Located in Downtown Los Angeles, Rick Dove has developed a conceptual shop that offers space for artists to create for events and pop ups. Flexible space for installations, opening receptions, while still remaining a boutique of personal clothing projects, and other artists collaboration pieces. Rick, running the space with like minded people to create an art community from the ground up. Pakkard opened their doors a little over a year ago and its still going strong with a flow of projects & pop ups hosted in their space. I sat down and talked to Rick about the space and about the artists they work with.
What is your purpose with Pakkard?
I created Pakkard to give downtown LA a more youthful art scene. A few years ago I noticed a Los Angeles renaissance brewing and wanted to create a space to showcase that. Pakkard acts as an art space and moonlights as a retail boutique.
You make it accessible for other artists to host pop ups and events?
Most definitely, but truly I use it as a space to collaborate with other artists on projects using the space as a vessel for those creative projects.
Who are some artists you worked with in the past?
We’ve worked with artists such as Uzumaki Cepda, Alex Sheriff, David Sebastian, Scott Pilgrim, Miranda July, Rachel Rottman, Ryuta Hironaga, Jin Fukuda, Castro Clifton and many more.
What do you look for in artists you collaborate?
We select people based off our own interests and interesting people alike. These are people who convey the messages that are unique, yet true to our values.
“A few years ago I noticed a Los Angeles creative renaissance brewing and wanted to create a space to showcase that.”
Tell me about your clothing project Funcult. Do you do the designs yourself?
Yes though very different projects, Pakkard and Funcult comes from the same mind yet different veins. Funcult is an art project exploring the mind of a millennial and exploiting it at its very essence. Pretty much making satirical commentary on cults and trend following. pretty much like that scene on Pinocchio when all the boys drank until they became donkeys. And yes I create all the graphics and concepts myself.
What are somethings you have planned for the rest of your second year since you opened your doors?
For Pakkard, we plan on launching a winter cut and sew capsule. Also planning on expanding our market into home goods and more Pakkard products. For Funcult we plan on creating films to show what we’ve been talking about in our T-Shirt graphics.
