Nike Dunk Premium Gas Mask – New Branding Wars Piece by Freehand Profit

I like my Dunks higher than a giraffe’s ass. These brown/white “Camo” Dunks may be a bit low key and some of you slept on these. Needless to say this colorway screamed out to be made in to a mask. As promised the Concord mask is underway, I’ll be attempting to film the process so I can put together a time lapse video of the mask from start to finish.

This piece is the 16th Branding Wars mask and is a 1 of 1.

It is available for purchase for only $750 through the Profit Shop.

Thanks to everyone who checked out, shared and loved the Black Cement III Mask and other previous Branding Wars masks. Your support means the world to me, keep the emails and comments coming. I love hearing from fellow artists and sneakerheads.

SOPA blackout: Bills lose three co-sponsors amid protests

There’s never a good enough reason for censorship. It’s time to let Congress know that bills like SOPA and the recently passed NDAA (which makes The Patriot Act look tame) are not okay. I commend sites like Wikipedia and WordPress for the SOPA blackout, their efforts have caused 3 co-sponsors to reconsider what they were backing. Check the link for the details from The Los Angeles Times

SOPA blackout: Bills lose three co-sponsors amid protests – latimes.com.

Black Cement III Gas Mask – New Branding Wars piece from Freehand Profit

These Black Cement 3s are my favorite Jordan release of 2011, the Concords are great and they’ll get chopped too but that can wait. Today I’m bringing you the 15th Branding Wars mask, the first release of 2012. This should be a good year for me, if the world goes super apocalypse status people won’t ask me “Why gas masks?” anymore and if the world doesn’t end then there’s still a chance that JB will rebound in 2013 with something better than these. Eh, I’ll wait til I have a pair on but I know y’all feel me. I’m really happy with these photos I couldn’t have done it without the beautiful and talented Betsy VanDeusen. That tee I copped from the homies at 8&9 at LA SneakerCon worked out perfect.

You can purchase this 1/1 piece at The Profit Shop.

Secret Sneaker Society: T-Shirt Design Concept

What’s up folks? I know it’s been too long since I dropped a design on you and I had few sketched out in the black book so I got to work. I know I’ll definitely do some custom prints for myself, debating on selling the design or printing a run to sell through the Profit Shop.  Inside the Jumpman you’ll see some shapes from the Vs, if I were to print a run I’d replace the Vs with some IVs and release it in February to go with those must have Cement Grey IVs. Leave a comment, lemme know what you think.

Happy Birthday Odie!

The killer tattoo artist, Havenot and homie Odie said his birthday wish was that his graff fam bust his name for him. Here’s a lil something I busted out real quick at the office. Happy Birthday bro!

New Branding Wars Mask: Last Shot 14s

"Last Shot" 14s

Back in ’98 Jordan rocked the 14s to rain down on the Utah Jazz. This was Mike’s second 3-peat with the Bulls and a historic last shot winning the game with 5.2 seconds left… hence the name “Last Shots”. That type of excellence is inspirational even 13 years later and can be appreciated by even non-sports fans. Inspired by MJ’s Ferrari F-50 and the last pair he wore before announcing his first retirement from the NBA.

The Chopping Block

One of the most fulfilling aspects of making the Branding Wars masks is going in blind and uncovering the character of the shoes. I don’t plan ahead when making the masks, the shoe itself truly dictates the mask. Once the shoes have been deconstructed certain lines and shapes show new life. For example, when I began working with the Last Shot 14s it became clear that I’d have to include much more of the sole than usual (past masks feature the sole on the canister). Without the red of the sole the mask wouldn’t properly represent the shoes. I had no idea they would end up being the ear-like shapes that formed.

