No Evil, Acrylic on canvas, 60” by 48”

Dangerous Minds pal artist Dimitri Drjuchin, creator of the already iconic cover art for Father John Misty’s Fear Fun album and a portrait of Robert Anton Wilson that counter culture types all over Twitter and Facebook have adopted as their avatar (he also made this image of Mark Z. that got around a bit, perhaps some of you have seen it?) has a new art show opening up in San Francisco this weekend.

I’m extremely bullish on Dimitri’s work. I’d go so far to say that I reckon he’s the “new” Keith Haring or Shepard Fairey.

Coming from a background in street art murals, poster design and stickering, Dimitri’s “Fuck You, I’m Batman” stickers and “Tom Selleck Saved My Baby” posters (collaborations with comedian Greg Barris) seemed omnipresent in downtown Manhattan when I was in New York last. I haven’t seen such a notable street art presence since Fairey’s “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” stencil took over NYC a few decades ago or Haring’s three-eyed squares and atomic babies before that.

Drjuchin’s work is incredibly varied and yet, it’s all quite obviously by the same hand. So very graphic, so very direct. It can emotionally draw you into its world, in an instant, like the very best street art can. The balance, composition and Russian-constructivist pop art payload of his playful images are exquisitely his own.

And like his famous predecessors in street iconography, now that you’re seeing a few of Dimitri Drjuchin’s paintings here (more at his blog), you won’t wonder “who painted this” the next time you see one, will you?

“In Heaven” runs from April 12 to May 19th and there will be an artist reception on April 13th at 7pm.

Campfire Gallery, 3344 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
 

 
“Swimmers,” Acrylic On Canvas
 

 
“Oh No!,” acrylic on canvas, 30” x 30”
 
Below, a time-lapse video of Dimitri Drjuchin painting: