“It is not only one person’s work, it’s really a partnership and collaboration during all these years.” — Christo
Does anyone want to collaborate with me?
FOLDING THE PRISM, Jessie and Katey
This six story mural was painted in collaboration with Mural Arts. Summer 2019 (jessieandkatey.com)
See
When we think of duos we think of music, not visual arts. Despite the challenges of teaming up on a physical piece of artwork, some of the most amazing results have come from both platonic and love art partnerships.
Jessie and Katey have been successfully making art together for many years. They are true collaborators who met as freshmen at Maryland Institute College of Art, dressed together as one person for Halloween, and have been best friends ever since.
We actually design everything by hand and literally pass paper back and forth until we feel like it is complete. (designwanted)
Since 2011, Jessie and Katey have been creating vibrant murals in public spaces
Check out these other art collaborators. Think about what they can do together that they would not have done alone. Imagine the strong bond that comes from sharing your work so intimately with a fellow artist.
Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat: A Crazy Art-World Marriage
From 1980 to 1986, renowned Pop artist Andy Warhol and a graffiti prodigy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, collaborated on a number of exciting pieces that actually led them to the position they now have in the art world. (Agora Gallery)
Olympic Rings, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat | Source: Gagosian
Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen also show what it is like for two artists to come together for such an expansive project. Bruggen observes, “Working together supposes an almost complete understanding of the other, an impossibility, in any case, so instead, we choose a unity of opposites, a convergence of our different dynamics, of symmetry and asymmetry, of acceleration or implied speed and stillness, of a polychrome and monochrome palette, gravity and lightness—all interrelating and interchangeable elements to be used by either one of us.” (Trend Hunter)
Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg with Spoonbridge and Cherry, Model, 1987, in their New York studio, 1987. Photo: Jan Staller.
Dropped Cone - Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen | Neumarkt Galerie, Cologne, Germany, 2001
Together, Christo and Jeanne-Claude formed an emblematic artistic couple: from 1958 until 2009, they imagined, executed, and financed monumental projects ranging from the Packages and Wrapped Objects to The Floating Piers. (Sotheby’s)
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Surrounded Islands, Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980-83
“It is not only one person’s work, it’s really a partnership and collaboration during all these years.” — Christo
Say
“Remember, teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.” – Patrick Lencioni
Which art partnership are you most interested in learning more about and why?
How might their artwork be different if they had not worked in collaboration?
Have you ever co-created something? How did it feel?
Do
Collaborate with someone on an art journal. Learn more about art journaling from Amy at Mindful Art Studio.
Co-create with a family member or friend by playing a drawing game.
About Jesse and Katey
Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn make up the Baltimore based artist team better known as Jessie and Katey. Our mission is to transform public spaces into vibrant, playful experiences, and use a highly geometric, abstract language to engage with the history, architecture and culture of a place. We believe that the aesthetics of one's environments can influence their emotions and state of mind. With a passion for people and design, we bring life to unsung spaces through abstract painting. We’ve created numerous murals in partnership with cities, companies, municipalities and brands to turn a unique story and location into an iconic piece of artwork, often heightening the landmark’s visibility as a destination.
Knoxville Steps- Design based on a traditional Appalachian Weaving
They believe Abstraction makes people pause and think a little. It’s really nice to witness people taking the time to decide what story the work tells, or what memory it evokes. We personally believe that abstract art is timeless, and you can always gain something new from it. It’s important to have it in our daily, visual lives.”
Wide Open Walls Festival in Sacramento, CA
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