The two cologne based artists Olek and Selek, aka "Fashionkills", were followed by many friends and fans into the „forbidden city“ for cologne people: Düsseldorf, to see the newest works by the artists at the vernissage at the Pretty Portal gallery.
But the bad January weather couldn't keep visitors from Düsseldorf from visiting the vernissage, too, so that once again people with interest in art and other artists came together to see the works of art, to talk and drink one or two beers.

Here are some photos of the vernissage.

In the early evening "Fashionkills" showed the movie "stations of the elevated".
This documentary from 1979 is one of the first movies, that deals with the subject "Graffiti". The movie shows picture recordings taken from different New York subways in the yard and on elevated railway lines. The movie show was accompanied by music from Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington.

We have found the movie, divided in 5 parts, on Youtube for all the people who have missed it.

In two weeks OLEK and SELEK, who have combined themselves under the label Fashionkills, open up their exhibition New York at the Pretty Portal.

Fashionkills is the label of the two Graffiti- and Streetartists Olek and Selek.
Both artists are active as graphic artists, photographers and graffiti artists since early 1990s.
Since 2002  OLEK and SELEK work together under the label fashionkills.de .

Fashionkills represents a rough streetstyle as stylistic element to reflect a feeling of life as it really is.

OLEK on "fashion kills personality": fashion, with its multiplicity of possible trends, which people run after, kills personality. To copy trends hinders the progression of personality and development of an unique, individual style. If people let themselves be influenced by outwardness and lambency too strongly, they can't develop selfconfidence and personality in any way.

Including the exhibitions:"run the line" , "invisible spray" and "hidden places" Fashionkills was featured in galleries in Cologne, Düren, Aachen, Siegen and Bonn.
In 2005 and 2006 they were also represented with their exhibitions at the Urban Artclash.

For their exhibition at the Pretty Portal they chose the topic "New York" and therefore compiled a mixture including graphic art, illustrations and photographies.

More info about the two Cologne based artists at fashionkills.de.

At the vernissage on 18th January Hulk Hodn will accompany the artworks musically.
Here is a little teaser.