Pop surrealist, graffiti, tattoo, lowbrow, comic and underground artists Shag, Tim Biskup, Frank Kozik, Marc Ecko, Amanda Visell, J. Otto Seibold, Gary Baseman, Joe Ledbetter, Urban Medium and Jeff Soto, among others, show their allegiance to the dark side by customizing Darth Vader helmets in landmark gallery exhibition called The Vader Project, to debut at Star Wars Celebration IV on May 24 to 28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The Vader Project is presented by Master Replicas, and curated by Dov Kelemer of DKE Toys, one of the largest designer vinyl and art-toy distributors in the world, exclusively representing over 50 companies, artists, and designers. Kelemer gathered the hottest underground and pop surrealist painters, artists and designers and gave each artist a Master Replicas 1:1 scale prop replica of the Darth Vader helmet used in the Star Wars films. Each helmet served as a blank canvas for each artist to paint, design, mash up and customize in their own unique style.

"Most of these artists are involved in the designer vinyl and art toy community so they understand customizing a 3D object even if they are 2D artists, painters and designers," Kelmer explains. "I tried to have all the different communities represented. The designer toy scene is really an eclectic group of artists. They come from all different backgrounds. On one hand you have this urban graffiti street art culture, the lowbrow pop surrealist group, then there is the whole culture of Asian inspired 'cute' art, rock poster art, and Japanese Kaiju, of course. Most have nothing to do with one another but it's all the same culture in the toy world."

Some of the artists scheduled to participate include: Troy Alders, Kii Arens, Attaboy, Anthony Ausgang, Axis, Aye Jay, Gary Baseman, Andrew Bell, Tim Biskup, Andrew Brandou, Buff Monster, Mister Cartoon, Mr Clement, Steven Daily, Dalek, Cam de Leon, , Bob Dob, Marc Ecko, Eelus, Ron English, FERG, David Flores, Brian Flynn - Hybrid Design, Paul Frank Sunich, Huck Gee, Fawn Gehweiler, Mike Giant, Joe Hahn, Derek Hess, Jeremyville, Sun-MinKim, David Horvath, Jim Koch, Frank Kozik, David S. Krys - DSK Designs, Peter Kuper, Wade Lageose - Lageose Design, Joe Ledbetter, Simone Legno - Tokidoki, Mad, Bill McMullen, Melvins, Brian Morris, Niagara, Mitch O'Connell, olive47, Estevan Oriol, Alex Pardee, Pizz, Plastic God, Playskewl, Dave Pressler, J. Otto Seibold, Shag, Sket-One, Shawn Smith, Winston Smith, Jeff Soto, Bwana Spoons, Jophen Stein, Suckadelic, Cameron Tiede, Touma, UrbanMedium, Michelle Valigura, VanBeater, and Amanda Visell.

Ugly Doll co-creator Dave Horvath couldn't resist the power of the dark side, when he was asked to give Vader's helmet a facelift. "This is the ultimate 'paint our shape' show because it isn't a shape," Horvath says. It's the Dark Lord of the Sith. Who could say no to that? Rather, who could say Noooooooooooo?"

Artist Attaboy also felt oddly compelled to pay tribute to the Sith. "I don't believe anyone decides on working on anything that involvesVader; it was more of an assumption," Attaboy laughs. "I took an esoteric approach and went to the dictionary and looked up 'esoteric.' I then gave up, painted it in urban camo and coated him with brine devouring cephalopods.It's sorta my thing -- if i had a thing."

"I think its important to teach people about the real Galactic Empire," artist Amanda Visell says. "A lot of bad PR has been stirred up by the Rebellion; you never hear anything about their pretty ships or shiny outfits. So I used my helmet as a kind of a shrine to show Mr. Vader in all his glory."

After the premiere at Celebration IV the plan is for exhibition to travel to museums, galleries, and events around the world. The helmets will then be offered publicly at auction. Details will be announced later.

"This could not be a timelier event," Kelemer adds. "The pop surrealist/lowbrow/graffiti/designer art scene is exploding around us. A canvas is what you make it, and Darth Vader's helmet is the perfect medium."

More information about The Vader Project will be available soon at Thevaderproject.com.

To find out how you can attend Celebration IV to see The Vader Project and other fun Star Wars activities and events, click here.