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iam8bit's American Icons gallery features portraits of toys and old consoles
Jason Brockert is traditionally a landscape painter, but one day he noticed a Star Wars Stormtrooper figurine sitting on his shelf, and decided to try painting it. "The first one came out terrible," he says. "A week later, I was like I'll try again. The second one, I was like oh, that's kind of cool. And it was a lot of fun, too. I had more fun doing that then I'd had in six months." He finished the Stormtrooper painting a little while after that, and then decided to do more figures, and then old game consoles and cartridges, collecting them on eBay and then painting them in his elaborate, almost idealistic way. "Those were the two things I loved as a kid," says Brockert, "and the things I wanted to recollect, that my mother had thrown away I don't know how long ago." Brockert's work is currently on display in a show called "American Icons" at the iam8bit gallery in Los Angeles' Echo Park. All of his works and prints are available for purchase, and the Exhibition (most of which you can see below) runs through December 18. %Gallery-139927%
Goomba Roombas from SUPER iam8bit suck away the Monday blues
We realize nobody likes a Monday, but we've got something to help this one start off just a little cooler for you. From the floor of videogame-centric group art exhibition SUPER iam8bit, here's video of custom Koopa shell and Goomba Roomba covers that skittered across the show floor gobbling up everyone's Cheetoh crumbs. The custom mods are the handiwork of iRobot and fabricator Kelice Penney. Want to really chase away the Monday blues? Try saying "Goomba Roomba" out loud. Go on. We won't listen. ... There, isn't that better?
Watch SUPER iam8bit host more than 1,000 gamers on opening night, be jealous
If you don't already feel completely unhip for not yet attending the SUPER iam8bit exhibition in Los Angeles, this video will help depress you to the appropriate levels of self-loathing. The new SUPER iam8bit gallery in Echo Park looks like a little slice of gamer heaven on the West Coast, and if those lines are anything to judge by, los angeles can't wait to get in. The show runs until September 10, so if you like what you see in the video above and additional artwork below, head down to Cali and check out founder Jon Gibson's gaming gallery. Gibson plans on hosting a myriad of events in his new space, and we'll be on the lookout for news about chiptune concerts and screenings of Super Mario Bros. in the near future.
Super iam8bit debuts Los Angeles gallery space, begins monthlong art show
iam8bit founder Jon Gibson says the opening of the new Super iam8bit art show in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood this week is really about a "rebirth." Iam8bit is not only premiering over 100 new pieces by artists inspired by old-school video games, but it's also showing off a brand new gallery space, and reinventing itself as a company. "It was just me before, by my lonesome for so many years," says Gibson. "And now I have three partners and we're all equal, and we're all taking charge." Taylor Harrington, Amanda White, and Nick Ahrens have now officially joined the company, and the group will all work together on the art collective's various projects. The new space will be helpful as well -- iam8bit originally found it while putting an event together with Capcom, and eventually leased it themselves. Gibson plans to use it for a number of different functions. "It's so big," he says. "We can do shows here, we can have concerts, we can do movie screenings." The Super iam8bit show has a book associated with it, currently available in the gallery's storefront, open for business Thursdays through Saturdays in LA. And the art show itself is open for the next month. If you're not planning to be in Echo Park any time soon, you can browse through and see shots from last night's opening gala (including a wall-sized Galaga machine, Drew Skillman's retro Kinect hack, and a musical appearance by chiptune artist Leeni) below. %Gallery-130498%
PSA: iam8bit goes Super this evening in Los Angeles
Just a reminder that video game-inspired art house iam8bit is reinventing itself as Super iam8bit this evening at its HQ in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood. Starting tonight at 7pm and going through the next month, the gallery will host over 100 works of art influenced and inspired by your favorite video games. There will also be a "world's largest arcade cabinet" to celebrate Galaga's 30th anniversary, and developer Drew Skillman of Double Fine will be showing off a brand new Kinect Hack. The gallery is at 2147 W. Sunset Blvd, and tonight's opening extravaganza will start at 7pm and have music by DJ R-Rated and special appearances by chiptune artists Leeni and A_Rival. Even if you're not in LA, Joystiq will be in attendance this evening, so stay tuned for pictures and news from the event tonight.%Gallery-129911%
SUPER iam8bit exhibition and book debut August 11
We told you about SUPER iam8bit in June – it's a years-in-the-making followup to the iam8bit crew's last 2008 art show and 2006 book. It's back this month with not only a new art show, but a new book "documenting this year's event" and it's all being hosted in the group's newly renovated new space in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Beginning August 11 (that's next Thursday!) and running for one month, SUPER iam8bit includes work from over 100 artists, a "special tribute to Galaga's 30th anniversary will feature the world's largest 'arcade cabinet,'" and Double Fine's Drew Skillman "will be displaying an interactive, retro Kinect hack." We're pretty sure you're going to want to be there. We've got the address, along with a ton of beautiful images, just past the break! Above, "We're Not in Hyrule Anymore" by Colombian artist Luisa Uribe.
