Peter Beste is an American documentary photographer best known for his work documenting subcultures. His first book True Norwegian Black Metal
(Vice Books 2008) is a seven-year exploration into the dark world of
black metal music in Norway. The country's largest musical export gives
birth to this notorious subculture- an obscure mix of Occultism, Nordic
mythology, and extreme heavy metal which aggressively forsakes
Norwegian mainstream society. Beste's
unprecedented access and insight results
in a stunning and honest visual testimonial and has been exhibited in
over 12 countries. Beste's
next venture was to return to his Texas roots to investigate the
infamous world of underground Houston rap with writer Lance Scott
Walker. Known around the world for its original sound, it's gritty,
violent and drug-promoting lyrical content, Beste presents an honest and compassionate look into the homes and
personal lives of Houston's rappers, and everyday inner-city citizens of
the Houston neighborhoods. Through
integrating himself into their world for over seven years, Beste's
photos give his audience an honest look rather than the exaggerated commercial-friendly facade commonly presented. This project
has culminated into two books to be released in March 2013. Beste
has had solo exhibitions in London, New York, Tokyo, Stockholm,
Copenhagen, Oslo, Los Angeles, Madrid, and others. His work has appeared
in American Photo, Arkitip, Juxtapoz, British Journal of
Photography, Dazed and Confused, London Observer, Modern Painters, VH1,
MTV, NRK (Norway), XXL and many others.
The Black Ink Warlock, a.k.a. Justin Bartlett, applies boundless
visual style to depictions of the arcane. His developed portfolio
representing clients of various trades exposes an illustrative language
often derived from the occult, where theology and religion meet strife.
Here he has mastered visual manipulation of his equally imaginative
clients within several genres of extreme music. With pen and ink, Bartlett renders visions
unseen by the naked eye, awakening apparitions as ambiguous as those
creatures created by Edgar Allen Poe or ideas fostered by Aleister
Crowley. Self-taught, the illustrator/designer has developed a style
that's equally recognizable as it is versatile. Bartlett's work has been selected for worldwide exhibitions and his illustrations have
cloaked the pages of Vice Magazine and he has been featured in
Illustration Now! and 3X3 Magazine.
Alexander "Bad News" Brown
is a New Zealand based illustrator whose finely detailed work has
graced the albums and shirts of top metal bands such as MITOCHONDRION,
IMPIETY, CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS, NAILS, VASAELETH, ALDEBARAN, PSEUDOGOD,
DIOCLETIAN, HERESIARCH and his own roaring black/death metal machine
WITCHRIST. This is Alexander's first gallery show and we are proud to have
his world class illustrations here.
Denis Forkas Kostromitin is a master painter from Moscow, Russia.
Growing up in Russia he was initially a self-taught artist. When he was
still in his twenties, Denis frequently visited China as an interpreter
and a journalist and eventually came across the opportunity to study
traditional Eastern painting techniques. His research of philosophy and
the occult - both ancient and modern – coupled with the unique sense of
aesthetics produce beautiful and bewitching works, which grace the
covers of records from HORSEBACK, CASTLE, RIDE FOR REVENGE, DEAD REPTILE
SHRINE, WRATHPRAYER, FUNERARY CALL and AVE MARIA. This is the first
exhibit in the United States to feature Denis' work.