The Vader Project @ The Andy Warhol Museum (Feb 13-May 3)
THE VADER PROJECT: a reimagining of the iconic Darth Vader helmet by some of today's hottest underground and pop surrealist painters, artists and designers - makes its museum premiere at The Andy Warhol Museum (in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania / www) and will be on display from February 13th thru to May 3rd, 2009.
Curated by Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys, The Vader Project [www/myspace] features 100 works by contemporary international artists utilizing 1:1 scale authentic prop replicas of the Darth Vader helmet used in the Star Wars films. Each helmet was a blank canvas for the artist to paint, design, and customize. [CLICK THRU for Press Release] "In addition to The Warhol’s grouping of these iconic helmets, approximately 15 works will be on view at The Carnegie Science Center during the duration of the exhibition."
I've had the privilege of interviewing a small handful of creators from the 1st round ofUS-customs (who took the trouble & time to reply) for my humble blog, as well as the overwhelming support of British-creators for the European-leg of the touring show for Star Wars Celebration Europe. Click on the links below for some Vader-helmet-peeps and words:
/// Vader Project USA (for Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles)
/// Vader Project UK / Blog (for Star Wars Celebration Europe)
/// Vader Project Japan (for Star Wars Celebration Japan)
PRESS RELEASE:
The Vader Project is curated by Dov Kelemer & Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys. Kelemer and Marks gathered 100 contemporary artists. Each artist was given a 1:1 scale authentic prop replica of the actual Darth Vader helmet used in the STAR WARS™ films. Each helmet served as a blank slate for each artist to paint, design, mash up and customize.
Featuring work by Shag, Peter Kuper, Attaboy, Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Dalek, Ron English, Jeff Soto, Michelle Valigura, Frank Kozik, Wade Lageose, Joe Ledbetter, Alex Pardee, Suckadelic, Cameron Tiede, Michelle Valigura, Mister Cartoon, Marc Ecko, Amanda Visell and many more, The Vader Project provided an opportunity for artists to use one of the most iconic pop culture characters in film history as their canvas.
"It's because of trailblazing artists like Andy Warhol that The Vader Project can even exist today. We couldn't be more honored to be showcasing The Vader Project at the Warhol." says Kelemer.
The Vader Project originally premiered at Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles in May 2007. From there it traveled to Star Wars Celebration Europe in London in June 2007. July 2007 brought 10 new helmets to the Star Wars Pavilion at the famed San Diego Comi-Con International. Then in July 2008, 13 Japanese artists joined forces with the existing Vader Project when their helmets premiered at Star Wars Celebration Japan.
Dov Kelemer & Sarah Jo Marks are Co-Curators The Vader Project and Co-Founders of DKE Toys, one of the largest designer vinyl and art-toy distributors in the world, exclusively representing over 100 companies, artists, and designers. Kelemer started the business selling Star Wars memorabilia more than 15 years ago. With The Vader Project he has finally found a way to meld both his passions. Marks divides her time between managing DKE art exhibitions and all DKE promotions including STUFFED: a plush food show. www.dketoys.com
Artist List:
Troy Alders Kii Arens Attaboy Anthony Ausgang Axis Aye Jay
Gary Baseman Andrew Bell Tim Biskup Mark Bodnar Andrew Brandou
Buff Monster BXH HIKARU Mister Cartoon Chino Mr. Clement Robbie Conal
CRASH Steven Daily Dalek Cam de Leon Dehara DEVILROBOTS DGPH
Bob Dob Tristan Eaton & Azk One - Thunderdog Studios Marc Ecko Eelus
Ron English FERG David Flores Brian Flynn - Hybrid Design Paul Frank
Gargamel Huck Gee Fawn Gehweiler Mike Giant Girls Drawing Girls
Dan Goodsell Gris Grimly Joe Hahn Haze XXL Jesse Hernandez Derek Hess
Yoko Holbachie Itokin Park Jeremyville kaNO Mori Katsura - RealxHead
Sun-Min Kim & David Horvath Jim Koch Frank Kozik
David S.Krys - DSK Designs Peter Kuper Wade Lageose - Lageose Design
Joe Ledbetter Simone Legno - Tokidoki MAD Mad Barbarians Madtwiinz
Marka27 Mars-1 Bill McMullen The Melvins Mori Chack Brian Morris
Nanospore Niagara Mitch O'Connell olive47 Martin Ontiveros Estevan Oriol
Alex Pardee The Pizz Plasticgod Playskewl Dave Pressler Ragnar
Jermaine Rogers Erick Scarecrow SECRETBASE HIDDY J. Otto Seibold
Shag Sket-One Shawn Smith Winston Smith Jeff Soto Damon Soule
Bwana Spoons Jophen Stein Suckadelic T9G Gary Taxali Cameron Tiede
Touma UrbanMedium USUGUROW Michelle Valigura VanBeater
Amanda Visell.
