If It's Hip, It's Here (Archives)

For the past few years 1800 Tequila has been releasing limited edition artist series bottles.

The most recent, the fabulous new Lucha Libre Series of 6 artist designed bottles for 1800 Tequila have recently been introduced and are now accompanied by three mini documentaries of their creation by A76.

above: Gary Baseman working on his bottle art and the finished product

Highlighted are three award winning artists (Gary Baseman, Tristan Eaton, Yuko Shimizu) designing and speaking about their Luchador themed artwork for the limited edition 1800 Tequila Bottles.

above: Yuko Shimizo talks about her design and the finished product

Through the combination of stylized editing and Mexican influenced original music, the videos immerse viewers into the artists' creative process, as well as their different personality and locations.

above: Tristan Eaton's bottle art in progress and the finished product

Watch as Yuko Shimizu, Tristan Eaton and Gary Baseman create their original art work for the new limited edition Luchador bottle series for 1800 Tequila.

Yuko Shimizu:

Tristan Eaton:

Gary Baseman:

In addition to the bottles featured in the documentaries, the other 3 Lucha Libre bottles were designed by Tes One:

Ray Smith:

and Alex Hank:

The video series was created and produced by Duffy Higgins in partnership with Proximo Spirits & 1800 Tequila. An A76 Production.

PRODUCED & DIRECTED BY: DUFFY HIGGINS
EDITED BY: JOHN REIS
SOUND MIXER & SOUND DESIGN BY: ROB DALY
MUSIC BY: MAD PAN PRODUCTIONS
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: GUILIA ARMENTANO

The full line of the 3rd Artist Series of bottles for 1800 Tequila:

Over at NOTCOT, you can see the unboxing of the promotional mailer and all the cool Lucha Libre related design goodies by Dead As We Know It that came with it.

above: Yarn Bomber Magda Sayeg gives a Paris statue a legwarmer

above: A Yarn Bombed homage to Banksy by Agata Olek, image courtesy of Olek

If you're not aware of the latest art movement, Yarn Bombing, just start looking around. Yarn Bombing is a cozier version of street graffiti. Sometimes referred to as Grandma Graffiti, it is the guerilla crocheting of buildings, bike racks, stairs, statues, trees, lampposts and more are covered with crochet or knitting by various artists.

A relatively new global phenomenon, this softer form of urban vandalism is appearing in every country around the globe and was recently celebrated on June 11th as International Yarn Bombing day.

above: Magda Sayeg of Knitta Please at work

above: Agato Olek yarn bombs places, things and created human figures with her knits, image courtesy of Olek

above: Jesse Hemmon of Ishknits yarnbombs the Rocky Stautue in Philadelphia

Just like urban street art has its heros (Bansky, Crash, Retna and more) so does Yarn Bombing. Artists/knitters like Jessie Hemmons of ishknits, Magda Sayeg of Knitta Please and artist Agata Olek, to name just a few.

Jessie Hemmon's yard bombed statue of Rocky outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art asks you to "go see the art":

The talented work of artist Magda Sayeg is more like public art installations than graffiti and can be found in Paris, New York and Indonesia, amongst other places.

Some work from Magda Sayek of Knitta Please (more later in the post):

From People to Public Pools to Statues, some of Agata Olek's work:

image courtesy of Olek

image courtesy of Olek

Yarn Bombed Transportation:

above: Jessie Hemmon's awesome Tank Blankie (courtesy of flickr)

above: knit car cozie (artist unknown)

above: Knit covered motorcycle by Kate Corbin

above: Magda Sayeg's amazing crochet-covered atv, bus, MINI, and Cosmico camper

above: Agata Olek's knit covered car

above: the El train yarnbombed by ishknits

above: Schwinn by Greeneyez2

above: knit covered bike in new York by Agata olek, image courtesy of Olek

Yarn bombed utility and lamp posts, bike racks, and other public elements: