Sat 9/28 @ 6pm
By Josh Usmani
“Geek” culture has officially taken over the world! Well, at least Breakneck Gallery – which will host two exhibitions aimed at the “nerd” in all of us. Don’t miss it, though… This is a special One Night Only event!
Pixels and Pigments is an exhibition co-curated with genre and pop culture website Hashtag Nerd. The exhibition will include prints, paintings and toys by local artists including Sergio Andujar, Kyle Harlan, Ben Howards, Jeff Hulligan, Heather Huotari, Billy Ludwig and Rick Sans.
Hashtag Nerd co-founder Phil Hoyt describes his inspiration for the show:
“I noticed over the past few years that there is a lot of nerdy art out there, but it’s piecemeal at art shows surrounded by works that aren’t considered nerdy…Nobody was saying ‘Hey, this is specifically nerdy art. Why isn’t there a show for it?’ So I decided to fill that need.”
Hoyt continues, describing his collection of “nerdy” artwork accumulated over 4 years of collecting:
“Every time I walk down my hallway, I focus on one piece of art and think how I got it, why it’s so important to me and how someone else cared about the character so much that they took the time to create their own interesting interpretation. I hope others nerd out at the show and find pieces that evoke the same reflections.”
That same night, Do You Even Robot? will feature over 100 one-of-a-kind, handmade robot figurines created by Sleepy Robot 13 – described as “Designer ‘toys’ from a polymer perspective” – by local artist Lisastarchild Pinkston. Each unique figurine is individually sculpted by Pinkston.
Pinkston’s always had a love for art, saying:
“I started sculpting when I was 8 years old. I took a break when I was 18 so I could face the real world and took on 2 full time jobs. It wasn’t until I was 23 that I picked it back up. My life revolves around the arts. Music, film, sculpture, canvas. I love it all.
“Sleepy Robot 13 is a handmade business I started in late 2009 via Etsy. At the time I had just lost my job and my mother. I was going through a deep depression. I started the company as a way to make a little money to keep my rent and bills paid while I looked for a new job. Thanks to the success of Sleepy Robot 13 in a little over 6 months I was able to stop my job search, overcome my depression and focus on crafting full time.
“I just want to make art that makes people smile, laugh and shake their heads, not necessarily in that order…”
The Sleepy Robot brand includes figurines, toys, prints, t-shirts, totes, stickers, buttons and more. They once occupied a retail store on Madison Ave in Lakewood, but still maintain their Etsy store. They also make Sleepy Zombies. Pinkston produces over 200 handmade figurines per month!
Stop by Breakneck this Sat 9/28 for a combination of nostalgia and cutting edge art. Both exhibitions and the opening reception are FREE and open to the public. After-Party at the Spitfire Saloon. Both shows are ONE NIGHT ONLY! Don’t miss it!
Josh Usmani is a 27 year old local artist, curator and writer. Since 2008, his work has been featured in over 50 local and regional exhibitions.