My work is an outlet for me. A chance to reflect on the world around me. I’m often asked about my politics, what these masks mean, “what’s the point?” or “why would you?”. The art world wants to promote artists who further their politics, unfortunately independent thinkers don’t quite fit that mold sometimes. I don’t want my work to be a reflection of my personal politics, they’re there but I’d prefer to speak through my work rather than preach through it. The important things are 1) exploring creativity and imagination 2) making something manufactured in limited quantities into something one of a kind and handcrafted and 3) working with materials that I’m passionate about. Love it, hate it, misunderstand it or just plain get it… it’s art so it’s up to you to find your own understanding of it.

Big thanks to Trey Billie for the photo shoot.

Want to own this one of a kind piece of sneaker art? You can, check out the the eBay listing!

Last Shot 14 Branding Wars Mask worn by Trey Billie

Trey Billie reppin' Branding Wars

Freehand Profit rocking the newest mask

Trey Billie X Branding Wars

The Bulls returned to Utah for Game 6 on June 14, 1998 leading the series 3–2. Jordan executed a series of plays, considered to be one of the greatest clutch performances in NBA Finals history.^[63] With the Bulls trailing 86–83 with 41.9 seconds remaining, Phil Jackson called a timeout. When play resumed, Jordan received the inbound pass, drove to the basket, and hit a layup over several Jazz defenders.^[63] The Jazz brought the ball upcourt and passed the ball to forward Karl Malone, who was set up in the low postand was being guarded by Rodman. Malone jostled with Rodman and caught the pass, but Jordan cut behind him and swatted the ball out of his hands for a steal.^[63] Jordan then slowly dribbled upcourt and paused at the top of the key, eyeing his defender, Jazz guard Bryon Russell. With fewer than 10 seconds remaining, Jordan started to dribble right, then crossed over to his left, possibly pushing off Russell,^[64][65][66] although the officials did not call a foul. Jordan then made what would become the climactic shot of his career. After John Stockton missed a desperation 3-pointer, Jordan and the Bulls claimed their sixth NBA championship, and secured a second three-peat.

VIA Wikipedia

Check out more photos like this one on the eBay auction.

While you’re at it check out this video for “Get Em High” by Tha BassHeadz ft. Trey Billie (who did a quick photo shoot with me before it started raining)

TheBlackMedia.net | Music, News, Rumors & Gossip – #BREAKING: Nike to Release Official “Jordan Heels” in 2012

Fake Js are never ok. That being said if these fake Jordan heels were 1 of 1 pieces and intended as art I’d be their biggest fan. Since that’s not why they were made, it’s not ok. What is awesome is Nike has decided they’re going to do it right and release official Jordan Heels. They’ll hit Europe in 2012, if they hit their mark and make that profit they’ll be released world wide in Fall of 2012. For more details peep the jump for the source.

TheBlackMedia.net | Music, News, Rumors & Gossip – #BREAKING: Nike to Release Official “Jordan Heels” in 2012.

A History Of Sneakers On Old School Hip-Hop Albums | Complex

I’ve been asked plenty of times where my love for sneakers comes from. It can be hard to explain sometimes just how deeply ingrained into Hip Hop culture sneakers have been and continue to be. My use of sneakers to address issues of consumerism and identity tie directly to my life as a Hip Hop head. Kicks are a language all their own and Complex delivers an amazing example of this, don’t miss the jump:

A History Of Sneakers On Old School Hip-Hop Albums | Complex.

NIKEiD Air Force 1s – Freehand Profit colorway

When I caught wind that the AF1s were gonna hit NIKEiD and that the first 750 pairs had the option of wool I knew I had to act fast. Here they are, the grey is wool, black suede, turquoise leather and laces with gold and orange highlights.

Newest Branding Wars mask made from Coach sneakers

The sacrificial lamb.

Another ‘Chopped & Glued’ creation by Freehand Profit as part of the Branding Wars series. Currently for sale through the Profit shop.

