The Opera Gallery:

Since 2006, Opera Gallery London has been providing a unique art experience that offers the most renowned signatures in Modern Art (Marc Chagall, Raoul Dufy, Joan Miró) as well as the most sought-after names on the world's Contemporary Art scene (Damien Hirst, Joe Black, Gerard Rancinan), all under one roof.

Opera Gallery London is part of Opera Gallery Group, comprised of 11 galleries located throughout the world. It is one of the rare international art gallery networks with locations on several continents: The United States (New York and Miami), Europe (Paris, Monaco, London, Geneva), Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul) and Middle East (Dubai). Each gallery is located in the heart of a major art capital of the world, in the hub of the busiest and most prestigious districts.

The Opera gallery's next event is URBAN MASTERS, a street art off-site exhibition sponsored by ANV and presented in a former Victorian factory in Shoreditch, London. 

Opera Gallery London and ANV in association with Butterfly present

Urban Masters

An urban and street art installation paying tribute to the Masters of the history of art

Opera Gallery London and ANV in association with Butterfly are pleased to present URBAN MASTERS - an alternative art installation giving street and urban artists a chance to render homage to the masters, masterpieces and muses that have influenced their journey through the world of art and played a part in who they are nowadays.

URBAN MASTERS is an intense urban display in a former Victorian factory in London’s trendy yet subversive Shoreditch area. It will present the works of 33 of the world’s best street artists of the moment:

Rone (AUS), Risk (US), Shepard Fairey (US), ROA (BE), Mentalgassi (DE), Sweet Toof (UK), Lek (FR), Gris1 (FR), Kan (FR) to name a few....

Opera Gallery is renowned for proposing very high standard exhibitions of street and urban art. This will be the biggest urban and street art exhibition yet hosted by Opera Gallery in London, and most certainly one of the most important events on the London street art scene this year.

With a broad scope of contemporary urban and street artworks and installations, URBAN MASTERS attempts to capture the feelings and experience of the artists who were invited to give their personal interpretation on the marks left by art history-makers.

The exhibition will also offer attendees a unique opportunity to meet some of the artists involved as there will be a poster / book signing featuring many of the aforementioned artists on the day of the public opening of the show: Friday 9th November 2012, 11am-7pm.

URBAN MASTERS will be launched at a private reception from 6.00pm on Thursday 8th November 2012 (an event by invitation only) and will remain on view until Sunday 18th November 2012. If members of the press wish to attend the reception, please email london@operagallery.com

“Art is about passing on references and creativeness. Most people know that Banksy and Blek Le Rat, founding fathers of stencil art, have inspired a generation of young contemporary urban and street artists - making street art one of the most successful genres of the century. But it is time we give this new generation a say and let them tell us their story, tell us who inspired them personally and what made them the artists they are now”. Jean-David Malat, Director of Opera Gallery London, on the concept behind URBAN MASTERS.

“Urban Masters is a rare opportunity to view in one place works by extraordinary artists from literally all over the world, from Latin America, US, Europe and Australia. Coming from the graffiti and street art scene, these artists pay tribute and reinterpret the Masters that inspired them, with their own skills and techniques. Art regenerates itself with breathtaking results”. Butterfly.

“Street art matters. By taking their art to the most public of all spaces - the streets - artists build bridges between them and their community and therefore help cement an art-aware society. Moreover, they bring new perspectives upon the urban architecture and landscape and thus help re- invent a city to house this art conscious society”. Florie-Anne Mondoloni, Opera Gallery London.

"By definition anything visionary, ground breaking or novel involves risk. Facing and handling these risks opens the door to achieving true creative innovation and personal fulfilment in art or in business," explains R. Matthew Fairfield, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ANV,"As underwriters who mitigate risks on a daily basis, we see art and artists who take creative risk as perfect examples of what is possible when risk and fear can be conquered"

"Art provides a window into how a culture perceives itself and the soul of its people. ANV as an organisation is deeply respectful of local business cultures and customs. Supporting new views and unique perspectives is how we see our work as insurers and its how we see the work of the 'Urban Masters' featured in the exhibition." adds Gerard van Loon, Chief Underwriting Officer at ANV.