Portugal. the Man’s highly anticipated new album Evil Friends inspired artists The Fantastic The and INSA and photographer/producer Danger Mouse to create a psychedelic visual art installation experience. Presented by Tumblr and sponsored by Red Bull, this soirée provided choice Ketel One cocktails and a short, sweet, albeit optically fascinating experience.
Fans lined up around the block to possibly catch a glimpse at the striking artwork as well as band members who were all present in the mix of artsy onlookers. At first glance, the modest entryway walls were lined with hand-drawn paper tiles displaying creepy horned characters– Evil Friend’s album art. Imagination undoubtedly flourished in the creation of these creepy horned characters. Each face tile seemed to tell a different story, whether it was violent, humorous, disfigured or just plain confusing.
Upon entering the main gallery, one was entranced by the few bold fantastical images INSA displayed on the back walls of the room. His use of bold black and white stripes as the backdrop for more graffiti imagery drew people into the kaleidoscopic mural scene on one side. A nearby photographer for the event explained that INSA painted eight different versions of an image on the backdrop. Each new phase of the painting was photographed, and then Danger Mouse used the images to create a looping GIF which was projected on the wall adjacent to the final phase of the mural.
After peeling away from the enticing murals, it became easier to see the simple photographs of the band strewn about the room. The space filled with plenty of bodies, and the steam eventually drew everyone to the largest space (and bar). For those who were feeling adventurous and camera-ready, there was a fun photo booth equipped with a green screen, props and a sharing station. Visitors took four photos each which were immediately super-imposed onto the backdrop of INSA’s mural and turned into a GIF of their own.
All of the GIFs made in the photo booth as well as band photos and more work from INSA can be viewed and shared from the event’s Tumblr page here. Evil Friends drops June 4th, but you can preorder it on All the Feels’s Tumblr page as well. Check Portugal. the Man’s website for more on all things PTM, including info about their impending album release and subsequent tour.
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