Here's a little arts & culture for ya. Contact Photography festival is the world's largest photo festival. Above is shots that are previewing the Smashbox exhibit at Jerome Jenner Gallery that launches tonight featuring Che Kothari, Steve Carty & Jamel Shabbazz. The exhibit continues to the end of May. If you have room in your Friday schedule slide up to 2880 Dundas Street West between 7pm - 12am. More info at: TwT | FB | Blg

The fam over at the emerging Baitshop Gallery are having an opening reception for their charity skateboarding exhibition this Saturday. Many of the skateboard decks haven't been seen in Toronto before. Make sure you bring a stack to cop some skate art, especially knowing the proceeds are going to The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. For all inquiries prior to Saturdays show check out FreedomFighter Skateboards. A list of artists included after the jump:

Abe Lincoln jr. Doublenaut Chris Mendoza Dave The Chimp Pure Evil Drew Millward Michael Hacker Hayden Menzies Mike Budai Spazz Bowman che kothari Scott Campbell Dr.D Soy Tami Noa Levy

Lookie here ladies, the Hellz Bellz denim gets a dope look from C'est La Vie that reinforces the growth in HB's pieces. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, Hellz was representing fully @ Queenz Remain a female graffiti and street art exhibit. This line is covering the bases, for more looks check What The Hellz.

Freshjive gets their inspiration from various points in sub-pop culture and are proud to let you know. They have just posted a 9-page spread about Mick Haggerty, a graphic artist that has been responsible for providing a niche look for the 80's music industry cover art albums among other culture staples like videos and magazines. Take in the detailed breakdown here and look out for the Freshjive pieces at your local FJ retailer.

With the Spring drops happening across the board we decided to point some attention to this Addict collaboration w/ artist MITCH. He takes the clown status and makes it provocative a la Harley Quinn. These will recieve limited drops in your Addict boutiques. Take in the rest of the pics below. Shouts to Freshness for the source. [gallery]

Remember this guy above? He's been virtually replaced by Chris Cooley below.

Chris is the New Bob Ross from Tanner Cooley on Vimeo.

Here's a reason to head out to Queen West tomorrow evening. Our homeboy Dion from Dvyne Art is launching his second installation titled "We Are Rock & Roll." Showcasing 20 pieces that are directly inspired by the force that minorities have played in Rock 'n' Roll. See you at Cartel(498 Queen St. W.) starting @ 7pm.

Inspiration is a good thing, actually it's great. This Thursday we are celebrating inspiration @ Cartel. From the hands of Dion Fitzgerald of DvyneArt translated to 12 pieces canvas out of the inspiration of Jim Crow Couture. Here's a few words from Dion about this showcase:

This is a series of 12 portraits I was inspired to create upon pre-viewing the '08 TBG summer line. Their clothing is always provocative and like fine-art itself. The line dealt with themes of "Jim Crow" laws (laws that maintained a "separate but equal" type stance in which most Confederate states in the USA enacted after the abolishment of slavery). I chose to create images that would challenge the viewer who considers themselves quite knowledgeable of this period and those that have no prior knowledge of this time. Working mainly from period photographs I wanted to bring a new vision to these well known images. One that simplified the composition yet created a deeper sense of the subjects. Drawing inspiration from the graphic nature of the Jim Crow Couture line, I felt it important to work with portraits and devise small surrealistic touches that would speak to a greater urgency and depression in the soul of a man, fighting only to be recognized as – a Man. My mediums of choice rose mainly from working in acrylic paint on canvas but grew to include ink, paint marker, pencil, collage and aerosol. The approach to each piece was very individual and within the study of my human subjects their physical portraits in paint evolved. My use of black & white, I believe, added another layer of relevance to the struggle of my subjects within the confines of “Jim Crow’s” segregated laws. Make no mistake; this series is about race, but mainly about the male African American experience of Jim Crow and the scars that have yet to heal. That said it is not an angry collection but one hopefully evoking of valid discussion.

So with that being said, swing thru Cartel(498 Queen St. W. @ Portland) this Thursday @ 7pm to check out the pieces from the TBG summer '08 collection & DvyneArt. P.S. let your art collectors know.