Frizzell artwork prints for Samoa - now available

News Release
For Immediate Release – 10 November 2009

Frizzell artwork prints for Samoa - now available

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New Zealand’s online giving website Givealittle.co.nz teamed up with Otis Frizzell last month to complete an artwork to capture the generosity and response of New Zealanders following the recent Samoa Tsunami.

The artwork, entitled ‘God Bless Samoa’, was created in the Wellington Foyer of Te Papa over four days with members of the public watching the progress unfold. To cater for those outside of Wellington both Te Papa and Givealittle posted regular progress updates to internet photo site Flickr.com.

The resulting 8m by 2m work will be gifted to the people of Samoa as soon as a suitable home can be found in Samoa.

Frizzell commented on the commission ‘I was stoked when I was invited to participate because it sounded like an awesome thing to do. I almost designed the entire artwork in my sleep the night after I heard about it. The way everyone rallied round to get it happening and the speed in which we got it done was a testament to how much of a righteous project it was.’

To keep a slice of this unique work in New Zealand, a limited run of prints are now to be sold with proceeds being donated to the New Zealand Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund at Givealittle. It is hoped that this will see the total raised tip the tally well over $200,000.

‘We are thrilled with how Otis took our pretty broad brief and created such a great piece. I hope that the many people who supported the relief fund feel as proud of it as the Givealittle team do,’ said Givealittle Chief Executive Nathalie Hofsteede.

The prints will be sold by auction at http://trademe.co.nz – search ‘Otis Frizzell’, and a stock will soon be available via the NZ Fine Prints website http://prints.co.nz.

Editor’s Notes:

About givealittle.co.nz

Givealittle.co.nz is New Zealand’s online giving platform: www.givealittle.co.nz

About Otis Frizzell (1971 - )

If there are any barriers to where Otis Frizzell’s diverse, irrepressible talent and colourful personality will take him, he has yet to be stopped by them. He has maintained a high profile for more than a decade bringing the same appealing combination of energy, humour and raw talent to all his work regardless of the medium.

Otis entered public life in his late teens as half of popular hip hop duo MC OJ and Rhythm Slave. He has performed as Joint Force and Stylee Crew. His broadcasting partnership with Mark “Slave” Williams carried the duo into a long-running Wednesday drive-time radio slot on BFM called “Slave and Otis,” and then to hosting the “Base breakfast” show on HYPERLINK "http://www.basefm.co.nz" Base FM. The duo’s radio celebrity transferred to television with the award winning “The Mo’ Show.”

Otis has more than 15 years of public graffiti art experience, and since 1998 has retained his position as New Zealand’s highest profile graffiti artist. His first solo exhibition Opto 2000 produced with pop culture manipulator Mike Weston, marked the beginning of an innovative art production and management collaboration that has produced a playful and challenging stream of works, repeatedly setting a benchmark in artistic and technical achievement in the chosen media, His work can be

found at the Parnell gallery, Lethams Gallery (Herne Bay) the Saatchi and Saatchi offices, Robbie Williams’ London management office IE Music, on KFC packaging, Breast cancer T shirts, Grand Prix Racing Cars, Drag Strips, Playstation Ads, numerous walls and backdrops, TV2 promos and record sleeves of pop artists such as Che Fu.

A man of many talents. An artistic innovator, style leader, artist, hip hop performer, radio personality, tattooist, graphic designer and chauffeur to the stars and a success in every pursuit, he is one of the true stars of New Zealand’s alternative universe.

In early 2005, Otis abandoned TV celebrity and the offer of a fourth Mo Show series, to focus on art projects working out of The Area studio with Mike Weston. In late 2005 he left the Base breakfast Show on Base FM with “Slave” and is now painting, print making and illustrating full time.

As well as producing art in a solo capacity Otis often works in collaboration with Mike Weston as Art Brand 'Weston Frizzell'. Weston Frizzell is currently enjoying success painting and working on Screenprints, Lithographs and high-end digital prints which are sold via a large network of galleries up and down the country.

ENDS

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