Red Run Art Series (No Blackout Dates) – Package #8: “AmeriKKKant” Tour Stamp ft. Ministry

Series Overview:
– Red Run Art Series (No Blackout Dates) is a mixed-media series by artist Damon Kardon created to celebrate the traveling circus that is the music tour. He has various bands and solo artists whose music and words have influenced him and his art over the years. He set out to encapsulate in these works everything that a band or artist puts forth with a new album and accompanying tour. What better way to convey the creativity and excitement of travel than in a postage stamp representing this new voyage?

“Red Run” is a postage term describing an assignment to handle registered mail and “Blackout Dates” a travel term meaning no time off from travel. These terms represent to Damon, a clear vision each band or artist delivers in their new album and then expresses 24/7 in their subsequent tour. Each piece he creates starts with a painted portrait of the band or artist. He then incorporates colors and elements of their new album into the background. Next, he takes that image of the finished painting and digitally alters and adds text through Photoshop.

The text seen on each postage stamp design incorporates new song and album titles as well as the names and dates of the tour. Each completed stamp design is a mixed-media collage representing the artist/band and their music. You shall see a new finished piece featured every week for the entire run of the series. Through their boundless creativity and determination, these artists/bands have put their musical stamp on the world.

Road-Ready Listening:
– Be sure to enhance your viewing/reading experience by streaming Ministry’s latest full-length offering, AmeriKKKant, released on March 9, 2018, via Nuclear Blast.

About the Painting:
– Back in high school, I once asked the kid in front of me with the Lollapalooza shirt who this band “Ministry” was listed on his back. That took me down a path in the ‘90s pioneered by Ministry and others like NIN who were changing the sonic landscape of art and music. I was drawn to Ministry’s message of “resist” and “question authority” through the electronic blasts of distortion and pulsating beats. Al Jourgensen’s music and message are as vital and needed today as it was then and this new music coming from this new album picks it right back up. The imagery this band presents is just as important and I wanted to reflect how I feel when listening to them in this portrait. – Damon Kardon

Package #8: “AmeriKKKant”:
– Check out Damon’s creative process by scrolling through the photos below.

Tour Dates:

03/29 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
03/31 – Edmonton, AB – Union Hall
04/01 – Calgary, AB – Palace Theatre
04/03 – Missoula, AB – Wilma Theatre
04/05 – Lincoln, NE – Boubon Theatre
04/07 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
04/08 – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom
04/10 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
04/11 – Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe Live
04/12 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room
04/14 – Toronto, ON – Opera House
04/15 – Montreal, QC – MTelus
04/17 – Boston, MA – Royale
04/18 – Portland, ME – Aura
04/19 – Huntington, NY – Paramount Theatre
04/21 – Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theatre
04/22 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
04/23 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
04/25 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
04/26 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live
04/28 – Austin, TX – Levitation Festival
07/11 – Viveiro, ES – Resurrection Fest
07/14 – Eindhoven, NL – Dynamo Metalfest
07/15 – Dour, BE – Dour Festival
07/17 – Nottingham, GB – Rock City
07/18 – Glasgow, GB – O2 ABC
07/20 – Manchester, GB – Albert Hall
07/21 – London, GB – Forum Theatre
07/23 – Belfast, GB – Limelight
07/24 – Dublin, IE – Tivoli Variety Theatre
07/25 – Bristol, GB – SWX
07/28 – Kempten, DE – Rock the King
08/08 – Jaromer, CZ – Brutal Assault
08/11 – Hildesheim, DE – M’era Luna
08/12 – Kortrijk, BE – Alcatraz Metal Festival
08/17 – St. Nolff, FR – Motocultor Festival

Ministry’s cover artwork for AmeriKKKant:

The Series & Future Artwork:
– Coming up in Package #9… Sheer Mag.
– Previously in Package #7… Judas Priest
– Previously in Package #6… Arch Enemy
– Previously in Package #5… Run The Jewels
– Previously in Package #4… Corrosion of Conformity
– Previously in Package #3… alt-J
– Previously in Package #2… G-Eazy
– Previously in Package #1… Killswitch Engage