THE VADER PROJECT at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

100 Reimagined Darth Vader helmets complete
THE VADER PROJECT
Premiering at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Show runs February 13 – May 3, 2009

The Vader Project – a reimagining of the iconic Darth Vader helmet by some of today’s hottest underground and pop surrealist painters, artists and designers – makes its museum premiere and will be on display February 13 – May 3, 2009 at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. www.warhol.org

The Vader Project is curated by Dov Kelemer & Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys. Kelemer and Marks gathered 100 contemporary artists. Each artist was given a 1:1 scale authentic prop replica of the actual Darth Vader helmet used in the STAR WARS™ films. Each helmet served as a blank slate for each artist to paint, design, mash up and customize.

Featuring work by Shag, Peter Kuper, Attaboy, Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Dalek, Paul Frank, Ron English, Jeff Soto, Michelle Valigura, Frank Kozik, Wade Lageose, Joe Ledbetter, Alex Pardee, Suckadelic, Cameron Tiede, Mister Cartoon, Marc Ecko, Amanda Visell and many more, The Vader Project provided an opportunity for artists to use one of the most iconic pop culture characters in film history as their canvas.

“It’s because of trailblazing artists like Andy Warhol that The Vader Project can even exist today. We couldn’t be more honored to be showcasing The Vader Project at the Warhol.” says Kelemer.

The Vader Project originally premiered at Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles in May 2007. From there it traveled to Star Wars Celebration Europe in London in June 2007. July 2007 brought 10 new helmets to the Star Wars Pavilion at the famed San Diego Comi-Con International. Then in July 2008, 13 Japanese artists joined forces with the existing Vader Project when their helmets premiered at Star Wars Celebration Japan.
Dov Kelemer & Sarah Jo Marks are Co-Curators The Vader Project and Co-Founders of DKE Toys, one of the largest designer vinyl and art-toy distributors in the world, exclusively representing over 100 companies, artists, and designers. Kelemer started the business selling Star Wars memorabilia more than 15 years ago. With The Vader Project he has finally found a way to meld both his passions. Marks divides her time between managing DKE art exhibitions and all DKE promotions including STUFFED: a plush food show. www.dketoys.com

For further questions, to discuss interview opportunities or for press photos please call DKE Toys at 818.765.3500

STAR WARS™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Artist List

Josh Agle (Shag)  Troy Alders   Kii Arens   Attaboy   Anthony Ausgang   Axis   Aye Jay   
Gary Baseman
   Andrew Bell   Tim Biskup    Mark Bodnar   BXH HIKARU    Andrew Brandou   
Buff Monster
   Mister Cartoon  Chino   mr clement   Robbie Conal   CRASH   Steven Daily   
Dalek
   Dehara   DGPH  Cam de Leon   Devilrobots   Yoko d’Holbachie   Bob Dob   
Tristan Eaton & Azk One – Thunderdog Studios
   Marc Ecko   Eelus   Ron English   
FERG
   David Flores   Brian Flynn – Hybrid Design   Paul Frank   Gargamel  Huck Gee
Fawn Gehweiler   Mike Giant   Girls Drawin Girls  Dan Goodsell  Gris Grimly
Joe Hahn   Haze XXL   Jesse Hernandez    Derek Hess  Itokin Park   Jeremyville   kaNO  
Mori Katsura- RealxHead 
  Sun-MinKim & David Horvath   Jim Koch
Frank Kozik   David S. Krys – DSK Designs   Peter Kuper   Wade Lageose – Lageose Design   
Joe Ledbetter 
     Simone Legno – Tokidoki  Mad  Mad Barbarians   Madtwiinz    Marka27   Mars-1   
Bill McMullen
   Melvins  Mori Chack   Brian Morris   Nanospore   Niagara   
Mitch O’Connell
   olive47   Martin Ontiveros   Estevan Oriol   Alex Pardee   The Pizz   
Plasticgod
   PlaysKewl   Dave Pressler    Ragnar    Jermaine Rogers
Erick Scarecrow  Secret Base J. Otto Seibold   Sket-One   Shawn Smith   Winston Smith
Jeff Soto   Damon Soule  Bwana Spoons   Jophen Stein   Suckadelic  T9G    Gary Taxali   
Cameron Tiede
  Touma   UrbanMedium  Usugrow   Michelle Valigura   VanBeater   
Amanda Visell

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