above: 4 pieces of Tumi luggage and an iPhone case by John "Crash" Matos
Tumi Tag is a limited edition series created in collaboration with renowned New York graffiti artist John "Crash" Matos. Crash's work has been featured in museums and galleries around the world and includes custom-painted guitars for Eric Clapton and John Mayer.
The Tumi Tag collection features four hardside cases—wheeled carry-ons and packing cases--and an iPhone case. Each wheeled case will showcase a different section of one of Crash's dynamic works of art. The interior of each case features one of four working drawings created by the artist and includes a unique number that authenticates the case as a distinct piece in this exclusive collection.
Only 1,000 of each Tumi Tag luggage style have been produced for this limited edition series. Tumi Tag, the collection name, refers to a graffiti artist's signature or tag. Enjoy hardside protection in a surprisingly lightweight, easy-to-maneuver design. This extra-large, four-wheel packing case is constructed from a super-light, triple-layer, high-performance alloy of ABS and polycarbonate. It sets the standard for strength, durability, mobility and aesthetics, and is ideal for extended business and leisure trips, or for two traveling together.
4 ELEMENTS 4 ICONS 4 BASKETBALLS - LIMITED ARTIST SERIES
Just released are the limited edition artist designed basketballs, K1X‘s "4-E" collection. The especially designed basketballs are interpretations of the four elements by the following artists and graphic designers; Marok (Water), Bill Mc Mullen (Fire), Mode2 (Earth) and Frank 151 featuring Stay High 149 (Air).
They each brought their usual a-game and interpreted one force of nature each. All four balls are strictly limited to 444 units and available at selected retail locations only.
THE ELEMENT: WATER
Marok chose the element WATER / Inspiration: design is strongly inspired by the movie „TRON“ / Interpretation: blue panels with grey channels suggest a bathroom-look reflecting the element WATER / Underglass-technique: grafic is printed on TPU material and covered by see-through-layer with shiny look / Packaging: ball comes in high-end display box / Collecters item - ball is limited to 444 pieces world wide and has Marok‘s signature on it.
THE ELEMENT: EARTH
Mode2 chose the element EARTH / Inspiration: design is strongly inspired by his character drawings / Interpretation: Mode2‘s baller stands on the ground getting his power from the element EARTH / Mode2 drew the picture on cardboard by hand - the drawing was then scanned and printed / Packaging: ball comes in high-end display box / Collecters item - ball is limited to 444 pieces world wide and has Mode2‘s signature on it.
THE ELEMENT: AIR
Frank 151 is featuring Stay High 149 in colaboration for the element AIR / Inspiration: design is strongly inspired by his legendary "smoker“ tag / Interpretation: white pu-leather with black and silver printing give the ball a very light look / Logos and tags are stamped with black/silver outlines / Packaging: ball comes in high-end display box / Collecters item - ball is limited to 444 pieces world wide and has Stay High‘s s signature (wayne robertson) on it.
Frank 151 is a rapidly growing cultural icon based in NYC. Its Centerpiece is the Frank Book, a magazine which is capturing the essence of the global urban mindset and lifestyle. The New York-based global media platform is also known for Frank’s Chop Shop – a barber shop providing custom products including exlcusive New Era Caps. Frank151 is influencing, enhancing and changing generations and cultures worldwide.
Wayne Roberts aka "Stay High 149“ aka "Voice of the Ghetto“ was born and raised in the Bronx (NYC). He is Considered one of the founding fathers and living legend of graffiti writing. As a pioneer, innovator and influencer he has inspired generations of graffiti writers.
THE ELEMENT: FIRE
Bill McMullen chose the element FIRE / Inspiration: design is strongly inspired by McMullens favourite color orange and influenced by the 1984 usa olympic star / Interpretation: by using a fluoriscent orange on white and black with black channels the FIRE ball seems to go up in flames / Underglass-technique: grafic is printed on TPU material and covered by see-through-layer with shiny look / Packaging: ball comes in high-end display box / Collecters item - ball is limited to 444 pieces world wide and has Bill McMullen‘s signature on it.
McMullen is a graphic designer, illustrator and artist from San Diego, based in New York City since 1996. McMullen’s designs have found their way on to clothing, album covers and toys for various brands and clients. He has designed packaging, DVDs and promotional videos for many artists including the Beastie Boys, Method Man, DMX and N.E.R.D, just to name a few. Also focusing on his own artwork, McMullen creates limited-run editions, and has released several notable vinyl toys like the famous AD-AT or SHUTTLEMAX for Kidrobot.
