Shepard Fairey and Frank Zummo Unveil One-Of-A-Kind Drum Kit and Art Display at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
On Friday, Feb. 16, artist and activist Shepard Fairey known for his OBEY art campaign, alongside co-founder of Street Drum Corps and drummer for Sum 41, Frank Zummo, unveiled their original SJC Custom Drums titled “Rise Above” at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas (Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.KabikPhotoGroup.com).
Shepard Fairey and Frank Zummo Unveil One-Of-A-Kind Drum Kit and Art Display at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.KabikPhotoGroup.com
Fairey, who is well-known for his Barack Obama “Hope” poster during the 2008 U.S. presidential election, also debuted eight hand-painted wooden panels that surround the “Rise Above” drum kit. Fairey and Zummo were joined by Sum 41 band members including Deryck Whibley, Cone McCaslin and Dave “Brownsound” Baksh; as well as friends, family and fans.
Shepard Fairey and Frank Zummo Unveil One-Of-A-Kind Drum Kit and Art Display at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.KabikPhotoGroup.com
The event kicked off when Beau Dobney, artist relations & exhibits coordinator at Hard Rock Hotel, welcomed the crowd and introduced Fairey, Zummo and Mike Ciprari with SJC Drums. The trio each took turns discussing the background on the drums and how they came to life, before lifting off a black sheet and exposing the drum kit. The unveiling concluded with the group mingling with fans, posing for photos and signing autographs.
Shepard Fairey and Frank Zummo Unveil One-Of-A-Kind Drum Kit and Art Display at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.KabikPhotoGroup.com
Finished by Shepard Fairey and titled “Rise Above,” the one-of-a-kind drum kit at Hard Rock Hotel, has been printed with a dark organic patterns and three-dimensional woodgrain mandalas on each shell. The drum kit was used by Frank Zummo from 2016-2017 during Sum 41’s U.S. and Canada tours, festivals and the 2017 Alternative Press Music Awards. The drum kit will remain at Hard Rock Hotel for the next three years.
Shepard Fairey and Frank Zummo Unveil One-Of-A-Kind Drum Kit and Art Display at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.KabikPhotoGroup.com
“The Rise Above art piece deconstructs guns and repurposes them from weapons into components of a mandala. There is a power in making something beautiful out of ingredients that are cold and threatening. I hope the Rise Above gun mandala can be a metaphor for spiritual transformation toward peace and harmony,” said Shepard Fairey.