Beautiful Losers: Ultimate D.I.Y.

20 Aug 2008 Category: Events & Exhibitions, Film / Animation

Beautiful Losers: Ultimate D.I.Y.

Thomas Campbell drawing intently: Just let your creativity run loose. Still from the "Beautiful Losers" documentary by Aaron Rose.

Roll out of bed around mid-day and head to the park on your board until sometime around dusk, then hit up a few record shops before hooking up with all your bro’s at a friend’s crib. Chill out to some fresh hip-hop tracks while scribbling drawings and filming idle images with the 8mm camera you scored from a second-hand shop…. If you are now a creator in your thirties to early forties, you might be experiencing a ride down memory lane. The kids who gathered at Aaron Rose’s “Alleged Gallery” in the East Village in the 90’s lived exactly this kind of lifestyle: Namely, Mark Gonzales, Barry McGee, Mike Mills, Harmony Korine or Shepherd Fairey. And these bunch of kids who were blindly engulfing their youth, inevitably sparked inspiration off of each other and became the forefront of what is now one of the most internationally-influential creative scenes! Today’s PingMag looks at the Beautiful Losers exhibition this August at Laforet Harajuku and ponders on the greatness of D.I.Y.

Written by Chiemi
Translated by Natsumi Yamane

A couple of weeks ago, Aaron Rose – “Alleged Gallery” founder and director of the new “Beautiful Losers” documentary – and several artists featured in the film including Stephen Powers (ESPO) and Jo Jackson came by Tokyo. On the sidelines of their visit, the exhibition with the same name curated by Aaron Rose made its stop at Laforet Harajuku after touring in America and Italy. And naturally, it was prepared in best D.I.Y. fashion, just like the initial Alleged Gallery reminded us once again of the pleasures of simply making things.

The preparation for the Beautiful Losers exhibition was carried out on site by the artists themselves.

Graffiti on one of the walls before the works are put up and ESPO (on the right) wearing a mask.

When foreign artists hold an exhibition in Japan, the work is usually sent by air and set up according to the instructions by local staff. However, these artists entered the venue in person a few days before the start of the exhibition, created several works on the spot and displayed them on the walls with their own hands!

ESPO working on a sizeable work at the site (left) and Jo Jackson looking comfy as if working in a familiar gallery! (right)

On the day of the opening party, the venue was pretty packed! Aaron Rose of Alleged Gallery also turned up and enjoyed the conversations with a chain of approaching visitors. In the studio set up in the centre, tattoo artist Alexis Ross, could still be seen working with a brush in his hand…

The crowded venue (left) and the founder of the Alleged Gallery, Aaron Rose, on the right.

On the left: The studio set up in the centre and artist Alexis Ross, who calmy continued working inside the studio.

The table inside the studio covered full with randomly placed tools. Creative atmo!

And as the gallery filled up with more and more folks, a live tattoo performance began– well, it was only realised after a rather brave kid volunteered. We suspect our friend Yoshi didn’t predict his own fate of getting that skull tattoo!

Alexis tattooing for our friend Yoshi who volunteered. Looks (and was) quite painful!

Incidentally, Alexis’ homemade tattoo gun, is made of a small motor and a needle attached to a battery covered in adhesive tape… And the finished tattoo on the right. Handmade!!

During the artists’ visit, there were also various workshops based around the notion of “Express Yourself! MAKE SOMETHING!!” So, we had a chance to take a look at the one by Aaron Rose on “How to make a ZINE.” Around twenty participants were divided into three teams, and they were asked to take pictures of the venue using instant cameras and add their own drawings on the photos to create a catalogue for this exhibition.

At first, the participants seemed to be at a loss at expressing themselves. But as the day went on, they slowly got used to the idea and by the second half of the workshop, we saw lots of unique ideas such clippings from a catalogue, making it three-dimensional with parts stuck from flyers.

Aaron Rose’s workshop from the first day of the exhibition (left.) He stands watch over the participants making hand-drawn zines as if he were an art college tutor (right.)

The finished zines!

Through the exhibition and the workshop, Aaron Rose and the artists taught us the pleasure of making things using our own hands. The documentary film also shares their personal thoughts on creative activities:

“When you are a child, you are always drawing, colouring, doing class – that is totally normal and seems to be what you do as a kid. I think it’s a kind of weird tragedy that when you become an adult, you stop doing it,” says Ed Templeton.

“We are kids. We are speaking in a way as youth. Our concerns are the same as every kid in America,” says Stephen Powers / ESPO.

“My inspiration is as far as I go, and doing humongous films and having big success has never been important to me. As long as I can keep doing what I want to do and creating the images I have in my head, I will be alright,” says Harmony Korine.

A selection of photos by Ed Templeton.

A work by Barry McGee. Remember his solo exhibition at Watari Museum of Contemporary Art last summer?

The hand-painted billboards posted up in the studio (left) and the finished image of the earlier work by ESPO (right.)

Works by Jo Jackson (left) and Shepherd Fairey a.k.a. OBEY (right.)

It’s such a pity, but the “Beautiful Losers” exhibition in Tokyo has already finished. But! The same-named documentary is still showing at Shibuya Cinema Rise. Have a look and find out the pleasures of making things and the power it can give you!

The “Beautiful Losers” trailer where artists tell their fond memories and tragic episodes. Alternatively, watch the Japanese trailer from their website.

63 Comments

  1. nice article =]

    Posted by: Jude on August 21st, 2008 at 12:21 am

  2. interesting stuff, good to know there’s no upper age limit on being a kid!

    Posted by: lululabonne on August 21st, 2008 at 2:10 am

  3. Go Yoshi~~~~~~~~!!!!

    Posted by: SHANTELL MARTIN on August 21st, 2008 at 8:07 am

  4. stuff is nothing crafter is everything.
    :)

    Posted by: araba aşkı on August 21st, 2008 at 10:01 am

  5. stuff is nothing crafter is everything.
    :)

    Posted by: araba on August 21st, 2008 at 10:02 am

  6. yawn cough SUCKs

    Posted by: Anonymous on August 21st, 2008 at 10:25 am

  7. very good..

    Posted by: Chat on August 21st, 2008 at 4:04 pm

  8. thanks for a info… i have been following the production on the docu for some time now.. and sadl have still not seen it… help help!

    i was also very interested in the workshops.. i have been looking for more info everywhere…
    any hints would be wonderful! mr yoshi is a brave man! ha
    take care

    jonathan
    dailydesignspot.com

    Posted by: jonathan@dailydesignspot on August 24th, 2008 at 4:23 am

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