How It Started
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.