Somewhere amidst the mess that was a cool, stormy night last night in downtown Austin, Texas, a man could have found himself on the corner of 4th and Brazos Street, hurriedly working his way toward the Austin Convention Center, dodging frantic pedicab drivers and their mostly soaked clientele. It was a scene that might cause a man to wonder, perhaps not aloud, but wonder all the same: is winter coming?
That man was most certainly not yours truly, as this writer was at home staring at a pile of Game of Thrones posters purchased on borrowed money from the Mondo Gallery show opening two days prior. But there’s no doubt that someone had the experience described above. A notion born out of Austin’s unexpectedly apocalyptic late-night weather and the fact that HBO’s mighty series has invaded the streets of Austin. The latter of which has been the subject of great fun for South by Southwest attendees.
The Mondo Gallery opening has been the outsider to the general spectacle of the Game of Thrones SXSW presence, but surely has not been something that fans would want to miss. A collection of original art from a number of talented artists — including a first time Mondo collaboration with comics legend Tim Bradstreet — now hangs in the Gallery found at 4115 Guadalupe. There are also Mondo regulars, including Craig Drake, Daniel Danger, Jason Edmiston, Horkey, Jock, Phantom City Creative, JC Richard, and Ken Taylor. The show’s art, as seen in the image gallery below, is one of the smaller Mondo openings we’ve covered, but it’s clear that Justin Ishmael and the team of curators have gone for quality and diversity, along with a strong focus on dazzling (yet high priced) original artwork. Have a look at it for yourself below. The original artwork is on sale via Mondo’s website. Photos credit: Nick Simonite.
The second element to the Game of Thrones takeover of SXSW includes the HBO marketing push on the ground in Austin. As the show debuts its highly anticipated third season on March 31, it is no surprise to find Game of Thrones Iron Throne-styled pedicabs roaming the streets:
Photo by Rusty Blazenhoff, via Laughing Squid.
It’s also no surprise, but no-less delightful, to find the Iron Throne itself (or a replica, to be more precise) awaiting attendees as they walk through the Convention Center toward the registration desk to pick up badges. If one is brave enough to take a moment from the SXSW rat race, you might end up in Westeros’ great seat of power. Just don’t lose your head, as they say. I didn’t:
Image courtesy of The Bosco
Is it the Throne or the beard that makes me look badass? I can’t tell anymore.