SUPER iam8bit: new art show, new space, new book
Though there hasn't been an art show since 2008, or a book since 2006, the iam8bit crew have been keeping busy. Perhaps you attended their Brink event at PAX East this year, or one of their many fight club promotions for Capcom's fighting games? Or maybe you snagged one of these signs in Los Angeles last week, which iam8bit stuck on everything from signs to buildings to parking meters. The removable posters are promoting not only a new art show, but also a new Los Angeles space to host the art show, and a new book to commemorate it all. In fitting with video game naming conventions, the new project is being called "SUPER iam8bit" and will most likely feature loads of Mode 7 effects. We'll keep you posted on a release date.%Gallery-126488%
PAX East todo: The Digital Game Canon, a panel about video game preservation
PAX East is underway and we're dedicated to making sure each one of you makes it to one very special panel. But first, we'll level with you: it requires some homework on your part. "Ten Games You Need to Play: The Digital Game Canon" borrows its name from the 2007 GDC session of the same name, in which an incredible group of panelists (including this writer) deigned to select ten video games that deserved to be preserved. We're revisiting that effort, and reconsidering it with a stellar group of panelists. This year's panelists include: Henry Lowood is a professor (and curator!) at Stanford University and chairman of the IGDA's preservation SIG. His academic work is focused on the preservation of video games. Chris Melissinos was a longtime gaming evangelist at Sun, before founding Past Pixels, an organization dedicated to the preservation of video games. He's currently curating the Smithsonian's Art of Video Games exhibit, scheduled to open in 2012. Jon Gibson has worn many hats (including games journo and screenwriter hats) but is currently busy with iam8bit, the LA-based outfit responsible for art exhibits, books, and excellent game marketing gigs (think: Capcom Fight Club). David Gibson has been employed as a Processing Technician in the Library of Congress's Moving Image section since 2006. In that time, he has become a key player in the Library's initiative to collect, preserve, and provide access to America's gaming heritage. Chris Grant is a writer who works from home in his pajamas. And your homework: Get a crash course in game preservation by listening to the entire hour-long "b-side" interview with Henry from Episode 2 of the excellent A Life Well Wasted podcast, which you can find here. Read the excellent "Preserving Virtual Worlds" final report while waiting in PAX East lines (download it here!) and, when you finish that, move over to "Before It's Too Late: A Digital Game Preservation White Paper" (which you can download here). VOTE! Head to www.artofvideogames.org and "vote for games that you think are visually spectacular or boast innovative design!" This is for the Smithsonian Institute, guys. Think about that! And, one final bit of homework: Get in line early. The panel takes place at 2pm on Sunday, March 13, at the IGDA Dev Center (on the 2nd floor, right next to Manticore Theater).
Capcom handing out mysterious Mega Man items before VGAs
If you're in Los Angeles tomorrow and have an interest in either Mega Man collectibles or eBay profits, be sure to get to 1013 W. Olympic Blvd. in LA tomorrow between 2pm and 5pm -- actually, we're guessing you're going to need to get there early. And bring a printout of this coupon with you. Capcom and i am 8 Bit plan to hand out some kind of extremely limited Mega Man swag in enticing E-Tank boxes. It's likely related to the newly announced Mega Man 10, and with the Mega Man 10 "box art" done by i am 8 Bit's Gerald de Jesus, it's possible that the item will bear that image. If you get one, be sure to let us know what's in the box! We have to know what is in the box.
The surreal Nintendo artwork of Jimi Benedict
We love unique, video game inspired artwork just as much as the next guy -- our weary-spined copy of "i am 8-bit" can vouch for that. However, we also love our preserved, cherished memories of our NES era heroes. These two feelings conflict when looking at Jimi Benedict's surreal video game art -- our inner Andy Warhol loves Benedict's incredibly unique and lovingly detailed portraits, but the traditionalist in us prefers not to think of Link as a gap-toothed, Sloth-faced dwarf.You can see both full portraits after the jump, but to see the rest of Benedict's art (including what appears to be a mock-up title screen to the lesser known NES game Obama: Take the Power Back), you'll have to go to his website -- a swirling vortex of complete madness and totally rad drawings.[Via DSF]
I am an awesome guitar strap
I am 8-bit, the neato game-art exhibit, has collaborated with Couch Guitar Straps to make some awesome straps designed for Guitar Hero and Rock Band guitar controllers. The straps come in blue or black and feature a neat cascading Space Invader graphic. Since the company makes real guitar straps, and since holding up a fake guitar relies on the same principles as holding up a real one, there's probably no reason you couldn't use one of these for the real thing, so you can look like a huge nerd onstage*. And then you'd at least be getting your $32.95 out of it. If it's even possible to get $33 worth of value from a guitar strap. But quibbling over the price does little to obscure the simple fact that these look cool, and we Wii owners, who are extra-sensitive about controller straps, can appreciate them.*The Couch website warns that the end tabs are not as heavy-duty as those designed for real guitars, and "may not last as long."[Via Joystiq]
I am 8-Bit opening night festivities!
