Todd James: Psychedelic Collages of Life and Death
Todd James (New York City, 1969) began his career as a graffiti artist under the pseudonym REAS, which he still uses for his company Reas International producing TV, animation, and music videos. His painting blends Pop colors (Tom Wesselmann) with expressionist deformations (Willem de Kooning). A recurring series features blonde nude women lounging by pools with cats, watermelon slices, and Kalashnikovs, alongside hooded terrorists and death figures. The works juxtapose titles evoking leisure (Mellow Times, Summer Hours Ann) with those hinting at mortality (Vanity Nemesis, Old Grumpy Always There), creating a collage-like aesthetic that references Matisse via Wesselmann. The article, by Ferruccio Giromini, appears in Artribune Magazine #33.
Key facts
- Todd James was born in New York City in 1969.
- He started as a subway graffiti artist under the pseudonym REAS.
- Reas International produces TV, animation, and music videos.
- His painting style blends Pop (Tom Wesselmann) and expressionist (Willem de Kooning) influences.
- His series features blonde nude women, cats, watermelon, Kalashnikovs, and death figures.
- Titles include Mellow Times, Summer Hours Ann, Vanity Nemesis, and Old Grumpy Always There.
- The collage aesthetic references Matisse via Wesselmann.
- The article was published in Artribune Magazine #33.
Entities
Artists
- Todd James
- Tom Wesselmann
- Willem de Kooning
- Henri Matisse
- Ferruccio Giromini
Institutions
- Artribune
- Biennale di Venezia
- Triennale di Milano
- Patricia Armocida gallery
- Reas International
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Venice
- Italy
- Milan
- California