This commercial marks the launch of EQ’s “Find Yours” campaign, in which we highlight the versatility of applications as they pertain to different lifestyles.

With the ever-changing demands from our day gigs to our nightlife, we deliver the opportunity for the user to modularly attach and remove parts and pieces of the P.A.C. System, ORDNANCE accessories, and SKYN designs as necessary. “Find Yours” is our way of encouraging the urban nomad to simplify their lives with an unprecedented harmony of style and utilitarian mastery. Behind each tangible product stands a higher level of thought, yielding a system that conforms to the user rather than vice versa. Infinite variations through infinite customization…so go ahead…and FIND YOURS.

vimeo page here 

+ SATURDAY, DAY 1 of 2

5am: Wake Up! Day 1 shoot begins! Videography/Photography Equipment…CHECK. Storyboard…CHECK. Model Release Forms…CHECK. Props in order…. CHECK. Coffee from Wormhole…DOUBLE CHECK.

7am: Shoot Location #1: The Wormhole. Travis, the coffee house’s owner, was kind enough to welcome us in to his aromatic, upbeat establishment. Between the true-to-form Back to the Future DeLorean (that’s right…a full-size reproduction built by Travis himself, complete with flux capacitor and Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor), vintage tin lunchboxes from your fave 80’s Saturday Morning Cartoon Shows, and community NES system, we all had plenty to admire as we slurped down our piping hot deliciousness. Once our Ruckus & artist models, Michio Fukuda (EQ marketing member), Daryl Swapt (reputable Ruckus builder), & Edouard Pierre (RGB Director of Photography) were fully awake and prepped, we were ready for ACTION! With the sun (and global warming) on our side we were blessed to reach 37 degrees that gleaming morning, considering the frozen slush-fest forecasted for the following weekend.

10am: Shoot Location #2: The Bike Lane. Our models/stuntmen, Richard Galvez (car and bike geek) & Mark Almara (celebrated Chi-town fixie specialist), came through with a clean combination of flatland and freestyle tricks on their bikes while highlighting EQ’s newest bike pedal harnesses (now sold at The Bike Lane). They rocked Denmark Vessey’s “I’d Rather Be Moving Crowds” Skyn (RGB’s up and coming music producer…who is also working on EQ’s beats for this commercial).  Huge thanks to the staff at The Bike Lane for being so attentive to our needs. How convenient was it to have a bike shop near our shoot to pick up a bike pump, wrench, even 2 LDG Bikes for props, not to mention the outlets to plug in our dying cell phones while tweeting and facebooking our every move (Thanks Elisha!).

1pm: Back to RGB Lounge to thaw out with some nice, warm sustenance from our neighborhood restaurant, Arturo’s. It is a scientific fact that nothing quite comforts like good ol’ Mexican Burritos. Nom Nom. The owner, Nic Sementa, chilled with us while we all soaked in the warmth and vibed to the always-awesome hip hop filling the studio space.

2pm:Shoot Location #3: Phil’s Hollywood Cleaners. Well his garage, that is, and the adjacent Silver Room, exterior. The models? Allen Castillo’s, “POOPRA” wrapped with characters from the provocative post-apocalyptic anime “High School of the Dead”, AJ Gillett’s overwhelmingly immaculate Honda Fit, and our lovely, tastefully tattooed photographer model, Krissa Rivers.  We were surrounded with brilliant backdrops of street art comprised of several graffiti and mural artists’ work, namely Rahmaan Statik & YAMS.  It seemed that every 5 minutes we had a new audience gawking at the art on the POOPRA and what we were shooting. Coincidentally, in the middle of our shoot, one of our Twitter fans stopped by to purchase the Skyn we just shot in the bike scene!  Great timing! Time and sunlight escaped us just as we completed this scene. CUT!

4pm: Shoot Location #4: CTA Western Blue Line. Even though we were not shooting inside the train, the mere sight of our camera equipment awarded us a warning from the security guard. Chicago Transit Authority…gotta love them.

6pm: Shoot Location #5: RGB Lounge. Being only our 2nd indoor shot of the night, it was (needless to say) a huge relief to get away from mother nature’s merciless wrath to shoot the photo-editing scene with Krissa. As drained as we were, excitement kept us motivated to catch up on EQ’s facebook page. Seeing the support from our loyal fans that followed us each step of the way certainly kept us in high spirits.

