What happens when you take a piece of a legacy backdrop and put it in the hands of a gifted artist? It becomes intense and beautiful art. “This was the last project we did together with Alexi, so it carries a very special feeling”, says the band in a statement. Three pieces of super exclusive Children of Bodom art are now up for an auction at EBAY.com!
ART / BOXING / METAL / THE FIRST OF ITS KIND
It all started in 2019 when the Finnish metal band Children of Bodom (1993 - 2019) got introduced to the renowned artist and ex-professional boxing star Eva Wahlström.
Eva is the most successful professional boxer from Finland to date. She was the first Finnish boxer in history to win a major world title (WBC), which she also defended for five years. Eva, who recently received a master's degree in arts, finds cross-disciplinary projects especially interesting, which is why she couldn’t pass on the opportunity to work with a legendary band like Children of Bodom.
“Everyone in Finland knows Eva, and is proud of her career as a boxer”, states the former Children of Bodom members. “It feels like we have something in common with her, in an underdog way. Someone who choses a different path to pursue a dream, keeps on doing it for years, and finds success by years of hard work, sweat and tears. That’s why we thought it was super exciting to collaborate with her.”
3 OBJECTS
OBJECT 1. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ (1 of 3 auction objects)
Inspired motif on ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ backdrop (150x200cm / 59x78in) / Printed authenticity (image of the full backdrop on the back) / Venue locations of the ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ tour (printed on the back) / Legacy seal symbol / Verification signed by the band / Handprints.
OBJECT 2. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ (2 of 3 auction objects)
Inspired draft on ‘Halo of Blood’ backdrop (100x100cm / 39x39in) / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
OBJECT 3. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ (3 of 3 auction objects)
Inspired draft painted on regular canvas (100x100cm / 39x39in) / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
OBJECT 1: ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’
Handwritten autographs and palm prints from Alexi Laiho, Jaska Raatikainen, Henkka Seppälä and Janne Wirman.
Canvas cut out from the actual HCDR backdrop.
Venue locations through where the backdrop has been traveling.
The legacy seal stamp stands for limited edition.
CUTTING UP HISTORY
The idea to literally cut fabric from the Hate crew deathroll backdrop and turn it into a limited series of out-of-the-box art is the brainchild of the CoB fan and entrepreneur Joni Vastamäki (Waymkr). Joni was curious about what happens when you take something with a strong symbolic value which has been seen by thousands of passionate fans during shows all over the world, and hand it to an artist with a unique perspective.
When Joni got in touch with Eva, she was still active as a professional fighter. She started off by painting her take on the ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ (2003) album cover art on regular canvas, just to get the inspiration going. “I was filled with some kind of anxiety and anger back then”, Eva remembers. “I guess that nerve somehow reflects in the painting.”
With a pair of scissors in hand, Eva went with some of the band members to the CoB warehouse to unfold the huge backdrop which the band used on the “Halo of Blood” tour cycle.
“It felt a bit emotional at first, cutting up a part of it”, says the members. “But backdrops are somehow like sad “members” of a band. They are made with huge excitement, they get to travel and are in the spotlight every night. When the tour is over, the backdrop will just be put in a case. This way an item which was considered disused can be brought to life and into people’s lives again, by making it art.”
AUCTION
AUCTION
AUCTION
BODOM PAINTING TERROR
The edges were cut into canvas sizes, but the band kept the main part intact for possible museum use in the future. During tests it quickly became clear to Eva that the fabric of a backdrop does not possess the qualities of a canvas. The material is much thinner and absorbs the paint immediately, which makes it soft. By applying a layer on the backside the fabric was finally protected from getting moist and subsequently reframed.
It was time for Eva to get to work on her version of the “Halo of Blood” cover art on the original backdrop. “When I paint, I can’t think too much”, Eva says. “Something just happens inside me, and whatever I feel in my body in that particular moment is what comes out. This time it was my adaptation of the ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ cover.”
After the creation of this rare mismatch, all parties agreed that ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ was the direction to take. This meant another trip to the CoB warehouse to find the backdrop in question. The painting on the original ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ backdrop became Eva’s biggest and most impressive of the three she finally made.
THE LAST PROJECT
In October 2020 Eva’s work was complete, and the four band members paid a visit to her studio for handprints and autographs on the backside of each painting - just a couple of months before the sad and untimely passing of the band’s frontman Alexi Laiho.
“Alexi and the rest of the band really seemed to enjoy putting their handprints on the back of the paintings, like you did when you were a kid”, Eva recalls. “They put those prints on my studio wall as well. I felt they were really keen on the whole project and the result of my work, which made me happy.”
“This was the last project we did with Alexi, so it carries a very special feeling”, states his former bandmates. We all were excited to do this and we all signed the pieces. Regrettably Alexi is not here to see this being launched. Now this all is done in close cooperation with Alexi's estate and is a part of preserving the legacy of Children Of Bodom and Alexi’s music, which will live forever.”
THE AUCTION OBJECTS
(LEFT TO RIGHT)
1. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ inspired draft painted on regular canvas (100x100cm / 39x39in) / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
2. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ inspired motif on ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ backdrop (150x200cm / 59x78in) / Printed authenticity (image of the full backdrop on the back) / Venue locations of the ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ tour (printed on the back) / Legacy seal symbol / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
3. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ inspired draft on ‘Halo of Blood’ backdrop (100x100cm / 39x39in) / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
THE CHILDREN OF BODOM BACKDROP ART SERIES
The three Eva Wahlström paintings sold at the silent auction are a part of a larger ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ painting set, consisting of nine paintings in total. The remaining eight backdrop paintings will have different artists and come in the sizes 100x100cm / 39x39in + 50x50cm / 19x19in.
