Alex Cambouris, Contributor
The Wright Museum of Art hosted a special panel on Thursday, February 1, presented by the talented artist troupe Fatherless. Greg Lang, Javier Jimenez, and Dave Menard united in Rockford in 2010 and have pursued many forms of artistic media together as Fatherless. The trio operates symbiotically, always collaborating and improving upon each other’s work. In doing so, they hope to encourage their combined creativity to flourish. Dave described it best during his presentation, “our powers were stronger together.”
Fatherless’ distinctive approach to artistry is undoubtedly reflected within their art. The group specializes in printmaking, which Dave described as “the graphic reproduction of anything,” and “the art of the multiple.” In layman’s terms, it is pressing an image onto a certain surface. Fatherless stated they particularly love collage-making and printing. By combining any number of elements, an infinite set of unique collages can be made, yet working with such a monumental amount of creative freedom is no challenge to the good men of Fatherless.
Printmaking has other unique benefits as an art form. For one, it’s cheap to produce as well as sell. While still a business, Fatherless are artists first and foremost, and being able to allow as many people to enjoy art as possible is of great importance. They have been known to host free art giveaways, and many pieces can be enjoyed by anyone in public, such as the enormous HANDSHAKE mural located in Rockford, Illinois, or the many street graffiti art pieces around London! Fatherless can be recognized by the distinctive logo of a silhouette rifleman, or by the many other “brands” they employ to spread their message. Look out for a brand of the name “fine,” it might just be Greg Lang of Fatherless!
To Fatherless, the most valuable lesson about making art is to have fun and enjoy your efforts, however, their work is not without many politically charged statements. The men were all raised in the punk rock world, and thus have adopted and reproduced progressive, anti-establishment ideals. Their work often features idealists and prominent figures with similar messages, such as the martyr John Brown. To Fatherless, it is important to spread the message of love and acceptance and to denounce the hate and violence so prevalent in this world.
Greg, Javier, Dave, as well as their occasional partner and good friend Ben Rider, all operate together today as Fatherless Print Posse. They host occasional shows around the country and the UK and can be found online at wearefatherless.com and @wearefatherless on social media.
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