El Mac & Retna January T-Shirt Release
Upper Playground is proud to present El Mac and Retna’s latest work together, two new t-shirt designs that are prime examples of how this duo’s work is beautifully in sync. The first design, La Reina de la Tribus, features Retna’s signature calligraphy and accent strokes surrounding and highlighting a photorealistic portrait of La Reina painted by El Mac.
The second design, “Young Scribe”, is the portrait of a young boy by El Mac surrounded by Retna’s calligraphy. The work first appeared on a mural as part of a show the two had at the Robert Berman Gallery. “Young Scribe” was also featured on the cover of Alianza, the book cataloging the art of Retna & El Mac, as well as the Montana Artist Series Hardcore can release in limited quantities last year.
The t-shirts, along with Alianza and the Montana Artist Series cans, are now available at all Upper Playground retail stores and online at the Upper Playground web store.
Relevant Links
Upper Playground Stores: http://www.upperplayground.com/locations
Upper Playground Web Store: http://shop.upperplayground.com
Alianza Book: http://shop.upperplayground.com/p/EL-MAC-RETNA-ALIANZA/UP37309BK
Montana Artist Can: http://shop.upperplayground.com/p/MONTANA-x-EL-MAC-RETNA/GS56609MTN
Men’s Tees:
Young Scribe: http://shop.upperplayground.com/p/EL-MAC-RETNA-YOUNG-SCRIBE/FY58509T
La Reina De La Tribus: http://shop.upperplayground.com/p/EL-MAC-RETNA-LA-REINA-DE-LAS-TRIBUS/FY58609T
Women’s Tees:
Young Scribe: http://shop.upperplayground.com/p/EL-MAC-RETNA-YOUNG-SCRIBE/FY58509TG
La Reina De La Tribus: http://shop.upperplayground.com/p/EL-MAC-RETNA-LA-REINA-DE-LAS-TRIBUS/FY58609TG
About Upper Playground:
Based in San Francisco, CA, Upper Playground is the leader in today’s progressive art movement with its innovative apparel and accessories line and art galleries. Since 1999, Upper Playground has been recognized as a catalyst for the fusion of fashion with fine art. UP apparel and accessories are designed by local and international artists including Sam Flores, Jeremy Fish, Estevan Oriol, David Choe, and Alex Pardee. The Upper Playground collection is sold in over 300 boutiques worldwide and online. In addition, Upper Playground has stores and galleries in San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, New York, Mexico City and London.
http://www.upperplayground.com
About El Mac:
Since having started painting graffiti as "The Mac" in the mid 90s, he has been commissioned to produce murals around the world, he has exhibited in museums, and his work has graced the cover of numerous publications. Mac has gained increasing notoriety for his almost photorealistic depictions of both ordinary people and ethereal women, in a style that is uniquely his own. Mac's intricate brushwork styles have also gained attention, while some of his murals have become mini-landmarks. Elements, themes and techniques of classic art are often incorporated into a modern context in Mac's artwork, usually with an emphasis on the human face and figure.
http://www.elmac.net/
About Retna
When Los Angeles-based graffiti artist Retna's work first appeared in the mid-nineties, what made it stand apart from the rest was its unique layering. His color palette was so intricate and so carefully chosen that his pieces often looked to have been daubed on with a paintbrush. Quite the achievement when you consider he was painting on walls, trains, bridges and freeway overpasses in the black of night. Frequently inspired by images of females found in magazines and corporate advertisements, Retna is especially known for embellishing existing fashion advertisements by overlaying a classic style that recalls Mayan and Egyptian hieroglyphs and even Byzantine religious mosaics.
http://www.digitalretna.com
