Neck Face

Neck Face
Born 1984
Nationality  United States

Neck Face (born 1984 in Stockton, California) is an anonymous graffiti artist. He is known for his frightening drawing style and humorous writings.[1][2]

Biography

Neck Face began tagging in Stockton, California during his junior year in high school. From 1998 to 2002, Neck Face attended Bear Creek High School and Tokay High School. Neck Face claims he gained most of his art knowledge during elementary school, saying, "I think I learned more in school in the earlier years than the later years. I think if you are a teacher, you should teach the kid as much as you can in the beginning years of school."[3] He gained notoriety through his self-made stickers throughout nearby towns of Stockton and Lodi, California, where his works first showed up on public objects.[4] Later, as his graffiti techniques evolved, his work spread to San Francisco, where his name can still be seen on many newspaper stands and walls throughout the city.[1] He attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY for two years before dropping out.[2][4]

The attention Neck Face received from his street work allowed him to move his work off the streets and into the art galleries. Galleries that have shown his artwork include the New Image Art Gallery in Los Angeles, the Luggage Store in San Francisco, One Grand Gallery in Portland, the Dactyl Foundation in New York, and the OHWOW Gallery in Miami.[4] Neck Face has been compared to Banksy, and described as "generally superfamous in the cool parts of the art world."[5]

Artwork

Neck Face tag on My Old Lady storefront
Neck Face tag over a Batman Begins film poster near the Williamsburg Bridge, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Neck Face's style can be described as naïve and scratchy.[6] His themes have a bloody, violent and medieval feel to them.[6] Obvious influences are heavy metal and latrinalia.[1][2] Gallery works follow Neck Face's familiar style but are not limited to drawings and paintings, shows have included sharp metal masks, felt installations, and sculptures.[1] In an interview on Epicly Later'd, Neck Face describes using water colors in his artwork as "I get the water color and then I just f*#k it up". In this same interview he acknowledges King Diamond as a major influence.

One public art piece appropriated the sign on an abandoned storefront of "My Old Lady" in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood; he painted under that "...♥'s Neck Face".

In 2005, to the displeasure of nearby residents and building superintendents, his work was prominently visible from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.[7] In 2011 Neck Face visited Bangkok, Thailand to do graffiti in the street.[8]

In addition to appearing across billboards and buildings in the United States, Neck Face's work can be seen internationally in places such as Melbourne, Sydney, Copenhagen, and Tokyo.[6]

Commercial projects

As a skateboarder himself, Neck Face has helped design for Baker Skateboards, and is the Art Director for Baker Skateboards.[4] Neck Face has also collaborated with Vans, Stüssy and Altamont Apparel.[6]

There is an all-access documentary featuring Neck Face in the works that started as a long term project in 2005 by director Ty Evans. It as yet has no expected release date.[9]

Exhibitions of his artwork

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gavin, Francesca (2005-05-20). "Devilish street art from the West Coast". BBC. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  2. 1 2 3 Spears, Lori. "Neck Face is not a crackhead". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  3. ↑ Epicly Later'd - Neck Face. VBS. 2007.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Scime, Erica (2009-08-28). "Art Review: Neckface". Sharp Objex.
  5. ↑ Nolan, Hamilton (2008-12-10). "Meet the Real Neckface". Gawker. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Braun, Maximilian. "Neck Face". WideWalls.
  7. ↑ Grace, Melissa (September 7, 2005). "Art Genius or Pain in the 'Neck Face'?". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010.
  8. ↑ http://followgram.me/non_refoulement/242470970553890702_1393420
  9. ↑ Slashfilm.com
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