Back in 2010, San Francisco‘s Spoke Art gallery burst onto the scene with Bad Dads, a group exhibit paying tribute to the cinematic mastery of filmmaker, Wes Anderson. That art show proved to be a monumental debut, becoming a highly anticipated annual event opening during the last weekend of October each year and consistently hosting an incredibly impressive turnout, with numerous attendees arriving donning attire related to characters from Anderson‘s work. For the 6th installment, Spoke Art is not only moving the date to August (next Friday, July 7th, to be exact), but is also taking the show on the road and presenting it as a 3-day weekend pop-up show at the Joseph Gross Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City.

We posted a preview for the very first Bad Dads exhibit, along with one for each subsequent followup since, so there’s no question that we were going to throw something up on the site for this one, as well. That being said, although I’ve long been a fan of the director’s work, each time we’re about to write about the next one of these things, I can’t help but question if the concept of Wes Anderson tribute art hasn’t been mercilessly beaten unconscious and left for dead at this point. Then I see the work and come to the same exact conclusion each and every time, “This is probably going to wind up being the best exhibit that we’ve seen them curate yet.” The idea is pretty straight forward: Wes Anderson has honed an incredibly distinct aesthetic for himself and, by recruiting a number of visual artists from around the world who are at the top of their games in various disciplines to filter the auteur’s work through their own unique styles and perspectives, the results are guaranteed to yield some interesting results. Bad Dad’s VI boasts 70 different international artists contributing around 100 brand new pieces in mediums that range from watercolor and oil painting to paper works, sculpture, and screenprints (both original works and prints will be available for purchase). This show functions as a reminder that there are as many potential viewpoints out there as there are individuals, and Spoke has successfully brought in some new blood to provide fresh interpretations and angles to the table. Meanwhile, returning contributors/gallery regulars, like Rebecca Rose and Max Dalton, are continuing to push their work and outdo themselves, making the argument that this well of inspiration will, most likely, not be drying up anytime soon.

With strictly a 3 day run for this pop-up show and the exceptional nature involved with it being held in NYC, the response has been both tremendous and immediate, with the Facebook event page reaching over 10,000 RSVPs by the first morning after it was posted and eventually pushing more than 57-thousand. To regulate the situation, an additional eventbrite page was created where interested parties could reserve tickets to insure entry (aside from a special vip opening Thursday night, each day is split into 2 different viewing windows with entry being free throughout Sunday). All of those spots have quickly filled up, as well, although there is a waitlist available that one can sign up to be placed on.

This will not mark the first time that Spoke has thrown a pop-up exhibit in New York; they curated another three-day Martin Scorsese-themed show back in 2013, so there is a precedent. But, for those in the San Francisco area that are disappointed about the fact that they won’t have the Bad Dads show to attend again this Halloween season, I wouldn’t give up hope entirely. Although it was a somewhat unique situation, the first 3 rounds of their Quentin (Tarantino) VS Coen (Brothers) show took place in 3 different cities — New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles — within months of each other, back in 2011. In fact, Bad Dads 3 even had an initial debut of a number of early pieces and exclusives at the 2012 NY Comic Con in advance of the full-scale month-long San Francisco show which followed it a few weeks later, so anything is possible. I just find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t deliver something in their home town, after it’s become such a highly anticipated yearly event for so many people. Then again, who knows? They could always have something even that much much bigger up their sleeve.

Full list of Contributing Artists:

100% Soft, Rebecca Mason Adams, Daliah Lina Ammar, Anarkitty, Brianna Angelakis, Christine Aria, Kelsey Beckett, Jill Bencsits, Johnny Bergeron, Ryan Berkeley, Joshua Budich, Ivonna Buenestro, Bungaloo, Sandi Calistro, Julian Callos, Keith Carter, Mar Cerada, James Charles, Matt Chase, Tracie Ching, Dan Christofersson, Charles Clary, Rhys Cooper, Cuddly Rigor Mortis, Max Dalton, Jessica Deahl, Tim Doyle, Emily Dumas, Matt Dye, Epyon5, Valentin Fischer, Veronica Fish, Monica Garwood, Sam Gilbey, Rebecca Green, Lauren Gregg, Dominic Guidote, Justin Hager, Primary Hughes, Charlie Immer, Maria Suarez Inclan, Martine Johanna, Tim Jordan, Alex R Kirzhner, Bartosz Kosowski, Calvin Lai, Conor Langton, Nan Lawson, Micah LeBrun, Adam Lister, Kemi Mai, Scott Mitchell, Guillaume Morellec, Danielle Murray, Rueben Negron, Conor Nolan, Chelsea O’Byrne, Lily Padula, Anna Pan, Rich Pellegrino, Audrey Pongracz, Patrycja Podkościelny, Michael Ramstead, Fernando Reza, Matt Ritchie, Michelle Romo, Rebecca Rose, Daniel Speight, Meghan Stratman, Mike Stilkey, Dean Stuart, Jess Suttner, Mandy Tsung, Van Orton, Casey Weldon, Helice Wen, Bec Winnel and Alice X Zhang

Check out a selection of preview images for the exhibit below the following event details…

WHAT:

“Bad Dads VI”

an art show tribute to the work of Wes Anderson



WHEN:

VIP Opening reception – (21+):

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

6pm-10pm

$15

Friday, August 7th, 2015 – (All Ages)

11am-5pm

$5

Friday, August 7th, 2015 – (21+)

6pm-10pm

$10

Saturday, August 8th, 2015 – (All Ages)

11am-3pm

$5

Saturday, August 8th, 2015 – (All Ages)

3pm-6pm

$5

Sunday, August 9th, 2015 – (All Ages)

11am-3pm

Free w/RSVP

Sunday, August 9th, 2015 – (All Ages)

3pm-5pm

Free w/RSVP

WHERE:

Joseph Gross Gallery

548 W 28th St

New York, NY 1000111

ADDITIONAL INFO:

21 and over viewings: – Complimentary beer courtesy of Stella Artois, and costumes are encouraged!

Priced All Ages viewings: includes a free commemorative sticker and button, available only to attendees!

Free viewings: Due to venue capacity, a ticket is required to enter.



Facebook event page: CLICK HERE

Eventbrite RSVP/ticket page: CLICK HERE

Sign Up For Waitlist: CLICK HERE

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