We Are the Superlative Conspiracy (WeSC) is a fast-emerging street fashion apparel brand with collections ranging from denim, dresses, tops, button-downs, jackets, and unique accessories—including designer headphones—which may well be accounted for by their reputation for creative grassroots marketing and branding campaigns. On March 1st, following the opening day of the new street and contemporary fashion trade show Class (see next story for details), WeSC launched an exhibition of the artwork created by the artists from their flock of “We Activists”—someone that is extremely good at what they do (but not necessarily famous) and chosen by WeSC to represent the brand in their own way--in a well-curated art show at Bergamot Station at the Robert Bergman Gallery in Santa Monica, CA.
The show came to life mainly from the work of We Activist Alex Prager, who featured with her large over-sized color photos. “I wanted to do this show and it took a couple of years to actually bring it all together,” explained Alex. “There are many We Activists that are artists, but the kind of art that many of us do is something different for some galleries, but pieces sold before the show was even officially opened.”
The event not only sold art on opening night, which many galleries consider to be a rare occurrence, but it ended up attracting a massive crowd of people in street fashion and art, as well as action sports industry players and Fuel TV. This was because some of the artists, such as Jason Lee, actor and photographer, are also from the skateboarding industry. Jason, along with others at the show such as Chris Pastras and Clint Peterson, are a part of the Stereo Sound Agency skateboard company (which Jason founded).
Pär Strömberg featured his darker, moodier paintings inspired by his native Sweden and Allister Crowley, a cultist with followers such as Jimmy Page and Kenneth Anger. Strömber’s work has been nominated for the Dutch Royal Award for Painting 4 times.
Mercedes Helnwein from Ireland and Los Angeles clearly took the theme of We Activism to heart with her sketches of an everyday “super-woman girl” wearing a mask with braids and We-type clothing while brandishing her “weapon”--an iron. Mercedes is the first daughter to renowned painter and art provocateur Gottfried Helnwein.
Jason Lee featured his photography of capturing everyday life in parts of America, while Clint Peterson featured his folk-art style with collages and art from found pieces.
Other We Activists’ showcasing included Beth Riesgraf, Chad Robertson, Marcel Strüwer, and Sage Vaughn—who displayed his talents with incredibly realistic drawings of key WeSC activists, including one titled the “Big Man”--a hilarious show-stopper drawing of WeSC President Greger Hagelin with an oversized penis. Typical of the humor that WeSC incorporates in all of the branding and marketing (who can ever forget the street horsing campaign of “urban” equestrians or the Olivia Newton John “Let’s Get Physical” program), Greger even accepted media interviews in front of his “portrait.”
The incredible amount of press in attendance, thanks to Jessie Cohen from WeSC, indicated that this was a must-see opening not only as an art show on its own, but also as an innovative cross-over of a strong street fashion brand, art, and marketing through grassroots activists that are simply a part of the growing WeSC family--and indeed very good at what they do.
