We welcome back one of our all time favorites in the gallery this month! After rising to prominence during the 1990's gigposter revival, Derek Hess has continued to grow as an artist for the past three decades, while also championing mental health.
Join us beginning November 12 for an all new exhibit of drawings and paintings by Derek, his first exhibit with us since 2015's "Greatest Hits."
Jonny on the Spot with the Ammo
New Works by Derek Hess
November 12-December 4, 2022
Open 10am-6pm Daily
View in person at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago or online at gallery.rotofugi.com (after the exhibit opens).
For first opportunity to purchase online, please visit previews.rotofugi.com to sign up for our Gallery Previews email list.
——
About the Artist
Since he first emerged as the most artistically capable figure in the 1990s poster art renaissance, Derek Hess has made a name for himself in the worlds of fine arts, album covers, apparel design, tattooing, and even music festivals. Though he explores dark and intense themes, he’s nonetheless made art so broadly appealing that his work has been collected in the Louvre, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in tattoo parlors—and Hess is equally proud to be in all of those places.
Born in Cleveland in 1964, Hess’ ascendance in the arts should probably come as little surprise. His father, Roy Hess, was a noteworthy designer, and chairman of the lauded industrial design department at the Cleveland Institute of Art. From a young age, Hess was correctly trained in classical art and design.
Hess studied at that school, and at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, but he never landed in his father’s department, trying out illustration and graphic design before settling on a major in printmaking. It was that discipline, combined with his love of music, that led Hess to poster art fame. He had begun booking post-hardcore and underground rock concerts at the Euclid Tavern, a divey blues bar across the street from the Cleveland Institute of Art, and he drew his own fliers to promote his shows. It didn’t hurt that Hess was musically ahead of the curve, booking then-unknowns like Helmet, Green Day, and Melvins at a time when the other clubs in town couldn’t have cared less.
But as that music scene grew, people started taking as much note of Hess’ distinctive fliers as of the bands themselves—his imagery was perfect for the music’s sound, a contradictory chimera of (and sly commentary on) toughness and fragility, grandiose posturing in the face of fatalism. Though he preferred a very casual, loose, sketchy line, it was clear that Hess paid attention in anatomy class, and his work won high praise from art-world mavens who couldn’t have cared less about Cop Shoot Cop.
“I was excited about these bands,” Hess said, “and I could draw, so I just went ahead and did it. There was always inspiration to work from in the bands’ names, or their images, or just whatever their music made me feel like drawing. People started noticing the art, and then people started putting that imagery with the club, in their minds. And THEN it started to become about the artist that did all the cool fliers for the cool club that had the cool bands.”
Hess’ fliers caught the eye of gallerist Marty Geramita, who convinced Hess to level up from photocopied fliers into silkscreened posters, and formed a business devoted to that pursuit. It was from there that Hess became internationally known, creating posters for Pearl Jam and Pink Floyd; album covers for Sepultura, Converge, and R.L. Burnside; and launching the Strhess apparel line, which itself spun off into a traveling music festival.
Since then, Hess has eschewed most commercial work, focusing on original drawings and fine art serigraphs. In the 2014 documentary film Forced Perspective, Hess opened up publicly for the first time about his struggles with bipolar disorder and alcoholism, and the outpouring of fan support led him to mental health activism. He formed Acting Out! to help spread awareness of mental illness among creative people, devoted to panel discussions and arts across all disciplines, including music, comedy, visual art and film.
“Most of the emotions my work relates to are those that can be seen as the ‘negative' ones,” said Hess. “My work isn’t happy, there’s angst, depression, loss, fear, and loneliness in my work. Drawing the essence of emotions is elemental—we as a species will ALWAYS have heartache. It’d be deeply satisfying in my work stood the test of time, if it would be as relevant to someone in a hundred years as it felt to me the day I drew it.”
In what has become an October tradition, we welcome back the weird and wonderful team of Nick & Lindsay DiFabbio for a new exhibit opening Saturday! This year we'll have new original artworks and custom Skully Ghosts...but the real action will be going down all day long on opening day...
Join Nick & Lindsay for a pop-up shop featuring all new Cherry Moth Cake merch, pin and print trading, and help play-test the new “The Blessed Blade of the Badlands” card game currently in development! Drops throughout the day!
