Experience an East Village Icon in SoHo
He’s the face of the faceless. He’s a contemporary of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquat. He’s Mark Kostabi, inventor of a wholly unique art style that has resonated with audiences around the globe. And now through October 16, you can see an exhibition of his iconic work at Park West Gallery in SoHo, NYC. It’s your chance to see and own work from unquestionably one of the most recognizable icons to emerge from New York’s legendary 1980’s East Village art scene.
His work features faceless figures who swirl through a world of colors and contrasts. But being faceless doesn’t mean emotionless. There is a surreal feel to the world he creates for them, yet it is one filled with human emotions sharing themes of love, isolation, technology and modern anxieties.
Inspired by Andy Worhal’s “The Factory,” Kostabi took the idea to the next level, creating “Kostabi World,” where he and teams of artists created artwork in his trademark “Kostabi-Style.” This new artisan studio captured the public imagination, being profiled in thousands of media outlets, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and CNN.
His work has evolved with the times, from faceless figures with Walkmans and boom boxes to Kostabi figures with iPhones. One thing that hasn’t changed is the emotional impact of his work and our ability to see ourselves in each piece, filling in our own face or one of someone we know.
Artwork by Kostabi appears in the permanent collections of over 50 museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, The Guggenheim Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome. But you can see his works right here in SoHo – and even make one of them part of your permanent collection.