8pm: Dinner from Big Star. We couldn’t get enough of this sweet, sweet Mexican delicacy. As a result of what I can only assume was some black magic cooking method, these well-executed tacos excited our taste buds in remarkable ways. Pork-belly and fish tacos stuffed in our stomachs, we rested for the next few hours before our last shoot of the night.

10pm: Shoot Location #6: Dragonfly Mandarin. 15 hours of shooting and counting. Riddled with caffeine and deprived of sleep from the night before, energy and creative juices were dwindling. Ambitious nonetheless, we boldly decided to get ahead of the game by getting some shots for tomorrow’s club scene. Sarah Chang, restaurant and club owner, bypassed us through all the security & bouncers, granting us access to the entire venue.  We walked in like we owned the place!  Equipped with the shots we needed, we all headed home to get some much-needed zzzzz’s for tomorrow’s shoot!

This month, we follow graffiti artist Rahmaan “STATIK” Barnes to see how EQ fits into his lifestyle!

Beginning 11.11.11, Rahmaan Statik’s “Creative Liberation” work will be on display at RGB Lounge in Chicago’s Wicker Park until 12.11.11.  The Creative Liberation exhibition is a depiction of what happens when artist produce art for personal practice, with no intention of gaining personal commerce (yet every painting on display is to gain personal profits).  This body of work challenges common ideas of social constructs, and stereo types. The motive behind this work is to inspire people to produce art that can save the world, challenge governments, and to liberate artistic oppressed people. The function of this solo exhibition is to promote the public taking control of there visual reality and to deregulate all zoning laws against any form of public art in public space. To have Creative Liberation is to end all censorship on all forms of art and return creative control back to the artist.

EQ gets up and personal with the artist to find out what he’s up to and where he’s going.  Check it out!

EQ: What type of art do you do?
RSB: Graffiti influenced art with an urban twist. I produce art that influence people to change there world. My art Liberates people through a creative means.

EQ: Who are your influences?
RSB: The historic influences of my work are Alphonse Mucha, Caravaggio and Andy Warhol. Their uses of color, form and medium have proved a good reference for setting my personal standard. Likewise, my contempory influences, which include Mariko Mori, Brat Disney Cook and Zaha Hadid.

EQ: Describe something that not many people know about you.
RSB: I have produced over 220 wall murals in my career so far.  When I am not creating, I am fighting for human and animal rights.  Last, but not least, I am Chicago’s best kept secret in visual art!

EQ: What legacy would you like to leave in this world?
RSB: It is artist fighting for creative liberation, that creates trends in the art market. These artist create the true cultural identity of society. For example: Hip Hop is a sub culture, that was started by inner city kids having fun through creative means. This motive of inner city kids doing art for art sake, is what started the modern graffiti movement, Rap music, DJ/ Producer music, and break dancing.  These forms of art worked as a creative outlet for inner city youth that would have been committing other substantial crimes.

People creating non market driven art sets trends and creates home grown culture.  To produce art from internal perspective, for personal reasons. That can be presented to the world and still be seen as art, and changing the way we see art. To inspire people and set social trends through producing art. These social trends inspired by free art can often led common people to think free. As an artist, to influence people to thinking freely, and making art that saves the world is Artist freedom.

EQ: What are your current and future projects?
RSB: I currently work out of my studio in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, where in addition to pieces created in oil, acrylic, graphite, pen & ink, pastels, mosaic tile, spray paint and digital media, I am developing an instructional video on large-scale aerosol pieces.

EQ: How did you hear about EQ?
RSB: I heard about EQ through RGB Lounge, an artist co-op in Chicago’s Wicker Park.  I love the way they were able to have a backpack system which can adapt to your every day activity.  It’s very functional and durable and great for travel!  I would love to see more graffiti art on their skyn designs.

EQ: What were your influences on designing the 6 pieces for your EQ feature?
RSB: The collection of works celebrates the rich artistic history of Rahmaan Statik.

Find out more about Statik and his work on:
www.statikone.net
http://facebook.com/rahmaan.statik

All skyns below will be on sale on EQ’s website under Featured Artist!

+ Make your Bag Better than anyone else’s Bag!

+ It is now easier to express your individuality through EQ’s custom designed skyns.

Achieve a fresh new look by interchanging skyns to match your mood and couture, as well as represent various aspects of your urban lifestyle!

+ If you are looking to add a custom skyn, here are the templates with instructions to design your own.

