The Kingpins & The Gossip at Art Basel Miami with Deitch Projects

The Kingpins and The Gossip will headline for Deitch Projects launch event at Art Basel Miami 2008. The collaborative project Conversation Piece was commissioned by Deitch Projects (New York) for their renowned Art Basel Miami opening event. Held at the Raleigh Hotel in South Beach, the Deitch Projects event is the legendary annual launch party of Art Basel Miami.

For one night only The Kingpins and American band The Gossip will combine forces to present a live performance. Normally two distinct artistic collectives, Conversation Piece will allow a dialogue between the creative groups, a conversation of re-mixing music, re-contextualising lyrics and sampling musical tropes.

The installation for their live performance, designed and created by The Kingpins, will reflect this exchange of ideas with giant speech bubbles constructed from the text designs found on hundreds of t-shirts. Fashion tees, protest tees, rock n roll tees and corporate tees are sewn together to create a tapestry of quotes. Political statements, cheap slogans and fan regalia will merge in a cacophony of voices that is Conversation Piece.

Kaliman Gallery artists in Current

Art & Australia has now released Current, a massive publication profiling 80 contemporary artists from Australia and New Zealand. The book features the practice of eleven Kaliman Gallery artists: Del Kathryn Barton, Stephen Birch, Shane Cotton, Adam Cullen, David Griggs, Brent Harris, The Kingpins, Tim McMonagle, Ms & Mr, David Rosetzky and Glenn Sorensen. For more information see the Art & Australia website. On sale November 25.

Shane Cotton recipient of 2008 NZ Laureate Award

Shane Cotton has been awarded one the prestigious 2008 New Zealand Laureate Awards in recognition of artistic achievement. Presented annually to five recipients in the New Zealand arts arena, the award includes a $50,000 donation to support their practice and future projects.

Julian Dashper and The Kingpins in Artspace 24/25

To celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Artspace, Sydney there will be a 3 day event commencing 30 October - 2 November. The project includes twenty-four one-hour exhibitions. As part of this project Julian Dashper's work will feature on Saturday 1 November and The Kingpins will exhibit on Sunday 2 November. For more details see the Artspace website.