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404 – F*ck the Exhibition – The Journey

“Make them come through the backdoor so they have to take the freight elevator!”

Paolo was making a lot of sense. It was a great concept: Force our guests to feel super sketched out until they came into the gallery. And maybe subconsciously, it would make our shit look better. It was hopeful thinking, but we liked the idea. The studio was located in an industrial area, so the dusty, barren walk from the subway station was already setting the tone. When our guests arrived at the address, they would see a sign telling them to go back around to use the freight elevator. Make them wait 10 minutes in the dark, concrete room with other confused guests. They’ll hear the iron and steel getting louder and louder as the elevator comes closer. At this point, they’re thinking the ol’ freight elevator is kinda cool, and an anticipation starts to build as they ride it up. When the gates swing open…they see a swanky, modern studio curated with our giant 4 ft. pieces on its walls. Jizz in my pants.  

We will never know if anyone actually jizzed their pants upon entering the show, but trust us, it wouldn’t be so unreasonable because it was truly an ecstatic experience. Everything went as planned, and we were suddenly surrounded by 200+ guests at our little show. People asked us about our giant frames, the fancy studio space, and how we pull it all off with only 600 bucks.

Everything came slowly with time. Finding the right artists was first, then finding a space, then coming up with a budget, and so on. Once our budget was finalized, the real challenge began. We bombed our fundraiser, so we couldn’t afford any of the stuff we originally planned on buying. The frames were the biggest problem. It would cost more than 600 bucks to get them made and that’s all we had. So we decided to build the frames ourselves, spending only half of the budget. The rest was spent on prints, venue items, and marketing. But truthfully, the event couldn’t have been possible without the support of our awesome volunteers. Real talk.

SERAZARD PRESENTS

‘FUCK’ the Exhibition!

One cold night in New York, a group of frustrated artists got together in Little Italy and decided to drink their sorrows away…

“Yo, fuck it, lets do an exhibition.”

‘FUCK’ the Exhibition is an exclusive, invite-only, fine art exhibition featuring an international cast of artists residing and working in New York City. Each artist will express their interpretation of the word, ‘fuck’, through limited edition diptych photographs. The event will accommodate artists, collectors, media outlets, and enthusiasts from around the world with the highest quality presentation. Our goal is to showcase a new exciting art movement to surface in the photographic art scene in New York.

We are in the brink of a new era, where everyone is a photographer. Take a snap with your phone, put a filter on, and viola! you got 1000’s of hits. And they ask why go to art school? Well, to be a writer, all you need is a pen and a piece of paper, but a couple of witty phrases will not make you Oscar Wilde.

Serazard is a gathering of young hopes and dreams. We came and met in New York City, the mecca for Art, with the determination of creating truly unique pieces. We are serious about our craft, and like Queen Scheherazade, our inspiration to tell stories is a matter of life or death. As the saying goes in the neighbourhood of Bedstuy…it’s Do or Die. (Hashtag that shit #doordie)

So get out the way, Ai Weiwei, cuz “‘FUCK’ – the Exhibition” is all we gotta say.

In order of appearance…

fuck

It’s about money, power, and sex. Everything in the image is ‘fuck’. Guilty pleasures, tools of the trade, and things of empowerment are wrecked upon sodomizing the American dream. The photographs are composed of material items which symbolizes man’s obsessive urge to procreate and control their surroundings. Society has become dependent on these items to such a point it has replaced religion and purpose as a mean of moral esteem. Through these images I take items and deprive them of their possessive power by dismantling them and rendering them useless in the environment.

Atanacio Perez, Bronx, NY, USA

Atanacio is an NYC – Bronx based artist, with a background in photography and graphic design. He is a combat veteran with five years of experience in the US Army. His photographs examine the relationship between the urban environment and its occupants. Atanacio’s upcoming projects will take viewers on a poetic and illuminating journey through the ever evolving urban landscapes of New York City.

Always Alone

In my country, a woman’s place has always been second to a man’s. It is their duty to present themselves beautifully, to have an education, to be artistically impressive, and to care for men and their families. But men, we only think about one thing.

Kana Beisekeyev, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Kana is a 22 year old documentary photographer from Kazakhstan with special focus on social projects. In 2013, he won a scholarship through SABY, a charity foundation, which allowed him to study abroad in New York. During his studies, he continued his documentary work with projects involving Kazakh people in America. His project on Kazakh children adoption in America has been acclaimed with more than 100,000 viewers in his home country. In November, 2014, Kana’s project on autistic children, ‘Fly Away’, has been selected for a solo exhibition in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Kana is now based in New York, where he continues to challenge himself to tackle social problems and document them through photography.

Girls, Girls, I Do Adore

The concept of my project is based on the perception men have on women. Men tend to undress women with their eyes, check out their measurements, and pick and choose which girl they want to take home for the night. Many men today look at women for their bodies, because of all the artificial beauty that surgery provides. They would rather take home a woman that has a great body than than a beautiful face. Personality is not even an issue.

However, with physical beauty, women power over men. They play, they tease, and they make us fall for them…then they tell us to go fuck ourselves. Women.

I shot the project with polaroids because I love the gritty and grimy feel the film brings out. The fuzzy texture also mimics intoxication or being under the influence.

Am I right, fellas?

