Kenny Scharf

Kenny Scharf was born in 1958 in Hollywood, California. He moved to Brooklyn, New York and attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan where he received his BFA in 1980. Manhattan quickly allowed him to put his wild imagination and creativity to good use by creating a variety of pieces, as well as meeting other famous artists like Keith Haring who inspired him to go further with his work. 

Scharf is an inventive artist who has dipped his feet in a variety of styles and mediums including painting, printmaking, drawing and sculpture. He turns out an astounding amount of work from traditional sculptures, and paintings, to customizabacklight closets, lifeguard stations, Zippo lighters, watches, cellphones, carpets and carnival carousels.

"I’m painting and I want people to have fun looking at the paintings. When I think, ‘what should I do next?’, I think: more, newer, better, nower, funner," Kenny Scharf told interviewers. He draws inspiration from cartoon images such as the Jetsons and the Flintstones, as well as 50's science fiction films, 60's a-go-go comedies and musicals, and 70's cult movies. Each of his pieces steps into the world of electrically charged culture with eccentric and 'groovy' images presented with bright colors throughout his work. In his art work he aims to blend popular culture with the fine arts by referring to both the future and the artistic past (Surrealism, Pop art, New Wave, Graffiti ). Some of his images include one-eyed creatures, troublesome monsters, donuts in space, and other intimate objects coming to life. 

Bowery

I take particular interest in his 2010 mural untitled Bowery that is located on the streets of New York City. Almost 30 years ago, Keith Haring put up his first mural in this location, which adds to the outstanding nature of Scharf's piece as a remembrance of his good friend and a flashback to the beginning of the tradition of mural painting in that area in the 1980s. I think this plays on the idea of different art eras coming together in Scharf's pieces.The psychedelic colors that allow his

mural to stand out for miles can bring happiness, and energy to any one who passes by. The cast of blob like characters can bring joy to anyones day It also amazes me that over 200 cans of spray paint and only 5 days were put into making this beautiful work of art.  

Abelia-Come

Cosmic Caverns

Jungleyea

Baberaboom

Squirtz

Cosmic Donuts

Dawn in Paradise

Sources
http://kennyscharf.com

http://www.artnet.com/awc/kenny-scharf.html
http://www.artspace.com/kenny_scharf
http://theholenyc.com/2010/12/10/bowery-mural-wall-kenny-scharf-mural/