There used to be a time when no flat of mine would be complete without the fruits of a £4.99 rummage through the racks of Athena. Posters such as "Tennis Girl Scratching Arse" and "Sensitive Man with Baby" were, for a time, the very essence of a sophisticated-yet-affordable domestic aesthetic. |
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Suddenly trends in art prints have taken a turn towards the vortex of "urban", and now you can't move for loudmouths talking you through the three months they spent lurking on Ebay, hunting down vintage screen prints by some obscure Japanese graphic designer or graffiti artist. Hell, even my mum owns a print by Banksy. That's why it's refreshing when you see a shop like Best, who, despite having worked with some of the world's most lauded graphic art collectives, actually make a point of talking their heritage down. Even more alluring is their new exhibition, Best in Show; a rare chance to see inside (and buy work from) the little shop's extensive poster vaults. A sort of poster resume of graphic art-cool, the show features work by KAWS, Frank Kozik, CAP, Rikki Marr, Ryan McGuiness and Alife, as well as specially produced work by London's very own poster pin-ups INSA and EINE. A lot of names there that my mum probably hasn't heard of. Yet.
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Best in Show - opening tonight. Until 22nd November at Best Shop and Gallery, 5 Back Hill, EC1 |
by ND |
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