THE CHILDREN OF BODOM LEGACY SEAL SYMBOL
The symbol is a verification of the product being strictly limited. It contains scythe from the reaper character, which has been with the band all the way. The symbol being round represents the ”full circle”, the journey that Children of Bodom did together. The shape also symbolizes the tight ‘Hate Crew’ community. The legacy seal symbol is a celebration of Children of Bodom and the passionate Hate Crew fans.
THE FIRST OF ITS KIND
What happens when you take a piece of a legacy backdrop and put it in the hands of a gifted artist? It becomes intense and beautiful art. “This was the last project we did together with Alexi, so it carries a very special feeling”, says the band in a statement.
Three pieces of super exclusive Children of Bodom art are now up for a silent auction at the Bodom Bar & Sauna on (TBA)!
ART / BOXING / METAL
It all started in 2019 when the Finnish metal band Children of Bodom (1993 - 2019) got introduced to the renowned artist and ex-professional boxing star Eva Wahlström.
Eva is the most successful professional boxer from Finland to date. She was the first Finnish boxer in history to win a major world title (WBC), which she also defended for five years. Eva, who recently received a master's degree in arts, finds cross-disciplinary projects especially interesting, which is why she couldn’t pass on the opportunity to work with a legendary band like Children of Bodom.
“Everyone in Finland knows Eva, and is proud of her career as a boxer”, states the former Children of Bodom members. “It feels like we have something in common with her, in an underdog way. Someone who choses a different path to pursue a dream, keeps on doing it for years, and finds success by years of hard work, sweat and tears. That’s why we thought it was super exciting to collaborate with her.”
CUTTING UP HISTORY
The idea to literally cut fabric from a legacy backdrop and turn it into a limited series of out-of-the-box art is the brainchild of the CoB fan and entrepreneur Joni Vastamäki (Waymkr). Joni was curious about what happens when you take something with a strong symbolic value which has been seen by thousands of passionate fans during shows all over the world, and hand it to an artist with a unique perspective.
When Joni got in touch with Eva, she was still active as a professional fighter. She started off by painting her take on the ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ (2003) album cover art on regular canvas, just to get the inspiration going. “I was filled with some kind of anxiety and anger back then”, Eva remembers. “I guess that nerve somehow reflects in the painting.”
With a pair of scissors in hand, Eva went with some of the band members to the CoB warehouse to unfold the huge backdrop which the band used on the “Halo of Blood” tour cycle.
“It felt a bit emotional at first, cutting up a part of it”, says the members. “But backdrops are somehow like sad “members” of a band. They are made with huge excitement, they get to travel and are in the spotlight every night. When the tour is over, the backdrop will just be put in a case. This way an item which was considered disused can be brought to life and into people’s lives again, by making it art.”
BODOM PAINTING TERROR
The edges were cut into canvas sizes, but the band kept the main part intact for possible museum use in the future. During tests it quickly became clear to Eva that the fabric of a backdrop does not possess the qualities of a canvas. The material is much thinner and absorbs the paint immediately, which makes it soft. By applying a layer on the backside the fabric was finally protected from getting moist and subsequently reframed.
It was time for Eva to get to work on her version of the “Halo of Blood” cover art on the original backdrop. “When I paint, I can’t think too much”, Eva says. “Something just happens inside me, and whatever I feel in my body in that particular moment is what comes out. This time it was my adaptation of the ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ cover.”
After the creation of this rare mismatch, all parties agreed that ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ was the direction to take. This meant another trip to the CoB warehouse to find the backdrop in question. The painting on the original ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ backdrop became Eva’s biggest and most impressive of the three she finally made.
THE LAST PROJECT
In October 2020 Eva’s work was complete, and the four band members paid a visit to her studio for handprints and autographs on the backside of each painting - just a couple of months before the sad and untimely passing of the band’s frontman Alexi Laiho.
“Alexi and the rest of the band really seemed to enjoy putting their handprints on the back of the paintings, like you did when you were a kid”, Eva recalls. “They put those prints on my studio wall as well. I felt they were really keen on the whole project and the result of my work, which made me happy.”
“This was the last project we did with Alexi, so it carries a very special feeling”, states his former bandmates. We all were excited to do this and we all signed the pieces. Regrettably Alexi is not here to see this being launched. Now this all is done in close cooperation with Alexi's estate and is a part of preserving the legacy of Children Of Bodom and Alexi’s music, which will live forever.”
THE SILENT AUCTION OBJECTS
1. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ inspired draft painted on regular canvas (100x100cm / 39x39in) / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
2. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ inspired draft on ‘Halo of Blood’ backdrop (100x100cm / 39x39in) / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
3. ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ inspired motif on ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ backdrop (150x200cm / 59x78in) / Printed authenticity (image of the full backdrop on the back) / Venue locations of the ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ tour (printed on the back) / Legacy seal symbol / Verification signed by the band / Handprints
THE CHILDREN OF BODOM BACKDROP ART SERIES
The three Eva Wahlström paintings sold at the silent auction are a part of a larger ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ painting set, consisting of nine paintings in total. The remaining eight backdrop paintings will have different artists and come in the sizes 100x100cm / 39x39in + 50x50cm / 19x19in.
THE CHILDREN OF BODOM LEGACY SEAL SYMBOL
The symbol is a verification of the product being strictly limited. It contains scythe from the reaper character, which has been with the band all the way. The symbol being round represents the ”full circle”, the journey that Children of Bodom did together. The shape also symbolizes the tight ‘Hate Crew’ community. The legacy seal symbol is a celebration of Children of Bodom and the passionate Hate Crew fans.