The newest piece by Freehand Profit adds a new brand to the arsenal: Coach adds a more feminine touch to the series. Don’t worry sneakerheads, I’ll be getting back to some serious footwear soon enough. It’s been a busy few weeks. I recently made a trip back to DC to spend a little time with friends and family and even shook off enough social anxiety to speak at Corcoran’s Under The Influence event put together by the WPA (Washington Project for the Arts) , showcasing the work of 11 artists and the influence of the 30 Americans exhibit currently on view at the Corcoran. Here’s a peak at what I had to say:

My work focuses on examining our consumer nature despite being a society at war. It is not intended to condemn or condone but instead as more of a re-alignment of sorts. The body of work is entitled “The Branding Wars” and consists mainly of gas masks made from sneakers. There have been a number of artists from the 30 Americans exhibit that have inspired me; the most influential of them is Hank Willis Thomas.

Thomas’s work uses branding and the language of advertising to discuss race and identity. His use of advertising as a visual language allows us all to tap in to this discussion and form our own understanding of the work. The saturation of advertising continues to grow as more and more forms of advertising infiltrate our everyday lives. The propaganda-esque nature of today’s advertisements are part of the inspiration behind The Branding Wars series. I use similar techniques in my work to feed our love of the object. I say “object” here not just meaning the mask itself but as an object of material desire. We, as a whole, have grown to love objects the way we need food. Our “wants” have become “needs”. We see a product advertised and convince ourselves that we “need” it. Once we have it, we love it. Nothing new there, it’s materialism at it’s finest. That’s not entirely evil to me, those same forces help sell artwork, create jobs and can add to our quality of life. The Branding Wars series aims to address how absurd materialism can become. The underlying narrative that develops through the series describes a world destroyed by all the things we’ve been trained to fear: natural disasters, terrorism, war, greed and violence. Government becomes either non-existant or completely ineffective, leaving people to form tribes of branded loyalists. Typical post-apocalyptic story except our materialism becomes our defining and dividing factor. Leading back to the absurd because what’s more absurd than being concerned with whether your gas mask is made from Retro Jordans or Chuck Taylors. Yet, if we’re honest with ourselves, we make comparable decisions every day. I for example buy store brand food so I can buy name brand shoes. It’s not easy to admit but going back to Hank Willis Thomas who said in an interview with Juxtapoz: “Americans have to accept the critique of our privilege.”

Perhaps the most influential thing about Thomas to me is his effort to reach people outside of the art community, people who wouldn’t normally be in an art gallery. This has been a personal goal of mine that dates back to my years at the Corcoran. I have worked hard to find a way to convey a dichotomous message clearly through a visual language. Because of my background in graphic design I knew there were clear design languages out there. I looked at different ways of blurring the line between design and art. This gradually became my use of personal and corporate branding that can be seen in my artwork. When I discovered the work of Hank Willis Thomas I was impressed with how well he used branding to reach a wider and more understanding audience.

My appropriation of objects comes from Hip-Hop culture which has been a major influence on my life and work. My understanding of a deejay’s ability to take a piece of music and sample and remix it until it takes on a whole new life plays into my artistic process. In an almost literal way I take these existing, branded, desired objects and destroy what they are in the hopes of what they might become. This approach allows me to also address the commercial nature Hip-Hop has developed over the years from within my own community. These brands can represent status symbols within the world of Hip-Hop as well as reflect perceptions of identity and race as they do in Thomas’s series Branded. His pieces use brands like Jordan and Timberland to address issues of stereotypes and violence, both historical and modern. In his series, Unbranded, he took images of Blackness in advertisements and removed the text. The sources dated from 1968 to the present and together gave us an insight into how Corporate America influences identity. The issue of identity and the preconceived notions of identity are topics I attempt to tackle in my own work. My generation, and even more so the generations to follow, form our understanding of identity by how we brand ourselves. We gain more understanding, or at least gain the perception of understanding, based on how we present ourselves, what brand names we wear and the trends we choose to follow. It’s all too common to find youth and young adults that have built their own sense of identity on style instead of substance. The Branding Wars masks are a hyperbolic example of this, literally masking the face of the wearer and replacing it with a branded identity.