In addition to pumping out more than 4 billion cans a year of potable jet fuel, Red Bull is known for supporting a wild array of extracurricular activities. From the Flugtag to Felix Baumgartner's space jump, their interests are anything but average.
See also:
- MAM's "New Work Miami 2013" Gives Art Basel Week a Magic City Focus
- It Ain't Fair 2012: OHWOW's Art Basel Finale
As part of their newest patronage, America's favorite energy drink created series of canvas-wrapped and artfully designed drink coolers - and the artists involved are coming to MIA as part of the Red Bull Curates program.
The Red Bull Curates: Canvas Cooler project hand-picked 20 smokin' hot artists in each of three cities, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Then, in the style of a reality show challenge, those artists had one day to turn a mini cooler into a unique objet d'art. Local exhibition parties were then held where judges and attendees voted for their favorites, and ultimately, a total of 10 artists were picked to come to SCOPE Miami and showcase their work.
"It's a platform, so that each city in and of itself offers a lot of value. The street cred is there, the rewards are there, there are no losers. You've got this exposure at an international level, and artists representing each city," said Billy Franchey, Executive Partner of Arts Fund and Co-Producer of Red Bull Curates. The San Francisco-based Arts Fund produces and invests in various independent music, art and film projects, and were contacted by Red Bull back in 2010 to get involved in the project.
Each piece created in the competition went on to be displayed in a local venue like a bar, restaurant, or club, so patrons who might not otherwise be into art could get a glimpse. The creations are a colorful mix of graffiti art, portraits, and other wildly creative concepts.
"We have people coming in maybe a little earlier in their career, people in mid-career. It's a good mix, a good mix of styles: stencil artists, painters, some people are putting sculptures on their cooler. So you know, you name the style and it's represented, even collage artists," Franchey says.
The chosen artists coming to Miami include Gerardo Cid, L'Amour Supreme, CLAW MONEY, and Kosbe out of New York; GOONS, Hebru Brantley, and Don't Fret out of Chicago; and Gregory Siff, Lydia Emily, and Hans Haveron out of Los Angeles.
Next year, Dallas and Atlanta will be added to the mix of cities. And while they have no plans to host a qualifying competition in Miami -- dick move, guys -- they do plan to continue bringing the ultimate showcase to Basel each year.
The 10 winning artists will be exhibiting their work at SCOPE Miami on December 4 - 9.
Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.
