There’s always going to be room somewhere for one more seductively stylized Mondo Gallery print, be it silkscreen, lithograph, or possibly inked upon the spine of a wandering Yakuza underboss. Tonight’s opening is destined for the bleeding-edge of legend: new works by Craig Drake and Robert Brandenburg.
As my cohort Richard Whittaker noted in detail last week, Drake caused a sensation when be began appropriating/fusing the louche, line-driven 1980s style of artist Patrick Nagel with the sci-fi imagery of Blade Runner and other cinematic iconography. Drake, for our money, is one of the most original poster artists working today.
Expect his 24 x 36 “O-Ren” to go for a modest $60, but bear in mind the print run has been limited to 125.
“Pop surrealist intervention artist” Robert Brandenburg rounds out what’s sure to be a heady, artcore evening. If only wall space was infinite. Wouldn’t that be grand? Alas, that’s an architectural house of leaves for future collector’s to construct.
The Robert Brandenburg/Craig Drake show runs Sept. 14-Oct. 6, Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6pm, at the Mondo Gallery, 4115 Guadalupe. More info at Mondotees.com.
This article appears in September 14 • 2012.