+ The cost for the skyn is $50 and the turnaround time is 3-4 weeks. (Bag sold separately)

+ Download the attached Skyn Template:
http://www.equnit.com/artistPAC/templates.zip

If you’re having problems downloading the zip file, click:
+ Here http://www.equnit.com/artistPAC/template.eps to download the vector template or
+ Here http://www.equnit.com/artistPAC/template.psd for the raster template

Once your design is complete, email layered files to info[at]equnit[dot]com in either:
+ Vector file (AI, EPS, CDR, SVG…etc). Color setup should be CYMK.
+ Raster file (JPEG, PSD, PNG, TIFF…etc) at least 300dpi and color setup should be CYMK.

We look forward to seeing what you got!

Here is detailed info on all the participants artwork for SKYN DEEP 2010 Urban Survival. Again thanks to the artist for their time and efforts and good luck on the competition. (click on images to inspect the details!)

If you have not voted yet please click here to go to the voting post!

THE SAME FLOCK | THE SAME NEST
Artist: Prince Bobby
Medium: Pencil on paper
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: From power lines to satellite, with the change of time, we may substitute the founding principles of life for technology.

SAMURAI INFINITE
Artist: Glyph
Medium: Mixed media; pen on paper & digital
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: The tale of 3 generations of warriors from the east – the first part of the story takes place in the futel era, the second is present day-and the third part take place in the future -all three stories involve the same clan.and similar circumstances

TO THE DEPTHS
Artist: Scottfree
Medium: Mixed media; pen, watercolor, & acrylic on paper & digital
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: The personal journey of images from my depths out into the “physical world” I don’t know where they come from, or when they are going to appear, but they always do, and so I give you a visual document of here, the core of my mind to there, the physical manifestation of thought and creative out pouring.

URBAN SIMULACRUM
Artist: Tint
Medium: Digital media
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: Montage of motifs that are indicative of movement with a specifically urban aesthetic. Just as paint drips from its original point of application or street light travels through darkness; the incorporation of the bike tire print is also a indication of journey.

LA BOA SANTANERA
Artist: Van
Medium: Mixed media; acrylic, watercolor, and ink on paper
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: This represents the energy of me…of what exists in my mind from an egg growing like a cactus in the non-existence land of my abstract soul, to a dragon with feathers (quetzalcoatl/aztec culture) evolutionizing just like jazz baby! my art work is pure music, on ink and paper.

ACORN
Artist: Black Book Chronicles
Medium: Acrylic on wood
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: This piece symbolizes the existential journey from acorn to oak tree, growing from one form into another. To me, life is a series of small travels, like seeds planted from “here to there,” and ultimately reside within you as a forest of oak trees in the end. “Little Traveler”

A-MAZE-ING
Artist: Yams
Medium: Mixed media; pen & paint marker on paper
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: Yams has created a design realm for himself where he can explore many different personal topics. Elements of lettering/writing, symbology, figure and landscape are influential subjects for his visual discussion. From street to gallery, Yams has truly traveled from here to there.

KOKO KARA SOKO E
Artist: Jankenpon
Medium: Digital media
Location: Tokyo, JAPAN
Description: An expression of the infinitely complex dynamic of travel that is a regular part of city life. One always needs to get from here to there, but there were never any promises of simplicity in our journey. The piece illustrates the complexity of movement but also the necessity of reaching the destination regardless of the challenge.

HERE TO THERE
Artist: Wordwiz
Medium: Digital media
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Description: The notion of pure movement is one that is difficult to capture in a visual context, but this piece shows movement through the oldest creative medium, language. There are parts of the English language that are naturally associated with movement and the viewer should feel that theme of movement merely through language.

EXTRA QUICK MAN
Artist: Utol Mo
Medium: Digital media
Location: Manila, PHILIPPINES
Description: Video games from the 80′s to the present have always had the same goals; make it through the stage fighting baddies, collecting power-ups on the way, and facing a boss at the end of the stage. Rinse. Repeat.

SUBWAYZ
Artist: Poem 1
Medium: Mixed media; marker & enamel paint on subway map with photography
Location: New York, NY USA
Description: The concept of my skyn design represents my pilgrimage from New York to Chicago just as so many writers once did when it came to New York when Graffiti was in full swing there. The overall goal of most established writers visiting major cities like Chicago was not to paint a wall but to leave his/her mark on its Rail system which to many represents the true essence of what Graffiti was and in a way still is today.

