Young Ones Bring Out the Big Guns

We can't be everywhere at once, but our beloved tipsters can. Alan Stuart shoots us a report from the Young Guns 5 opening at the ADC in NYC. As an art director, I experience a wave of emotions walking down 29th street towards the Art Directors Club. It's very similar to going home for the holidays, first comes excitement, then anxiousness, then self-consciousness, quickly supported by jealously, and finally, a hangover. There was a line out the door, straddled by smokers. Peeking through the glass, it's impossible not to form an opinion about the show. It seems rather obnoxious, for example, that featured Young Guns sport safety-yellow sashes. But once inside, I desperately want one. There is some great work hanging and many beautiful, Chuck T/ironic t-shirt-wearing creatives on hand to receive the credit. Consistent with the theme, the work is edgy, but not "punk." There is a definite zeitgeist of layered type and minimalist, comedic illustration; some of it I would love to frame on my wall, some of it I may "borrow" from later, and some is just too cool for its own good. The open bar is being taken advantage of, but an ingenious mashed potato buffet balances the effects. The atmosphere is that of a new bar in Williamsburg, with people switching conversation partners like dancers at cotillion. Towards the end I grab this year's Young Guns book, created by Moleskine, impressed with how cute it is. A nice piece to own. All that's left is the ever-popular schwag bag containing some Shiseido lotion, a DVD, a pillowcase for After These Messages, and some ubiquitous postcards. By the time I begin out the door the internal jealousies of "I can do that" and "Yeah, I saw that 3 years ago" subside and I'm able to appreciate the work for what it really is: great. Alan Stuart is an art director at Green Team.There's a panel discussion with the Guns November 13.

Fishbowl

Young Ones Bring Out the Big Guns

Alissa Walker

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Alissa Walker