Skateboarding and art go together like peanut butter and jelly. Between board graphics, graffiti, music and fashion, skating has been a driving force in the arts for a good time now. Once considered an underground, low-brow subject, skating is now a staple of mainstream pop culture, including video games and movies and has been a hot theme in galleries and art magazines. Mall Curb offers a fresh and unique approach to the subject, by focusing on the lifestyle and going-ons around skateboarding, rather than the sport itself.
Thom Lessner takes a simple but poignant approach on Mall Curb stating "(the show) is about what kids do when they're not doing what they do". Whether it's reminiscing about the past, brainstorming about the future, or even those simple moments when you and your friends are sitting around listening to music, getting food, hanging out at the mall or spending a warm summer night on a front porch. There is a universal truth to this sentiment that applies far beyond just the skateboarding scene, however skateboarding has had a large impact on the work Thom and Patrick are currently producing today.
Growing up in Columbus, OH, Thom Lessner was inspired by classic rock and punk, screwball comedies, and dirty jokes. He enjoys making art and music that celebrate his interests and inspirations. Currently living and working in his studio in Philadelphia, PA, Lessner's paintings and prints range from baseball heros to yacht rock musicians, represented in a style uniquely his own. Thom's work can be seen on a range of items for different companies and bands, and he recently collaborated with sister Liz Lessner, on the interior of her restaurant Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace located in downtown Columbus.
Patrick O'Dell met Thom during high school in Columbus, and is currently living and working out of Los Angeles, CA. His work is centered around his online photo journal and web TV show, Epicly Later'd. O'Dell's photography is personal and intimate, he captures subtle and small moments of his travels and outings. Creating a warm sense of nostalgia, his photos allow the viewer to feel like they were a part of the moment. When not taking photographs, he works on videos for musicians and enjoys dogs and traveling.
Curator(s)
Jacquie Mahan
