[Ruggs]

Just got this mail!

Our new gallery, studios and offices on Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia (or 'NoHo', as it was previously named by estate agents - that's 'North Soho' by the way, not a term describing the discernable lack of 1st Floor 'models' North of Oxford Street) in "swinging London's fashionable West End" is finally due to open next week. Or at least it will be if someone learns how to say to the builders and decorators, "sorry to interrupt yet another break, I can see you're hard at work on those sandwiches, but you do realise we're opening next week?" in 7 different languages.

Regardless of linguistic logistics, we will be opening the (probably still wet) doors of our newly renovated, elegant, five-storey Georgian townhouse to the public on Friday, 15th of May at 2pm. With just under 4,000 sq. ft of space for exhibitions, studios, and offices to play with, our first show will be the next installment of the Lazarides cornerstone, the ”Outsiders" group show, featuring brand new work from Antony Micallef, Bast, Conor Harrington, David Choe, Faile, Jonathan Yeo, JR, and Vhils, to name but a few, as well as some outstanding pieces from some very special guests.

[Daniel Silk]

Fewer and fewer artists at Laz seem to interest me now Only Faile and Bast out of that list

Maybe Yeo

[Bram]

???Harrington, Choe, Micallef, JR, Vhils??? not interesting, oh dear oh dear Mr Silky have you banged your head.

[wiz]

May 8, 2009 20:22:28 GMT 1 Bram said:

???Harrington, Choe, Micallef, JR, Vhils??? not interesting, oh dear oh dear Mr Silky have you banged your head.

Maybe a case of familiarity breeding complacency here?, right im off downstairs to hoof out that old cow Madonna, i mean! whos she anymore???.

ps. "Hoof out" as in ask to leave and not an urban term for anything rude or a bit kinky as in "Im just off out for a quick nosh up" might mean to some.

[jakek]

May 8, 2009 20:22:28 GMT 1 Bram said:

???Harrington, Choe, Micallef, JR, Vhils??? not interesting, oh dear oh dear Mr Silky have you banged your head.

i popped into the laz shop today and they had another great harrington sketch...didn't ask for the price so i wasn't tempted, i guess it was the same price as the earlier ones - £750 ish which isn't bad for a brilliant sketch. no vhils originals though, just a couple of the prints disappointingly.

[Winter]

Want more Yeo

[silvermyn]

This article is from the evening standard website. Is anyone from here going to the opening?

"Fans of Sir Cliff Richard may wish to turn away now. They may find it difficult to look him in the face again.

An artist has produced a portrait of the singer with morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse out of pornographic cuttings from top-shelf magazines. From a distance, the collage looks harmless. But on closer examination, intimate body parts and various sexual poses become clear.

The portrait, measuring 42cm by 42cm, goes on display with a price tag of £25,000 at a new West End gallery which opens tonight.

The artist, Jonathan Yeo, told the Standard today he had chosen Mrs Whitehouse, who died in 2001 aged 91, because he “always had a problem with her”. Sir Cliff is targeted because “anybody who has lived in apparent abstinence deserves a bit of ribbing”.

Yeo, 39, a highly-acclaimed portrait painter whose subjects have included Tony Blair, Dennis Hopper and Erin O'Connor, said: “If Mary Whitehouse was still around I hope she would treat this picture as an insult. She equated nudity, bad language and violence as if they were all equally dangerous.” He added: “I presume Cliff will have a sense of humour about it.”

Yeo painted the pair in oils from a photograph of Sir Cliff and Mrs Whitehouse in the Sixties. He then overlaid this with pornographic cuttings, matching colour, tone and brush strokes with sexual images. Yeo thinks he must have gone through 50 magazines, drawing in particular on Big Black Butt magazine.

The image is the latest produced by Yeo using porn. He depicted George W Bush “to offend a man I found offensive”. His latest portrait is likely to stir controversy. Sir Cliff 's spokesman Bill Latham said today: “It is so tacky I don't think Sir Cliff would want to give the artist the satisfaction of a reaction.”

