The Nike Graphic Studio is gearing up for its third one-night-only charity exhibition. OUTSIDE THE BOX is the theme, and GIRL EFFECT, which empowers young women around the world to take charge of their destiny, is set to benefit from all says. Gallery 135 (135 NW Park Ave, Portland, OR) plays host tonight from 7pm-11pm PST.
To learn more about OUTSIDE THE BOX, Complex.com chatted with Chris Degaetano and Eugene Serebrennikov, who helm the event for the Nike Graphic Studio.
Part of the idea behind the show is to create a platform which allows designers to express themselves in their own personal art style.
Can you tell me a little about what to expect from OUTSIDE THE BOX?
The theme OUTSIDE THE BOX taps into our roots as a footwear company. All of the pieces being created are inspired by sneaker culture and Nike’s footwear DNA. The artists involved in this show were challenged to think ‘Outside The Box’ and pushed to craft, create and design original and unique pieces of art. You can expect to find limited edition figurines, custom boomboxes and a fun, energetic environment.
We’re bringing music, art and Nike sneaker culture together under one roof for one night!
Within Nike, what sort of projects do members of the Graphic Studio end up working on?
The Nike Graphic Studio works across all categories at Nike with a focus on t-shirt graphics and headwear. Our team is made up of almost 50 designers each with their own unique style and level of creativity. From lifestyle to licensed product our studio covers it all.
Judging by the pieces from the past shows a lot of the team came from other mediums before graphic design. Is it a challenge to bring the Nike heritage to old favorite mediums or doesn’t it flow pretty naturally?
Part of the idea behind the show is to create a platform which allows designers to express themselves in their own personal art style.
This is the third Nike Graphic Studio art show, so you guys have been at this for bit now. How has the show changed since the first one?
While the original intention of giving back to the community and raising money for charity remains the same, our shows are definitely evolving. It’s a constant push to go bigger and better with each exhibition. We started off in a small gallery space, graduated to a larger venue and now are set to have our greatest event yet. Our formula hasn’t changed, we create one-of-a-kind artwork to benefit the community and mix it with a creative and energetic atmosphere.
In the past proceeds have went to relief for the Japanese Tsunami and Self Enhancement Inc, what lead you to support the Girl Effect this time?
We were looking for a charity to make an impact on a global scale and we were extremely inspired by The Girl Effect. The Girl Effect is a movement to unleash the unique and indisputable potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves and the world. We couldn’t think of a better cause to be involved with!
