[ART]iculations: No Sleep For Dreamers

DREAM NATION
Local artist and graphic designer Joel Gaspar’s solo exhibition at Nextdoor, “No Sleep For Dreamers.”

Joel Gaspar is a dreamer. A firm believer that in life, sometimes all we need is a little bit of motivation to overcome the seemingly impossible, Gaspar is an artist out to change the world through his work. “Above all, art is used to convey a message,” he explains. “What we say in that message is so important. Which is why I use my art to address issues like social injustice, advocacy and ways to educate and inspire one another.” He’s also ecstatic; the multifariously talented artist (also graphic designer, activist and Flux intern) is gearing up for the first solo art show of his career thus far- “No Sleep For Dreamers,” debuting this Wednesday at Nextdoor.

As the title of the show suggests, “No Sleep For Dreamers” is about never giving up, or in Gaspar’s words, never falling asleep on your dreams. Many of his works carry the same constructive tone, such as those from the Dreamers & Doers Collection, a series of graphic poster-like works featuring famous influentual faces (like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Theresa) paired with inspirational sayings.

The show will include 7 original works blown up to larger-than-life dimensions and installed in what has come to be known as the “Shepard Fairey style” wheatpaste technique. And appropriately so, seeing as he’ll be exhibiting alongside Fairey himself (Nextdoor is the proud home of an authentic Fairey installation.) Also in the lineup are a handfull of local musical acts including Kings of Spade, Black Square, and Sing The Body. This will be an excellent venue to support local arts, as all proceeds from sales will go to benefit Rise Up Hawaii, a non-profit organization focusing on aiding humanitarian activism, founded by Gaspar himself.

 

ARTiculationsis a blog on culture and the arts by Carolyn Mirante for Flux Hawaii. Carolyn is a Honolulu-based arts critic and Owner/Director of the Gallery of Hawaii Artists (GoHA) an alternative exhibition space dedicated to the contemporary arts in Hawaii.