EURO STASH

Written by Bridget Williams / Photos courtesy of West Chelsea Contemporary

Having grown up surrounded by art and beautiful objects, when Lisa Russell moved from LA to Austin more than two decades ago, she quickly realized that the city was lacking the type of art gallery she was used to frequenting in the City of Angels. So, with support from a mentor, she opened the doors to her own gallery in 2002, with a show of etchings by Rembrandt. Little could she have imagined that in due time her 1,200-square-foot gallery would burgeon into 8,000 square feet; that she'd take on a partner, rebrand as West Chelsea Contemporary, and open a second branch in New York in 2021, with a laser focus on showcasing a roster of modern A-list artists including Banksy, Kenny Scharf, and Ai Weiwei, among many others.

Russell explained that the genre shift is all part of being a successful gallery owner and understanding what clients are looking for and where the market is moving. "Twenty years ago, Austin was a sleepy town, and general knowledge around contemporary artists was limited," she said. What remains unchanged is that, unlike many mega-galleries, each exhibition at WCC follows Lisa's "art for all" mission. A key component is the WCC Gift Shop, ensuring that anyone who walks through the door can take something away from what they see.

When it comes to collecting, Russell believes that "things can clash harmoniously," a notion underscored by recent exhibitions at WCC New York. Spanning techniques from etching, screenprint, lithograph, collage, giclee, photography, papercut, and painting on paper, New York on Paper, organized in March 2022, celebrated more than two dozen modern and contemporary artists from WCC's collection. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with artists such as Damien Hirst, Salvador Dali, and Robert Indiana was Gary James McQueen, an artist exclusively represented in the United States by WCC and one with a story that Russell feels "hasn't been quite meaningfully told yet."

The nephew and mentee of the late fashion industry icon Alexander McQueen, Gary James McQueen developed a niche in optical-illusion textile design while working as the head textile designer for the Alexander McQueen MRTW. Before his death in 2010, Alexander entrusted Gary with several personal projects, including the Chrome Skull artwork that has become iconic as the face of the Savage Beauty exhibition commemorating Alexander McQueen's life's work. Employing 3-D lenticular technology that intersects fashion and art, Gary's hauntingly beautiful works resonate with familiar familial theatricality. He was also one of the first artists to fully immerse himself in the metaverse, putting on the first digital fashion show of its kind, supported by Epic Games and Sky Arts.

The gallery's most recent exhibition, the second iteration of Concrete to Canvas, bridged the gap between street and fine art. "There's a distinct difference in what these artists do on the street and what they create for the canvas," explained Russell.

Graffiti began to appear in the 1970s as a form of democratic personal self-expression, existing outside the bounds of law and property. The popular culture shift to using the term street art reflects an increase in commissioned murals around the world and the elevation of street artists into art icons in their own right, expanding into painting, prints, licensed vinyl toys, and fashion collaborations.

Among the artists in this four-decade retrospective was the "father of stencil graffiti," Blek le Rat, cited by Banksy as a significant influencer of his creativity and commercial success. As one of the first street artists in Paris, Blek gets credit for being the inventor of the lifesized stencil, and being the first to transform stenciling from basic lettering into pictorial art. Now in his 70s, Russell said that la Rat jokes he will continue to create street art as long as it's legal because he can't run so fast anymore.

The artist made his first visit to the United States in five years last August to mark the opening of his debut solo exhibition at WCC New York. The show highlighted the artist's well-known motifs of socio-political commentary, classical art, historical figures, and, of course, the rat. His visit was underscored by creating two commissioned murals and hosting a presentation and live stenciling in WCC's Gift Shop attended by scores of street artists eager to meet the icon.

In addition, WCC showcased brand-new prints that build upon his historical references, featuring figures such as Beethoven, Sibyl, Eros, and a tribute to fellow artist Richard Hambleton.

Two decades in, Russell's passion for her career remains palpable. "We are continuing to develop relationships with artists who are doing incredible things," she explained. "It's gratifying to be able to positively influence the success of an artist."

For more information, visit wcc.art and wccgiftshop.com.