July 11, 2017
It’s almost here—Heavy Metal’s 40th Anniversary Art Show, opening THIS SATURDAY (July 15) at Copro Gallery in the Bergamot Arts Complex, 2525 Michigan Ave T5, in Santa Monica. You can get more of the deets and the full list of artists here: Heavy Metal 40th Anniversary Art Show Opens July 15!. This show is going to kick so much ass—we’re talking 100+ works by artists who’ve been in Heavy Metal, or have always wanted to be.
MORE GALLERIES: Preview Gallery 2 • Preview Gallery 3 • Preview Gallery 4
Here is but a small sampling:
Cam Rackam, “The Compact” (2017), 58″ x 47″ oil on board
Tim Molloy, “Mr. Unpronounceable Receives
Distressing News”
Mathew Bone, “Bad Blood,” 14″ x 11″ Oil on panel
Dave Palumbo, “Born of the Machine” (2017), 18″ x 14″ oil on panel
About Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, first published in 1977. The magazine is known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction, erotica, and steampunk comics.
Unlike the traditional American comic books of that time bound by the restrictive Comics Code Authority, the magazine-format Heavy Metal featured explicit nudity, sexual situations, and graphic violence. The magazine started out primarily as a licensed translation of the French science-fantasy magazine Métal Hurlant, marking for many Americans their first introduction to the work of European cartoonists like Enki Bilal, Philippe Caza, Guido Crepax, Philippe Druillet, Jean-Claude Forest, Jean Giraud (a.k.a. Moebius), Chantal Montellier, and Milo Manara.
Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian adult animated science fantasy anthology film directed by Gerald Potterton (in his director debut) and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, who also was the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine, which was the basis for the film. It starred the voices of Rodger Bumpass, Jackie Burroughs, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks, Martin Lavut, Marilyn Lightstone, Eugene Levy, Alice Playten, Harold Ramis, Percy Rodriguez, Susan Roman, Richard Romanus, August Schellenberg, John Vernon, and Zal Yanovsky. The screenplay was written by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum.
The film is an anthology of various science-fiction and fantasy stories tied together by a single theme of an evil force that is "the sum of all evils". It was adapted from Heavy Metal magazine and original stories in the same spirit. Like the magazine, the film features a great deal of graphic violence, sexuality, and nudity. Its production was expedited by having several animation houses working simultaneously on different segments.
Upon release, the film received mixed reviews from critics. But was however a moderate commercial success and has since achieved a cult following. Its soundtrack was packaged by music manager Irving Azoff and included several popular rock bands and artists, including Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, Don Felder, Cheap Trick, DEVO, Journey, and Nazareth, among others.
Copro Gallery
Copro Gallery was founded in 1992 by Joe Copro, Greg Escalante and Douglas Nason as an entity to curate art exhibitions of emerging artists and publish the highest quality limited edition prints. In 1994 owner Greg Escalante co-founded Juxtapoz magazine and the gallery participated with the magazine to curate, publicize and be a media sponsor of many events inside and outside of the gallery and further promote artists. In 2000 the gallery founded a permanent location in Culver City.
In 2005 The Gallery moved to Bergamot Station arts complex in Santa Monica CA with Gary Pressman as Gallery Director and soon after Douglas Nason left the gallery. The remaining owner Greg Escalante passed away in 2017. Gary Pressman re-established the gallery as owner in 2017.
The gallery, located at Bergamot Arts, is divided into two exhibition spaces, sometimes featuring a single artist but often two or three. Large group exhibitions are also featured often in conjunction with outside curators . In following with it's original mission, Copro participates in International Art Fairs and curates outside exhibits to help promote their artists.
Focusing on museum quality installations showcasing emerging artists, Copro also exhibits many established and master painters. Placing works in museums and private collections throughout the world, Copro strives to assist collectors new and experienced in building the most exciting collections possible.
