"I AM 8-BIT: version 2.006"
Over 100 artists put their 80's videogame memories to paint
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18th - May 19th, 2006 at Gallery
1988
Whether you play videogames or not, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and
Mario have ascended to the ranks of cultural celebrities. A
follow-up to last year's massively popular group art show, "I
AM 8-BIT: version 2.006" aims to recapture the glory days of
these '80s gaming icons - and many, many more - by enlisting
the talents of over 100 of the world's top artists. Ripped
straight from their childhood fantasies, this diverse roster
reinterprets their favorite characters in wildly different
ways, from a transcendental Nintendo fantasy to a
technologically clunky, Cold War Q*Bert - anything goes. In
addition to familiar gallery names like Gary Baseman, Tim
Biskup, Dalek, Joe Ledbetter, and Greg "Craola" Simkins,
artists from every other walk of life are represented -
animation, film, comic books, sculpting, and even industrial
design - proving that games aren't just for geeks.
This month-long show launches with a massive opening
reception on Tuesday, April 18th, 2006. The event is free for
all patrons. The reception will run 6 - 11 P.M. at Gallery
1988, which is located on the corner of Melrose and La Brea,
at 7020 Melrose Ave. In addition to the artists already
mentioned, Buff Monster, Luke Chueh, Bob Dob, Seth Fisher,
Jose Emroca Flores, Blaine Fontana, Thomas Han, Jim Mahfood,
Martin Ontiveros, Daniel Peacock, Bwana Spoons, Gabe Swarr,
Amanda Visell, and Ashley Wood also contributed. The show
will run until May 19th, 2006.
On Saturday, April 22nd from 7 - 10 P.M., Gallery 1988 will
also host a book signing for I AM 8-BIT: Art Inspired by
Classic Videogames of the '80s (published by Chronicle
Books). The author and dozens of artists will be in
attendance.
Gallery 1988's normal working hours are 11 - 6 P.M., Tuesday
through Saturday. A complete artist list can be found on
www.iam8bit.net or www.gallery1988.com; or contact the gallery
directly at (323) 937-7088 with any questions.
# # #
Contact:
Jon M. Gibson
(818) 846-9551
jon@iam8bit.net
www.iam8bit.net