BOARDING PASS
Artist: EP
Medium: Mixed media; digital & photography
Location: Paris, FRANCE
Description: Aviation has not only altered and redefined the way we explore our world but has been at the forefront of engineering and is just one example of human ingenuity. Being able to quickly travel around the globe has given people the opportunity to explore the beautiful world we live in. This photo was taken as we boarded a short-transit flight to Ushuaia – located in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego region.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME
Artist: Txangoblanco
Medium: Mixed media; wheat paste on brick & digital
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: You might have or have not seen me from here to there, but I’ve been stuck on many faces in many places. I am a baby, a new face, a sticker, an image with no body but a body is what helps me recreate your image. At times my face has been peeled back only to reveal a new image and the underlying one of the past. I am here to remind you that you were once me, a baby, and as your life goes from here to there remember your past, live your present, and prepare for the future.

JET SET, GO
Artist: RD4K1
Medium: Digital media
Location: Detroit, MI USA
Description: I wanted to bring a world travel theme, using different locations that represent a general type, as opposed to a specific location taking these sights and blending them together as if painted on a canvas, with the airbus flying over to tie in the whole piece together.

FOOT TRAFFIC
Artist: ST!ZO
Medium: Digital media
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Description: The most accessible way to get from place to place is by foot. Wearing a fresh pair of kicks is the easiest way to stand out from the crowd. This design integrates my love for the sneaker culture within an urban camouflage motif. Sneakerheads represent!

If you have not voted yet please click here to go to the voting post!

Saturday, September 3 · 7:00pm – 11:30pm
RGB Lounge: 1420 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL

WHAT IS SKYN DEEP?
This is EQ’s annual artist competition where artists from around the world compete for a chance to get their art worn by YOU! We’re in our 4th year and still going strong! Come view the selected submissions for this year’s THEME and vote for your favorite piece on equnit.com.

THEME: FH2T or “FROM HERE TO THERE”, represents the constant movement and transformation of the urban environment. Who will win your vote?

ENTERTAINMENT: Cerritos All Stars, DJ UMMAGAWD, will be spinning a virtual dj session…streaming live from Cali to Chgo!  http://www.cerritosallstars.com/

SALE: Be the first to cop EQ’s limited edition FH2T “EL” train skyn! First come, First served basis. All other EQ merch will be on display for sale throughout the venue.

SILENT AUCTION: All selected art pieces will be on sale!

RAFFLE PRIZES: We always give something away. Don’t miss out!

FOOD/DRINKS: There will be plenty. Indulge! (donations welcome)

Support the artists! Support our cause! We look forward to seeing all your bootiful faces!

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!!!

WHAT IS SKYN DEEP:
Artists from around the world compete for a chance to get their art worn by you!  SKYN DEEP is Equilibrium USG’s annual Artist Competition.  The SKYN is the aesthetic medium of the P.A.C. System, created for the urban nomad.

Because of increased interest world-wide, we are welcoming any and all flat design based art forms including, but not limited to, paint, photography, digital based mediums, graffiti, and any combination of the aforementioned.

SYNOPSIS:
The dynamic of the modern city has shifted from the static contentment of just living day to day to a principle of constant movement. Equilibrium USG has embraced this shift toward movement through the continued development of the modular P.A.C. system.  EQ wants to be apart of your journey.  We strive to provide a modular experience by accessorizing you with the equipment needed to get you “From Here 2 There.”  This approach allows the system to better adapt to your various lifestyles versus you conforming to your gear.

Equilibrium’s commitment to the personally designed interchangeable SKYN has continued to make your favorite EQ P.A.C. as unique as you!

THEME:
Your SKYN design should embody a combination of street culture, movement, and transit, culminating in your visual representation of the theme “From Here To There,” a theme that represents the constant movement and transformation of the wild urban environment.

GETTING STARTED:

This is a 2 part design contest.  Use the templates below to create your art.

