Le'TALK: l'etoile interviews Ken Hannigan of Anthem Heart

By Juleana Enright
photos by Kevin O'Meara

We would back just about anything local designers, Anthem Heart, are behind – especially if it's a party! Their latest scene-worthy event, Worn to be Wild, is a monthly series featuring live, interactive t-shirt screen printing, DJs, party favors, and plenty of late-night dancing at Anthem Heart's NE studio space. I recently got a chance to talk with Anthem Heart owner, Ken Hannigan, about parties, the 3-man whirlwind's latest creative endeavors and what party goers can expect for Saturday night's shenanigans.

JE: The first Worn to be Wild was in cahoots with last year's MNFashion Week. What made you decide to turn it into a monthly series?

KH: The First Worn to be Wild was at Vs Social Standard in August of ’08 – I think it still stands as their biggest party to date. It featured clothing designs we commissioned from MPLS luminaries, Mike Davis, John Grider & Eric Inkala. Check out the video here. Summer ’09 we started thinking in party mode again after we had a big turnout at Art-a-Whirl. Plus, we can go late and everyone loves an afterparty!

JE: You guys are known party throwers. Are you worried other dance nights like TML – which has a similar young hipster audience – will “steal” your crowd numbers?

KH: No. TML is a training ground for new kids who didn’t have the benefit (or misfortune) of getting pulled into rave culture during its peak of 97-03 like myself. It’s a place where kids can see that dance parties are cool - you don’t need glow sticks and drugs.

JE: Anthem Heart's studio once was located in Uptown; why the move to Northeast?

KH: Cheaper rent. More space. Art-a-Whirl

.JE: Besides being an iconic fashion staple, why did you pick t-shirts to work with in the interactive series?

KH: T-shirts are the most accessible especially in this economy. Doing it live cuts out the middle man. It brings the consumer – for the lack of a better word – and the production together and creates a space for relationships to form. Next spring and summer we will be taking the show on the road to more block parties and festivals including representing Minneapolis in SXSW.

JE: Anthem Heart has been dipping their fingers into every part of the art scene lately, from a monthly dance night at the Kitty Cat Klub (Relax), poster sales and local festivals (Clapperclaw) to audio/visuals at MNFashion Week (Kjurek Exclusively Fall Runway Show and Sceneasota), and of course your design trademark – screen printing tees, but fans may be wondering where the couture fashion side of AH is. Can we expect a more fashionista focused Anthem Heart again soon?

KH: We had a few pieces in the Ignite/Fame show recently, but generally we are taking a break from entering runway shows to shift our focus on designing our online store. But let’s face it, variety is the spice of life and I’m just steering Anthem Heart into new places to keep things interesting. Anthem Heart A/V is a media branch of the organization that is being head up by my brother David Hannigan. He is currently editing footage from Sceneasota

.JE: Besides DJs, dancing and live screen printing, can we expect anything else from Saturday's affair? I heard a rumor about prizes.

KH: I’m very pleased to be the working with my friend, Hal Shuler aka Time Squid, again for this event. He is always pushing the limits of live video mixing or “video fun” as the term has been coined. His latest project is the cable access show, Freak Deeky. Back by popular demand, is the Minneapolis- themed t-shirt back in a brand new incarnation, printed live for one night only. Also, there will be social lubricants available provided by the likes of our generous sponsors PBR & Red Bull. The prizes will be announced via Facebook and will be drawn randomly from the names of people who click “RSVP Attending” on the Worn to be Wild Facebook Event Page.

You heard him kiddies. Start clicking your RSVP right now and plan on being at Worn to be Wild this Saturday. See the event write-up in this week's What's What for deets. And don't miss a beat: follow Anthem Heart on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and their blogspot.