Recast Moto Festival organizers reached out to me when they were starting to put their event together. Their aim was to create a platform for custom motorcycles to be on full display, and merge it with all of the other creative elements that are associated with motorcycle culture as we know it. These included tattoo artist, bands, street food, clothing & of course art. BMW Motorrad served as the main sponsor of the event & introduced their newer GS motorcycles to the captive audience. They flew me over to the former Soviet country & into their capitol, Minsk. We lined their Art Centre in the city’s CBD with my entire portfolio, each piece printed & framed at A3 size.
Before the main event played out, a pre-show viewing was organized by the team at a wine bar in Svobody (freedom) street. The bar & restaurant’s name took a cue from the location, Svobody.4. They hung a small selection of pieces & invited specific guests to the event, which they paired with Afro-Jazz on the vinyls & paired it with an African inspired menu for the evening. I was blown away at the incredible effort to present my work in such a tasteful way. Me sitting on the bench inside, at the entrance, looking at this beautifully modern wine bar in Eastern Europe filled with my celebrated work, was absolutely one of my career highlights as an artist.
It was an incredible experience to visit what they call the “lungs of Europe” due to their natural forestry. I quickly became friends with some of the organizers, who allowed me to take a spin on their newest custom Honda CB as well.
I spent a few days wondering around the city on foot & via train to visit their National Art Museum at length. To me, it house the heart of their country, its beat & its past bleed. Just magnificent how the Slavic people could endure these cruel times in harsh winters to boot. I managed to enjoy an etching exhibition of non other than Rembrandt himself. A collection of well over a hundred of his etchings were on show, all dated to his 1600’s era of expressing himself & Christian faith through this form of art. How lines can capture emotion so, is only for a master like him to know.
Grateful for the friends made, grateful for this memorable experience.
