Dustward Collective Art Opening
The first show the new year at the Photo Epicenter on Lilac Alley showcased an impressive span of national artists whose work is defined principally by its unconventional, un-gallery aesthetic. It is always a challenge to put the work of ’street artists’ within a confined space without loosing some vitality, however as anyone who has tried a hand at street art the limitations of time and space can impede creativity aka if the cops are coming you have to be quick, and the weather makes even legal street art a challenge.
The Hamburger Eyes Photo Epicenter is an ideal location for a show to retain its edgy core while having the luxury of time, space, and in the case of this show projectors, television screen scluptures, nike air one altars,reflective pyramid structures and a display of 80s style wind breakers in eye breaking neons.
This show, and well every show in this location, has the wonderful synchronicity of re-creating the feeling that is in the show itself. Hamburger Eyes Magazine has made a strong name for itself in its dependably fun openings that are always filled with artists with tall can beers having a good time and appreciating the work while themselves mimicking some of the street scenes in the work itself, this was best exemplified by the scene in the alley way below the gallery where a young man with a white boom box was dancing and singing along with his music the entire evening surrounded by bemused girls with straight legged pants and irregular hairdos.
The aritsts:
Timothy Walkiewicz, Dan Murphy, Stefan Simikich, Jesse Geller, Kunle Martins, Tim Badalucco, Emily Riedman-Walkiewicz, Rebekah Maysles, Sergei Trudnowski and Mark Cross
Dustward mission statement:The Dustward is a collective of notable artists emerging from the underground of art, publishing, graffiti, photography, bicycle messenger culture, skateboarding, design and urban music scenes.
From the early 90’s individual Dustward members have interacted with each other on a variety of levels to the present day where they all have indivually risen to prominence in their chosen disciplines.
In 2007 the artists solidified their social and artistic network forming The Dustward uniting artists from Philadelphia, New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
As a collective unit the artists work to display their unified vision; a bleak, outside look at the last outposts of a crumbling society refracted and rebuilt into an overwhelming, all-consuming, multi-layered visual, audio, lifestyle collage.
The Dustward looks into itself to see any kind of future; it prides itself on its adaptation and utilization of tools and vehicles, prospers from adversity, and moves in positive forward motion into a millennium not yet formed.
