Illustration Show’ exhibits some of the best loved creations that have made readers laugh, cry and burn effigies of the magazine in outrage over the years, but also opens a dialogue on how the decline of print and exponential rise of digital platforms has affected the scope for artists in this industry now and in the future.
