July 5, 2010
Gary Baseman, Jeremyville (pictured), and Thunderdog Studios were among the 100 artists chosen to participate in The Vader Project. Artists were given a 1:1 scale replica of the Darth Vader Helmet used in George Lucas’ Star Wars films to re-imagine and customize. The villainous Darth Vader’s helmet is instantly recognizable in pop culture; in the hands of artists the helmet takes on a new life.
The project premiered in 2007, starting in Los Angeles and then making its way through Europe and Japan before ending at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The helmets are now on display at Freeman’s Auctioneers and Appraisers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until they are auctioned on July 10, 2010.
Learn more about The Vader Project
June 11, 2010
LACMA MUSE and ArtWalk 2010: The Los Angeles Arts & Music Festival come together to bring you Gary Baseman’s “Giggle and Pop!”. The show stars Baseman’s ChouChous and Tar Pit Girls whom will perform to choreography by Sarah Elgart and music by Carina Round. Attendees are invited to join in the dancing and festivities and some will receive limited-edition sashes with original art by Baseman. Three performances are scheduled Saturday, June 12th at 12pm, 1pm, and 3pm with vignettes in between each show.
“Giggle and Pop!” takes inspiration from Baseman’s paintings “I Melt in Your Presence” (2007), “Hide and Seek in the Forest of ChouChou” (2007), and “La Noche de la Fusíon” (2009). Evil demons dominate the forest of ChouChou where the Wild Girls reside. ChouChous save the Wild Girls by absorbing their negative energy, oozing love from their belly buttons. The Wild Girls are transformed into Tar Pit Girls at the LACMA event, positively altered from the love of the ChouChou.
View some inspirational sketches by Gary Baseman and check out the the ChouChous and Wild Girls
December 9, 2009
In order to raise awareness on the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, the World Health Organization established World Aids Day in 1988. Observed on December 1st, it is a chance for organizations and individuals to “demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.” According to 2008 data from the United Nations, approximately 33 million people around the world are living with HIV.
In Latin America, JWT worked with GAPA/BS (Grupo de Apoio à Prevenção à AIDS da Baixada Santista) on a campaign with the message “Be pure. Safe sex is never wrong.” GAPA/BS is a philanthropic foundation that hopes the campaign will change the perception of purity – that to remain pure, all it takes is protection. Several artists including Gary Baseman (work pictured above) and Tatiana Arocha volunteered their talent for the project, creating art for T-shirts, print media, and animation.
See more work from the campaign by Tatiana Arocha
November 5, 2009
Hello Kitty celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. Parent company Sanrio is not holding back when it comes to honoring the pink-bowed feline. At the center of numerous Hello Kitty events is the Three Apples exhibition at the Royal/T gallery in Los Angeles. Curated by Jamie Rivadeneira, owner of pop-culture shop JAPANLA, the show includes Hello-Kitty inspired work by over 80 artists such as Gary Baseman, FriendsWithYou, Ron English, Buff Monster, Camilla d’Errico, Luke Chueh, Deph, Yosuke Ueno, and more.
Learn about how Gary Baseman and FriendsWithYou feel about Hello Kitty.
September 22, 2009
Shepard Fairey’s latest project is Art for Obama, a book filled illustrations that were inspired by Barack Obama and the groundbreaking 2008 presidential election. Much of the artwork is from the Manifest Hope art show in January preceding Obama’s inauguration. Featured artists include Andrew Bannecker, Gary Baseman, Tristan Eaton, and SNO & Shepard Fairey. Andrew Bannecker’s image (left) was chosen for the cover (right).
Fairey co-edited the book with Jennifer Gross and all proceeds go to Americans for the Arts, a non-profit organization that promotes art throughout the nation.
“Art for Obama: Designing for Manifest Hope and the Campaign for Change” (Abrams Image) is on sale now.
