Alexander Heir, Funeral French, Rok, SpiderXdeath & Taketo Ikegami

STOCKROOM

What has separated hardcore punk from other genres of music is that it is rooted in its own set of tribal traditions, whether they be sonic, oral, or visual. In the insulated arena that punk music has created, visual art flourishes in the same way it does in the normal art world. What differs in this arena are the motivations and mediums. Specifically, why and how artists create.

Going back to the nascent days of hardcore punk, one of the most useful ways for artists to express themselves was in the creation of art that would be used toward flyers, shirts, and record covers for bands. Some of hardcore punk's greatest artists started out and made their name from working with bands in their local scene. This includes the likes of Raymond Pettibon and his work in the early 1980's with Black Flag, Pushead and his work with Metallica and his own band Septic Death in the 1980s, Ric Clayton and his work with the Suicidal Tendencies, Sean Taggart and his work with the mid-80's New York crossover scene, or Sugi and his work with the late-80's Burning Spirits scene. Their artwork not only helped to illustrate an identity for the bands they were working with, but also for the scenes they resided in and the eras they lived in.

Much like in the traditional art world where the artists and their work are reflections of their surroundings and the times, the same was true for the work created in the hardcore punk world. Where this similarity ends is that the traditional art world often do not consider their contributions as an advancement of their local scene as it exists both past and present. Conversely, punk artists will actively consider the impact of their work on their local community. "Is what I'm doing advancing the scene here and now?" Because their work often exists in tandem with a show (flyer), music (a record), or a band (shirt), their practice become inextricably linked to the success of the music scene. When one does well, often the other does well too.

As a result of this tribal and sonic commingling that hardcore punk artists find themselves saddled with, they often pursue their art in different mediums. This is something Raymond Pettibon did in his pursuit of more traditional art, Sean Taggart with comics, or Pushead with toys to name a few examples.

Today's artists in hardcore punk pursue their art in different mediums while also often continuing to support their scenes and the genre in the same ways their predecessors before them did.

China Heights' South Of Heaven is a continuation of that tradition. It showcases art from the arenas of hardcore punk and metal where it's been as reflected in the artists' influences, the current state, and potentially what the future looks like.

Melbourne's Spider is a mainstay in the country's tenacious and vaunted hardcore punk scene. He runs Winter Garden Records, a punk label which has most recently worked with Japanese punk legends Crow (a release featuring original artwork from Spider). Additionally, he tattoos at Melbourne Tattoo Co, one of the country's most famous and celebrated tattoo shops.

Alexander Heir of Brooklyn, New York has been a huge part of the city's globally influential scene for over a decade. Aside from his work with his band L.O.T.I.O.N., Heir also runs the clothing company Death Traitors which takes its inspirations from old propaganda posters with commentaries about the uncertainties of life in this increasingly technological age.

Sydney's Rok needs no introduction. In addition to doing vocals for Sadistik Exekution, one of the country's most important and influential extreme music bands, Rok has been painting for decades. Much of his work has been used by a number of bands, including his own.

French has nested his art into the realm of skateboarding, which has deep connections to both hardcore punk and metal music, where he runs the company Dungeon.

Japan's Taketo has become known for his prolific output showcasing horrifying realism in surreal settings in a black and white illustration format.

- by James Khubiar