complex16

complex16

File photo by Asia Morris.

The art, fashion and music mega-festival known as ComplexCon is just around the corner, with major influencers in streetwear, tech, contemporary art and more to land in Long Beach this weekend November 4-5 at the convention and entertainment center.

Attendees can expect to see N*E*R*D, Gucci Mane, M.I.A. and Young Thug headline the two-day event, can check out digitally native and big-name brands that will set up shop IRL including Nike, Commonwealth and BornxRaised, with many planning collaboration drops exclusive to the weekend-long party. Also on the docket are a series of panels, or ComplexCon(versations) where guests can hear from important figures in Japanese and American streetwear, entertainment industry powerhouses, experts on crypto-currencies and the food industry.


 

ComplexCon returning host committee member Takashi Murakami has curated what will be the Art Zone at the upcoming streetwear and culture convention.

“Takashi Murakami embodies in his art the same high-low spirit that defines the ComplexCon culture, and we are delighted that he will again bring his distinctive artistic ingénue to this year’s event,” Marc Eckō, Founder and Chief Brand & Creative Officer of Complex Networks, said in a statement. “Murakami has complete autonomy to curate an experience that will uniquely appeal to our event-goers and is already raising the bar with his early selections and collaborations for the Art Zone.”


 

MADSAKI, Otani Workshop, Galerie Perrotin and more will showcase unique artworks and installations, while Murakami will also be curating a section of his KaiKai KiKi artists, with original works by him, sample figures and merch. Additional Art Zone experiences will include curated spaces from The Seventh Letter, Hong Kong’s Avenue Des Art, installations by Michael Murphy brought by Wish Atl, Gangster Doodles, Giphy and Paper Work NYC and displayed works by Matt Gondek brought by FUN.

And remember that giant island of pillows where even the most fashionable ComplexCon attendee could be caught snoozing? Snarkitecture will return with a reimagining of that 2016 pillow lounge.

For more information and updates, visit the website here

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].