I am 8-Bit, the generally brilliant art show focusing on classic video games, is opening tonight at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight, and looks like it's going to be quite the event. Among the neat stuff to see and do: a giant 2600 controller, with a custom-designed 2600 Mega Man game to play on it; and performances from ComputeHer and 8 Bit Weapon, neither of whom we've heard of, but are probably fun.We would totally go gawk at some highbrow Nintendo fanart if we were in the area. If you go, bring your DS, because something tells us there will be some gamers around.[Via 4cr]
"I Am 8-Bit" art exhibit opens tomorrow night in Los Angeles
We previewed some of the art from "I am 8-Bit" at GDC earlier this year, and now the actual show is upon us. It opens Tuesday, April 17th in Los Angeles and runs until May 12th at Gallery Ninteen Eighty Eight. If you're in the LA area, check out their opening night extravaganza tomorrow night which will feature live performances, drinks, and some "other surprises."They'll have 200 piece of artwork from over 100 different artists, including the giant, working, five foot tall Atari 2600 controller pictured above, which was commissioned for the show. Playable on the controller, projected 30 feet wide, will be "Mega Man 2600,"a homebrewed game by David Galloway, created for The Blue Bomber's 20th Anniversary. Talk about a "mega" man. (How could you not see that coming?)"I Am 8-Bit" is "a talented arsenal of artists painting, sculpting, molding, or inking their old-school videogame memories. For some photographic evidence, check out our preview gallery below.%Gallery-2037%
GDC's i am 8-bit preview art exhibit
Though we didn't manage to make our way to the i am 8-bit art show last night at San Francisco's Gallery 1988SF, we did stop by the preview exhibit at Moscone's North Hall. Situated between the IGDA lounge and the XNA challenge area. What we found rendered our cerebral functions momentarily shut down.According to the showcase's description, "the theme is simple -- over 100 artists put their old-school 80's gaming memories to paint, ink, sculpture, plush, and other bizarre mediums all in the name of pixels! It's an experiment in interpretation, shining a spotlight on an era when games were dominated by character." We're fond of the Mega-Man fanboy's dismayed loss.The full gallery, dubbed Version 2.007, will be on display April 17 through May 21.%Gallery-2037%
I am information about I am 8-bit 2.007 [update 1]
Game Informer has posted a nice preview of the 2007 I am 8-bit art show, along with some of the art that will be featured. I am 8-bit is an annual art exhibition that celebrates classic videogame culture and iconography, with an emphasis on Nintendo and their NES-era third parties. It's also the source of some amazing game-related art, like the Donkey Kong-inspired painting shown above, "Mario's Lament" by Reuben Rude. We'd be proud to display any of these paintings, sculptures, or crafts in our own Fancaves.Just like every year, we'll be gazing wistfully at these previews and cursing our luck for not being Californian or California-adjacent. If you happen to be in the LA area between April 17 and May 12, we urge you to go to Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight and support the very best kind of fanboyism: the kind that manifests in honest creative expression (fanfic excluded).[Update 1: changed the preview picture to something friendlier.][Via 4cr]
Photos from last night's I AM 8-BIT opening
As packed as last night's opening reception for the I AM 8-BIT art show apparently was, I reckon most of us never even had a chance. This is where the internet comes in! Using its unprecedented powers for Good, we're able to vicariously visit the venue's visuals. Joystiq reader Bl4xc0d3 made it and wrote back, "I went, it was PACKED! The booze was freee! And I loved kicking ass in Guitar Hero. They had two exclusive tracks that Red Octane made just for the event: one was the Megaman theme, and the other was an ikaria(?) theme. With such a small space, and over 200 people there, it was very long lines for the free drinks!" We're sure you managed ... somehow.There aren't a lot of images of the venue, or the band, or the bar, but there are plenty of the art (which is what it's all about, right?). Know of any more, send em in.Read - Flickr photos tagged "iam8bit"Read - GameChew.com's I AM 8-BIT media page [Thanks, Hunter]Read - Ken's pics at Branded NewbRead - The Game Chair's thoughts/images[Update: added in some more resources]
