By Rachel Kalina
On Sept. 30, Kustom Kulture Gallery, an art gallery and tattoo parlor in Baldwin, again became an outlet for artists and their devotees from as far away as Japan, Virginia, Tennessee, New Jersey and elsewhere to showcase an art form and lifestyle known as Kustom Kulture.
The term Kustom Kulture refers to a type of automobile subculture that has been around since the 1950s, where it originated in Southern California. It started with pin striping - painting intricate lines -- and adding flames to cars, and later spilling over into anything that could be decorated or detailed.
The gallery's weekend-long, "Third Annual Brushes, Needles and Burnouts Kustom Kulture Art Show and Pinstriper's Ball" allowed fans in the Northeast to get up close to the artwork and even take home a piece of it. Pre-made artwork was available in the shop, and in-progress work could be done on any surface. Brushes and materials for pin striping, normally sold in the store, along with posters were some of the more popular items among customers.
"Kustom Kulture is an art form," said, Keith Ciaramello, owner of Kustom Kulture, an artist who opened the tattoo and art gallery on Merrick Road three years ago. "It's artwork that revolves around custom cars and hot rodding. It started with artists who put art on automobiles and then it attracted such a fan base that people who didn't have cars started to hand paint
t-shirts, canvases, found objects and so on."
Ciaramello said that today's idea of Kustom Kulture is still a derivative of the 1950s, even if the objects being painted are a little different. A factory-made item, like a cell phone or a lap top in addition to a car can now be personalized by an artist. Ciaramello said the process makes the item unique and no longer just the same mass-produced object everyone else has.
"I think there are a lot of fans of the genre," Ciaramello said. "And the fact is the genre is really centered around Southern California, but there are just as many fans worldwide who want an opportunity to see the stuff. I think everybody who's into this should go to Southern California and see the roots, but we're trying to provide a venue for it in the East where it is least exposed."
Artists who were on hand at the gallery said that while the art form has gained notoriety on the West Coast, it has been largely underground on the East Coast and not well known in cities like New York.
"I think the Kustom Kulture scene is really big on the West Coast and it's not so big here yet," said guest artist Rich Januz of New Jersey, who goes by the name of "Ryzart." This idea of another identity for one's artwork is pervasive in the Kustom Kulture scene.
"By having it here it brings attention to the East Coast," Januz continued. "Unless you're into cars, you don't realize this culture exists and that's what's good about this event. It shows people there is this art form."
For most who attended the event, the highlight was viewing some well-known Japanese artists in action. A collective of artists known as "The Burnout Network," these three men normally work only in their home country or in Southern California, but this is their second time attending the Baldwin show.
"They're at a pretty high level," said Kustom Kulture-admirer Darren Wenzel of Virginia. Originally a sign painter from Australia, Wenzel branched off from his career path into the world of pinstripes.
His interest in the art form brought him all the way to Baldwin, and he was particularly excited to view The Burnout Network. Ciaramello agreed that their artistic perspective is one of a kind.
"They've taken the Kustom Kulture American art form to another level," he said. "The cultural differences seem to produce artists who are extremely disciplined, and they are perfectionists. It's technically some of the most precise, hand-done artwork out there."
Standing near the Network's booth was pinstriper Julian Braet, better known as "Mr. J." His artwork was on display that day, and he could later be seen painting his intricate and colorful lines on Kustom Kulture's door with other artists. As the gallery is also a tattoo parlor, Braet explained that even this type of art fits into the Kustom Kulture genre because it is also done by hand.
"These things bring everyone together," he said of what links tattoos and pin striping.
Altogether, Ciaramello said 400 people attended the Kustom Kulture show that weekend.
"It was a tremendous success," he said.
The show also acted as a third anniversary celebration for the store, which gives classes and workshops in addition to tattooing during the year.
"I'd like to thank our customers for making us number one," Ciaramello added. "We've had a great reaction in the community."
For more information, visit www.kustomkulturegallery.com
