LA artist Punk Me Tender to make a splash with debut Perth exhibition

With blazing colour, spray-painted live models and his iconic larger-than-life butterflies, LA artist Punk Me Tender lands in Perth this month for his first blockbuster exhibition Down Under.

Gullotti Galleries teased Perth art lovers with a mini showing of the artist’s work earlier this year and now an epic collection of Punk Me Tender canvases and installations – along with the artist himself – is heading our way.

Taking over the Cottesloe gallery from Friday, September 29 to Friday, October 20, the artist will introduce Perth to his unique mix of Californian-sunshine-meets-street-art-and-high-fashion.

Punk Me Tender is the professional alias of Romain, a French native who moved to LA in 2000. The name is a mash-up inspired by two of the former’s DJ’s music idols, Daft Punk and Elvis Presley.

Until seven years ago, Punk Me Tender was colouring cities around the world as a close collaborator of Mr Brainwash, who wowed Perth with his debut Australian show at Gullotti Galleries last year. There’s still the edgy street style, raw exuberance and signature handwriting that defined the artist’s work alongside Mr Brainwash, but as a solo artist Punk Me Tender is pushing his work in different directions.

Original photography, bold colours and glossy embellishments such as sparkling Swarovski crystals, diamond dust, shiny acrylic coatings and three-dimensional elements often feature in Punk Me Tender’s work.

Gallery owner Paul Gullotti invited the artist to show in Perth after visiting his Los Angeles studio a few years ago. Mr Gullotti said the exhibition was another coup for both Perth and the Australian art world. Now Punk Me Tender will make the 15,000 km trip to Mr Gullotti’s hometown in time for the Australian debut of his exhibition Rise and Shine. “We can’t wait to bring the Punk Me Tender experience to Perth, inviting people to connect with this internationally acclaimed artist’s one-of-a-kind expressions of beauty, joy and positivity,” Mr Gullotti said.

Highlights will include an installation featuring several of the artist’s gloriously coloured butterflies and a wall comprised of 60 small paintings measuring just 12” square. “I’m looking forward to meeting people in Perth and giving them an open door into my world with a fun, happy and caring event,” the artist said. “Together we arise, we love, we share the moon.”

Punk Me Tender’s Rise and Shine exhibition is showing at Gullotti Galleries from Friday, September 29 to Friday, October 20, 2023. For more info, head to gullottigalleries.com.au