Peep Loves Friends We Love

Friends We Love is a compelling collection of videos and photos following artists and creators from a diverse panorama of modern life as they move from inspiration to expression.

Conceived, produced and directed by Mike Vargas and Moni Pineda, these insightful ten-minute portraits ultimately pay tribute to the greatness in the working lives of the producers’ favorite people.

Friends We Love takes viewers on a journey through a myriad of trades and disciplines, each narrated by a distinctive personality. The series includes a wide array of subjects ranging from painters, musicians and stylists, to choreographers and entrepreneurs – all sharing their passions with unique and compelling stories. While one profile features a chef showcasing a signature dish, another takes a close look at a pop singer describing a career-defining moment.

The evolution of Friends We Love was inspired by the Vargas and Pineda’s desire for programming that reflected their interests and those of the artisan community. The series grants viewers intimate access while highlighting both the personal and professional lives of its subjects from artists’ living rooms, studios, offices, stages, labs, kitchens and the streets — wherever the creative magic happens.

Mike says, “a determining factor that sets Friends We Love apart from other series of this nature, is our personal relationships within the community and the access this affords us. Each captivating profile will leave our audience entertained, informed but most importantly, inspired.”

One of my favorite profiles features artist Ellis G, who’s shadow chalk drawings seek to enhance the beauty of everyday objects and mundane situations. His chalk drawings of bicycles, milk cartons, shopping carts inspire curiosity and encourage viewers to pause, observe and experience their surroundings in a different light. As a former tagger and current contemporary/street artist known as (C)ELLIS G., Gallagher’s work has appeared in the The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Village Voice, Mass Appeal Magazine, and the cover of Time Out New York, among others (and of course throughout the streets of New York City and beyond).

The first Friends We Love Festival series will converge the worlds of music, film and visual art presented by the Sly Art vs Robot City Soho loft space on January 30th. The Soho loft walls will exhibit artwork by The Neocons – a never-before-seen collaboration of three of the City’s street artists who will also be creating live pieces throughout the night.

- Contributed by Peep Insights