John Beyer, who took over Mrs Whitehouse's campaign, said: “To have her memory besmirched is contemptible and passé. He needs to grow up.”

But Mrs Whitehouse's son Richard, 63, said: “It is quite witty really.”

The portrait goes on display tonight at The Rathbone, Rathbone Place."

[wiz]

Big Black Butt magazine? which shelf would that be on then i wonder?.

[Prescription Art]

There's not enough Cliff in street art.

[Cocteau 101]

Not to detract from the Cliff & Mary piece, but the other Yeo nude on display tonight is really quite beautiful.

[grantb]

May 14, 2009 12:05:58 GMT 1 @wiz said:

Big Black Butt magazine? which shelf would that be on then i wonder?.

make that decision for yourself

warning: www.tailends.com/

[Winter]

Looking forward to tonight - should be good

[Bram]

May 14, 2009 12:05:58 GMT 1 @wiz said:

Big Black Butt magazine? which shelf would that be on then i wonder?.

Having looked at it, I don't think the top shelf could take the weight.

More interestingly would be which adhesive he used.

[wiz]

Not Man Love surely Bram!. Wasnt invited tonight to the opening so hope all who were have a good time.

[slipway]

Many forum heads going down? Im probably getting there about 6

[stopki]

interesting venue

but dissapointed...

who was the special guests
nice bast set downstairs and good to see the lovely dora in the que....


yep que to get in...
crazy,



nice venue SHAME about what was on sale
miranda? mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[stopki]

no photos couldnt be bothered.
nothing to really remember

[Cocteau 101]

Have just seen a few pics, looks a pretty special place. One thing to say about Laz is that the buildings are always gorgeous, as is most of the art. The Yeos look stunning.

[Winter]

Yeo was the highlight for me with the Cliff/Whitehouse being a genuinely standout piece. A very busy night for Laz but not much going on on the sales front from what I could see. JR pieces also stood out in terms of quality.

[butterfly]

More to follow on

www.flickr.com/photos/s-butterfly/sets/72157618102347022/

[yapsey]

look forward to going tomorrow - the building itself is awesome - they've bought the lease on it for (i think it was) 80 years.... a place of permanence??

[cutiehoney]

great phots. looking forward to seeing the new space and show.

[Guest]

Thanks for the photos, looks like a great evening was had.

[grantb]

the basts and the banksy one day we will be in charge look very nice.

wouldnt like to hear prices though.

[Photoxtc]

does anyone know if Micallef's 'Red Siren" was at this opening?? and if so, anyone have pictures??

[doublehelix]

Great photos butterfly, thanks for posting.

[sand]

top pics butterfly!

[iwouldfollow youanywhere]

May 15, 2009 8:08:18 GMT 1 Photoxtc said:

does anyone know if Micallef's 'Red Siren" was at this opening?? and if so, anyone have pictures??

yes, it is there. Downstairs at the back. 1.4m square. You know how Micallefs are priced - if you need to ask then it'll be too much.

no pictures here. I preferred to enjoy the evening rather than wielding a camera to be honest.

[slipway]

Some good stuff I thought, and was interesting to chat to Conor Harrington - his original was probably the stand out piece for me

[Photoxtc]

May 15, 2009 9:05:38 GMT 1 iwouldfollow youanywhere said:

May 15, 2009 8:08:18 GMT 1 Photoxtc said:

does anyone know if Micallef's 'Red Siren" was at this opening?? and if so, anyone have pictures??

yes, it is there. Downstairs at the back. 1.4m square. You know how Micallefs are priced - if you need to ask then it'll be too much.

no pictures here. I preferred to enjoy the evening rather than wielding a camera to be honest.

yeah I know the price... sometimes it's hard to tell what's going on with a little PDF pict... So was hoping someone had a nice detailed picture of her.... ;D