SEED BRKLYN - CONCEPT STORE

Seed Brklyn is the culmination of an 8-year journey by multidisciplinary artist Christophe Roberts. What began as a sketch in 2017 has transformed into a fully realized environment that merges sculpture, design, and storytelling. Roberts's path through art and fashion inspired the fusion of creative verticals that bring the space to life.

Located at 1217 Bedford Avenue in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, Seed Brklyn is more than a retail store; it's a cultural hub designed to serve the local community, particularly young creatives in predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods. Roberts's vision was to create a space that not only offers curated fashion and art but also fosters community engagement and inspiration.

The experience begins through the Greenhouse Café, a speakeasy-style coffee shop adorned with both real and artistically reimagined plants. The design is intentionally constricting at first, with low ceilings creating a sense of compression—only to dramatically expand as guests pass through a hidden art installation and into the immersive retail space known as The Garden. This unfolding mirrors a surreal shift, transporting visitors from the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The Garden features a curated rotation of apparel from both established and emerging brands, including Martine Rose, Rains, Nicholas Daley, 424, Salomon, and many others. Inspired by nature, the lower level showcases a slime-green display of shoes against a wall with moss pouring out of faux cracks. A tucked-away Japanese-inspired shoe locker and washing machine service offers sneaker cleaning with a 24-hour turnaround.

Adjacent to the retail space is The Oasis, a futuristic gallery showcasing digital artworks. Among the artists on display is Ceej Vega, a collaborator of the late Virgil Abloh. The gallery aims to be a transportive space that informs and inspires, aligning with Roberts's goal of creating a transformative experience for visitors.

Seed Brklyn stands as a testament to Roberts's commitment to merging art, fashion, and community, offering a unique space that reflects the vibrant culture of Bed-Stuy and serves as a platform for future creative endeavors.

2022

SEED BRKLYN, NEW YORK

PROJECTS:

2020
LIFE WTR

2020
MARK CROSS

Multicolor panels merge with lines and fragmentation to form an energetic lion sculpture, which utilizes upcycled leathers and jacquard fabrics woven from recycled polyester found in the brand's men's and women's collections, to create a truly sustainable installation. Reflective of their symbiotic partnership and inspiration derived from both the brand's logo and lions of our time, the unique piece was created this year for Mark Cross' ongoing Artist in Residence program.

2020
AIR DRAGON

Air Dragon, commissioned by Industry PDX in Portland, was upcycled from hundreds of Jordan boxes. The dragon is 10 feet wide and 4 feet high and breathes a neon flame.

2020
HIGHER GROUND

After 10 year hiatus from my hometown Chicago, I would revisit the place where it all started with this sculpture installation commissioned by the Chicago Bulls and NBA for All-Star weekend 2020. In this installation, I upcycled everything from milk crates to Nike shoe boxes.

2019
KINGS BALANCE

Christophe was asked by NBPA in collaboration with the Compound Gallery to create a portrait of Lebron James for the People’s Champ Award.

2019
SOLO EXHIBITION

Wieden+Kennedy announces its latest gallery collaboration with acclaimed multidisciplinary artist Christophe Roberts. His show, How the Lion Got His Roar, debuting February 7, is an immersive exhibition embodying an infinite love for his Bahamian roots. The show featured a collection of his most iconic pieces from over the years, never before displayed together until now.

2019
AIR TO THE THRONE

This assemblage of found Nike boxes explores life-long brand loyalty. Its scale and the use of a bird figurine indicate friction between consumer longing and the pleasure of possession through purchase. The physicality of its construction is an exercise in aggression and control, the will to explore my own complicity in capitalism.

2019
WHAT THE BEAR

I was commissioned by Kick Reviews to create a Grizzly archetype after the collectors had taken an inspiring trip to Alaska. This sculpture is made up of every significant Nike of the past ten years.

2018
NBA ART GALLERY

Taking place in Vancouver, Christophe was selected to participate in NBA Canada Gallery to create commissioned works for both the Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies formally the Vancouver Grizzlies. All the works displayed were upcycled from cardboard and Nike Shoe boxes.

2018
STREET SPACE

In 2018 I was featured in a group show at the New Gallery of Modern Art located in Charlotte, North Carolina .

2018
STAPLE

The pigeon constantly thriving amongst the waste of consumerism throughout the city, made this piece perfect for construction consisting of an assortment of recycled Nike boxes. A combination of mostly Jordan and Air Force boxes was used to complete this Sculpture for the legend, Jeff Staple.

2016
THE CHOSEN FEW

Pulling from my nerdy past, and love of Anime, I interpreted the football player as a modern warrior for the New York Giants. I allude to the marvel of design and the marvel of our natural forms, the technical possibilities of our bodies, and of our mechanical creations.

YEAR
SAME ANIMAL DIFFERENT BEAST

Had the pleasure of executing this installation for Nike client themed around the release of Kobe’s campaign, “ Same Animal Different Beast “.

MANZA STUDIOS LLC

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