Before The Bell

ORANGE CRUSH

The question of what exactly constitutes “art” is undoubtedly one of the great sociopolitical conundrums of the modern era. While the most common forms of expression—from theater to canvas and from concert to screen—remain the subjects of spirited debate and robust discussion regarding their respective roles in the zeitgeist, professional wrestling still draws a proverbial short straw in the search for mainstream recognition as a legitimate art form. After all, Jean-Michel Basquiat didn’t paint headlocks, and Gustav Mahler didn’t compose Symphony No. 6 from inside a steel cage (we think). Fortunately, aficionados and connoisseurs of every stripe can finally move on to pondering other topics of merit, as editor Adam Abdalla and a talented bullpen of contributors have effectively reconciled the worlds of professional wrestling and fine art through a new print endeavor entitled Orange Crush: The Journal of Art and Wrestling.

At first blush, is decidedly different from any other wrestling mag to ever hit the stands. An oversized volume printed on heavy paper with matte finish, its look and feel are more in step with the likes of , , or any number of prestigious literary magazines. Lifting the veil on longstanding barriers of tribalism and tradition, reveals the people of