Produced by Daniel Efram over a span of six years, The Steve Keene Art Book was born from efforts to document a 2016 exhibition at legendary artist Shepard Fairey’s Subliminal Projects gallery, but expanded to include original works sent in from dozens of Keene collectors and Kickstarter supporters. After a 30+ year career producing over 300,000 paintings, he’s become what many refer to as the “Johnny Appleseed” of art. Though perhaps best-known for his deep ties to the 90s indie rock scene - thanks to work with Pavement, The Apples in Stereo, The Silver Jews, Bonnie Prince Billy and more - Keene is a legend amongst music and art fans as much for his cheery, automated style, as for his everyman prices of just $5 – $10 each. Nearly the same size as the LPs that Keene worships, The Steve Keene Art Book is a love letter to the most prolific American artist of all time from his adoring public.įor more about Steve or to see some of his work, click on this documentary playlist: The first ever published collection of his art, the #SKartBook is out June 14 via Hat & Beard and Tractor Beam following a successful Kickstarter campaign with over 600 backers, as profiled in Forbes. The featured piece is an essay written by Sam Brumbaugh, a curator of Threadwaxing Space, one of the numerous music venues where Keene got his foothold in the NYC downtown indie scene in the 90s. Now, an excerpt from The Steve Keene Art Book is available via the legendary “indie nerd bible” chickfactor, whose editor-in-chief, Gail O’Hara, edited the book. The brushstrokes thick, the figures he replicates en masse areĬompelling and relatable.” – Brooklyn MagazineĮarlier this month at his first art show since 2019, Steve Keene - one of America’s most collected, beloved, and affordable artists - sold over 500 original artworks. “Warhol claimed he wanted to be a machine, but Keene IS a machine.” – artist Ryan McGinness “Whether they realize it or not, most rock fans of the past 20-odd years, especially indie rock fans, already know the work of artist Steve Keene.” – Variety Keene is one of the most successful artists in the world.” – New York Times “This guy must be the most prolific artist of all time.” – artist Shepard Fairey You can check out some of his paintings below and buy the book at Hat & Beard. High-quality photos of Keene’s work are juxtaposed with essays and quotes about his art from an impressive list of “talking heads” like Chan Marshall of Cat Power, Will Oldham, and members of the band Superchunk. If you’ve ever wished coffee table books felt more like rock documentaries, you’ll love The Steve Keene Art Book. Keene is also famous for his rebelliously unpretentious, cost-accessible approach to fine art, and he’s sold hundreds of thousands of paintings at unbelievably low, low prices, like $5-10. This expansive, LP-sized tome provides a retrospective look at the career of the fine artist behind iconic images like the cover art for Pavement’s Wowee Zowee. If beloved indie bands like The Silver Jews or The Apples in Stereo are mainstays in the soundtrack of your life, don’t miss The Steve Keene Art Book, which comes out today via Hat & Beard and Tractor Beam.
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