A. SKYN:

• Download the Skyn Template http://www.equnit.com/artistPAC/templates.zip
• If you’re having problems:
• Select this link http://www.equnit.com/artistPAC/template.eps for the Vector template or this link http://www.equnit.com/artistPAC/template.psd for the raster template

B. BACKDROP:

• Create a vertical 2’x4’ poster which compliments, or acts as a backdrop to your skyn.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
Once your award winning piece of art is completed, email the layered files to infoequnitcom  (infoequnitcom)   in either:

• Vector File (AI, EPS, CDR, SVG…etc) in the CYMK color setup
• Raster File (JPEG, PSD, PNG, TIFF…etc) at least 300dpi in the CYMK color setup

One entry per artist

Your entry email should include:

1. Artist Name
2. Name of the piece
3. Description of the piece

Submission Deadline: Sunday, August 21, 2011

VOTING:
You will judged by your peers weekly through online voting on the EQ website.  Each week, designs with the least amount of votes get cut from the competition.

Voting begins September 3, 2011 with the 3 winners being revealed at the EQ Skyn Deep event on October 1, 2011 at RGB Lounge in Wicker Park, Chicago.

The EQ Crew will scour through all the submissions received to ensure we find the pieces that are most representative of the “From Here to There” Skyn Deep theme. The best work will be posted to EQ’s web gallery to be judged and voted on.

WHAT DO I WIN:

1. Each voted artist walks away with an EQ Bag sporting their very own design.
2. The top 3 designs (decided by online votes, EQ Team and an artist panel) will be reproduced for sale as LIMITED EDITION SKYNS.
3. The winning designs will be sold at the following locations giving you, the artist, a chance to earn commissions on your hard work:

AKIN Lincoln Park | AKIN South (UIC) | RBG Lounge | Silver Room | The Bike Lane | equnit.com

***Additionally, all of the chosen artwork shown in the RGB Lounge gallery will have the opportunity to be sold (of course the profits will be shared with you, the artist).

We look forward to all your submissions and wish you all the best of luck!

Cheers!

EQUILIBRIUM USG

Driving new trends with innovative ideas and ingenious design Equilibrium USG (Urban Survival Gear) rocks urban couture by merging utility and fashion in ways never before seen. With the introduction of Equilibrium USG’s P.A.C. (Portable All-Purpose Containment) System, carrying your gear is now a fashionable, customizable and modular experience.

It’s now easier to express your individuality through EQ’s custom designed skyns. Achieve a fresh new look by interchanging skyns to match your mood and couture; representing various aspects of your urban lifestyle!

Equilibrium USG super fan, Henry Chu, is an actor and technology enthusiast originally from Chicago.  His portrayal of the lead role of Chow in Let Old Ghosts Rest helped the short film gain numerous film festival acceptances.  Ultimately, Let Old Ghosts Rest won a Gold Remi Award at the 2010 Houston International Film Festival. 

Henry also worked on Danny and Formosa Betrayed.  You may have also seen him on MTV’s Disaster Date, Disney XD’s Pair of Kings, and Jadakiss’ Can’t Stop Me music video.  Inspiring the community through education and activism, Chu enjoyed working on theater productions of The Courtroom, Know Your Dangers, and Letters to a Student Revolutionary.  He was getting ready to fight a rambunctious character named Floyd that he did the voice for in the upcoming video game True Crime: Hong Kong, but unfortunately, Activision recently announced the game’s cancellation.

On the technology side Henry works in website development and formerly in cell phone product engineering.  He is also involved in a future web application project.  One of his favorite actors is Wentworth Miller, who brought a details-oriented approach to the character of the structural engineer, Michael Scofield, in Prison Break.  Henry embraced this idea to bridge the number crunching of engineering into his work as an actor.

EQ: Who are your influences?
HMC: Patrick Stewart, Wentworth Miller

EQ: What are your hobbies?
HMC: Right now, I’m trying to work on improv and web design stuff like WordPress and PHP.  I like following the Chicago Bulls and NBA in general.  Derrick Rose for MVP!

EQ: What are your some of your current and future projects?
HMC: I’m working with Gorrilla Style Producions on a web series called Rent Due Yesterday.

EQ: What do you like about your EQ Bag?
HMC: I like rocking my Chicago pride one minute and then my love of Tokyo the next.  The bag works great if I’m dressed funky or for business.  It’s also a great way to find other Chicago people in Los Angeles; I think of the Chicago Blue Line skyn as a beacon.

EQ: What configuration do you rock?
HMC: I rock the Recon Bag usually in the backpack form.

Meet Henry Online @ www.henrymchu.com | Facebook | Twitter

Whether they’re a local radio DJ, renowned artist, sports icon, or reality show star…everyone needs a bag.  We follow them 1 at a time to see how their EQ Bag works for their lifestyle!

