OBEY TATTOOS – EPISODE 5 FEATURING RYAN

“BOOK” AMSTERDAM “BOOK” is an ephemeral bookshop imagined by publisher Kermesse, with a wide selection of new and old books curated by artist Victor Unwin.Art books, design books, fashion books, literature books, conceptual books, books on books…After Paris and Berlin, “BOOK” AMSTERDAM was a new occasion to reflect on the communities and ecosystems generated by even the simplest printed matter.
 This time we are joined by Amsterdam-based bookshop Athenaeum Nieuwscentrum, a local hub offering a plethora of interesting print.We are all book rats — so thank you to all for having joined the book rat circle. 

Thank you to everyone who came out to our first ever OBEY Flea Market at OBEY Art Space Los Angeles. What started as an idea to bring the community together around something we all love turned into something truly special. Pet themed vendors, live screen printing, on-site pet adoptions and a whole lot of good energy.We are proud to have partnered with @muttscouts and raised money for their ongoing work to rescue and rehome dogs in need. Thank you to everyone who donated supplies, supported the vendors and helped make the first OBEY Flea Market such a meaningful day for both the community and Mutt Scouts. We can't wait to do it again.If you weren't able to make it out and would like to support Mutt Scouts, visit their website to donate, adopt, foster or get involved. You can find them at muttscouts.org and @muttscouts on Instagram.You can donate directly to Mutt Scouts via Venmo, PayPal or credit card: 
https://www.muttscouts.org/donateAdditional links: Cuddly: platform for fundraising for our medical dogsAmazon wishlist

Mathieu Courbier works as Almost Free Services, who explores his own world as a mixture of art and design through exhibitions or commissioned work. He always explores the practice of making a certain dose of mystery and irony.AFS explores the relationship with home. Owning one’s space, one’s shelter, the project of a lifetime. At the same time, the home can become a place of tension.

Thanks for everyone who came to the opening.The exhibition will be on view until Saturday May 23.

In Amsterdam, a pop-up will present an overview of the AFS universe, featuring a selection of zines and risograph prints. 

A conversation with Almost Free Services and OBEY Clothing on Messenger. So. Tell me about the name: Almost Free Services.Got this ironic name after stop my art direction studio ten years ago. I just wanted to draw again and feel more freedom. I guess it’s my in between having projects and doing just what I want to do. Art Direction Studio? Please expand.I created with my friend Julien Rivoire an Art direction and graphic design studio, we mainly work with record labels on videos and identity and probably more often on boring motion projects for bigger companies. I think I put a lot of energy on our merch more than finding new clients haha Nice. Why do you think it makes sense for you to work on this project with OBEY?I think what speaks to me with the work of Shepard and Obey since the early days is the fact of DOING, posters, clothing, exhibition, murals…doing is a strong act. I’m really committed to work and hand work without being against technology but I think design is about making. You don’t really need to speak if you do. And I think that I also like people and brands with opinions and their own way of thinking.I think it’s half an answer; the fact that the brand came from the brain of an artist is something that allows me to push the creativity on both the clothing collection and exhibitions and trying to be fully coherent. Hold up. Some more about you, where are you from, etc?Yep, born and raised in a small city in south East France, not fancy suburbs. Always drew a lot and being obsessed with skateboarding for a long time. I felt in love with the practice and also with all the clothing, style, brand part. The whole thing was kind of magical for me. A great escape. Then I moved to Grenoble near the Alps and then Lyon for 15 years. Now i’m back in the South in the beautiful antique city of Arles.Started to exhibit my drawings around my 19 and going through exhibition for a few years, till my 25. And worked in retail and as buyer for several years. İt’s later that I combine my personal work as collaboration with brands I like. What makes France better than the rest of the world?We are in pole position on complaining about everything BUT we hate as much as we love.What do you love? Ps. Got final conformation so Shepard approved collection. I will remember that line for a long time. Haha that’s super cool that the legend approved my drawings. The very Young me is really happy. Haha good. What do you love?I love books, mainly photography ones, i think photography inspired me at some point. And music, got troubles being focus without music. Yes, I know you love music and you also love dancing, tell me about that.Haha not a big story on dancing but i went to night-clubs a lot from like 14/15 yo till my 19/20 yo. Really about dancing and loud sounds and having fun with friends obviously. We also breakdance on the plaza of the village a lot haha s/o 213 crew. Also you’re a movie hater. That’s extremely French of you.İt’s not I hate movies but I’m not curious about it. I have my Classics but definitely not into movies. Sounds too much artifices, money, people, marketing to explain « human » stories…it’s just too much. Also, I can’t stand now all the anticipation movies of a dark world…with wars and destruction. İt’s already a lot like this right now in several places in the world. Sounds not fun or a distraction to me. But I can applause all the great techniques used in movies, props, matte paintings…always impressiveİ’m a documentary guy.Yes. Give us one tip10 years with Hayao Myazaki. Impressive. İt’s an intense person, he dives deep in himself to create his art. Okay. Do you have a final word for our retailers that will hopefully read this through the end?ALMOST FREE OBEY SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE SERVICES. READ BETWEEN THE LINES IS ALREADY READING. CHAOS AND DISSENT.------------------------------------------------------------------The OBEY x Almost Free Services collection will be available online and at select retailers on Thursday, May 7.Augure (Olive & Jason) @augureaugure - directors & photographersLaura Allione @lauraallione - 1st director assistant & producerTimothé Hourant @timothe_hrf - director of photographyTenju Okazaki @tenju.10 - hair stylistIannis Cathelin @ctelin - modelChady Maluka @chadymaluka - score & sound designMathieu Courbier @almost.free.services - artworks@lcmc.studio - sculpture

OBEY Awareness is proud to partner with Skateistan.In 2008, Skateistan began on the streets of Kabul. Today, they reach over 10,000 individuals across 50 locations on five continents, with 56% of participants identifying as girls or young women. An award-winning, women-led organization using skateboarding and creative learning to build safe spaces where marginalized children can grow, play and shape their futures.OBEY Awareness has supported causes aligned with our ideals since 2007. This season, we are proud to stand behind Skateistan. 100% of net profits from the OBEY x Skateistan collection go directly to their work around the world.

OPENING FRIDAY APRIL 1018:00 - 21:00Meet Coodre, an Amsterdam-based sculptor. Known for his playful yet tactile approach to form and material, he creates custom-made sculptures and objects that blur the boundaries between art and design. While he works across a range of techniques, his focus lies in ceramics and bespoke sculptural pieces.We visited him in his studio to talk about his process, inspiration, and his upcoming exhibition at our OBEY Art Space in Amsterdam.Runstraat 25, Amsterdam
On view: April 10 - April 24