cultureisland event // new york's finest
hosted by community 54 and curated by cultureisland // this event will feature artwork by tipi thieves (felipe merida) and music by wamoo papez (juan alvarez).
// this is a free event sponsored by pabst blue ribbon and rizzo's fine pizza co.
more details:
cultureisland is a passion project run by concept designer sara r. radin. it is both an online and offline platform in which sara creates pop ups and hybrid events through collaborating with a range of emerging talents.
tipi thieves is felipe merida’s tag name; he is a brooklyn based visual artist and graphic designer who creates illustrations that depict our cultural surroundings. new york’s finest features his watercolor and ink portraits of new york city cops. the artist has utilized adobe photoshop and also taken inspiration from it to create the essence of a caricature but without the humor. the portraits look grotesque yet beautiful. while a cop is an iconic representation of new york, the delicate distortion of tipi thieves’ portraits brings our distorted perception of policemen to the forefront. whereas a police uniform has commanded respect in the past, in recent times it has become abstracted. by taking a subject we already associate with, tipi thieves uses his pen and his brush to pose the question: what will it take to get meaning and respect back to these uniforms?
wamoo papez will dj the opening; wamoo papez is music producer juan alvarez, who describes his style as a dark, heavily textured blend of hip hop with an omnivorous set of influences. for this event wamoo papez will mix 90s hip hop classics. to him, this music encapsulates the vibes and mentality of new york city, past and present.
community 54 is a neighborhood lifestyle boutique inspired by creative nostalgia and owned by partners daymon green and jason jacobs. known for their curated vintage streetwear as well as new indie brands, the store serves as a connecting point for thinkers to collaborate and put out new ideas.
on view thru may 8th, five artworks and a limited edition t-shirt will be sold in two colorways // please pass on to friends + we hope to see you there!