Curated by Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys, The Vader Project [www/myspace] features 100 works by contemporary international artists utilizing 1:1 scale authentic prop replicas of the Darth Vader helmet used in the Star Wars films. Each helmet was a blank canvas for the artist to paint, design, and customize. [CLICK THRU for Press Release] "In addition to The Warhol’s grouping of these iconic helmets, approximately 15 works will be on view at The Carnegie Science Center during the duration of the exhibition."
I've had the privilege of interviewing a small handful of creators from the 1st round ofUS-customs (who took the trouble & time to reply) for my humble blog, as well as the overwhelming support of British-creators for the European-leg of the touring show for Star Wars Celebration Europe. Click on the links below for some Vader-helmet-peeps and words:
/// Vader Project USA (for Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles)
/// Vader Project UK / Blog (for Star Wars Celebration Europe)
/// Vader Project Japan (for Star Wars Celebration Japan)
PRESS RELEASE:
The Vader Project is curated by Dov Kelemer & Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys. Kelemer and Marks gathered 100 contemporary artists. Each artist was given a 1:1 scale authentic prop replica of the actual Darth Vader helmet used in the STAR WARS™ films. Each helmet served as a blank slate for each artist to paint, design, mash up and customize.
Featuring work by Shag, Peter Kuper, Attaboy, Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Dalek, Ron English, Jeff Soto, Michelle Valigura, Frank Kozik, Wade Lageose, Joe Ledbetter, Alex Pardee, Suckadelic, Cameron Tiede, Michelle Valigura, Mister Cartoon, Marc Ecko, Amanda Visell and many more, The Vader Project provided an opportunity for artists to use one of the most iconic pop culture characters in film history as their canvas.
"It's because of trailblazing artists like Andy Warhol that The Vader Project can even exist today. We couldn't be more honored to be showcasing The Vader Project at the Warhol." says Kelemer.
The Vader Project originally premiered at Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles in May 2007. From there it traveled to Star Wars Celebration Europe in London in June 2007. July 2007 brought 10 new helmets to the Star Wars Pavilion at the famed San Diego Comi-Con International. Then in July 2008, 13 Japanese artists joined forces with the existing Vader Project when their helmets premiered at Star Wars Celebration Japan.
Dov Kelemer & Sarah Jo Marks are Co-Curators The Vader Project and Co-Founders of DKE Toys, one of the largest designer vinyl and art-toy distributors in the world, exclusively representing over 100 companies, artists, and designers. Kelemer started the business selling Star Wars memorabilia more than 15 years ago. With The Vader Project he has finally found a way to meld both his passions. Marks divides her time between managing DKE art exhibitions and all DKE promotions including STUFFED: a plush food show. www.dketoys.com
Artist List:
Troy Alders Kii Arens Attaboy Anthony Ausgang Axis Aye Jay
Gary Baseman Andrew Bell Tim Biskup Mark Bodnar Andrew Brandou
Buff Monster BXH HIKARU Mister Cartoon Chino Mr. Clement Robbie Conal
CRASH Steven Daily Dalek Cam de Leon Dehara DEVILROBOTS DGPH
Bob Dob Tristan Eaton & Azk One - Thunderdog Studios Marc Ecko Eelus
Ron English FERG David Flores Brian Flynn - Hybrid Design Paul Frank
Gargamel Huck Gee Fawn Gehweiler Mike Giant Girls Drawing Girls
Dan Goodsell Gris Grimly Joe Hahn Haze XXL Jesse Hernandez Derek Hess
Yoko Holbachie Itokin Park Jeremyville kaNO Mori Katsura - RealxHead
Sun-Min Kim & David Horvath Jim Koch Frank Kozik
David S.Krys - DSK Designs Peter Kuper Wade Lageose - Lageose Design
Joe Ledbetter Simone Legno - Tokidoki MAD Mad Barbarians Madtwiinz
Marka27 Mars-1 Bill McMullen The Melvins Mori Chack Brian Morris
Nanospore Niagara Mitch O'Connell olive47 Martin Ontiveros Estevan Oriol
Alex Pardee The Pizz Plasticgod Playskewl Dave Pressler Ragnar
Jermaine Rogers Erick Scarecrow SECRETBASE HIDDY J. Otto Seibold
Shag Sket-One Shawn Smith Winston Smith Jeff Soto Damon Soule
Bwana Spoons Jophen Stein Suckadelic T9G Gary Taxali Cameron Tiede
Touma UrbanMedium USUGUROW Michelle Valigura VanBeater
Amanda Visell.
