Red Bull Searching for the Next Art Star

By Laura Medina

Red Bull Curates: The Canvas Cooler Project, is a fairy godmother of street artists (what we used to call graffiti artists or "taggers").

This "Olympics of Street Art," originated in London where Red Bull invited a bunch of street artists over to this bar then all of a sudden, these artists started painting the bar's exterior.  Of course, the barkeeps got angry.  Red Bull came to the rescue, invited the artists inside and asked them to paint a mini refrigerator cooler full of Red Bull instead.  That "urban decorated" cooler was such a conservation hit at this London bar; that this gave Red Bull an idea.  Why host a chain of street art competition in particular cities where they invite the hottest and the best street artist from each city (at least two), send them over to Art Basel  Miami/SCOPE to win the United States title then send America's best street artists over to International SCOPE in Switzerland to win the world title.

Not only will these artists get worldwide recognition but a deserving mentorship from an established artist and dealers.

As for the series of "jacked-up" mini frigs or "coolers," they will not be for sale but be given to influential and the hottest bars and clubs worldwide.

Last night's coolers will be "adopted" by  The Viper Room, Rock & Reilly’s, Pink Taco Sunset Strip, Brick+Mortar, The Bungalow, Viceroy Hotel, The Craftsman, Barcopa, Akbar, La Cita, The Association, Salvage, Crocker Club, The Federal, KCRW Radio Station, Ameoba Music, The Well and Mack Sennett Studios to further promote these artists' careers.

The artists, the emerging and the established, all appeared for support and celebrating each others' efforts and work with likes of Carly Ivan Garcia, ErikOtto, Apex, Akira Beard, Studio DCL, Ian Ross, CHOR BOOGIE, Eon75, Hugh Leeman, Zio Ziegler, Kelly Allen, N8 Van Dyke, D Young V, Jet Martinez, Ryan De La Hoz, Slvstr©, Nathan Wong, Oliver Black, Tommy Noshitsky, Joshua Clements.

You seen...Hollywood does have a heart.  It isn't all about booze.