Pete Wentz and Travis McCoy open art show at Gallery 1988

The ideas that Merlot and Sprite can give a man.

That was Travis McCoy's drink of choice when he crashed at Pete Wentz's house over the summer for a couple of weeks. In no time, he got Wentz hooked. "It sounds like it would be the worst thing," Wentz said, "but the combo is surprisingly good." And a creative catalyst to boot: During the course of those two weeks, the kohl-eyed bassist of Fall Out Boy and the frontman of the Gym Class Heroes collaborated on several pieces of graffiti-inspired, '80s-nostalgic art that they'll be showing at Gallery 1988: Los Angeles, opening Tuesday, with proceeds benefiting Invisible Children. Prints will cost around $200 to $250, with original pieces running approximately $300 to $3,000.

The bands have worked together before -- most notably, FOB singer-shredder Patrick Stump produced part of the Heroes' "The Quilt" -- but they traded one studio for another this time. The pair worked each night on canvas, paper and cardboard coated with acrylics, spray paint and adhesives, sometimes roughened with sandpaper, sometimes adorned with scrawls. Experiments happened, with mixed results. "I thought it would be cool to set rubber cement on fire," Wentz remembers. "But I almost lit up the entire rug instead." They weren't thinking about an art show or much of anything at all. "It's a conversation with Travis, a record of a time that won't exist again," Wentz said. "It was exciting to work with no end-goal."

Wentz's friend and Gallery 1988 owner Jensen Karp recognized a good show, so he put all the logistics in order, but it's hard to believe that Wentz wouldn't have done it himself eventually. His Clandestine Industries has released a slew of distressed hoodies, jeans and other accessories perfect for caterwauling along with your favorite FOB track, plus "The Boy With a Thorn in His Side," a fictional work. He's also been watching other artists who work in multiple genres: "I think Pharrell [from the Neptunes] does it really well... Most of the art I've been involved in is pop art and it does blur the line. That's where you can be the most subversive." Wentz also points to Shepard Fairey and Banksy as street-art heroes.

This won't be the last time Wentz will take to the canvas, but don't expect him to drop his bass either. "People are mistaken when they say we're all here on Earth to do one thing," Wentz said. "There are narratives you can't fit within time signatures and melodies. I'm combining areas to tell a much larger story."

-- Margaret Wappler

"Without You I'm Just Me" show at Gallery 1988: LA, 7020 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 937-8756. Opening Tuesday, 6 to 9 p.m. Free. www.gallery1988.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Invisible Children, a charity aiming to help the situation in northern Uganda. 

Artwork courtesy of Travis McCoy and Pete Wentz

Comments

[amanda]

it's probably not so legal to use the mickey mouse icon in your artwork regardless of whether your work is for or nonprofit...

[thomas]

hey if anyone is intrested in travis mccoys artwork and couldnt get it from the show..i have a one of a kind travis mccoy painting it was purchased from extreme graphics in geneva ny the place he use to tattoo at contact me by email dupe3one5@gmail.com for photos and more details im in the process of getting it authenitcated.