Mural hot bun progression pic-story.

Have you been high today?

Mural tools.

Benny Lava mural at the Bridge.

The Bridge is a very cool place in Charlottesville. We met director Greg A. Kelly the opening night and immediately asked André if he'd be interested in doing a mural for them. You don't have to ask André twice. He was dropped there by 10AM, and soon after lunchtime we went there to meet him. This is what we found!

If you're wondering what Benny Lava stands for, and why we're in these stupid poses, and if you're not afraid nor offended with a little silliness, check the root of it all here.

Check other posts for other details, and here for more pics, done by the folks at the Bridge.

Backstore.

As we mentioned on previous posts, the gallery's space was smaller so it couldn't hold every piece that was sent. It's a shame, and I'm partially to blame, eager and megalomaniac that I was... Still, for those of you who're interested, you can always ask the galelry staff to let you check the "backroom" or "backstore" and check on the available extra work by all artists. It's all good, of course, but please make sure you check Frédéric Coché Hic Sunt Leones' pages. They're absolutely ravishing.

The books for sale are on display, as you know, but here's a pic of the extra boxes inside...

Opening night

Here's a few pictures from the opening night. The place was packed!
We met a lot of great local artists and gallerists and just plain, good old folk!
It was fun. The Argentinian wine and the food was also superb.

Eggs.

Don't ask. But it was yummy.

Lisa Beane's XO.

Lisa Beane is a very well-known artist from Charlottesville, and she has exhibited extensively throught both the States and abroad. Our show opened at the same time that Lisa's last works show, entitled XO (you should read it "X-O"). It had intensive paintings and one sculpture, and you should check it out asap.
And Lisa is one cool woman!

Mike Rhode and Sara Duke on the show.

Mike Rhode and Sara Duke were kind enough to drive down from DC to Charlottesville to be with us on opening night. We spoke for a while on all things comics, as nerdy and as intelligently as can be.
Here's Sara, Pedro and Mike. That's André hand butting in...
Sara will be writing about the show on the next IJOCA (that's the legendary International Journal of Comic Art, edited by John Lent, and shame on you for not knowing this!), but Mike tokk down a few notes on his own blog, ComicsDC, and which you can check here.
Thank you so much, Mike! And than you too, Sara. We'll be looking forward for your review. It was nice meeting you both!
Update: Mike put up a few pictures here. Check them out!

Charlottesville's preliminary black blooming

Here is the book that Lemos prepared specifically for the Charlottesville show. Its full title is as follows: Charlottesville's preliminary black blooming (an amazing & epic journey of a Portuguese artist to meet the refreshing and brand new Dogwood Festival's Queen).
Whew!
It has a limited run of 50 copies, it will be this print only, it was done over a single weekend and it was issued through André Lemos' own zine house, Opuntia books, of which you can find a blog (just google it).
Here's the link for a short video preview.
Apart from the gallery, you can try contacting André himself for the book, whether through Opuntia books (see above for the link) or through his own blog, Opuntia Syndrome.
They're grrreat!

Divide et Impera book.

You can check at youtube a small video preview of "Divide et Impera", the book we did for the show, with seven pieces of experimental comics by Warren Craghead III, Andrei Molotiu, Fabio Zimbres, André Lemos, Aerim Lee, Ilan Manouach and Frédéric Coché. It has an essay by me, Pedro Moura, and it was published through Montesinos (Lisbon, Portugal).
The amazing cover was done by Charlottesville's favourite son, Warren Craghead III!
The link is here.
If you want a copy of this, leave a comment, or drop me a line at pedrovmouraATgmail.com
Thanks!