~LIMITED EDITION MARK ENGER T-SHIRT
MARK ENGER – EXPLODING SKY WORLDWIDE – LIMITED EDITION T-SHIRT – NOW AVAILABLE on artlovers !!
that’s it. that’s the final straw.
we’re gonna put a store up on the site – until we get the tech issues resolved – it’s gonna be on the low-down.
the store will archive on our: ‘IF I HAD $200’ – column !!
ALFREDO MARTINEZ – HUNGER STRIKE – PRISON DRAWING ca. 2002.
Our very first offering:
the last 2 – MARK ENGER/EXPLODING SKY WORLDIDE – ALFREDO MARTINEZ HUNGER STRIKE T-SHIRTS.
artlovers/NANCY SMITH commissioned MARK ENGER to custom silk-screen this limited edition T-Shirt in 2003.
only 12 were individually hand-printed – and each is hand-numbered on the back.
plus one A.P. – which JOSH HARRIS owns.
The image is a drawing ALFREDO MARTINEZ sent me – via mail – while he was incarcerated in prison – for his notorious BASQUIAT FORGERY CAPER . . . .
one of his earliest ‘prison drawings’ – it is a self-portrait of himself – tied down and being being force-fed – while he was on hunger strike . . . needless to say – his first month in prison didn’t go too well – for either him or the warden !!
talk about a head-on battle of the wills.
Alfredo claims he stopped eating mostly because they wouldn’t let him do his art.
I think it would be safe to add: and because he has ‘authority issues’ . . . which were heightened by the maximum security he was held under – due to his uncanny ability to make weapons – out of anything . . .
plus for same reason – he was deemed too much of a threat to be released into the general prison population . . . so he had some pretty hardcore company. mostly mafia types. crooks. swindlers.
let’s not even get into the new friends he made during his 2-yr. stay . . . suffice to say, when he came out – that was his worst period.
yeah, its true – what they say: you come out much worse than when you went in – and leave it at that.
anyway – it took a while for the prison authorities to figure him out. (no say.)
his hunger strike lasted for something like 33 days and ended when they let him make art, but ONLY drawings !! on hand-made paper – he created from flour and water out of scrap jail paper. a skill which he claims a fellow inmate, a Russian forger taught him. he drew the images with food dyes – which he patiently concocted from common kitchen food produce, like Jell-o, and instant food packets, as in ketchup, tea, and coffee – mixed with water. “millions” of instant coffee packets to make an eye-dropper of color !!
and they put him to work – in the prison kitchen !!
if that won’t end a hunger strike – what will ?
the limited edition (12 + 1 A.P.) hand-screened T-shirt has a silk-screened product label – on the back lower right hand corner:
NANCY SMITH IMPRINT: 01
ALFREDO MARTINEZ DRAWING FROM FEDERAL PRISON
THE M.D.C., BROOKLYN, N.Y.
SILKSCREENED AT EXPLODING SKY WORLDWIDE
JULY 01, 03 N.Y.C., U.S.A.
LIMITED EDITION OF 12. THIS IS NO. ____
I ONLY HAVE 3 – LEFT !!
THE FIRST – NO. 10 WAS SCOOPED UP – BY THE GUY WEARING THE T-SHIRT – RIGHT AWAY – at $40 !!
THE LAST TWO – ARE SIGNED – ON THE BACK. BELOW THE IMPRINT LOGO – BY ALFREDO MARTINEZ, himself.
ALFREDO SIGNED THEM – THIS PAST WINTER 2011 – IN HONOR OF – OUR FRIEND & ARTIST, THE RECENTLY & TOO SOON DEPARTED, MARK ENGER.
They are all printed in black ink on: ANVIL pre-shrunk 100% cotton white T’s. all are size L – MEN’S.
THEY ARE AVAILABLE AS FOLLOWS:
NO. 8 – IS AVAILABLE TO THE FIRST PERSON – WHO COMES UP WITH: $80 !!
NO. 11 – IS AVAILABLE TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO COMES UP WITH: $120 !!
TO ORDER – PLEASE CONTACT ARTLOVERS AT:
if.i.had.200@gmail.com
shipping & handling outside of NYC – additional $20.
paypal, check or money order accepted – as well as plain ole cash.
let’s see whose really reading this site !!
we will archive your name as part of the post – or – you can request to be anonymous.
DEDICATED TO MARK ENGER 1963-2011
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