The Legendary TERRY HUNTER has firmly established himself as a DJ, Producer, and Remixer, DJing house music & producing remixes for the late and great Michael Jackson, Terisa Griffin, Byron Stingily, Barbara Tucker, & R. Kelly just to name a few.

EQ: Who are your influences?
TH: DJs: Frankie Knuckles & Ron Hardy
PRODUCERS: Quincy Jones, Roy Ayers, and James Brown

EQ: What are your hobbies?
TH: I’m a computer geek at heart.  I spend most of my day either on my laptop, I-Pad or my Tower Mac doing various things like checking out sports center or on the phone trying to figure out what my next moves will be.

EQ: What are your current and future projects?
TH: Kenny Dope (house dj) and I, just completed an album entitled, Mass Destruction, due out in March 2011 on ILL Friction/Strictly Rhythm Recs.  I am finishing up my debut solo album as well as constantly releasing new house Recs on my T’s Box imprint.  Recently, I’ve been hired as a Resident DJ, DJing BANG Sundays at Shrine Night Club in Chicago.   This year, I’ve been honored and proud to lead a team in putting together the 1st Annual Chicago House DJ Day leading up to the “Architects Of House” Photo Shoot consisting of 100+ influential DJs (between 1975-1995) who sculpted disco/house music as we know it today.  It was a historical event.

EQ: How did you hear about EQ?
TH: It’s a funny story.  A friend of mine, Randy White, owner of Washington Music in D.C. calls me one day & says, “Hey man, do you know about this bag company that’s in your city called Equilibrium?”  I said, “No,” and for him to have one up on me in my city made me want to investigate.  I rushed to the website, saw the bags & was like, “Ohhh yeah, I need this!”  So I left a message, you guys hit me back & here we are

EQ: What do you like about EQ Bag?
TH: Too many things to name! LOL.  It’s one hell of a bag!  It has compartments for anything & everything. What’s funny is that, sometimes, I forget where I put stuff and I go on a hunt to find it.  You’ll never run out of pockets, especially with their new line of dope accessories .  It’s also been great for me when I DJ because I can carry my laptop & i-Pad.  It also has a place for my Traktor box & cables.  It’s the perfect bag! A must have.  It’s almost like it was designed just for me   Oh! I almost forgot, I have my own personal skin with my logo on it & serves as my branding piece as well.

EQ: What configuration do you rock?
TH: I use the Medium Recon P.A.C. to carry all my gear.  It feels great on my back and when I need to convert it to a messenger bag, the harness easily snaps off.

EQ: What would you like to see in an EQ Bag?
TH: Simple!  Add roller wheels with a handle so I can drag it through the airport while I’m traveling from city to city.  When that’s done, I promise you, I will never use another bag again!

Find out more about Terry Hunter’s work on:
facebook/terryhunter
twitter @djterryhunter

Each month, we collaborate with a new artist to design a line of skyns!

Born in Pingtung, Taiwan and based out of Chicago, IL, JAMES LIU (Veggiesomething), comes to us with his love for modular designs that are bold, clean, clear, and concise.  He’s designed 3 skyns which will be on sale soon!  His works of art have been seen throughout the world via numerous art shows and exhibits and have been featured in various publications and media outlets.

Read why he’s been chosen as our first Featured Artist!

EQ: What type of art do you do?
JL: I’ve done a lot of different types of artworks in the past.  But since 2002, my artworks have concentrated around characters and character design.  (I often joke that it was embedded in my Asian DNA to love characters.)

I generally create my artworks in digital, acrylics, silkscreen, letterpress, etc.  Crazylabel has also produced some of my characters in to designer vinyl toys.  I would love to work in oil sometime soon.

EQ: Who are your influences?
JL: I think my two biggest influences are Patrick Nagel and Groovisions.  That’s right!  Patrick Nagel.  And Groovisions.  When I was young, I was really drawn to the artworks of Patrick Nagel.  There was something in his art that really resonated within me.  Patrick loved to strip away elements and leave behind only what was necessary to convey the intended message in his art.  I find myself doing that because of him.  My artworks may often look simplistic on the surface, but that’s because I had spent a lot of time planning and thinking and designing before the achieving the final result.  Some artists choose to build and add to their artwork.  I choose to strip away and reduce.  Simple is not so simple.

