The Antipodes Project is a surreal collaborative drawing project started by Washington D.C. artist Ben Tolman in 2006. Thus far, three projects have been completed and a fourth is close to fruition. All four of these projects were done with 005 and 01 micron pens on 11 X 14 inch pieces of Bristol paper (panels). The individual panels were put together to create large pieces. Thus far, 37 very talented artists from around the world have contributed to the project, and we are still looking for more artists to contribute.
Meanwhile, Ben was now reinvigorated! He grabbed some artists to help complete the second project entitled " A Transitional Moment", which was finished up in late 2015 just before "Kilroy was Here" was completed.
The fourth project is currently in progress and is entitled "The Myth." Ben has mostly been guiding this project, although I have worked on four panels and solicited artists to contribute as well.
These four projects, along with individual works by some of the artists involved, are currently on display through August 29, 2016 at
The Fridge Gallery in Washington D.C. The opening reception was held on 29 July 2016. Although I was not able to make it to the reception, it apparently went well. In fact, the awesome art magazine
Juxtapoz even had a
writeup about it on their web site. Scott Stead and Jonny Goldstein did a
live feed video of the show
. The next day,
Whitehot Magazine published a lengthy
online story about the show and the Project.
The Antipodes Project is garnering some great national and international attention. This is wonderful, although not surprising with the caliber of artists contributing!
When the show at the Fridge comes down, I will be taking over the project for a while as Ben will be arting in Germany. This joker is rolling! Future plans include finishing the fourth project, then its wide open. I would like to incorporate color in some future works and a variety of sizes and formats. I would love to have some musicians come together to create collaborative surreal experimental music to tie into this project to be played at shows and to be available online. Video collaborations would be great as well. Certainly, we should produce a book of the artwork, prints of panels, etc. I will be looking for volunteers to assist in these new aspects of the projects as well as gallery directors to host these incredible pieces.
So far, the following 37 artists have contributed something to the three finished projects and the fourth unfinished one! Numbers after each name indicates which project the artist worked on. Project 1 - "Novus Natura", Project 2 - "A Transitional Moment", Project 3 - "Kilroy was Here", and Project 4 - "The Myth".
Ben Tolman (1-4), Joe A. MacGown (3,4), Lars Peterson (1,3), Joseph H. MacGown (3), Julianne MacGown (3), Chloe Marsters (3,4), Marnie Pitts (2, 3,4), Otto Rapp (3), Paulo Cunha (3), Pizo Meyer (3,4), Ryan Thornburg (2,3,4), Zachary Nolin (3,4), Reinhard Schmid (2), Cayung Siagan (2), Kris Kuksi (4), Maura Holden (4), Jon Beinart (4), Kuba Ambrose (4), Gil Perry (3,4), Rodney Gee (4), Phil Rubinov Jacobson (4), Yainderidoo (4),Durga (2, 4), Sal Hunter (4), Rens Ink (2, 4), David Mack (2), Greg Kanteres (2), Rick Bach (2), Theo Ellsworth (2), Marcel Bakker (3,4), Alexander Bostic (3,4), Deborah Valentine (3), Danielle Caners (4), Héctor Pineda (4), Matthew Sergison-main (4), Janelle McKain (4), and Jay Garfinkle (3).
