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Buff Monster Goes 'Beyond the Pink'
Known for his street poster missions, an unabashed love for the color pink, and signature vinyl toys, artist Buff Monster seems to know everyone and be everywhere. His fans range from little kids who collect his colorful art toys to major museums, which are buying his paintings for their permanent collections. Influenced by Japanese popular culture, Buff Monster fills his super flat paintings with ice cream cones, smiles, surreal landscapes, hearts, cherries, bunnies, boobs, and heavy metal imagery. These disparate images find a home in his super happy pink world. This weekend his new paintings will be on view at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City. We caught up with Buff Monster to find out more about his new work, his recent trip to Europe, and where he spend his time in LA on a rare day off.
LAist: Your new solo show " Beyond the Pink" opens on Saturday at Corey Helford Gallery. What was the inspiration for your new work?
Buff Monster: All the same things inspire me, Heavy Metal music, Hollywood, Ice Cream, Japanese culture. I’m really interested in creating work that is timeless, so I draw from the same things, but it should still progress. So I guess it’s a fine line. But for this show, I got a new studio space, so that’s allowed me to paint in a different way. And coming back from three weeks in Europe had an influence on the new work.
LAist: You call your show "Beyond the Pink". Do you think you will ever get tired of the color pink?
Buff Monster: Never! Pink is really such an important aspect of my work.
LAist: How did your recent trip to England and France impact your new paintings?
Buff Monster: Seeing all those amazing Renaissance paintings in the Louvre in Paris and the National Gallery in London was really inspiring. The old masters’ technical ability is just amazing. Considering when the paintings were made, and how they were made, and the scale of some of them, its just mind-boggling.
LAist: One of your paintings was purchased by the Bristol Museum. How do you feel about your work being on the street and in the permanent collection of a museum?
Buff Monster: I’m stoked! After years and years putting up stuff in the street that never lasts, its amazing to be a in a permanent collection. Other than that, I’m just really honored and flattered that they wanted a piece of mine. It’s really amazing.
LAist: You appeared in the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. What is the question people most often ask you about Banksy? What responses did you get from people about the film?
Buff Monster: No one asks me about Banksy, people ask me about Mr. Brainwash. They want to know if its real, if he actually filmed me… yes he filmed me on a couple occasions. I really like the movie. I think they did a great job putting it together, and it’s a nice little bonus that I happen to be in it for a second.
LAist: You also participated in the Three Apples exhibit at Royal/T. Has your Hello Kitty collection grown since then?
Buff Monster: Actually, I’ve been so busy with stuff that my collection really hasn’t grown that much. I actually collect stuff in the same way as Warhol: I’m stoked on it, I buy it and I then I tuck it away, almost never to see it again. Be that as it may, I’m also in Sanrio’s 50th Anniversary show later this year, so I’m looking forward to creating a new group of Hello Kitty/ Sanrio pieces.
LAist: What are three of your favorite things about living in LA?
Buff Monster: The heat, the traffic and the constant threat of the “big one.” Oh wait…
LAist: Ok how about, where would we find you on a day off?
Buff Monster: Day off. That’s a good one. Soon I hope to have a day where I can just hang out, watch a movie, play some pool, swim in my pool, eat a burrito, catch up on my huge stack of books and magazines. And then go to Hawaii for a few days.
LAist: What is your favorite LA restaurant?
Buff Monster: I always love to go to Bossa Nova on Sunset.
LAist: What is your favorite local bar?
Buff Monster: I go to the Frolic Room, just because it’s within walking distance. Stinkers in Silver Lake is pretty fun too. But I don’t really have a favorite bar.
LAist: What are some of your favorite galleries?
Buff Monster: Well, obviously Corey Helford is high on my list. As long as I’m in town, I go to all their openings. Other than that, I just go to whatever gallery has a good show I want to see.
LAist: What's next for Buff Monster?
Buff Monster: Well, I'm still finishing up a couple pieces for my "Beyond the Pink" show that opens on September 4th. Then I’ll take a break for a bit. Then I've got a bunch more paintings I want to do. I have some group shows coming up, like the Sanrio show and some more toys and other stuff coming out soon. I’m going to get back to doing some hand-painted toys soon too. Just check out buffmonster.com for the latest.
Thanks, Buff Monster.
The Corey Helford Gallery is located at 8522 Washington Street in Culver City. The opening night reception for "Beyond the Pink" new paintings by Buff Monster is on Saturday, September 4 from 7-10pm. The show will be on view until September 22.