Growing Art and Pop Culture Scene – ICONs leading the way in San Diego

As over 125,000 visitors flooded the San Diego Convention Center for Comic Con 2010, neighboring Horton Plaza played host to ICONs, a pop culture convention celebrating art of all shapes and sizes.  A portion of the proceeds benefited, “Jeans 4 Justice,” a  non-profit organization dedicated to ending sexual violence through creative awareness campaigns and education programs.

Split into two parts, ICONs’ daytime scene featured a plethora
of eye-catching artistic happenings ranging from live paintings to movie screenings.  A number of bands took to the stage and filled the afternoon air with upbeat tunes and rhythms.  Brian Terry of Britboy Fashions was impressed with the turnout, “it’s fun to be here at ICONs because the crowd is extremely informed and fashion-aware!” A former aircraft engineer who lives in San Diego, Brian now spends his time bringing unseen British clothing designers’ work to the U.S.  Brian personally selects lines that exemplify the British spirit and explained that his runway models would be sporting, “free-spirited, quirky and sexy fashions,” for the ICONs show.

The night brought a costume-sporting crowd to ICONs second-act which featured a dance party and fashion show.  Along with visual exhibits like acrobats, full-body artwork and a neon hula >hoop show, a nostalgic figure from recent memory made an appearance: Michael Jackson.  Looking eerily like the King of Pop, M.J. impersonator DEV delighted the audience and was one of the most memorable features of ICONs.

Event organizers Jon Block and Dave Soko were pleased that their work could bring many local artists and businesses exposure in addition to funding Jeans 4 Justice.  “People come to ICONs and see and hear new stuff. Maybe they become a fan or buy that an artist’s CD or painting. That’s the greatest gift I can give to help support artists,” says Block. “I’m a firm believer that the more you give, the more you get.”  “ICONS is really a hybrid of fashion, music, art, and geek,” adds Soko, “and there is no better time and place to unite them than right here during Comic-Con weekend.”