Opening: DZINE – “Voodoo” @ Leo Koenig Projekte

Chicago-based artist Dzine recently opened a solo show entitled “Voodoo” at NY’s Leo Koenig Projekte. The inspiration for this current body of work came from the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, during Dzine’s residency at the Instituto Buena Bista, Curaçao’s Center for Contemporary Art. While there, he stumbled upon Swaybar, a unique aspect of the island’s popular culture in which youth create custom elongated bicycles as both transportation and status symbols. Dzine, who is well-known for his own customized low-rider bicycles, secretly created one of these Szway bikes, which are illegal, and then ultimately embellished it as per his style with 24-karat gold leaf, Swarovski crystals and antique jewels. In addition, he used photography and video to document the Swaybar phenomenon.

See all the images from the opening, after the jump.