Returning to Melbourne for a second time, Mark Bode has been a hell busy man since his last trip down here for his successful solo show at House Of Bricks. Now, he returns with a spin on the Australian culture, for his whimsically cool show “Ned Kelly Maps & Other Outback Stories”.
“In the graffiti pantheon, Mark Bode is one of the living gods.
Son of the iconoclastic New York underground comic book artist Vaughn Bode. A prolific and charismatic artist in the 70’s who universe of characters and stories resonated so strongly with rebellious mentality of the burgeoning hip-hop and graffiti scene that they we’re adopted by the earliest graffiti artists, becoming the first illustrated characters to appear in graffiti. Soon the Bode style of illustration became as ubiquitous to the development of graffiti as wild-style.
As the inheritor to this global movement Mark Bode spent his formative years in the surreal world of comic book, illustration and fantasy artists. Raised in New York with the familiar work of his father speeding past him on the subway and painted on walls throughout the city, Mark also soon became actively involved in the graffiti scene himself and is today one of the worlds most respected graffiti artists.
Mark is a comic book writer and artist, a tattooist and a graffiti artist, he has expanded on his fathers legacy and continues to this day to act as the guardian of the universe, overseeing it’s development with projects throughout the world.
Mark is presenting new body of work focused on the life and crimes of the Australian outlaw Ned Kelly.
During a road trip to Sydney earlier this year and an impromptu stop at Glenrowan, Mark was introduced to the story of Ned Kelly who has since become a regular addition to his universe. In this show Mark is presenting a series of sketches and original works on Australian road maps featuring the Kelly Gang and a Bode interpretation of their universe which in his opinion deserves further development in the global consciousness.
This exhibition is only up for one weekend from the 16th of November until 18th and is being presented at a Backwoods pop up space, on 143 Johnston Street, Collingwood.”
We interviewed Mark last time he was down in February, and we’d heard he was going to be making another trip down this way – we loved his show at HoB and this one we’re sure will be no exception. We’d heard that this was going to be at House Of Bricks or Backwoods, but we just received an email saying that it is now going to be at a special popup space on Johnston st in Collingwood – so head down there to check it all out this Friday – you wont be disappointed.
Who: Mark Bode
What: Ned Kelly Maps & Other outback Stories
Where: Backwoods Gallery POP UP SPACE – 143 Johnston St, Collingwood
When: Friday 16th November from 6pm til 9pm, show runs until 18th November only.
Check out Backwoods Gallery, the Facebook event page as well as Mark Bodes website for more details.
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