Curators and owners of DKE Toys, Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks were looking for a way to draw attention to their fledgling toy company. Their collective brainstorming landed them into an army of 100 customized Darth Vader helmets that spanned four years of coast to coast shows and across the ocean to Europe and Japan. The Vader Project even had a stint in the Andy Warhol museum where fans waited an hour in line to gain a peek at the innovative re-interpretations of one of the best known villains in movie history.
The success of the show hinges not only on the sensational draw of its unique platform, but on the re-imagining of the image of Darth Vader at the hands of well known artists within the full spectrum of the visionary art movement. From a Statue of Liberty version to a Samurai helmet, the custom alterations comment on politics, love, popular culture and war while retaining a quirky and fun appeal suitable for adult fans and kids alike. The show reached it’s final destination Saturday July 10 at Freeman’s Auction House in Philadelphia, where the collection was finally severed and sold off to the highest bidders, where the work will gain a new context within personal collections.