Joshua Vides is a rising LA-based artist that’s taken both the art and streetwear industries by storm over the course of the last year. His work, which he calls Reality To Idea, focuses on outlining all-white surfaces with black paint which gives off the illusion of it being a 2-D work of art. This art style was made famous by renowned artist Bill Barminski, and Vides pays homage to one of his favorite artists with his own flair added to it. Vides’ first became a viral sensation when he outlined a pair of white Nike Air Force 1 sneakers with black paint, which was sparked by the idea of bringing a recreation of an original Air Force 1 sketch to life — hence, “Reality To Idea.”
As he gained notoriety from his work, Vides began painting over objects all across Southern California which included street signs, a fire hydrant, and even a local basketball court at a park. All this led to him eventually opening pop-up exhibitions in Los Angeles and New York for fans to view his artwork for only a few days at a time. Along with these pop-ups, Vides has also collaborated with brands such as T-Mobile, MLB, and even the Hollywood Roosevelt to name a few. He’s a man full of ideas, always thinking of new ways to enhance the Reality To Idea experience.
This time around, instead of setting up an exhibition in an art gallery, Vides wanted to take his art on the road with him. Vides and his team are in the midst of a 7-city, 9-day Reality To Idea U.S. Tour. How is he bringing his artwork on the road, you ask? He rented out a U-Haul truck and painted the inside of it. In each stop of the tour, Vides and his team will park and set up shop in front of some of the most notable streetwear retailers in the country. In addition to the partnerships, each boutique will also carry exclusive Reality To Idea collaboration t-shirts unique to each stop on the tour. Official Reality To Idea merchandise will be sold inside the truck by Vides and his team as well.
I had the opportunity to check out the Reality To Idea U-Haul during their stop in LA this past Thursday at Union Los Angeles. It was an installation like I’ve never experienced before. Inside the U-Haul was designed to resemble the inside of an RV. To be able to jump in, immerse yourself within the confines of the 15-foot truck, and to check out all the detailed work they put into this up close was so inspiring to see. The fact that Vides and his team were able to pull this off and are willing to take this on the road in such a short amount of time is a testament to the dedication they have to push the culture of the art forward.
Vides and his team are currently making their way across the country in the U-Haul truck hopefully to a city near you. It’s one of the most ambitious projects this year, and it’s definitely something you won’t want to miss.
For the rest of the Reality To Idea tour dates, you can check them out here.
Follow NothingMag on Instagram here.
