Hit The Deck

Celebrating Synthesis’ big One-O, artist Alex Pardee (CBS, Lords Crew, Bunnywith) graced us with his illustration of Definitive Jux label head/rapper El-P, whos album I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead drops mid March. Head over to Alex Pardee’s blog for a peak into more info on what hes been up to and what hes going to be up to.

Alex Pardee will also be creating a piece for Hit The Deck art exhibition at the United Trade Show located at Alexis Park in Las Vegas February 13th-15th.

The United Trade Show is not just a forum for independent brands to showcase and sell their upcoming lines, but also gives attendees a chance to learn and interact with the different activities United is hosting. Unlike other trade shows, United is bringing it back and catering towards educating and making sure viewers leave having had a good time.

With a home recording studio, expert panel discussions on all angles of the clothing business, parties and even golf lessons, United encourages attendees to participate. There are also three art shows at the venue. Blood Is The New Black has Cupid’s Noose art installation with live art by Travis Millard and a photography booth from Dan Monick. Abide Visuals also has a group installation with many Exit Strategy magazine’s artists showing their work. All of these artists will also participate in Hit The Deck presented by Synthesis.

Hit The Deck is a skateboard art exhibition using skateboard decks as the medium. This installation is unique because it combines graffiti writers, graphic designers, studio-artists and clothing designers together in one show to raise money for an amazing charity, The Global Fund. The Global Fund provides medicine to economies across the world that cannot afford the treatment and prevention of AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Artists from Cope2, Emek, Haze, Blake Marquis, Mike Shinoda and B+ will be exhibited next to designers and clothing companies such as Miskeen, 3Sixteen, Mishka and Homeroom, that have created decks. These decks will be sold at United at affordable prices as artists are excited to be participating to raise money for a world renown charity.

“My favorite music, like skateboarding, is all about originality and pushing limits. I’m excited to be a part of Hit The Deck, an event that celebrates that spirit.” - Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park and Fort Minor frontman.

Hit The Deck’s centerpiece is a collaboration between artists Aye Jay, Chachi, Matt Loomis and Dap1. Chachi is a well known graffiti writer from Chicago, but has pieces that can be seen across the US and with his crew DC5. Aye Jay created the “Gangster Rap Coloring Book,” and is now working on the “Heavy Metal Fun Time Activity Book,” with a forward by Andrew W.K. which should drop Fall ‘07. Matt Loomis is an amazing illustrator and works at a think tank factory that is in charge of designing graphics for the clothing lines of over 10 licensing clients world wide. Dap1 is curating Hit The Deck on top of his full time job of Creative Director at Synthesis. The collaboration between these four unique artists was a tribute to old school skate graphics, representing the origins of the streetwear culture.

The Hit The Deck buzz has been slowly spreading. With artists blogging, posting myspace bulletins and updating the news section on their websites, traffic on our Hit The Deck website has been blowing up…kind of. Apparently, we are huge in Moscow right now.

Today we received decks from Jason Brunson, Downtimer (myspace/downtimer) and SoCity. Sneakie peekies coming next week.

Synthesis presents Hit The Deck, an original art showcase of artists from around the world using skateboard decks as the medium. Hit The Deck will be held at the Alexis Park Resort Hotel, during the UNITED Trade Show, February 13th through the 15th from 11am to 7pm. Synthesis will curate Hit The Deck, bringing together clothing designers, graphic designers, graffiti writers and established fine artists for an opportunity to show and sell their original skateboard deck art to raise money for a world renowned AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis treatment charity, The Global Fund.

Artists include Aaron Turner, Alone, Aye Jay, B+, Jeben Berg, Bishop, Jason Brunson, BUE, Freddi C, Cartel NYC, Robert Carter, Aden CatalaniChachi, Milano Chow, Cope2, Downtimer, Jared Eberhardt, Emek, Ethos, Jesse Ewing, Exist1981, Faydog, David Flores, Jennifer Garcia, Maria Gillespie, Steve Green, Justin Hampton, Maya Hayuk, Haze XXL, Homeroom Clothing, Jib Hunt, Alvaro Ilizarbe, Indie, Joseph Israel, Patrick Jilbert, KOA One, Ben Kwok, Aaron LaCrate, Greg LaMarche, Mathew Landon, Tara Laura, Matt Loomis, Madsaki, Travis Millard, Elisa Millier, Miskeen Originals, Amanda Lopez, Madsaki, Tiffany Malakooti, Blake Marquis, Rob McBroom, Mishka NYC, Dan Monick, Garrett Morin, Munk One, Alex Pardee, Pastime, The Pizz, Jesse Raker, Jeremy Relph, Keren Richter, Alfred Rodriguez, Jermaine Rogers, Romanowski45, Safari, Isabel Samaras, Seizer One, Andrea Shear, Mike Shinoda, Keith Shore, Skinner, Siana Sonoquie, SPRFKR, Josh Taylor, George Thompson, 3Sixteen Clothing, TRACY168, David Trumpf, Alex Turan, Barry Underhill, Arien Valizadeh, Sophie Varela, Arien Walizadeh, Porous Walker, Aaron Winters, Z-Boys, and Z-Man.

Hit The Deck will also have on-site artists painting, interacting with Hit The Deck viewers. All this is made possible through our sponsors, Draven Shoes, Ultimate Ears and Fiji Water.

Stay tuned for sneak peaks of the deck art as they come in.