INTRODUCING
ANDRE MIRIPOLSKY
AND HIS
KINGDOM OF COLOR
by Dale Youngman
Andre Miripolsky is an artist of many and varied creative abilities. He is a colorful and high-energy man, much like the exuberant mixed-media art he creates. His signature style of pop imagery is bright, whimsical, energetic, and downright fun. A true multi-media artist, Andre is much more than a painter, taking his unique pop-style into sculpture, mobiles, graphics, branding, production design, sets, costumes, and now, NFTs. His sense of humor has been embraced by film and music stars, creating several art costumes for Sir Elton John - most notably the often-photographed “Piano Keys” costume made for the famous Central Park concert in 1980. He has also collaborated on projects for Bette Midler, Quincy Jones, Robin Williams, the Rolling Stones, MTV, and Mattel, where he was commissioned to create a one-of-a-kind “Miripolsky Art Barbie.” From 1997-2004 he painted huge scenic sets and floors for the music segments of “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, making history as the first visual artist ever commissioned to create original scenic art. He also made basketball history in 1992 by painting a 6000 sq. ft. mural directly on UCLA’s center court at Pauley Pavilion for MTV’s Rock and Jock B-Ball Jam. His famous “Fear No Art” button has been sold continuously at LACMA since 1985.
 “I love Los Angeles – and I love making ART about -- and for -- Los Angeles! I have been living at the Brewery Art Colony, the largest live-work artist colony in the world, since 1995. I love being surrounded by other artists. We inspire and support each other, something that has become even more important during COVID. My love of my community and the city at large inspired me to create the catchphrase “Viva LA,” which has grown into a movement and a whole separate business."
One of the famed Absolut artists of the 90’s, Miripolsky created his first Absolut Vodka ad in 1991. In ’96, Absolut invited him to paint live on their website, for their ground-breaking “Human Ant Farm,” a week-long live art show broadcast. A year later, he again made headlines, with a day-glow version of the Absolut Miripolsky landmark billboard in San Francisco. It was so well received it remained posted for two full years.
Born in Paris, the son of an artist who was also a Cultural Advisor for the American Foreign Service, Andre was exposed to many diverse cultures that stimulated his imagination and created the desire to capture the beauty around him. Living in exotic locales including Austria, Thailand, Indonesia, Iran, and South Korea, he began painting with his father’s oils at age 8, creating his first landscape painting. At 10 he sold his first painting to the American Ambassador in Indonesia and the sales have been steady ever since.
After graduating high school in Seoul, Korea, he headed to the California Institute of the Arts, where he honed his quirky and unique style. He has had an international following for decades and is regarded as one of Japan’s most beloved contemporary American artists, selling over 200 paintings there in the past several years through his representative galleries.
International fame aside, Miripolsky is an LA-centric artist first and foremost, working closely with city organizations. He has served on the boards of the LA Art Alliance, the Downtown Artwalk, and the Hollywood Arts Council. His LA-branding campaigns include the 2005 commission by the Central City Association of a large 3-D wall sculpture depicting the dramatic growth of the Downtown LA skyline. Combined with his catchphrase “Viva LA” on billboards and buses though-out the city, Andre has become very much a part of the landscape of Los Angeles.
His local public art has included multiple murals in Pershing Square, the heart of DTLA, and full art wraps on Starline’s Hollywood tour buses. Another memorable public art piece was a dazzling mosaic-mirrored street piano that graced the courtyard of the historic Grauman Egyptian Theater for the “Play Me, I’m Yours,” international public art and music campaign sponsored by the Hollywood Arts Council. He has created a vibrantly adorned and decorated street angel (part of the Community of Angels public arts program) and multiple whimsical murals for Superior Grocers, including a 7’ x 150’ one requesting you to “Eat More Fruits and Veggies.” These are just some of the reasons he counts local politicians Jan Perry and current LA Mayor Eric Garcetti as friends and advocates!
 Occasionally, Andre shares his talents outside of LA. One huge commission he is very proud of was a complete interior and exterior face-lift for the Museum of Monterey. He created the Monterey Historama, incorporating historical and iconic imagery of the region, which was then printed as a 10’ x 55’ vinyl mural for the main exhibition hall. He also developed a signature “wave” motif celebrating the beauty of Big Sur, which was incorporated into fabric panels installed in the screening room, and hand-painted on a 275’ wood fence surrounding the museum, becoming the largest public art installation in Monterey County. He was later commissioned by the City of Pomona to paint not one, but two school buildings, including all 4 exterior walls of the renowned School of Arts and Enterprise. Completed in 2015, it remains the largest public art project in the region.
