JOYENGINE: cause sharing is cool

Jeff Klapperich photography.  sick!

The DNC had a lot to offer above and beyond politics. A lot of parties and concerts took place last week in Denver. On Wednesday I went to the free mid-afternoon Rage Against the Machine show that took place at the Denver Coliseum for Iraq Veterans Against the War. RAGE always puts on a great show but this has to be the best RAGE concerts I have seen to date. After the show the band led thousands of concert-goers in a “march for peace” to the Pepsi Center.

I headed over to the Manifest Hope Art Gallery after RAGE and met Shepard Fairey (who was extremely nice in person). That was really amazing.

Then Wednesday night I checked out the free Public Enemy show at the Boulder Theater. The original line up was in the house and they performed their historic album “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” from start to finish. Flavor Flav was on point.

The dynamic duo that is Josh Holland and Shannon Bonatakis activated their collective creative energy to manifest their contribution to Denver’s Manifest Hope Gallery exhibition.  These two can do no wrong when it comes to paint and brushes and the below piece, provoking a sense of both awe and discovery is a testament to their powers.  Having been in and out of the gallery a great deal over the past week, and witnessing all sorts of all-star art activity,  it’s been pretty amazing to see not only how well represented, but how high the level of execution is amongst our local Colorado contingent is.  The force is strong with us.

Last night I got a sneak peak of the Obama-inspired wall murals in progress by Sam Flores, David Choe, and The Date Farmers for the Manifest Hope Gallery (unfortunately no photos were allowed). Make sure to take some time out of your day and check the pieces out-it will be well worth your time!

The Manifest Hope Gallery will be open Monday August 25th thru Thursday, August 28th between the hours of 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

2990 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80205

“We’re not going to settle for what the world is, we’re going to strive for what it might be.” — Barack Obama.  And on thing that definitely will be - is one helluva frikin’ awesome art exhibition at Andenken Gallery (2990 Larimer Street) running Monday August 25 though Thursday August 28th.

The Manifest Hope Gallery exhibition celebrates arts pivotal role in creating cultural momentum and shines a spotlight on artists across the nation who use their voices to amplify and motivate the Obama campaign.  The gallery exhibition highlights 5 central themes of the progressive grass-roots movement: Hope, Change, Progress, Unity, and Patriotism.

While we’re super-stoked that this event is coming to Denver’s very own Andenken, we’re even more stoked to be participating in it and representing Colorado’s progressive art front alongside Scot Lefavor, Evan Hecox,  Josh Holland and Shannon Bonatakis, Mike Moore of tres birds, and Rick Griffith of Matter Studio.  The list of participating artists for the show is unbelievable, we’re truly honored and humbled to be involved.  Mark your calendars.  You don’t wanna miss this one!!!

The latest list of contributing artists includes:
Aaron Martin // Adrian Sanchez // Alexis McKenzie // Amy Martin // Amy Rice // Andy Howell // Alex Pardee // Cathie Bleck // Casey Ryder // Chanel Kennebrew // Chris Pastras // Chris Yates // Cydney Payton // Dan Monick // Date Farmers // David Choe // David Lanham // Deroy Peraza // Diederick Kraaijeveld // Eddie // Elizabeth Rosen // Emek // Evan Hecox // Frank Chimero // Franke // Gary Baseman // HVW8 // Irene Hardwicke Olivieri // Jason Alberto // Justin Alberto Garcia // Jason Giglio // Jeff Zimmerman // Jesselisa Moretti // Jude Buffum // Julie Adler // Justin Bua // Kate Luscher //Kay Tuttle // Keith Negley // Kofie // Leontine Greenberg // Lisa Anne Auerbach // Lisa Congdon // Lukas Ketner // MAC //Max Ginsburg // Maya Hayuk // Mear One // Mel Kadel // Melanie Reim // Morning Breath // Munk One // Nick Dewar // Pete Yahnke // Philip John Lumbang // Ray Noland aka CRO // Rebecca Berdel // Retna // Rick Griffith // Ron English // Ron Keas // Sam Flores // Sarah Hoskins // Scot Lefavor // Shannon Bonatakis and Josh Holland // Shepard Fairey // Cypher13 // Todd Lockwood // Tom Slaughter // Mike Moore (Tres Birds) // Van Taylor Monroe // Zara Gonzalez // Zina Saunders // Zoltron // Aaron Axelrod // Thomas Brodhal // Ginger Che // Catia Chien // Christopher Cox // Grotesk // Damon Locks // Zach McDonald // Tres Birds // Adrian Tucker // Arellano Harvath // Antar Dayal // Vincent Comparetto

