Gather & Fold

Kollective Fusion

Can you introduce yourself?

Sure! My name is Bobby Dixon, owner and main guy at Kollective Fusion here in Austin, Texas.

Always been local?

Well I've been here since '91, so I consider myself an Austinite.

What do you do at Kollective Fusion? Is it predominantly gig posters?

Yeah! I've got a screen printing background, I studied at the University of Texas - which is why I originally moved to Austin - and I focussed on screen-printing. While I was in college, I was making a lot of black and white flyers for my friend's bands from here, Dallas, Houston, and then I saw Frank Kozic's work, who was here in the 80s and 90s, and he really revitalised the whole gig poster scene that died out after the 60s. When I saw his work, I knew that putting the two together - gigs and poster art - made so much sense. I came to my first Flatstock, which was Flatstock 4 - and we're at Flatstock 33 now! Through that I saw so many incredible artists, and I knew I had to get into it.

Your booth here is very popular - what do you think it is about your work that people are responding to?

Here, at Flatstock, you'll see a variety of bands, but at the same time, you'll see a lot of us are doing work for the same bands. That's because we're doing work for the bands we actually listen to. And it just so happens I listen to hip hop, I'm an avid cyclist, and those are two things that the majority of other people here don't do - so maybe I stand out in that sense. But really, I'm so honoured when anyone buys my work, there are 90 artists in this room, of the greatest calibre...

Thanks Bobby - we'll let you get back to your stall! Do you have a referral for us?

My friend - he's actually standing right there holding the beer - he's Brian Phillips, he's just recently moved here from Indianapolis, he's a great person and an amazing artist. He works with paint on salvaged wood. He's only been here since the summer and already had 3 shows - which is uncommon in Austin, because there are so many artists here.

You can see more of Bobby's work at www.gigposters.com/bobbydixon

Photography property of Double Days.

Archive

The referrals began with Leah Jackson who referred Stephanie Downey who referred Chris Hill who referred Jonathan Wallace who referred Dominic Hofstede, who referred Paul Fuog, who referred Ben Edwards and Juliet Moore, who referred Ryan Russel and Byron George, who referred Dianna Snape, who finished the stream with Jessica Brent. We also introduced Matt Hinkley who referred Warren Taylor who referred Yanni Florence, who referred Liv Barrett, who referred Fayen d'Evie, who referred Masato Takasaka, who referred Madeline Kidd, who referred Meredith Turnbull, who referred Nella Themelios.

In May 2012, we began a new Melbourne stream with Oslo Davis. He then referred Alexander Stitt, who referred Mimmo Cozzolino, who referred Fysh Rutherford, who referred Simon and Jenna Hipgrave.

In March 2012, we went to Austin for SXSW, where the daily referrals began with Sonnenzimmer who referred Landland and Hometapes who referred Zorch, who referred Brian Maclaskey, who referred Bobby Dixon, who referred Brian Phillips, who, through some auspicious coincidence, turned the SXSW referral interview project into a perfect circle, by referring us back to Sonnenzimmer. Then there was a giveaway to celebrate.