If you don’t live in Orlando (or as most know it, the land of The Mouse), it’s easy to assume this city is nothing but theme parks and PC entertainment. Gods and Monsters wants to change that, and considers itself to be the epitome of the pop culture experience – a fusion of art, collectables, comics, games, merchandise, and entertainment.
The store itself is incredible – with the interior designed by some of Orlando’s best scenic artists and designers. The child within you squeals in joy walking through the main entrance flanked with Storm Troopers. Beautiful murals adorn the walls, and movie-set quality finishes every surface (my favorite spot is where you purchase, decked out like Arkham Asylum from Batman). On top of being a badass retail space, they have a gaming lounge, theater, and a bar!
Also residing within Gods and Monsters is the Transmetropolitan Gallery (named after the popular comic by Warren Ellis), a high-end gallery featuring art from both comic book and fine artists. Currently on display is Necromancy, a show including some of the most acclaimed artists of the horror genre. Artwork on display includes such notable dark creatives as Clive Barker (of Hellraiser fame), Menton3, Ben Templesmith, David Stoupakis, Chet Zar, Colin Christian, Damien Echols, Stan Darkart, Matthew Duncan, and including Orlando natives Spider and Vaughn Belak.
Chet Zar’s piece Necromantic is marvelous in its simplicity: monochromatic with just a hint of color in the blaze of his cigarette. Menton3’s demon and seductress, entitled Gate Keeper and It Looks Back, showcase both his interests in painting from his subconscious as well as his skill at working in multiple mediums. Vaughn Belak has new work since Dirge interviewed him last – not only was he in attendance with tons of awesome art swag, but his amazing wife, Jen, cosplayed as one of his characters (complete with 8” tall hooves)!
Colin Christian and Spider bring it home in the sculptural arena. Colin’s dame entitled Red Lobster is the stuff seafood nightmares are made of. Hints of his muses are obscured beneath a bristling of teeth, spikes, and crustacean-like legs growing out of the viscous-looking carapace. Spider’s sculptures fuse organic and artificial mediums, bone and leather with metal, wire, polyurethane, and an assortment of other man-made materials. From the artist:
People are afraid of genetic tampering, but they’ll shoot lasers into their eyes to see better, or staple their stomachs, or get breast implants. Little by little, we’re becoming more okay with being less human. Someday, we’ll be okay with not being human at all. I try to make what that will look like.
Opening night was full of art and entertainment, culminating with a performance from Defenz Mechanizm, one of Orlando’s premiere alternative performers. Known both for her unique performances as well as for her fashion design and makeup artistry, the performance included a narrative about radiantly decaying beauty – complete with mirrors, fake blood, and climaxing with a live “grinder show” performance, showering the crowd in sparks.
While Necromancy will be coming down on Friday, November 20th, the event coordinators are in cahoots with some of the artists displayed for the show, and there are solid plans for solo shows and signings with a lot of the artists involved. If you plan on visiting the Sunshine State for the usual shenanigans, it’s worth making a trip to Orlando to check out what Gods and Monsters have to offer, be it performances, comic books or artwork. To the owners Anna and Todd: Keep it up! You’re doing it right.
