True Believers Riviera Gallery | Williamsburg Brooklyn Thursday April 12 - Sunday May 6, 2007 Opening Reception. Thursday April 12, 2007. 7-10PM About the Exhibition True Believers brings together a group of some of the brightest designers working today to create original artwork for the Riviera. Each designer employs a unique conceptual approach in their work, with Influences and inspirations ranging from skateboarding, punk/postpunk, and early hip hop to 70s educational graphics, 60's countercultures, and the Swiss style. Each designer in the show combines their knowledge and skill as a designer with the desire to create artwork that responds to the world around them. Typography, silk screening, photography, sculpture and self publishing form a common language between the work presented. Each designer will be creating work as one of a kind pieces or a limited edition series. True Believers is intended to celebrate the creative output of these highly talented individuals and provide them with the opportunity to share their work with their fellow designers and artists. About the Artists Jason Gnewikow http://www.publicstudio.org Work Examples > Jason Gnewikow is a graphic designer and occasional musician living and working in Brooklyn, New York. He spent the majority of his twenties rambling the globe, writing and playing music with the indie rock outfit The Promise Ring. In 2003 he relocated to Brooklyn from the middle west and opened the Public Studio. He enjoys print design, typography, printmaking and tiny nuggets of music. Mark Owens http://lifeofthemind.net/ Work Examples > Life of the Mind is the studio of designer, writer, and filmmaker Mark Owens. Founded in 2005, the studio pursues conceptually based projects in print, motion, and apparel design. Before starting the studio Mark earned an MFA in graphic design from Yale University and worked closely with a number of New York design studios, including three years in the on-air design department at MTV Networks. Mark has been a visiting faculty member both at Yale and Art Center College of Design and contributes regularly to the postpunk / Marxist design journal Dot Dot Dot. Garrett Morin http://garrettmorin.com/ Work Examples > Hailing from Massachusetts, Garrett Morin graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2004. After working briefly in Los Angeles he now lives in Brooklyn, and is a member of Rad Mountain Studio. Garrett currently works beside Juliette Cezzar at her E.A.D studio as well as designing for various print and motion projects. His Labors of love include making wooden toys, prints, and sewing. Wes Duvall http://wesduvall.com/ Work Examples > Wes Duvall is a graphic designer and illustrator. After graduating from the Art Institute of Atlanta with a BFA in Graphic Design, Wes joined the Center for Puppetry Arts as art director and designer for all the Center¹s print and online projects. After leaving the Center and relocating to New York in 2005, Wes spent time under Brazilian fashion art director Giovanni Bianco, as well as Disney Publishing and Hyperion Books for Children. Wes currently devotes most of his time to print projects within the publishing, editorial and music industries. Wes' recent client list includes Disney Publishing, New York Magazine and the New York Times Book Review. Ryan Waller http://thingmaking.com/ Work Examples > Ryan Waller is an art director and designer working from Rad Mountain, a silkscreen and design studio located in the Old American Can Factory in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design in 2003, he was the first creative hire at Mother New York. In 2006, He began teaching Visual Communications at Pratt Institute. Ryan was named a Young Gun by the Art Directors Club and was recognized in The New Visual Artists Review, Print Magazine's 'annual presentation of the twenty brightest design stars under 30 years old.' He's appeared in Print, Grafik, Fader, Arkitip, Swindle, Paper and Nylon magazines and was featured in the book New Masters of Poster Design. He also publishes The New College Beat Supplement, a booklet that explores celebrities ranging from Robert Indiana to Kirsten Dunst. Wyeth Hansen http://www.wyethhansen.com Work Examples > Wyeth is a freelance designer and artist based out of Brooklyn, working in video, audio, and printed material. Born and raised in the armpit of California and relocated to the northeast, Wyeth's work is a blend of west coast vibes and east coast rigor. This duality evidences itself in the aesthetics of his work, which oscillates between geometric minimalism and psychedelic naturalism, yet which remains oddly unified. Wyeth has exhibited work on both coasts and across the pond; clients include MTV, Vh1, the AIGA, Sundance, 2K by Gingham, Ghostly Records Intl., and a legion of design studios throughout the city and various publications. Jeremy Dean http://www.comfortablelead.blogspot.com/ Work Examples > Jeremy Dean is a graphic designer living in Philadelphia. After graduating from the Tyler School of Art, he designed for Urban Outfitters for nearly nine years and created many of the album covers and posters for indie label Jade Tree's artists. Jeremy also works with House33, a clothing line created by House Industries, an international design firm with artists in London, Delaware and Philly. Since putting out its first line (and opening a store in London's Soho neighborhood.) Jeremy has just started philly-based T-shirt line Double Edge Sword (DES). Double Edge Sword's first line of five T-shirts is informed by Dean's love of typeset, skate culture and hardcore music. As Dean puts it, ³basically I am 17-year-old in the late '80s stuck in a 34-year-old dad's body.² Artcle about DES:http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=14046 Kimou Meyer http://www.grotesk.to/ Work Examples > Kimou Meyer aka Grotesk is a Swiss graphic artist living in Brooklyn. His work is a clash between his strict minimal visual education and flying plastic bags, bodega store fronts, burnt cars, crooks and hip hop before 1994. In the last decade he has developed a passion for folk art, 50¹s cartoons, hand painted signs and vintage sport graphics. Kimou is currentlythe senior art directorof Zoo York. Raza Uno | Max Vogel http://www.razauno.com/ Work Examples > Born and raised in Caracas Venezuela, Max Vogel a.k.a Razauno uses the experiences acquired from his growing process in a third world country as an influence in his work. His style is also determined by Stevie Wonder music, seventies' psychedelic, comics books, protest art and skateboarding culture. Razauno has collaborated with such companies as Fiveboro NYC, Zoo York, Sixpack(France), AKA books, Upper Playground, MTV Latin America, Complex Magazine among others. Razauno is an active member of the AKA crew and Vice-President of the Five Boro Projects. Noah Butkus http://www.safeaskittens.com Work Examples > Growing up Noah found himself spending all of his time with skateboards and comic books. This is where he found his earliest inspiration. His first widely recognized output appeared on graphics for Burton Snowboards. This work was followed by commissions for posters, ads, catalogs, and product applications from a wide variety of companies and concerns. Nathan Nedorostek http://www.pumpingonyourstereo.com Work Examples > Designer, art director, archivist, above average Table Tennis player. Lover of: all things sideways, Screen Stars Best, Staedtler pens, and Rapidshare. Hater of: factory faded denim, extravagant email "cc" lists, Razor Scooters and sometimes olives. Nathan is currently working on a visual history of Hardcore music in the United States from 1978-1993 to be published Summer 2008 by MTV Books / Powerhouse. Clients include: Burton Snowboards, Adidas, Complex Magazine, The Thierry Henry One Four All Foundation, Zoo York, and Color Magazine. About the Curator Matt Owens grew up in Texas skateboarding and designing flyers and record covers for local punk rock bands along with his twin brother, Mark. Matt moved to New York in 1995 after graduating from Cranbrook Academy or Art with an MFA in graphic design. In the last 12 years Matt has designed record covers and skateboards, worked on music videos, built web sites, started design firms, published books and music, curated gallery shows and has spoken internationally about his work. Currently, Matt runs the creative studio Volumeone Volumeone and is a founding member of the design collective/agency Athletics. He is also a partner in the Riviera Art Space Ltd.