Jerkface
b.1982, Queens, New York.
The provocative muralist, known as Jerkface, has become world-renowned for daring dissections and reimaginations of iconic characters from the cannon of favorite comics and cartoons of our time. Born and bred in New York City, Jerkface has become a key player in the New York art scene, with murals in some of the most visited areas around the city. In addition to his national success in the states, Jerkface’s 2016 exhibition “Saturday Morning” at Under the Influence gallery in Hong Kong, attracted a large fan base in Asia, that has continued to spread globally as a result of several wall murals placed in central locations anywhere from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, to Chicago. His rapid rise to fame has made Jerkface one of the most noteworthy and highly sought after street artists today, with playful, yet sharp aesthetic that appeals to all ages.
The signature painting style of Jerkface employs geometric abstraction, transparency and repetition, as protagonists and antagonists alike are transmuted into intricately painted motifs on canvas. Facial features are often omitted from the artist’s work to challenge the audience to more closely connect with the subtle emotions elicited by the compositions. Deftly manipulating preconceived notions of form into new and compelling visual narratives, Jerkface’s paintings become sophisticated meditations on color and movement imbued with all the emotion, energy, and unbridled optimism of youth. Like flipping channels on a Saturday morning, visuals Jerkface creates dance across a canvas like the familiar figures from cartoon reruns. In Anti-Hero, the artist combines an unmistakable style with inspiration from a variety of legendary shows; including the Simpsons, Sesame Street, Family Guy, and Looney Tunes, among others.