Washington D.C. has gone full swing into the street art gallery movement with the latest exhibition at Irvine Contemporary. Street/Studio 2.0 (which is Irvine’s second major street art show) brings work by Shepard Fairey, José Parlá, Swoon, Romon Yang (Rostarr), David Ellis, Chris Mendoza, James Marshall (Dalek), and Gaia to the District. The exhibition is hosted at both Irvine Contemporary’s primary space (1412 14th Street) and the Montserrat House (2016 9th Street).

From the gallery -

Street/Studio 2.0 showcases the multiple practices of artists who work across a continuum of sites and mediums that include street mural works, studio works in all mediums, gallery and museum exhibitions, digital production tools, and documentation and distribution on the Web. The artists works–in any medium and wherever they appear–form a dialog with the city and engage us with responses to the energy, conflicts, and joys of urban life.

Our exhibition last year, Street/Studio, showed how artists working in this new continuity of practice understand their works as always being site-specific, made for the spaces that frame them, regardless of the cultural categories defining where art should appear.

Street/Studio 2.0 further advances a broader view of art today as artists now develop their work in a continuity of practice spanning works in all forms and locations, digital media and software, and the Web. Street/Studio 2.0 presents leading artists who have been innovators in new categories of art, creatively recoding the recombinant DNA of culture into new forms that respond to urban life.

On view through December 18, 2010.

Work from the exhibition follows after the jump. All images are courtesy of Irvine Contemporary and the associated artist.

Dalek talks about his new mural and collaborating with Hurley.

A four year odyssee ends this summer, with The Vader Project winding down in two final events. First, the 100 helmets, conceived by some of the most noted contemporary artists around, arrive in Los Angeles for a 10-day exhibition. Running from June 12 to 20, 2010, the exhibition serves as a preview for the penultimate event in the tour – an auction at Freeman’s in Philadelphia, PA. The auction offers an opportunity to snag a helmet and takes place on July 10, 2010.

About The Vader Project -

Curated and produced by Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys, The Vader Project features 100 of the best underground artists and designers working today. “From a simple idea in 2005 to a record-setting exhibition in 2009, it’s time for our child to venture forth into the world,” Kelemer and Marks said. “We are pleased to have partnered with Freeman’s to make these fine pieces of art available to the public for the first time.”

For this unique project, each artist customized a 1:1 scale authentic prop replica of the actual Darth Vader helmet featured in the STAR WARS™ films. Notable artists involved with the project include: Shag, Peter Kuper, Jermaine Rogers, Gary Baseman, BXH, Tim Biskup, The Pizz, Dalek, Paul Frank, Ron English, Jeff Soto, Michelle Valigura, Frank Kozik, Plasticgod, Simone Legno – Tokidoki, Bill McMullen, Secret Base, Joe Ledbetter, Alex Pardee, Suckadelic, Cameron Tiede, Mister Cartoon, Marc Ecko, and Amanda Visell.

Since its premiere in 2007, The Vader Project has toured the world. The collection launched in May 2007 at the Star Wars Celebration IV event in Los Angeles, and travelled internationally to Europe in July 2007 and Japan in July 2008. Most recently The Vader Project was on display from February 13 – May 3, 2009 at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This auction is not sponsored or endorsed by Lucasfilm Ltd., and has no relationship with Lucasfilm. Star Wars and all related intellectual property is © or ® 2010 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved.

A few more of the 100 helmets from The Vader Project after the jump.

Elms Lesters Paintings Rooms plays host to a collaborative duel exhibition of work by Dalek & Delta beginning this Friday, August 28, 2009. The artists share an interest in geometric canvases. However, when hung together the similarities fall to the differences, and the effect is a cohesive collection of pieces drawing instant comparison between the two men. (via Wallpaper*).

The exhibition will remain on view until September 26, 2009.

Work by Dalek follows.

Capping off his time in Hawaii for the 2D exhibition, Dalek has released a limited run of 50 hand signed prints. The prints are sized at 27 x 21. Order direct from In4Mation.

Details of the print after the jump.

The final post in our continued coverage of Dalek in Hawaii sees the unveiled finished pieces produced during the course of last week.

“In Europe, pieces like this sell for at least $8000. In Hawai‘i, the price of his original artwork by Dalek is a little more ambiguous and negotiable. Small fortunes hanging on the wall of SoHo Mixed Media Bar.” Photo by Honozooloo.

More images from the event follow.

On day three, Dalek visited the Contemporary Museum and some of Honolulu’s other key spots. Once again, images and captions from LanciferVisual and Contrast Magazine.

Things are moving along at Honolulu’s Soho Mixed Media Bar. Here’s the report of day two from the Context Magazine folks. Coverage of day one can be found here.

The Wagner heat gun is made to take paint off, but for the purposes of fine art, Dalek uses the tool to add more paint– an ironic occurrence in the artistic process. This gun along with many other tools, the artist legally known as James Marshall, uses in create stunning pieces of art. For the past two days, Marshall has been working in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, preparing several original pieces for 2D: The Art of 2day exhibit at SoHo.

This event is a collaborative effort by In4mation, Contrast Magazine, Hurley and The Sheraton Waikiki to benefit The Contemporary Museum (TCM) and will culminate with the exhibit during the monthly First Friday Art Walk.

Before any of Dalek’s pieces can be displayed in its colorful and shapely beauty, the artwork needs to be first made. That’s why Marshall, along with a team of art fans, led by In4mantion’s Jun Jo and Contrast’s Kristen Lee Lim, are using Wagner heat guns to dry paint on the wooden panels so Dalek can put more on. There’s a long list of tools that Marshall uses to create: rulers, rollers, pencils, pens, paint, paper towels, brushes, boards and a milky-looking matte sealant that we nicknamed, ‘jizz.’

It’s all necessary- and all good- for this interactive art experience in the islands. So far, on Day 2 of Dalek’s Hawaiian trip, there has been over a dozen different hands working together to increase the presence of modern art in the islands by benefitting TCM. Marshall and the art fans put in a long night yesterday, putting down a couple cases of beer and rolling a lot of Behr paint till 3 a.m.

Whether they be using the Wagner heat gun, taping off a design or brushing ‘jizz’ onto tape, Dalek and this rag tag crew of art aficionados are currently deep in the creative process and it’s a beautiful thing. Aloha.

More images from day two after the jump.

World-renowned artist Dalek is in Honolulu this week prepping for an exhibition of new work at Soho Mixed Media Bar. The show will take place on Honolulu’s First Friday Art Walk, and benefit The Contemporary Museum. Sponsorship is provided by In4mation, Contrast Magazine, Hurley International, and the Sheraton Waikiki.

In the days before the opening, Dalek is busying himself by creating several pieces of art especially for Soho Mixed Media Bar. It’s live painting, for those that want to stop by, and a great chance to view his creative process. We’ll be covering the goings on for those that can’t get to the islands.

For those in Hawaii, Soho Mixed Media Bar is located at 80 S. Pauahi St., Honolulu.

Head to the jump for a recap of yesterdays action, with captions by the Contrast crew. Look for more as the week progresses.

Now on view at the Andy Warhol Museum, The Vader Project invites members of the pop surrealist and underground art scenes to work on a blank canvas of Darth Vader’s helmet. Included are submissions from Jeff Soto, Ron English, Dalek, and Mister Cartoon.

The Warhol Museum is located in Pittsburg, PA.