I first noticed the existence of artist Kevin Berlin because Linda told me about one of his projects: appearing with different personalities, each with it’s own name, history, art project, business card, having a group exhibit.
Funny and interesting, in the context of everybody’s mask(s), at the same time.
By then I did not know that celebrities like Kim Basinger, Luciano Pavarotti, Buzz Aldrin, David Letterman, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Quincy Jones are among his collectors.

Kevin spent six month in Shanghai, China. The result of his experiences and impressions during this time is exhibited at Fu Xin Gallery since a few days. The presentation is called “Double Happiness” which is the English translation of one of the Chinese signs for marriage and has been the name of a popular cigarette brand since the 1920ies.

My friend J who lives and works in Shanghai sent me some pictures and short words to them:

“He treats what Shanghai is right now: brands, money and cigarettes. Brands, especially of cigarettes (people smoke like crazy), distinguish the different social classes. It is all about status, money, power, materialism of the society in this modern, high speed growing city”

Since J first came to Shanghai he always told me about folks affection for brands and bags, combining the huge Louis Vuitton with Pyjamas to go buy some frogs for dinner. Unfortunately nowadays it is not allowed anymore to walk in public with pyjamas, I think that is a pity.

The painting (all are oil on canvas) Kevin Berlin created inspired of his visits to “The Glamour Bar”, entitled “East meets West” is interesting: it shows the common audience of the bar lining them up according to there status. The artist himself (with a gun) stands in between rich, Chinese businessmen, the wife’s of these men just next to a beggar.

You can visit the exhibition until March 4, 2009.