The Blessed Blade of the Badlands
New Works by Cherry Moth Cake
Nick and Lindsay DiFabbio
October 15-November 6, 2022
Pop-Up Shop/Meetup/Play-Testing
October 15, 10am-6pm
There will not be an online preview for this exhibit and online sales of the exhibit and merchandise will happen in the week following the exhibit. If you're unable to attend in person make sure you sign up for our Gallery Previews email list at previews.rotofugi.com for updates.
The exhibit is open for viewing daily 10am-6pm through November 6 at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago and will be viewable at gallery.rotofugi.com in the week following the opening.
Won't you please join us for a stroll down to the fantastic world of Owlberry Lane?
We are excited to host a collection of new works by Owlberry Lane (Heather Hyatt), beginning Saturday, October 1st! We've had our eye on Heather's beautiful works for the last couple years and can't wait to share her fantastic creations with you!
Owlberry Lane is an old, moss-covered cobblestone street deep in the emerald forest. It is said that once an ancient tribe of elflings lived there, but it has been long since abandoned. Currently, it is home to the Owlberries, Baby Chonk, and many other (mostly) friendly monster creatures that sneak about the shadows of the forest living out their magical, but mostly silly, monster lives. All inhabitants of Owlberry Lane are hand-sculpted, painted, with custom made glass eyes and even among limited edition sets, are one of a kind.
A Walk Down Owlberry Lane
October 1-November 6, 2022
Open Daily 10am-6pm
View in person at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago or online at gallery.rotofugi.com (after the exhibit opens).
For first opportunity to purchase online, please visit previews.rotofugi.com to sign up for our Gallery Previews email list.
—
About the Artist
Formally trained with a bachelor's degree in both graphic design and studio art, Heather Hyatt (aka Owlberry Lane) has been an artist for over twenty years. For a decade, she was an award-winning graphic designer in the corporate sector before turning her focus to her studio art side.
Owlberry Lane focuses on her love of traditional hand sculpting and art fantasy figures. It was originally inspired by her love of fantasy, which she has had since a child. She has been able to share this same love with her children and it has only grown exponentially.
Do you have the hustle?
Hustler's Ambition — Chicago Edition by Sentrock will release in-store only this weekend at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago (open 10am-6pm daily).
This limited edition of 125 figures, produced by UVD Toys, brings to life the work of Chicago-based artist Sentrock and celebrates the hustle of the ubiquitous street food vendors found in Chicago and beyond. This release is a Rotofugi Exclusive.
Standing 8 inches tall, and a massive 10 inches long, Hustler's Ambition is a sizable chunk of vinyl art! This limited edition will be available in person at our Chicago store beginning Saturday, September 24 at 10am for $160, limit one per customer.
Online release will follow on Monday, September 26 (random time drop) if any stock remains.
UPDATE: Figures are Available Now
Also, SAVE THE DATE for a special in-store signing by Sentrock on October 29 where you can return with your figure to have it signed by the artist. More details to come.
SIGNING RESCHEDULED for Saturday, November 19, 2-4pm
In the meantime, be sure to check out Sentrock's first solo museum exhibit, "The Boy Who Wanted to Fly," at the Elmhurst Art Museum through January 15, 2023.
About the Artist
Joseph Perez, best known as “Sentrock” is a self taught street artist. Sentrock witnessed street art as a form of expression, birthing his interest to pick a spray can and continue his artistic voice. His early works were developed from graffiti writing in Mexican-American neighborhoods. Sentrock’s signature bird-mask over a human figure has become his most recognizable declaration. Sentrock describes his bird-mask as analogous to humanity: a person who is able to find or escape to their freedom by placing them in a different reality. Through his work, he has become a catalyst for his community. His work presents undertones of hope, freedom and expression. His work encapsulates his background, history, upbringing, empathy, and compassion for his community.
Back in March 2020 we had the distinct pleasure of hosting the first solo exhibit of works by LA-based artist and illustrator Nellie Le. Unfortunately, Nellie also had the distinct displeasure of being the first exhibit we've ever hosted where we weren't able to allow folks in to view the exhibit in person (thanks Covid).
We promised then to have Nellie back, and we're making good on that promise now! Come see the adorable and affordable stylings of Nellie Le at our Chicago gallery starting Saturday, September 17th!
Little Corners of the Universe
New Works by Nellie Le
September 17-October 9, 2022
Open Daily 10am-6pm
Viewing/sales start Saturday, Septmber 17 at 10am in-person at the gallery or sign up at previews.rotofugi.com for first opportunity to purchase online.
Exhibit continues through October 9 at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago and will be viewable online at gallery.rotofugi.com
