Mark Kostabi

Mark Kostabi studied drawing and painting at California State University in Fullerton. In 1982, he moved to New York and quickly established a reputation as a leader in the revival of figurative painting. His featureless “everyman” figure quickly became a cultural icon of the era. In 1988, he founded Kostabi World, a neo-Renaissance studio and gallery that employs 30 full-time assistants. In 1996, he began dividing his time between New York and Rome and consequently developed a name for himself in the Italian art scene.

Kostabi’s popularity can be seen through his numerous product designs including album covers for the bands Guns ‘N’ Roses and The Ramones and designs for companies including Swatch and Giro d’Italia.

Kostabi has been featured in more than 500 exhibitions worldwide and his works are in the permanent collections of several museums including the Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Guggenheim. He lectures regularly at universities and has published several books.