David Mann Art
Here to your attention it is presented David Mann's 2 galleries (Born Sept. 10, 1940 – Completed his circle of life Sept. 11, 2004. RIP), the great artist on motorcycle subject:
Looking on sliding on the gray cloth of asphalt the motorcycle, whose low roar the blood pulsation in veins joins the orchestra of city noise, it would be unfair to believe that life of the biker – only the sit-round gathering at garage, thoughtless driving in anywhere and conversations on the prices for gasoline and dignity of the next girlfriend. Megalopolis generation, this subculture as any another, absorbed in herself spirit of times, took something very intimate from roots of several most ancient cultures and generated own. Tu where there are rules and laws, the belief and the legends, the music and the art.
Drawings decorate bodies of motorcyclists, becoming the part of the live flesh, growing into it and narrating about the long road where time is measured not for hours, and miles. To the road, where fidelity, courage and romanticism – not mere words, and life bases.
Motorcycle as the revived continuation of the owner as often turns into something improbable, being allocated even among similar article and the coloring. He can appear the ruthless leopard made to the jump, and the gentle rassvetny cloud, can tell about dark generations of night and times of conquest of the Wild West, to be the monster from other planet or the hero of the ancient legend. And the magic here is simple: the brush and the imagination of the person, what drawings are known for much, but the name, unfortunately, not always very famous.
We would like to present such master to you both the story about his life and creativity to try to close one of “white spots” on the palette of history of baykersky art.
The person in which creativity all life of “horseback riders of the Road”, from amusing household sketches to incarnate imaginations and legends is reflected. In his pictures, on tremendous realism more similar to the photo, men, as if glanced already for the horizon side, for whom the current of the road and the blood current in veins – music of one nature fly afar. Their reality – dreams for many, their iron horses – the embodiment of force, their woman are fine and gentle. His name – David Mann.
David was born in Kansas City (the State of Missouri, the USA) in 1940. It is possible to call his talent in the true sense of the word hereditary as David, Paul Mann's father, all the life was engaged in painting and was the member of the London Society of Artists.
Dave started to do the first pencil sketches, still studying at high school. It were gold times of the rock'n'roll: the sparkling world of white sand and magnificent palm trees, beauties in bikini and "jotas sorts". The world where voices cheerful the Scourge Boyz and rebellious Gerry Li Lewis sounded. These sketches were so successful that to the beginning artist the chance soon dropped out for the first time to test in serious work – he executed some orders on the aerographics in castom-painting style for the local motor show belonging to Doug Thompson and Ray Hetrika. There was it in 1957.
Upon termination of school, in the late fifties, having understood that drawing also is his calling, David arrived on initial courses of painting at Institute of Art of Kansas City. Unfortunately, students were fine disappointed, and study lasted not too long: it appeared that the teacher very superficially owns the subject and the most part of pupils considerably surpasses him both in talent and in skill. But it did not mean that Dave so easily was given and refused the dream.
Bent for to adventures and desire abruptly to change something in life got the best and one fine day caramel-red and pearl-white "Shevi-kupe" carried away David in the company with the best friend Scarlet Barnet, the same adventurer in soul, towards to temptations of the Western coast.
Santa Monica … Exactly here, in Bay Area Mufflers shop Dave saw for the first time the motorcycles which have struck his imagination, forever captured him. It were choppers: improbable incomprehensible "monsters", whose belonging to worthy family "Harley-Devidson" very attentive and experienced look could define only. Savages among motorcycles, these cars differed the thunderous sound inspiring awe by the animal power. Freakish bends of the wheel, uncompromising carrying out of the fork, radical kastomayzing … All this gave them so bewitching charm that the Manna was absolutely bewitched.
Having returned after this trip home, to Kansas City, David buys the first motorcycle: Harley-Davidson “Panhead” of 1948 for only $350. And with this motorcycle which painted with own hand and has received the name "Hollywood Run", he risked to take part in “Kansas City Custom Car Show” of 1963. This motorcycle was the only thing presented on show, and in general unique. He made such shocking impression upon public that judges even entered the new nomination and awarded to David the special prize. Probably, at the captious look in this list was much more mood, than skill, but this work as if caused in imagination of vision of unrestrained irreal mustangs soaring over the Hollywood hills. It was incarnate the embodiment wild, free “The Hollywood rebel”, similar to what he saw in California.
On this show "Hollywood Run" noticed not only judges and comers to take a look at strange cars visitors. The meeting, made serious impact on further turn of events in life of the young artist in the same place took place. It was the person of very impressive build carrying the paradoxical nickname Tiny for the growth ("Tiny") – the president of small outlaw-club from Siu-City, the State of Iowa.
He, in literal sense of this word, took an active part in life and David's career: gave the patronage at the accession to club (though the Manna and became only his eighth member), entered him into the circle of the motorcyclists isolated from the outside world “beyond the law” and sent the polaroidny picture of work of David to excentric Edu to "Big Daddy" the Company, to the founder of kastom-cars and the publisher of the first magazine about choppers from California.