For K1X’ limited artist series of basketballs, McMullen interpreted the element of fire. McMullen has created a flame-like sphere, allowing him to incorporate his favorite color, orange.
The news is out that "Notorious graffiti artist Banksy stars alongside movie legend Joan Collins in Banksy’s Coming For Dinner; a new film written, directed and produced by Ivan Massow." But is it really Banksy in the film? Nope.
Described as a film within a film, where the viewer can "Experience the clash of celebrity as Hollywood royalty Joan Collins and husband Percy meet Banksy, the most famous living artist in the world. Banksy’s Coming for Dinner is a film within a film and questions the very nature of 'reality' at every level." the entire story is an elaborate hoax, albeit a filmed and edited hoax.
According to the Daily Mail, the entire story was a falsehood designed to dupe the Dynasty actress – and the rest of the world.
In reality, the ‘Banksy’ who Miss Collins spent five hours entertaining was actor Bryan Lawrence – whose career includes bit parts in The Bill and adverts for the Corby Trouser Press – not the controversial guerrilla artist famed for his stenciled, anarchist graffiti works that can sell for up to £250,000.
above: Actor Bryan Lawrence plays Banksy in the film.
The bizarre plot was dreamt up by former Tory adviser Ivan Massow, a colourful character who made and lost a fortune selling insurance to gay men, and a familiar face on the London social scene, who has known Miss Collins for 20 years.
He filmed the charade in the hope of hoodwinking a TV broadcaster into buying the footage, promoting it as the first time Banksy had revealed himself on camera.
In reality Ivan Massow was not really fooling anyone. He knew that his hoax would be discovered. After all, he arranged to have Sam Bloom, sister of actor Orlando Bloom, to be the waitress for the event. In fact, the chef for the dinner was also staged-- actress Helen Lederer played the role. Massow has stated, after being exposed,that he wanted to “investigate the nature of what’s real and what’s not real”. Of the event Massow has stated, “To pull off what was such a massive art fraud would have been really quite spectacular.”.
Massow had originally intended to use the real Banksy in his film. The artist's spokesman confirmed they had been approached last year, but 'turned down his request'. Massow said: "I still think he might be Banksy. Prove it's not him."
Knowing all that, and assuming it doesn't put you off from viewing the upcoming film, here's the Press Release, stills, trailer and info:
Hollywood royalty Joan Collins and husband Percy hold a dinner party for a few of their friends/acquaintances. Among the invited is the acclaimed artist Banksy, renowned for his aversion to the spotlight. Inviting him is fraught with social risk; will he come? How will he behave at table? This would, after all, be the first time he's revealed himself on camera.
The preparations, the dinner and the goodbyes… the characters speak in the shared language of the famous. Or do they? Perhaps they are commenting on this language, creating a second film within the first; the first being a drama, the second a satire.
As a study of our crazed adoration of celebrity and society’s overwhelming need to consume, Banksy’s Coming for Dinner questions the very nature of 'reality'. The film stars Hollywood icon Joan Collins, alongside her husband Percy and daughter Tara, with dinner guests Tamara Beckwith, Stephen K Amos, Paul de Freitas, Ann Mitchell and, of course, Banksy.
Banksy’s (who we now know is played by actor Bryan Lawrence) face is pixelated and his voice is distorted throughout the film, which was shot on location in London and Oxfordshire in June 2008, with post-production in Barcelona and Los Angeles.
The dinner party is shot in ‘real time’ over a single day at Joan’s country estate, within its spectacular, rolling grounds with deer and peacocks. The dinner guests are filmed throughout the day as they prepare and travel from their homes on this perfect summer’s day.
Joan is every inch the glamorous Hollywood mogul throughout, accompanied by her suave, debonair husband Percy. Her perfectionist nature gets the better of her when Ann Mitchell arrives 10 minutes early, complaining, “It’s terribly rude to be early.” Daughter Tara, dutifully helping the staff in the kitchen, predicts, “Mum’s going to have a shit-fit!”
Percy remains calm throughout, explaining, “It was a hard decision to make, opening up our lives, our home to the cameras. It’s rather undignified, quite frankly. But we decided to go with the way of the modern world.”
