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Brandalism: The Art of Antonio Brasko

Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series

The Artist: Antonio Brasko

The Idea: The Acculturation of Graffiti, Street Art and Fashion

The Art: Brandalism

Artist Antonio Brasko with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and videographer and show co-producer Chris Fletcher filming his Brandalism collection for a new episode of The Design Tourist show airing soon.

At the Spectrum Miami, I was drawn to the booth of artist Antonio Brasko and his collection Brandalism, a cheeky mashup of luxury labels and logos with low brow objects such as paint spray cans and boom boxes.

Chanel Boombox by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami.

Brasko is one of more than 500 leading contemporary artists who showcased their works during the five-day art show and his work stands out for its cultural statement. I asked him about his ideas behind Brandalism.

Supreme Louis Vuitton Paint Spray Cans by Antonio Brasko, part his of Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami

“Brandalism started in 2006. I started using spray cans as the canvas for my work. The collection is inspired by a study about how these fashion brands have tapped into the world of graffiti and street art and they are reappropriated. This is my commentary on these brands. I’m showcasing a different perspective,” Brasko says.  

Gucci Boxing Gloves by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism Collection on view at Spectrum Miami

Brasko reintroduces the ideology of vandalism and fashion from an experimental perspective. His fusion of style incorporates spray paint, streetwear and luxury branding. “I want Brandalism to resonate with the culture right now. It’s kind of a mashup of what’s going on in culture, art and fashion and how those cultures collide. My work is a commentary on how street art and luxury brands have intersected so they are almost like one right now,” Brasko says.

Brandalism paint spray cans by Antonio Brasko on view at Spectrum Miami

Brasko started as a graffiti artist with a background in graphic design having produced creative for brands including Adidas, Jaguar, Land Rover, Nike, Intel, Paris Saint-Germain, Wu-Tang Clan, Reigning Champ and more. He started his Brandalism collection with his Spray Paint Art Series and works from his creative design studio in Portland, Oregon.  Using classic Montana spray paint cans, Brasko covers each luxury brand logos that represent a bridge between the worlds of street art and luxury brands.

Gucci Boxing Gloves by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami

I asked him how he picks his luxury brands and objects to create his art.  “A lot of the brands have crossover into the world of street art or graffiti. That’s the first criteria when selecting mediums to work with. The second criteria is the color palette. It’s also a study on color. I create a spectrum of colors that tells the story,” Brasko says.

Brandalism Collection on view at Spectrum Miami

Brandalism is conceptual art and it strikes me as a bit of pop psychology, an examination of our cultural obsessions with brand names and attachment to logos as an expression of self-worth. Brasko’s art is provocative because it draws your own thoughts and interpretations about the current cultural moment.

He interlaces emblematic brands and their signature colors with cans and other objects as the basic means of graffiti art conveying its vandalistic ideals and the freedom that it proclaims.

Learn more about the art of Antonio Brasko in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.

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Karen LeBlanc

Karen LeBlanc is a travel host and writer with a popular travel show, The Design Tourist, and a companion lifestyle blog. As a widely published travel journalist and content creator, Karen is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association. She also serves as the Design and Travel editor of the national lifestyle magazine, LaPalme. Karen believes that every destination has a story to tell through its local art, architecture, culture, and craft. This immersive creative exploration begins with authentic accommodations where the narrative of place unfolds through art, accessories, accouterments, furnishings, fixtures, and food. 

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