Dexter: This was the first time I was to attend the famous Kustom Kulture Blast-off, so, although I had heard a lot about it, I didn’t know what really to expect. I asked Thomas Davies, a very talented photographer, to join me for the day. I thought that, with both having two different experiences, different cameras and different lenses and, of course, different points of view, we should be able to capture every angle of this event. When we arrived early in the morning on Sunday, which was the last day, the car park was already filling up and I was glad we came early. Tom: Dexter is being kind here. Despite arriving early, ten minutes after we entered the festival, I made him trek back to the car with me for a complete gear-swap. I’d decided that I wanted to shoot the day on prime lenses, swapping out my usual zooms for an ultra-wide 14mm lens (to extenuate vehicle angles and shoot interiors), paired with a fast 50mm for general shots and low light. Dexter: Only after going past the gate, did I realise the scale of the event. It was massive! A field full of people camping in tents, camper vans and camping trailers, including my favourite, quirky-looking, tear-drop camp trailers. Tom: I certainly have a favourite trailer of the day. It was completely hand-crafted by a boat builder. The main appeal for me was in the home-made Applejack being sold out of the back. It was the first time I’d ever tried the liquor and I was both impressed by its smooth taste, as well as it’s enigmatic creator. Fudge (complete with Applejack holster) guarantees a refund should you find yourself suffering from a hangover the next day. Dexter: Before even getting to the main area, we had to stop several times to photograph some customed cars, including lots of American and English classics. Dexter: We were looking through some of the stalls outdoors when we came across Ian Guy, a very talented painter. It was something about his work that made us both stop and look deeper into it. Some pieces looked like they were out of Mad Max; very distinctive, and nothing like either of us had seen before. We stopped to chat with Ian, who told us his story of how he used to paint seascapes to sell to tourists. Although he enjoyed it, it wasn’t his passion. Only when he started to paint cars, skulls and other darker and deeper images, often with hidden shapes, he found more love for his work. We could have easily spent a whole day listening to Ian, who told us the stories behind some of his work. But there was lots more to see and we had to move on. Tom: Absolutely, Ian’s work really struck a chord with me and his passion was infectious. I was fascinated with the multiple sub-paintings within the overall composition, some visible upon close scrutiny and some hidden to the extent that they were only visible by inverting the image. I’ve not seen this in a painting before and it’s something I’d be keen to experiment with in my photography. Dexter: En route past lots of other fabulous stalls, we came across two gentlemen with lots of beach buggies. They told us about their beach buggy club and more about Volksrod, which was the first British Beach Buggy, established 50 years ago, in 1967. You could tell these guys were very proud of their toys. I even joked about joining them with my Smart Car, which is probably a similar size. Tom: You’d think a Smart Car owner and a non-driver might feel a bit out of place at a festival showcasing custom vehicles but there really was a lot to take in. The highlights for me were the converted hearse with a bone-rattling sound system, a Cath-Kidstonesque VW camper, complete with real cake and bunting and a hotrod, built out of an old airstrip fire engine, with salvaged Spitfire instruments as the dashboard. Dexter: Moving on, we bumped into Asphalt Pirates Bike Club, with their custom-built bicycles. We had seen some of them being ridden around the place earlier, and we couldn’t wait to find the stand to have a closer look. I even had a little go on one of them. Well, these bikes were definitely original. I know it seems like I’m repeating myself (I know I am) but they were like nothing we have seen before (check out the photos for yourselves). In fact, the whole event was so much better than we expected and definitely not short of originality, with so much talent. Dexter: Indoors, we met with my good friend Gail and her stand Ornamentology, filled with a variety of Steampunk custom-designed hats and other headwear. I have never met a person who smiles so much, regardless of the mood and how the day goes. Gail showed us some of her new creations and we tried on a few hats. I even found a top hat in XXX. My head literally disappeared inside of it (that was a great laugh). Dexter: Tom spotted some fantastic paintings across the room. They were painted on almost anything; old plates, helmets, saws and lots more. Behind it all, there was an awesome looking chap with a long beard called Gypsy Rich, full of stories about his paintings. Tom: The plates were a real point of interest to me, as they were re-imaginings of the blue, Chinese willow-style design I’d grown up with. They brought a unique, rockabilly style to a kitsch-classic. The fact that they were being showcased by a charismatic gent in dungarees and stylised WW2 helmet, paired with a wizardly beard, made for great photos. Dexter: Whichever way you looked in the room, there was creative stuff. It was amazing. We found Gizmobot, a man who created little robots out of everything and anything, including an old Brownie camera with spoons as legs and door handles as its arms. Tom: From my perspective, the Gizmobot stand was really representative of the Kustom Kulture ethos of transforming the ordinary into something spectacular. Mark Haig, their creator, has recently been on the BBC’s Money for Nothing Programme, showcasing his ability to turn one person’s junk into an endearing robotic character. In today’s throwaway world, it’s great to see someone taking a unique perspective on recycling. Dexter: Mel Langton was another talented creative in the room. Her work of 1950’s pinup girls, painted on canvas or slate and pocket mirrors, included my favourite, one with David Bowie on it. With so many talented artists everywhere, too many to write about here, there is one lady that I would like to definitely mention. I can’t draw anything, not even a circle, and this lady painted a beautiful dragon with her lips!!! I was absolutely speechless, check out LippyArt for yourself. Tom: Absolutely true. A testament to what can be achieved with determination. I was astounded by what this lady could do, despite lacking the use of limbs that I take for granted every day. The number of different creatives showcasing their work was spectacular. There were multiple tattooists, working on unique designs with their clients, sign writers creating retro signage, brush makers, barbers, sculptors, brewers and a young lady creating art from animal skulls. Everything was unique and when combined with the rockabilly music performed live by Rockin’ Deke Rivers, it really made a phenomenal and inspiring atmosphere. Dexter: After having some chips and curry sauce from the red double decker bus, we headed back to see some more talent. We met some bodypainting artists from Midlands Bodypaint Project, with their beautiful models, before heading off home.
Tom and I had great fun at KKBO 2017 and we will definitely be back next year. Tom: Count me in too; a real highlight of the year. I’ll be closely following the Kustom Kulture scene from now on. Massive thanks to Lynda Johnson from KKBO for inviting us both. Dexter Morgan in collaboration with Thomas Byron Photography
1 Comment
11/23/2017 08:31:34
You have taken a lovely photo of my green Chevy dayvan at KKBO , would it be possible to purchase a large copy of said photo. ( it is the one with the frog on the roof and eclectic interior ).
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