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Buff Monster | |
|---|---|
 Buff Monster with his work, circa 2011 | |
| Born | April 14, 1979 Hawaii, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | Painting, drawing, graphic design, sculpture |
| Movement | Lowbrow, designer toy |
| Website | buffmonster |
Buff Monster (born April 14, 1979) [1] is an American painter. His work is characterized by happy characters living in brightly colored bubbly landscapes. [2]
Buff Monster was born in Hawaii and graduated from the University of Southern California with a fine arts major. [3]
He made a name for himself by putting up thousands of hand-silkscreened posters across Los Angeles. Along with his paintings, he has created a range of merchandise, from prints and stickers to vinyl toys and plush. In 2012 he created a homage to Garbage Pail Kids called The Melty Misfits; a collection of vintage-style trading cards, complete with wax wrapper.[ citation needed ]
The color pink, a symbol of confidence, individuality and happiness, is present in everything he creates. He cites heavy metal music, ice cream and Japanese culture as major influences. [4] His work has been shown in galleries worldwide, often accompanied by large installations. In 2010, the Bristol City Museum acquired a painting of his for their permanent collection. [5] His art has been published in a variety of magazines, websites, newspapers and books, including Juxtapoz, Paper, Nylon, Cool Hunting, Angeleno, the Los Angeles Times , LA Weekly and The New York Times .[ citation needed ] He was also featured in Banksy's movie: Exit Through the Gift Shop .
In 2012, Buff Monster moved from Los Angeles to live and work in New York City. [3]
