Allen Vandever Threatens to Destroy Chicago Art Scene

Photo by Alamo Art Studio

Allen Vandever - The Destroyer

Is he a monster or a modern day visionary? Allen Vandever has been called both.  He’s six-foot-three, bald, hulking figure who wields an ax and is not afraid to use it. He’s been spotted around town with an evil grin while hacking art work into tiny pieces.
“ I seek to inspire the idea of renewal through regeneration. I seek to be reptilian: primitive and cold-blooded like the snake. I seek the creation of something distinctly new through the destruction of the old, for often times such objects have a way of stifling our minds and creative energies." 

Vandever is the brainchild behind Rescue or Destroy, Chicago’s latest art happening, which has been shaking up art lovers this past month at Gallery Bar in River North. 

Rescue or Destroy is a bi-weekly art tournament featuring 16 Chicago-based artists. Each artist brings a piece to the competition and the audience decides which will be rescued and which will be destroyed. The “rescued” work goes forward in the and the piece slated for destruction could face the chopping block. However, anything could happen and always does. 

Rescue or Destroy returns to Gallery Bar on Thursday, April 3^rd featuring Abdel Morched and Jim Riggs and a slew of guest artists. The show starts at 8:00.

Do your part to support the arts. Show up and vote. Save art from the ax. Vandever has no mercy.

Rine Boyer vs Meg Frazier interview

Jason Davis Working Mans Hero vs Ryan Blume Yogi Artist Tow paintings enter the ring only one leaves.

Rescue or Destroy Art Tournament: Round Two March 6th

RYAN BLUME vs JASON DAVIS  

The premiere Rescue or Destroy event between Ryan Shultz and Mateo was a smashing success: Literally… art was smashed. Art was rescued. Art was sold. 

Six works of art by Allen Vandever were presented to an enthusiastic crowd. Three were rescued. Three were destroyed. But the Main Event was the real nail biter. Ryan Shultz won this first bout by a mere 6 points. The final vote was 59-53. The audience was given a 20-minute window in which they could save Mateo’s piece by buying it. The piece was sold! 

If you missed it, no worries: We’re doing it again next Thursday. 

Round 2 features Jason Davis and Ryan Blume. 

Ryan Blume is aYogi artist who tries to infuse the philosophy of nature into his art. "So this is a poem about my work/process….’Flow: Infinite complexity, constantly changing, controlled chaos.’”

Jason Davis is a contractor by day: Artist by night. And it’s his night job that frees his mind. “The images that came out were things that were fun to twist and eventually they twisted themselves showing me things."  .

Rescue or Destroy is a bi-weekly art tournament featuring 16 Chicago-based artists. Each artist brings a piece to the competition and the audience decides which will be rescued and which will be destroyed. The “rescued” work goes forward in the tournament and the piece slated for destruction could face the chopping block. However, anything could happen and always does. Events are held every First Thursday and Third Saturday from February 22nd through Aug 22nd at Gallery Bar, 738 N. Clark St., Chicago. For more information please contact Allen Vandever at  allenartist@gmail.com

Pic's from Rescue orDestroy Tournament Bout 1

Rescue or Destroy Art Tournament Bout 1 Ryan Shultz vs Mateo

Interview with the Ryan Shultz and Mateo. They were the first Two to compete in Rescue    or Destroy Art Tournament

Rescue or Destroy Tournament round 1

Rescue or Destroy Presents! - Ryan Shultz vs Mateo 

Chicago, IL - February 10, 2014 - This is the art event you’ve never experienced. There’s nail biting suspense, action-packed drama, tears and jeers and a big bald man with an ax. 

It will be one of those events about which people say, “You had to be there.” So if you want to know what your friends are talking about, then show up.

The premier event features Mateo and Ryan Shultz. Both artists are primed and ready to rock.

Each artist brings a piece to the competition and the audience decides which will be rescued and which will be destroyed. The “rescued” work goes forward in the tournament and the piece slated for destruction could face the chopping block. However, anything could happen and always does.

About this week’s artists…

Mateo is a Chicago-based photographer who focuses on capturing the essence of the artist/auteur and members of the LBGTQ community. Pulling influence from the queer artists he surrounds himself with as well as trans-gender movements of the past and present. 

“My work is a queer approach to fashion photography. I work within the avant-garde underground art scene in Chicago.” - M

Ryan Shultz is a mostly self-taught oil painter who captures moments in peoples’ lives that are usually private, not meant to be noticed. He’s a classicist with the curiosity of an urban documentary filmmaker. He paints the beauty and the ugly truth of the human condition.

"I don’t want my paintings to look like they were painted 200 years ago. Maybe the surface quality might look that way, but the subject matter is modern.” - RS

Rescue or Destroy is a bi-weekly art tournament featuring 16 Chicago-based artists. Events are held every first Thursday and second Saturday from February 22nd through xxx xx at Gallery Bar, 738 N. Clark St., Chicago. For more information please contact Allen Vandever at allenartist@gmail.com 

www.rescueordestroy.com - www.fotobymateo.com - www.ryanshultz.com