Banksy had agreed to pick Tamara Beckwith up from her smart Chelsea townhouse, though nobody could be sure he would arrive at all. At the appointed time, he turns up outside in a London Black Cab driven by his driver Julie, a middle-aged housewife. “Blimey!”, exclaims Tamara, “are we going all the way to Oxford in that? I hope he’s paying!” Having cleared a space for Tamara to sit amongst the discarded sweet wrappers and mess in the back of his cab, they set off, and Banksy chats about art, attacking Tracey Emin’s infamous ‘unmade bed’, saying, “that’s not art, that’s a thought.” Tamara nods in agreement.
Stand-up comedian Stephen K Amos sets off from his London Council Flat, enthusing, “If Banksy’s here... I’m getting some art. That’s my mortgage!” He’s picked up by Paul de Freitas, the exuberant casting director, described by his driver John as “a typical person who likes the nightlife”. Meanwhile, award-winning actress Ann Mitchell sets off from her home in leafy Hampstead commenting that Banksy’s, “Somebody who doesn’t want to be famous, who wants to remain anonymous. I think that’s incredible.”
The guests have arrived and are assembled in one of the reception rooms, making small talk over cocktails with Joan, an incredibly gracious hostess, the centre of attention. The group dynamic changes with the arrival of Banksy and Tamara and the balance of power tilts towards him. “Although he looked perfectly ordinary when he came in, people focused all their energy towards him,' Director of photography Saul Gittens later comments.
Banksy - or 'Bryan', as he introduces himself - presents Joan and Percy with what looks to be a hastily-prepared gift of a can of spray paint mounted on a miniature easel. “Oh Bryan, this is fantastic,” enthuses Percy, somewhat unconvincingly.
In the background, chaotic behind-the-scenes preparations take place in the kitchen, and world-famous pianist Yitkin Seow plays Satie and Mozart alone in a secluded drawing room. Yitkin comments, “I’m used to playing for audiences of up to 60,000 twice a day, but playing in a small room with nobody there can be just as challenging.”
Joan’s Butler leads the guests into the dining room. Joan rings the serving bell, and the games begin...
The Movie Trailer:
About The Production of the Film An August 8 Productions film, Banksy’s Coming for Dinner was written, produced and directed by Ivan Massow, with Editing by Ben Friend and Huw Jenkins (Emmy® Award Winning Editor), Assistant Editing by John William Dunlea, Alexandria Pickering and Monica Alonso as Line Production and Ruth Newman as Consultant Director.
Post-production facilities were supplied by Infinia in Barcelona and BRF Productions in Los Angeles. Filming facilities were supplied by ProCam TV, London with Saul Gittens as Director of Photography. Sound facilities were supplied by Total Audio Solutions, London with Paul Scurrell as Sound Supervisor.
The Cast: above: JOAN COLLINS, PERCY GIBSON, TARA NEWLEY, STEPHEN K AMOS, PAUL DE FREITAS, ANN MITCHELL, TAMARA BECKWITH, HELEN LEDERER, SAMANTHA BLOOM, NICKOLAS GRACE & BRYAN LAWRENCE AS BANKSY
Additional Credits: AUGUST 8 FILMS presents an IVAN MASSOW film "Banksy’s Coming for Dinner" Editor HUW JENKINS Editor BEN FRIEND Director of Photography SAUL GITTENS Sound Supervisor PAUL SCURRELL Piano by YITKIN SEOW Music by MR SCRUFF Line Producer ALEXANDRIA PICKERING Consultant Director RUTH NEWMAN Production Manager MONICA ALONSO Art Director SEAN CHILES
The Premiere Party: The Premiere Launch Party will be hosted by Joan Collins at the Paramount Club, London W1 (date TBC), and members of the public will have the chance to win a ticket for 2 to the premiere by registering at the film website www.banksyscomingfordinner.com in a Golden Ticket style lottery.
Purchase the DVD:
The DVD is available to purchase via Amazon direct from www.banksyscomingfordinner.com at a pre-release Special Offer price of £12.99 (RRP £16.99).
The film is available to download at a pre-release Special Offer price of £9.99 (instead of £13.99) – the DVD will be available at full RRP from 20 June 2009.
Just who is Banksy? If you're not familiar with UK Street Artist Banksy already, you can learn about him and his work here.
To see all of Banksy's work, visit his own site here.