“My first public art in LA was a large mural at the Pasadena Playhouse in 1980. But the ‘Pomonacopia’ project where I painted all 4 sides of the massive Pomona School of Arts and Enterprise is the public art project, I am most proud of, because not only does it keep hundreds of school children inspired every day, but it was created as a testimonial to my father, with whom I had my only father & son exhibit down the street at Pomona’s DA Gallery in 2008. The mammoth and dynamic Pomonacopia project covers over 15K sq. ft, hand-painted in a brilliantly colored pattern I designed just for the school.“
Creating art continuously for over 50 years, Andre has created hundreds of original artworks. From an early collection he calls “Visual Poems“ that each tell a story, to a series of 65 self-portraits called “Head Cases,” to impressionist works created in watercolor, spray paint and acrylic, his work is always evolving. These days Andre works primarily in acrylic with recycled paper and cardboard to create very textural 3-D mixed-media wall art. He loves mixing in bits of ribbon, tape, fabric, glitter, paper, feathers, and the occasional purchased quirky item. Another favorite medium is a spackling compound which he uses to create tiny “prickles” on his paintings, sculpture, bowling pins and “shark fins” (surfboard fins.) “The idea is to always keep people smiling and coming around to my studio to see what is new.”
Miripolsky’s first signature catchphrase, “Fear No Art, “ started as a single painting entitled ‘Fear No Art, A Crash Course in Reality.’ It became the cover of his illustrated book that depicted his amazing recovery from a near fatal auto accident in 1984. He created the entire book in his wheelchair while recovering from 9 operations. Fear No Art went on to become a beloved button that was sold in over 300 museums nationwide at one time, with the phrase also adorning other licensed products that sold primarily in museum gift stores for many years.
 “I love that the Fear No Art button made the idea of art accessible to everyone. No one should have anxiety about art - it is not for the elite only! That is why my public art is so important to me, to be able to share it with thousands of people every day. I have always strived to make art that will make people happy, so I tend to work in very bright colors, many at a time, in an exuberant kind of style. My “Kingdom of Color” – all of my work really -- is whimsical by nature, so my projects in every medium tend to be quirky and fun, like my ongoing Shark series. They started as a single painting, and now have taken over my studio , in original paintings, prints, sculpture, swimming across t-shirts, and now, being launched in my first NFT! I am super excited to be involved in that cutting edge business!
The idea of the brand-new NFT medium is exciting to me because it will be widely accessible – and it just looks so awesome on a bright video screen! I helped found the SharkTales Art Club by creating the first hand-drawn 10,000-piece collection in partnership with NFTG (nftg.live) and Real Items (Realitems.io) in conjunction with Beneath the Waves (beneaththewaves.org) a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing awareness to ocean conservation."
Andre has lent his hand to many social causes, either through creation of inspiring art posters, commissioned murals, or by directly working on non-profit boards and committees. His commitment to causes includes work for Pro-Peace, Aids Project Los Angeles, Artists for Disarmament, Colors for Freedom, Peace Love Studio, Jammin’ for Salmon, Paws LA, and various projects for inner-city youth in Chicago and Los Angeles. He was honored in a show at the non-profit Art Share LA Gallery as a “Downtown Legend,” selected as one of 5 artists whose exceptional artistic work of over 25 years, social consciousness, and significant contributions to the community makes LA a better and brighter place to live.
“To communicate through art is my inspiration through life… Fear No Art, live life fully, and embrace the spirit within, having the strength to overcome, the freedom to create, and the power to realize your dreams. Viva LA!”
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Author Dale Youngman is an independent art curator, fine art dealer, marketing consultant and art writer, working to facilitate the flow of art in Southern California. She currently consults with artists, galleries, interior designers, non-profits, and a new art platform to advance business for everyone in the art world. She has twice been honored by the LA Mayor’s Office with “Certificates of Recognition“ for her many years of art advocacy. Find Dale at her website.
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