Dope Tees
- Text by HUCK HQ
Huck scoured all corners of the globe to bring you the dopest selection of art-inspired tees out there. In a mind-blowing collision of the art and streetwear worlds, we present work from lumberjack aficionado TIMBER!, pop-culture obsessive Gasius, masters of craft The Working Artisans’ Club, skinhead snapper Gavin Watson and inky people Mama’s Gun Co. Guaranteed to leave your prospects with the opposite sex unchanged, and hopefully sweatshop free, here are five of the very finest works of T-shaped design, artistry and craftsmanship for you to peruse and purchase at your leisure.
Element x TIMBER!
Hailing from California, TIMBER!, aka Chad Eaton, has an unhealthy obsession with lumberjacks. Each of his pieces form a chapter in the wider story developed throughout his work; an epic tale of conflict between loggers and the powers that be. Big Foot, wild animals and a host of other forest dwelling characters appear in the story beside the silent heroes: the trees. TIMBER! has carved out a distinctive wood-cut aesthetic that celebrates natural themes. His new tee will definitely give you wood. Real men ride motorbikes, so this tee celebrates the marriage of machine and lumberjack. Rock it!
HUCK x O’Neill: The Working Artisans’ Club
The Working Artisans’ Club grew from a desire to celebrate the modern-day craftsmen and women who paddle against the tide of mass-produced conformity to remind the world of the value of the handmade. The project gives us the chance to marvel at the artisan skills in shaping wood, neoprene, wellies and a host of other materials. Coming straight to you in 100% organic cotton, the limited-edition Working Artisans’ Club tee is another incredible display of craftsmanship. Rock it!
Goodhood x Gasius
Unlike many artists who chose to shield their influences like closely guarded secrets, Gasius, aka Russell Maurice, is upfront about exactly what influences him (and what doesn’t): “Green seeds, 70’s logo types, early 80’s comics (Dr Strange, Master of Kung Fu, Green Lantern etc), mid-late 90’s skate, Think Skateboards (when Mike Giant did it), MadCircle (when Twist did it), space cakes, early Disney (before it became McDisbucks), mushrooms, LSD, rave (first time round) then jungle then drum ‘n’ bass, early 80’s Lotus Esprit (oh and of course the James Bond one), Raygunomics…” the list goes on. When he isn’t gurning his face off in front of retro-TV shows or skanking to filthy jungle beats from his cassette Walkman, Gasius throws out dope tees. This is one of those. Rock it!
55DSL x Gavin Watson
Straight out of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Gavin Watson grew up capturing the lives of his friends and the circles they moved in during the bleak 1980s. His photographs have since become key documents of the defining British subculture movements of that decade; the skinheads and the punks. His natural and honest portraits have drawn praise from director Shane Meadows, who has said: “What makes Gavin’s photos so special is that when you look at them, there’s clearly trust from the subject towards the photographer so it feels like you’re in the photo rather than just observing.” This tee is a collaboration with 55DSL who gave a selection of artists freedom to create their own tee as part of the 10.55 Limited Edition series. Rock it!
Mama’s Gun Co.
Mama’s Gun Co. was born in London from a passion for streetwear, traditional tattoos, photography and creative youth culture. With deep roots in the tattoo community, founder Ola Paprocka collaborates with prolific and respected artists around the world to give their detailed designs life beyond inked skin. Committed to “uniting tattooing and fashion in perfect harmony”, Mamas Gun Co. t-shirts and products are platforms for great work to be seen in the streets and to celebrate the independence and subversiveness unique to the tattoo tradition. Imagery varies from sacred hearts and mythological snakes to totem-style owls and illuminati eyes to create a coherent body of work that seems to contain entire folk tales and other worlds in its beautiful forms. Rock it!
