One of my favorite holiday memories as a child was putting up the Halloween decorations. Now the only decorating that I do is when I hang art. But sometimes art can be the spookiest thing about Halloween… Just take a look at our haunted art gallery:
#1 Wizard Skull – Freddy Kruger prints
The prolific skateboard designer Wizard Skull has screenprinted this image from one of his many free zines floating around. An illustration based on the Nightmare on Elm Street dream-creeper that is made all the more creepy by how much he loves that cat. [We wrote about the artist here]
#2 Ben Godward – Drippy
Many of Ben Godwards’ pieces recall The Blob rolling over everything in its path or the ectoplasm in Ghostbusters 2. Between Famous Accountants and this exhibition in particular, you’ll find the inspiration for the haunted art gallery. [We wrote about the artist here.]
#3 Steve Girard – As Long As I Make Sense To Me
We would love to see someone costume themselves as one of Steve Girard‘s illustrations this year. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to convince anyone to wear that much spaghetti. In our haunted art gallery these illustrations would occupy the walls opposite Freddy Kruger. [We wrote about the artist here]
#4 Michael Kronenberg – Loteria Series
The Loteria series is somewhat of a departure from Michael Kronenberg‘s other works. Thankfully that departure fits with our haunted art gallery, especially since we tend to act like little devils for Halloween. The series also comes with short poems. Here is the poem for El Diablito:
This Old man sits on the hillside,
How could he inflict this suffering upon us?
He grins because he’s got the balls!
[Brooklyn Spaces article about the artist]
#5 Ellen Letcher – Biker
The inclusion of this one is kind of a long story. Let it suffice to say that I had my first (and thus far only) supernatural experience while hanging out with Ellen. This piece would go in the back of our haunted art gallery, so that while leading people on a tour through the space we’d come to this last and they’d ask “What’s with this? I like Ellen’s work but this isn’t in the spirit of the holiday.”
I’d smile and start “Just wait ’til you hear this one…” [Riot Of Perfume – Studio Visit]
#6 Reed and Rader – Red Water
There is something creepy about animated gifs. You load a website and suddenly a picture, which you expected to be still, moves. Whoa! If it moves like the animated gifs created by Reed and Rader, you’re better be really creeped out. Check out the series Red Water. [We wrote about the artists here]
#7 Worm Carnevale – Animated
It belongs to his mission statement to be creepy. Subversive Bushwick-based photographer Worm Carnevale has also been experimenting with animated gifs lately and to our Halloween joy, yes, they are creeping us out! [We wrote about the artist here]
#8 Tinkebell – My Little Pony
Tinkebell is a Dutch artist who is so provocative that she even published a book of hate mail addressed to her titled Dearest Tinkebell and oops, she exposed the identity of the senders. For this year’s Pulse Art Fair, Tinkebell taxidermied a horse named Cupcake. We saw Cupcake also at The Active Space Salon Show in August. [HuffPost article about the artist]
#9 Nate Anspaugh – Masks
Nate Anspaugh‘s art is pretty dark… His recurring motive of masks spooks us probably the most. Nate himself hates masks and Halloween but that doesn’t prevent him from making them again and again. Freaky! [We wrote about the artist here.]
#10 Jonathan Chapline – Bedroom Door
What exactly is going on behind the bedroom door of Jonathan Chapline? I personally don’t want to know. Jonathan works in painting, drawing and video, and honestly, creeps us out here and there…. [Interview with the artist on Art Czar]
Haunted gallery art pieces #1-5 by Sean Alday; #5-10 by Katarina Hybenova.
