Newport Beach: a world of class and sophistication moved to a change of scenery.  Forget your Monets, O'Keefes, and your Van Gogh's; Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture, that was on exhibit at the OCMA (Orange County Museum of Art) from February 6 - May 15, 2005 was truly a one of a kind exhibit.  The art exhibition displayed the heart and soul of street culture influences in fashion, music, literature, and film, from over fifty artists.

In the gallery were pieces from Roots and Influences that portray the foundation and establishment of street culture.  Originals on display included art from Jean-Michel Basquiat, a New York artist and pioneer in the East Village Scene, which was an art movement that started in the 1980s in New York City expressing the urban world.  Art from Keith Haring will open your eyes to the graffiti art on subways of New York, a phenomenon that hit worldwide from Chicago to LA, and Tokyo.  Also on display was Andy Warhol's Graffiti Converse All-Star high-top, the first Graffiti Chucks that inspired the current Chucks you see today with images of Bob Marley and Bruce Lee.  There was work as well by Ari Marcopoulos, a photographer whose pictures depicted the New York Hip-Hop scene that will have you singing..."Step into a world...Where there's no one left...But the very best...No MC can test...Step into a world, where hip-hop is me...Where MC's and DJ's...Build up their skills as they play every day...For the, rapture"  (Step into a World ~Krs-One).

Representing the West Coast were artists such as: Wes Humpston who is best known for designing the original Dogtown skateboards and Craig R. Stecyk III, an original Dogtown member who grew up in Venice and Santa Monica.  One of Humpston's works on display was an iconic figure of the sands of California, Arnold Schwinn - a rusted Beach Cruiser bicycle.  The works by these gentlemen are proof that the surf/skate scene emerging in the 1970's have heavily influenced West Coast street culture.

Who are the Beautiful Losers?  They are artists who have been influenced by the above established artists and have begun to make a name for themselves in the world of street art.  Walk through the gallery and you would see Evan Hecox's Kyoto Street that illustrates a Far East Street movement.  Walk into the next room and you would see a collection of Ryan McGuiness' art: Project Rainbow Series, on six wood pannels, Hungry Man Has No Conscience, Bildergergers Bones Brigade, and Celebrity Trojan Horse (each on linen).  If you're a Giant Robot fan you would fall in love with Brian Donnelly's (aka KAWS) work:  Chum, a huge statue made of fiberglass and painted with auto paint; Kimpsons, The Simpsons cartoon characters with a KAWS touch, and also street installations that features NYC bus stops and phone booth ads with pictures of Heidi Klum and other celebrities bodies with cartoon faces. 

Step in to the next room and you would be astonished by the diverse artwork. Ryan McGinley revealed skate culture at its best, Chris Johansen put together a huge plywood dome where inside you would find numerous monitors with musicians playing various drums proving that video/film is still an expressive form of art.  Cynthia Connoly also tells a story to the observant eye through her prints of ice machines across the nation.

The most influential artist that has left an impression on society for a decade is Shepard Fairey, the creator of OBEY Giant.  Fairey emerged in 1995 when stickers of an image of "Andre the Giant" was massively put on street corners, gas stations, bus stops, and elevators.  In the beginning people did not understand why these stickers were being posted everywhere; the propaganda had them dumbfounded and curious as to what they mean.  Some saw it as an eyesore and vandalism, some saw it as a social trend and consumptive nature (Manifesto).  Fairey's Manifesto clearly describes this social movement and can be seen in street installations pictures on display showing OBEY's: "Andre the Giant" stickers posted on everything and everywhere.

Beautiful Losers paves the way for future generations in the street art culture.  Street art is more than just what you see; it tells a story of urban/suburban culture and meaning to a lifestyle that has influenced the world.

For more information on future exhibits visit: http://www.ocma.net