Arturo Meza, New Jersey, USA

Arturo is a disabled army veteran who served in Iraq. After parting from the military, he traveled across the country from NY to Miami, Atlanta, Texas, and LA, shooting music videos and becoming an editor for MTV. His passion for photography began at an early age, always intrigued by family photos. Since grammar school he began carrying around a disposable camera all the way through high school and into his army days documenting crazy late night parties to the lonely deserts of Iraq.

Don’t Be Shy

Italians are timid people…until we start talking. We’re wild, energetic talkers; we talk using our hands and sometimes even our boots. One of the main catalysts that make Italian conversations so unique is the fact that we swear an unnecessarily large amount. There isn’t a rollercoaster ride that compares to two Italian best friends ranting to each other about absolutely nothing. ‘Fuck’ to me represents the rhythm in Italian dialogue and the dynamic rapport swearing causes in conversations. It was a challenge for me to visually show the highs and lows of a typical Italian conversation, especially using my background as a fashion photographer. Using my favourite black and white portrait format, I came up with a diptych that best captures spontaneous outburst of energy.

Paolo Testa, Milan, Italy

Coming straight outta Milan, Paolo is a fashion photographer inspired by the beauty of black and white tonal depth and female portraiture. His work draws influence from classic fashion icons such as Avedon, Lindbergh, Meisel, and Richardson, mixed with his rebellious energy. Currently, Paolo is working on his first book, which he plans on publishing this year.

Fucking Cupid

My inspiration comes from the painting ‘Love’s Resistance’ by William Bouguereau, a French academic painter and traditionalist. This painting always made me think about the young girl’s expression. Is she happy or in pain? Either way, it’s sad and real. For so many reasons, this is true to me, and if I had the chance to meet the winged guy, I would probably say, ‘Fuck You Cupid!’

Patricia Montrase, Sao Paulo, Brasil

Patricia is a photographer from Sao Paulo, Brazil, currently working in NY. Her imagination is informed by her captivation with books and films based on fantasy, nature, and mysticism. Her photographic works draw influence from the aesthetics of pictorial and romantic image traditions. The results are photographs that are moody, and atmospheric – images that transport the viewer to another time and place.

LUÒ HÓNG

Luo hóng: to see virgin blood. In Chinese culture, it represents female chastity and the value recognition of a woman to their potential husband. Much like in Western culture, the bride and the groom would spread a white sheet on their wedding night, and when luo hóng occurs, the husband will keep the blood stained sheet to show it to relatives and guests. If a woman does not have luo hóng, they are considered as not chaste, ranging from being ridiculed to heavy punishment. Today, sexual attitudes in China are more open, and inspection of female chastity is no longer a critical ritual. Although the men do not expect or measure a woman’s worth through luo hóng, there is still a lingering fascination over virgin women. Using symbolism, exaggerated stage manifestations, and restoring a scene of people seeing luo hong on a wedding night, I recreate a moment of blood lust revolving around the phenomenon.

Ping Wang, Beijing, China

Ping was born and raised in Beijing, China. Now based in New York, his photographic work explores the delicate balance between Eastern and Western culture, resulting in a personal style characterized by restraint and drama. His emotional sensitivity drives him to focus on subleties of light, architecture and moments that often go unobserved.

Fuck You Dad

I was raised by an Atticus Finch of a father; wise and very open minded. I first heard of the word, ‘fuck’ in the 1st grade in Baltimore from this white kid named, Ben. It was fascinating to see everyone’s reaction when I said ‘fuck’, or showed kids the middle finger. By lunch time, Ben and I got into a lot of trouble, but I didn’t understand why. A few days later, I accidentally said it to my dad, but to my surprise, he didn’t punish me like the rest of the world. Instead, he carefully lectured me on how it was okay to swear because even the pope swears on his off day, however it was also important to make people feel safe by following simple social etiquettes. After our talk, I felt like the most special kid in the whole wide world because of the freedom I had. I respected the holy sanctity of the public world, but right after the bell rang, I was swearing my heart out.

So, fuck it, dad. This one’s for you.

Choi David, Seoul, Korea

David grew up with a self proclaimed, ‘Korean gypsy’ family, which forced him to embrace and adapt to many different types of lifestyles and conditions. Vancouver was the family’s last stop, and it was there where his passion for photography started to bud. With a background in film and writing, David’s approach to photography is often heavily influenced by tableau portraiture. Professionally, aside from shooting and writing for Serazard, David works in New York’s fashion and commercial industry as a creative director and producer.

Click Here for Event Photos

The Videos

Intro

THE SPACE

Pre-Game by Kana Beisekeyev

Fundraiser Videos

$100 – Grocery Shopping

$200 – A Typical Day at the Studio

$300 – Arizona

$400 – Clifford Owens

$500 – Crunch time by Kana Beisekeyev

Promotional Images

Ping Wang by Kana Beisekeyev

Patricia Montrase by Kana Beisekeyev

Paolo Massimo Testa by Kana Beisekeyev

Kana Beisekeyev by David Choi

David Choi by Kana Beisekeyev

Atanacio Perez by Kana Beisekeyev

Arturo Meza by Kana Beisekeyev

Fuck Yoo Serazard

Flyer/Sticker

http://http://choidavid.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/sticker-fuck.jpg

Flyer/Sticker/Giant Poster

http://http://choidavid.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/sticker-fuck-1.jpg

Web Article Cover

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