Flatstock is a project of the American Poster Institute that exhibits poster art, the visual representation of a show that keeps the experience alive long after the night is over.

Story by Kassidy Curry

The project began as a part of the American Poster Institute in 2002 and hosts shows in several cities around the world, including Seattle and Barcelona. The focus is primarily on concert and music posters, but art prints are included as well. Flatstock 53 will be at SXSW March 17 to 19 at the Austin Convention Center and is open to all SXSW badges, including the free guest pass. The show will host local and national artists, as well as some international artists.

.Here’s a look at a few of the Austin artists you can expect to see at the show:

Anonymous Ink & Idea 

Artist Rich Knepprath describes his business, Anonymous Ink and Idea, as his “self indulgent side project.” Working full time as creative director for Trapdoor Technologies, Knepprath sees Anonymous Ink & Idea as a way to work on projects he’s more passionate about without having to worry about money. He started the business in 2011 and presented his first Flatstock show at Flatstock 33. Knepprath describes his work as having a more ominous theme to it. “I do like things to be more dark and macabre, haunting and beautiful at the same time,” Knepprath says.

Over the past year, Knepprath has shifted from working digitally to hand-drawing each poster. He says he usually puts on an audiobook and will work for hours on end. A poster he designed for the band Graveyard took him about 60 hours to finish. “For me, design has never been about using a particular software program, a particular technique or method,” Knepprath says. “It’s about communicating an idea, and I certainly dabble in different disciplines in order to achieve that.”

Biscuit Press

Dan Grissom first got into making gig posters when he was designing for bands that he was in. From there, other musicians found out about his work and asked him to design for their bands. He has a printing press in his garage that he uses to print work for himself and other artists. He describes Biscuit Press as a “nights and weekends kind of thing,” but he eventually wants to work as a full-time artist.

This is Grissom’s first time presenting Biscuit Press at Flatstock. “I go every year and I’m always really amazed by everything, so to be a part of it this year is pretty important,” he says.

KLCTVE (Kollective Fusion) 

Starting in 2004 as a collaborative project between two friends, KLCTVE Fusion is now just the work of artist Bobby Dixon. The name came from the two artists “fusing” their work together. Even though Dixon now runs KLCTVE Fusion alone, he still likes to collaborate with other artists. “Ever since then that’s kind of been the mantra,” Dixon says. “I’ve always collaborated with other Austin artists, and national and international artists.”

Part of Dixon’s inspiration to create KLCTVE Fusion came when he attended Flatstock 2, the first Flatstock in Austin in 2003. “Flatstock definitely kick started KLCTVE Fusion,” Dixon says. At Flatstock 4, he presented his own work, and has been a part of each show ever since. Currently, he works full time as the creative director for Industry Print Shop, another local business presenting at Flatstock 53. He runs KLCTVE Fusion for his freelance work.