With the DNC coming to Denver this month, the mile high city has become the center of attention. With the spotlight on Denver and the metro area, the city has become the topic of infinite conversation, media coverage and of course subject of New York Times’ reviews. An article in Sunday’s Times smashed Denver. The article titled, 36 Hours in Denver, was accompanied with several ridiculous photos. It was almost as if the Times never made it out to Denver, but instead looked up wagons and cowboys on a stock photo website. Here are a few quotes from the article:

“…you can practically see from one end to the other, it’s that flat…”

“…While you’re waiting, familiarize yourself with local issues by watching the zipper that rings The Rocky Mountain News building near Cleveland Place: ‘Wolves Now Under State Protection … Bison Slaughter Probe May End Next Week … Police: Angry Husband Kills Cat …’”

“…There’s no getting around Denver’s culinary specialty, red meat, the starring attraction at Old West-themed barbecue joints all over town. Be grateful that about the only species not represented in the form of taxidermy on the walls (or the menu)…”

“…The best of Denver night life can be found near the city’s roots in Larimer Square in LoDo, where gold was first discovered in Colorado in the 1850s. Now the closest thing to gold around here is more likely to come in a bottle of Cuervo…”

“…The Denver Art Museum’s two-year-old jutting addition designed by Daniel Libeskind looks like an Imperial Cruiser from “Star Wars,” and once you are inside, the vertigo-inducing floor plan will make you long to get your feet back on earth…”

An actual photo from the Times’ article.

To give Denver credit, it was not the Molly Brown House, or the discovery of gold in the 1850s that made the growing city the ultimate choise for the DNC. I Have to admit the writting is quite witty. Regardless, we’re up in the Republic of Boulder and make no claims to either side.

MoveOn.org Political Action and Obey Giant invite you to show your art at the Democratic National Convention at the Manifest Hope Gallery in Denver!

Art plays a pivotal role in creating cultural momentum. Shepard Fairey’s Obama HOPE poster is a perfect example of a work of art having immediate impact across the country.

MoveOn.org has partnered with Shepard Fairey to create the Manifest Hope Online Gallery Art Contest.

This is your chance to get involved. Submit your artwork themed around Hope, Change, Progress, Unity and Patriotism—the themes that Obama’s campaign brought to public awareness. You can submit any kind of art: painting, sculpture, collage—any 2D or 3D creation that exemplifies the positive themes of Obama’s campaign.

Submission is quick and simple. Just click here to submit images of your original artwork. MoveOn will be accepting submissions from today through 11:59 a.m. EDT on August 18, 2008.

Of the submitted works, up to 30 pieces selected by our judges will be displayed online in a virtual gallery, and 5 pieces will be shown at the Manifest Hope Gallery show, which will run from Sunday, August 24 to Thursday, August 28, 2008 at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. All artwork displayed in the virtual gallery will be auctioned via eBay with all proceeds going to progressive causes.

Grassroots energy is at the core of MoveOn.org. Grassroots energy helped Barack Obama win the primary race. And grassroots energy will help propel Obama to victory in November. Please use your creative ideas to help capture the energy we are experiencing in this campaign season!

Please make sure to read the contest guidelines thoroughly before submitting your work.

Partners of the Manifest Hope Gallery include: MoveOn.org, Upper Playgound, Subliminal Projects, Studio Number One, Evolutionary Media Group, and Obey.

via- MoveOn.org

New street art for Barack Obama seen in Denver. Feels like the Denver crew is startin’ to ramp things up and get political. Exciting times, exciting times… Obama strikin’ a b-boy pose, the media vultures, and Mr. John “Grim Reaper” McCain.

Remember the Chinese artwork from Robischon Gallery (Denver) in February? Well here be some picts from the mix. These are sculptures from the show. Technically, these are astounding, specifically the gum sticks. We couldn’t see any brushstrokes so it looked like it was stenciled but who knows? Man, I should have asked one of the people there.  

Lifesize jacket.

This was about three feet tall.

This dude’s hair curled up because of how fresh the sculpture was in back of him. It made his hair curl super perfect like! I’m so jealous.

So fresh and so clean. I should have bought this. It was going for about $10k. 

This made me hungry for boobies. This was about 8 feet tall.

I felt bad for this two feet long sculpture. It was just chillin’ on the table as people were putting their complimentary brewskies right next to it. It was a fun party with more older people. One server hooked us up real nice.

I still got more picts from the show. Maybe I’ll post them up later. Word?

If you live in the Denver area make sure to swing by Limited Addiction Gallery to check out the current Justin BUA exhibition. Justin BUA is widely recognized as one of the most compelling urban artists of all time. The show runs until 05.24.08.

Here are a few photos I took of some D-Town graffiti. Nice work!