Los Ángeles, CA * email at reversibleeye.net
REVERSIBLE EYE began as an art magazine and comp tape label in the early 1990’s, going simply by the title “Reversible” at that time. The label/zine was created by the artist Karim Shuquem to share his music, drawings, thoughts, and interests, as well as those of his friends. In the early 2000s, having moved from Los Angeles to Oakland, California, Shuquem turned the ‘zine into a website and booked the first art event associated with the label, effectively changing Reversible Eye into an event promotions and arts curating group while still releasing an occasional record or tape. Again moving, this time to Chicago, Shuquem opened Reversible Eye Gallery with his wife, Elena Brocade, in 2005.
Together they curated art exhibitions and events based around themes such as puppets (The Puppet and Doll Show), graffiti and stencil art (Public Image Enemy), color limitations (Red White and Blue), and fashion (Excesstential Style), as well as, working with various community organizations (Puerto Rican Cultural Center and Arts of Life) and individual artists such as Panacea Theriac, Nicholas Kashian and Christopher Ilth.
In December, 2012, Karim Shuquem and Elena Brocade closed the gallery returned to their native location, Los Angeles.
LA WEEKLY JULY 8-14 2016
Over-the-top jacket design
Jonathan Johnson meant to go to art
school but ended up instead working in
a jewelry factory in Pforzheim, Germany.
He’s since become a jewelry maker
fascinated by the culture of adornment,
especially its extreme, flamboyant mani-
festations. He’s collaborated with actress-
dominatrix Snow Mercy and the Tom of
Finland estate, where beefcake culture
is always esteemed, to make jewelry-
enhanced jackets. Artist-musician Karim
Shuquem makes “Rebellion Jackets,” bor-
rowing from punk aesthetics and using
imagery from jailhouse suicides. The two
will make music and wear their art for a
one-night performance at LAST Projects
called EXCESSstential Style 2.0. 6546
Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Fri., July 8, 7
p.m. (323) 356-4225.
EXCESStential STYLE
Exhibition: May 4 to June 8, 2007
Opening Reception: Friday, May 4 – 7 to Midnight – $8 admission
feat. performers:
Grace Kulp
Right Eye Rita
Closing Reception: Friday June 8 – 7 to Midnight
EXCESStential STYLE at Reversible Eye is a show of unreasonable, outrageous, and extreme costume and fashion. Interspersed between the costumes and made-to-wear-sculptures displayed on mannequins and live models, we are showcasing fashion photography that merges the worlds of fashion, spectacle and art. We have chosen artists from Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. The unifying thread for all of these artists is an exploration of fantasy worlds and surreal storytelling, with a prevailing interest in creating new realities and breaking the bonds of reason and utility. EXCESStential STYLE has brought together artists that reach beyond the ordinary and into the realms of an absurd and unconscionable existence.
Artists shown are Tara Tatangelo, Delia Tei, Jason Fail, Pandora, Andrea Jeblonski, Kate, Elena Brocade
