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Frank Kozik: An Inspiration Dies
Frank Kozik, the master of sardonic incongruity who designed iconic posters for rock giants like Nirvana and Pearl Jam before becoming a pioneer in the burgeoning world of art toys, died May 7 at 61 leaving a hole in the hearts of the countless artists he inspired worldwide.
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Plastic Pizza Comes in Peace from the Creative Cosmos
Crash landing from another dimension comes Plastic Pizza, a designer toy company that takes an out-of-this-world approach to art. Founded by Jordan Fuchs, alongside his wife Sarah, in just a few years Plastic Pizza has made steady headway through the creative cosmos.
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UP5 Preview – Icons of the Empire City Gallery
Iconic photos of New York City, captured by Katie Godowski.
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UP5 Preview – Old Gloryfication
Exploring the history of the Stars & Stripes through artistic interpretations, Greg contrasts the partisan viewpoints and argues that ultimately the freedom of expression it symbolizes is greater than the sum of its parts.
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UP5 Preview – Saturday Morning Breakfast Murals – Cartoon Icons
A Collection of Murals & Street Art Inspired by Cartoons & Classic Characters.
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UP5 Preview – The Big Question
This issue of UP has sprung more questions than answers as our writers grapple with the monolithic definition of an icon. What makes an icon? Do we pinpoint it in locations like New York, Los Angeles, or Havana, or do we fix it in more historical timelines like the rise of graffiti or the storied past of the American flag? Is an icon singular in nature calling on names like CRASH, MuckRock, and Bob Ross, or can we group them in collectives such as superheroes or brand names like OBEY?
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UP5 Preview – NYC Art League Gallery
A Collection of Photos from the NYC Art League from the 2021 & 2022 Seasons.
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UP5 Preview – Icons of Havana: Art of a Revolutionary Generation
One cannot simply become an icon. To become iconic, images must be a reflection of accomplishments in a specific field at a specific time, visual representing something greater than the actual subject itself. Jimi Hendrix is an iconic representation of the 1960’s music scene; Michael Jordan’s is icon of basketball – in 1996 a global poll found Jordan’s face was as recognizable as figures like Chairman Mao, Bill Clinton, John Lennon, or even Jesus Christ. The Coca-Cola logo is an iconic representation of American capitalism and certainly, if T-shirts are a barometer, Ché Guevara’s face, beret and flowing hair are THE icon for revolution and political change.
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UP5 – The Shape of Beauty: Tony Sjöman and the Rise of Rubin415
Tony Sjöman, has adopted many names, but most will recognize him as Rubin415, the artist who brings a poetic beauty to abstract murals. From the prime age of nine, he has felt the inescapable urge to markup walls and add some color, the natural inclination of a boy who grew up around the cold concrete projects of Gothenburg.
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UP5 Preview – Muckrock & Roll: Jules Muck
“Rock ‘n’ roll is a participatory sport,” Steven Van Zandt famously said, a member of Bruce Springsteen’s iconic E-Street band. “It ain’t passive. It ain’t TV. Go out there and rock ‘n’ roll and dance and have fun.” Street art’s a participatory sport too, with all the messy nuance an active involvement with life entails. LA-based Muckrock has known this since long before she became the internationally known street artist she is today.
