Paul Frank, Tim Biskup, and Ron English are among the 100 artists and designers who customized replicas of the Darth Vader helmet for the Vader Project, transforming the mask of the menacing villain into individual works of art.
Following a world tour and a stint at Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum, the four-year traveling exhibition reaches its final destination this week: Freeman’s Auction House in Philadelphia. Curated and produced by Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys, the Vader Project is on view at Freeman’s from July 5-9, followed by the auction on July 10. The show also includes a vibrant limited-edition catalog featuring full-color photographs of each helmet.
Visit the Vader Project online, become a fan on Facebook, check out the project on Flickr, learn how to bid on a helmet, and buy a copy of the catalog.
Click through below for a gallery of images from the project.
Wade Lageose, Lageose Design: Untitled
T9G: Untitled
Jim Koch: Hanus
Josh Agle (Shag): Darth Tipua
Jesse Hernandez: Untitled
Simone Legno for Tokidoki: Untitled
Paul Frank: Nauga-Vader
David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim: All Star, No War
Derek Hess: Cherub Troopers of Death
Estevan Oriol: L.A. Darth Vader
The Melvins: Everything and Nothing
Tim Biskup: Honor Thy Father
Secretbase Hiddy: Secret Vader