The goal of Monopoly, of course, is to buy all the real estate in a micro-version of Atlantic City and drive your fellow aspiring tycoons into bankruptcy. Pennybags represents capitalism in a larger sense, Alec said, and his use of the image is a reminder that the road to financial success can sometimes mirror the efforts of someone attempting to win a board game. In his paintings and graffiti, Alec puts Pennybags into a variety of situations: Pennybags with no money, Pennybags running away, Pennybags crucified by Wall Street. “Park Place” is open to the public through April 14.Īlec’s art centers around the board game’s mascot, Rich “Uncle” Pennybags, a.k.a. Sitting on the floor watching Alec paint the Catalina, Lemseffer said, “I told him, ‘You do realize that one day this car will be in a museum.'” When LAB ART opened in May 2011 - an auto body shop that Lemseffer and his sister Rachel Joelson transformed into a 6,500 square foot gallery that exclusively features street artists - Alec was one of the first featured artists. He started creating graffiti 15 years ago. Alec, originally from New York City, has lived in Los Angeles since 2006. Iskander Lemseffer, co-founder of LAB ART Gallery, was immediately drawn to Alec’s work when he first saw it on the streets of Los Angeles five years ago. Since each board game comes with $20,580, the buyer used money from 146 games to purchase the painting.
“The idea behind the exhibit is to bring the game of Monopoly to life,” explained Alec, who sold one of his paintings in the show for $3 million - in Monopoly money. Alec’s signature game piece, a 1964 Pontiac Catalina owned by actor Adrien Brody, was painted during the show. Alec Monopoly, who is known only by his pseudonym, and the team at LAB ART transformed the gallery space, inside and out, into a life-size version of the Monopoly board game. The street artist’s first solo show, “Park Place,” opened at the LAB ART Gallery in Los Angeles earlier this month. Alec Monopoly has Rich “Uncle” Pennybags and Madonna. Photo courtesy of LAB ART Gallery and Cory Allen Contemporary Art.Īndy Warhol had Campbell Soup cans and Marilyn Monroe.
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