JOEY MAAS
Joey Maas is a prolific Neo-Pop artist born in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, and now based in Palm Springs, California. Maasʼ early artistic influences stem from his childhood fascination with 1980ʼs design, fashion, and skateboarding. In particular, he found inspiration in the portrait paintings of Patrick Nagel and vision streetwear graphics of Andy Takakjian, but also the accessorized ubiquity of Swatch watches, Memphis style design, and shopping malls.
Maas spent most of the 90ʼs and early 2000ʼs touring as a musician in punk and post-punk bands, but following after a horrific tour van roll-over crash in 2008, he decided to leave the touring life to focus solely on visual art. Maasʼ work has attracted collectors worldwide, including members of Mastodon, The Go-Goʼs, TSOL, Slipknot, Johanna Went, Gala Darling, David Oman, and more.
Joey Maasʼ work has also appeared on local and national television programs such as Ghost Adventures, KTLA CW News, Los Angeles, Portlandia, and KCAL CBS News, Los Angeles, as well as a solo exhibit for the red carpet premiere of House At The End Of The Drive (2013).
ARTIST STATEMENT
“This current body of work is my visual commentary on the sores that fester beneath the elegance. The portrayal of being pulled together, but in reality, falling apart. The juxtaposition of glamour and misery, keeping your secrets bottled up, but looking fabulous while doing it.”