Anyway, later in life, I stumbled upon the works of Groovisions and fell in love with them instantly.  I’ve always loved modular designs as they just made sense to me – to create things that are versatile.  Groovisions are masters of modularity across numerous platforms.  They’ve really inspired me to create modular designs that are bold, clean, clear, and concise.

EQ: What are your hobbies?
JL: I used to play guitar in hardcore and post-hardcore bands so music is definitely one of my mos fav hobbies.  Within the last few years, I’ve also been smitten with minivelos.  They are so fun to ride and compact to boot!

EQ: Current/Future projects?
JL: I’m currently finishing up a couple of House of Liu designer vinyl figure projects.  Those should be released early next year.  I’m also currently working on some new teeshirt designs for Formula Werks.

Upcoming for next year are more designer vinyl toy projects, teeshirt projects, music projects, art shows, and more!

EQ: What do you like about EQ Bag?
JL: When I first saw EQ bags, I was instantly hooked by its modularity.  The quality is definitely up there as well!  It’s mos def my mos fav bag that I’ve ever owned by far!

EQ: What configuration do you rock?
JL: I usually rock the container for a side bag look.  Sometimes, I add the harness for the backpack look.

EQ: What would you like to see in an EQ Bag?
JL: That’s a toughie!  There are already lots of accessories available.  (The computer sleeve is totally awesome, and I’ll have to buy that next.)  But if I had to add something to the line,  I would love to see a small hip pack that can also be worn around the shoulders and can hold a regular sized U-lock.  I like to travel light when I bike, but I still need to carry my phone and lock.

EQ: What was your influence on designing this skyn line?
JL: Although it is not immediately apparent, the base influence for the design was Jamie Reid’s work for the album cover and promo materials for the Sex Pistols.  I’ve always loved the work that he did for the Pistols, but I didn’t want to duplicate it at the same time.  Therefore, I incorporated his vibe (colorwise) into my regular style.

EQ: What is your design about?
JL: My design features a character of mine called Debonair Rascal.  The design reminds people to keep hustlin’ because hustlin’ gets things done.  It also reminds people to respect the hustle.

View some of Liu’s work here: The Neighborhood |  Greenskeepers

Liu’s work can also be seen at:
http://www.veggiesomething.com

http://www.behance.net/veggiesomething

Liu’s daily on-goings can be found at:
http://www.twitter.com/veggiesomething

http://www.facebook.com/veggiesomething

Former Chicago resident, Iris K. Shim is an award winning filmmaker who just completed her 1st featured documentary entitled, “The House of Suh.”

Sister and Brother, Catherine and Andrew Suh, are sentenced to 100 years in prison, for the cold-blooded murder of Robert O’Dubaine, Catherine’s fiancé of 8 years.  This murder case shocked the Korean-American community in Chicago and ignited media frenzy in 1993. As the Suh’s complex history unfolds, issues of cultural assimilation, traditional values and justice are examined, raising questions of guilt, innocence and the illusive gray area in between.  The film attempts to reconstruct the elements of a family torn apart, raising questions of whether it is the options we are given or the choices we make that define who we are.

MSNBC just picked up the documentary and will be broadcasting it on National Television!

AWARDS:
2010 Hamptons International Film Festival: Investigation Discovery Award for Excellence in Journalism
2010 San Diego Asian American Film Festival: Grand Jury Award
2010 Philadelphia Asian Film Festival: Best Documentary & Audience Award

EQ: Who are your influences?
IS: Storytellers, whether through words, pictures, music or images.

EQ: What are your hobbies?
IS: I’ve taken an affinity to photography lately.

EQ: What are your some of your current and future projects?
IS:  Working on getting my Masters in Fine Arts at Columbia University as well as developing another feature documentary project.

EQ: What do you like about your EQ Bag?
IS: Durability, aesthetics, but most of all, the modular flexibility!

EQ: What configuration do you rock?
IS: Mostly the Assault Messenger, but occasionally for a heavy duty day, the Assault P.A.C.

Meet Iris at the next screening:
February 7^th @ U of I, Asian American Cultural Center
February 8^th at 5:30pm @ UIC.

View the trailers for The House of Suh: THOS YouTube Trailer |  THOS Vimeo Trailer

For updates on The House of Suh visit: www.thehouseofsuh.com and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

If you liked what you saw before, then take a look at what’s coming! 5 new Auxiliary Components will hit the market in January! 

Thanks to Unscene Media Group for photos and coverage. 

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store!  EQUNIT X AUXILIARY INPUT