Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine
Encyclopedia
Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine is a magazine
created in 1994 by a group of artists and collectors including Robert Williams
, Fausto Vitello, C.R. Stecyk III (aka: Craig Stecyk), Greg Escalante, and Eric Swenson
to both help define and celebrate urban alternative and underground contemporary art. It was edited from 1996 to 2006 by Jamie O'Shea. Juxtapoz is published by High Speed Productions, the same company that publishes Thrasher
Skateboard magazine in San Francisco, California
.
Juxtapoz launched with the mission of connecting modern genres like psychedelic and hot rod art, graffiti, street art, and illustration, to the context of broader more historically recognized genres of art like Pop, assemblage, old master painting, and conceptual art. Although based in San Francisco, Juxtapoz was founded upon the belief in the virtues of Southern California Pop Culture and the freedom from the conventions of the "established" New York art world. Ferus Gallery, run by Walter Hopps and Irving Blum in the 1950s and 1960s was the ultimate cultural touchstone for the magazine.
Juxtapoz originally reflected Williams' own Kustom Kulture
sensibility—a combination of California "Big Daddy" Ed Roth
-style pop surrealism (identified by some as synonymous with low brow art and others as its own genre, as detailed in low brow art entry) and the serious figurative craftsmanship that is more likely to be found among illustrator
s than fine art
ists today.
Juxtapoz expanded its range in the early 2000s to cover other nascent styles and sub-genres of underground art. Young artists who have received coverage in Juxtapoz include KAWS
, Mark Ryden
, Barry McGee
, Todd Schorr
, Camille Rose Garcia
, Tim Biskup
, and Tom Sachs
.
As of 2009, Juxtapoz had the largest circulation of any art magazine in the United States, (more than established counterparts like Art News, Art in America, and ArtForum). In addition to printed subscriptions which offer alternative cover images to the newsstand version, Juxtapoz is also available as an on-line digital subscription.
Gwynned Vitello, C.R. Stecyk III, along with Williams, are executive editors.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
created in 1994 by a group of artists and collectors including Robert Williams
Robert Williams (artist)
Robert Williams is an American painter, cartoonist, and founder of Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine.Williams was part of the Zap Collective, along with other underground cartoonists such as Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton...
, Fausto Vitello, C.R. Stecyk III (aka: Craig Stecyk), Greg Escalante, and Eric Swenson
Eric Swenson
Eric Leon Swenson was an American skateboard designer and magazine publisher.Born in San Francisco, Swenson was the chief skateboard designer for the Independent Truck Company which he co-founded with skateboard entrepreneur Fausto Vitello in 1978...
to both help define and celebrate urban alternative and underground contemporary art. It was edited from 1996 to 2006 by Jamie O'Shea. Juxtapoz is published by High Speed Productions, the same company that publishes Thrasher
Thrasher magazine
Thrasher is a monthly skateboarding magazine founded in 1981 by Kevin Thatcher, Eric Swenson, and Fausto Vitello. It regularly publishes articles , skateboard photography, interviews with professional skateboarders, interviews with and reviews of musical groups, skatepark reviews, and miscellaneous...
Skateboard magazine in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
.
Juxtapoz launched with the mission of connecting modern genres like psychedelic and hot rod art, graffiti, street art, and illustration, to the context of broader more historically recognized genres of art like Pop, assemblage, old master painting, and conceptual art. Although based in San Francisco, Juxtapoz was founded upon the belief in the virtues of Southern California Pop Culture and the freedom from the conventions of the "established" New York art world. Ferus Gallery, run by Walter Hopps and Irving Blum in the 1950s and 1960s was the ultimate cultural touchstone for the magazine.
Juxtapoz originally reflected Williams' own Kustom Kulture
Kustom Kulture
"Kustom Kulture" is an American neologism used to describe the artworks, vehicles, hairstyles, and fashions of those who drove and built custom cars and motorcycles in the United States of America from the 1950s through today....
sensibility—a combination of California "Big Daddy" Ed Roth
Ed Roth
"Big Daddy" Ed Roth was an artist, cartoonist, custom car painter, and pinstriper who created the hot-rod icon Rat Fink and other extreme characters. As a custom car builder, Roth was a key figure in Southern California's Kustom Kulture and hot-rod movement of the late 50's and 1960's...
-style pop surrealism (identified by some as synonymous with low brow art and others as its own genre, as detailed in low brow art entry) and the serious figurative craftsmanship that is more likely to be found among illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
s than fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
ists today.
Juxtapoz expanded its range in the early 2000s to cover other nascent styles and sub-genres of underground art. Young artists who have received coverage in Juxtapoz include KAWS
KAWS (artist)
Brian Donnelly , professionally known as KAWS, is a New York-based artist and designer of limited edition toys and clothing. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.-Biography:...
, Mark Ryden
Mark Ryden
-Early life:Ryden is the son of Barbara and Keith Ryden, born in Medford, Oregon but raised in Southern California. He has two sisters and two brothers, one a fellow artist named Keyth Ryden....
, Barry McGee
Barry McGee
Barry McGee is a painter and graffiti artist. He is also known by monikers such as Ray Fong, Lydia Fong, Bernon Vernon, P.Kin, Ray Virgil, Twist and further variations of Twist, such as Twister, Twisty, Twisto and others.-Life and career:McGee graduated from El Camino High School in South...
, Todd Schorr
Todd Schorr
Todd Schorr is an American artist and one of the most prominent members of the "Lowbrow" art movement or pop surrealism...
, Camille Rose Garcia
Camille Rose Garcia
Camille Rose Garcia is a Los Angeles-based lowbrow artist. she produces paintings, prints and sculpture in a gothic, "creepy" cartoon style. She cites as influences Walt Disney and Philip K. Dick. - Biography :...
, Tim Biskup
Tim Biskup
Tim Biskup is an American artist generally considered to be a part of the group that has been dubbed "lowbrow" or pop surrealism...
, and Tom Sachs
Tom Sachs
Tom Sachs may refer to:*Tom Sachs *Tom Sachs , movie producer, credits include The Lady Vanishes and The Horror of Frankenstein...
.
As of 2009, Juxtapoz had the largest circulation of any art magazine in the United States, (more than established counterparts like Art News, Art in America, and ArtForum). In addition to printed subscriptions which offer alternative cover images to the newsstand version, Juxtapoz is also available as an on-line digital subscription.
Gwynned Vitello, C.R. Stecyk III, along with Williams, are executive editors.
External links
- Juxtapoz official site
- Photos from In the Land of Retinal Delights: The Juxtapoz Factor, an exhibition curated by Meg LintonMeg LintonMeg Linton is a curator and the Director of Galleries and Exhibitions at the Ben Maltz Gallery at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. She was previously the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum and has held many curatorial and teaching positions in California...
, (Exhibition announcement)