"Big Daddy" felt at once real potential of this idea, after all drawings on motor-subject were new fresh break in creativity, and without thoughts got David's first drawing. “The Tecate Run” became the second work which David created already in "union" about Edom, and it became the basis for the published posters which it is possible to consider as the real antiques in the history of baykersky culture.
With Ad's "blessing", the Manna undertook the second travel to California once again to plunge into the atmosphere of life of wild reckless “easyriders”. This time it was San Bernandino, the place where one of farms became the place of the constant dislocation of motorcyclists. Then there were David's got by inconsistent by pictures of dark and the light sides of baykersky life 14 more works, spirit of the brotherhood and troops.
It were uneasy 60th years, and David became the peculiar chronicler of those years, having enclosed in pictures the personal experience and the look, and having reflected dreams and nightmares of the “brothers on the wheel”. Whether it is necessary to be surprised that ten of these works were taken right there in hand by enterprising "Big Daddy", and they as went to the basis of the new series of posters.
The success was available, but even natural gift the Manna demanded polishing and increase of knowledge and skill. In it to him rendered significant assistance of Deyv the Pool from “Sheffer Studios” in Kansas City where the artist returned again from trips across California. In 1965 David Mann got a job there in department of delivery and, having casually got to talking with the new colleague, heard from that the enthusiastic story about the tremendous green motorcycle which that somewhere saw. It appeared that the glory of the motorcycle overtook glory of the owner and when next day David arrived for work on "Harley", there was what exactly this device Pool and meant. Amusing coincidence, but and their friendship which not only brought the Manna pleasure from communication with the adherent began, but also gave the chance to it to increase the skill as the professional artist. Дейв the Pool started to train him in elements of architectural education and possession of equipment of the aerographics which David so actively started to use in the creativity. Prospect laws, nuances of the image, game of reflections and the smallest details – thorough studying of all this, besides development of improbable irreal backgrounds and the original new view on composition, also led to that the Manna got and perfected the unique "firm" style.
By then, when “Sheffer Studios” got over in Kleruoter (State of Florida), David again returned to training at Institute of Art of Kansas City. He started to try forces in work with different objects and styles. The wizard of surrealism Salvador Dalí became the idol and the example for the young artist, a lot of things the Manna gathered and from fantasy style, having become in the motor-world same “the master of illusions”, as Boris Valedzhio for other world. David's working arsenal included gouache and acrylic paints. Works gained the increasing popularity: on show in Simenol Springs and Dunedin the collection of honourable awards with which awarded the artist looked very impressive. His name even was mentioned among such outstanding masters of art as Norman Rokueell and Leroy Neumann.
In 1971 David's brother-in-law told him that recently appeared magazine invites to work of the artist. The event, at first sight, not God knows what importance if it there was no “EASYRIDER”. The edition on which pages it was possible to plunge into the world of motorcycles, from standard to the most revolutionary where men reigned in black skin and their fine girlfriends where there was the place both for serious stories and for laughter. The magazine about bikers and for them. And certainly, David should try to enter into this team, after all and for him this world was so close and clear. He simply lived in him and breathed his wind. Whether it is necessary to speak, than this attempt ended, after all it is well known that for thirty years after that David Mann "set the fashion" in the magazine, having made very significant contribution to creation of special unique style “from Easyriders”. Numerous drawings, registration of covers not one ten numbers, posters to the various actions which are carried out by the edition … With David Mann's arrival of "Easyriders" got the star, the legend. Music changed, preferences in the fashion on clothes changed, bikers changed also, but all this time in pictures of the unique master reigns one subject, one mood. Huge, fine, times the grotesque world, where in the center always steel heart of the motor where the nature is fresh, as in the first day of creation. Pictures, at the look on which heart starts to fight in beat roads. It is David Mann's open for all the world who is still capable to see and feel.
These words it would be desirable to finish the story about the ingenious master, but, unfortunately, during writing of article there was the irreparable: David Mann left from us. In recent years he suffered from the warm illness and the heavy form of arthritis that did not allow him to take up the brush again. Termination of work about “Easyriders” and moving from Florida to Missouri deprived of him the right to the medical insurance, and the 64th summer artist was compelled to expose legendary “Panhead” for auction to defray all expenses on treatment. Friends and admirers of talent of the master helped and supported David and his courageous wife Jackie in this hard time, but the illness prevailed and on September 11, 2004 David Mann died. It is huge loss for those who knew and loved him, for those who at least time saw his tremendous pictures.
Bike Freak Team states deep condolences to the family and relatives. This article we would like to express our respect for memory of the master. The one who embodied the essence of the Road, spirit of the brotherhood and freedom.
David Mann's memories – the biker and the artist from capital letter!
Bike Freak
(Yet did not estimate)
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