Following a widely successful inaugural exhibition, DORF presents Return of the Litvak, a selection of new work by Austin-based street artist ANGRY CLOUD + DESCND, and a concurrent fundraiser for the Beto O’Rourke campaign for U.S. Senate. ANGRY CLOUD + DESCND, a prolific street artist, has showered Austin with his signature clouds for the past few years; making them is a cathartic expression for him that reclaims public spaces from pervasive, bland development. The artist often paints his imagery directly onto cut-out, repurposed cardboard and wood, attaching them to street poles, signage, highway overpasses, and overlooked urban spaces. His characters appear to react to the surrounding chaos and noise and incorporate intriguing wordplay that calls into question systems of power.

For this show, ANGRY CLOUD + DESCND draws parallels between atrocious human conflicts of the past century and today’s political climate. What happens to societies that propagate and encourage ideas of fear and divisiveness? Is hate for the “other” a phenomenon innate in human nature, or a wave of madness that overtakes societies that choose not to condemn hate? What do the artist’s personal actions, past and present, reveal regarding these questions?

Tying into the political themes of this work, the two-day opening will also be a fundraiser for the Beto O’Rourke campaign, with an emphasis on Get Out The Vote and voter registration.

ANGRY CLOUD + DESCND @ DORF
On View August 25–September 15
Open Hours: Saturdays 1–5 pm by appointment only
Contact Sara Vanderbeek for more information: sara.vanderbeek@gmail.com | 718.964.8180.

EVENTS

OPENING WEEKEND | DAY I
Friday, August 24, 7–10 pm
Live T-Shirt Screen Printing. $5 donation, bring your own shirt (new or old)
Beto O’Rourke Fundraiser + Voter Registration

OPENING WEEKEND | DAY II
Saturday, August 25, 4–7 pm
Live Painting by ANGRY CLOUD + DESCND
Beto O’Rourke Fundraiser + Voter Registration

ARTIST TALK
Thursday, September 13, 7 pm

ANGRY CLOUD + DESCND is a visual and motion artist born and raised in New York City. A 1995 graduate of Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Illustration, he landed in Austin in 2011.

A lifetime urban dweller, his creative influences have drawn heavily from his surroundings—from the numerous subcultures of music and art to the physical landscape of the city and its inhabitants. Some notable influences include the DIY art of the 1980s punk scene, the graffiti writers he knew growing up such as REAS AOK, GHOST RIS, and SELF CBS, the Gonzo art of Ralph Steadman, the raw and innovative animation of Ralph Bakshi, the contextual metal sculpture of REVS, Austrian Expressionist Egon Schiele and, of course, Ren and Stimpy.

He is rarely without a sketchbook, chronicling characters, scenarios and impressions as he navigates his world. In NYC, he spent years drawing what he encountered on his daily commute on the subway. In Austin, he has found inspiration particularly in the energy of the robust music scene, capturing through his unique lens the artists and fans he encounters at the clubs and festivals.  

ANGRY CLOUD + DESCND is a lover of motion and interactivity. He is always pursuing alternative ways to bring his art to life including working extensively with animation and experimenting with technology.

He currently lives in South Austin with his three sons.

DORF is an alternative and experimental project space located in the South Austin in-home studio of visual artists Eric Manche and Sara Vanderbeek. The space was established to support and promote Texas-based artists as well as to add vitality and momentum to the South Austin art community.   

Manche and Vanderbeek opened DORF as a response to the unavoidable closures of art spaces in Austin, attributed to skyrocketing real-estate prices and the shortage of affordable venues for art.

www.saravanderbeek.com/dorf
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