b. 1960 -

Mark Kostabi is an American painter and composer known for creating high-contrast graphic-style paintings of faceless mannequins in surrealist settings. Born in 1960, he began selling his designs in Los Angeles at age 19 before moving to New York in 1982, where he gained fame in the East Village cultural scene. His New York studio, Kostabi World, mass produces artwork in his name for purchase.

About Mark Kostabi

• Name: Mark Kostabi


• Alias: Kalev Mark Kostabi


• Profession: Painter, composer, b. 1960


• Nationality: American

Biography

Mark Kostabi was born in Los Angeles in 1960 to Estonian immigrants. Driven by a lifelong passion for art, he attended California State University at Fullerton to enhance his craft while selling designs to galleries throughout Los Angeles, where he attracted celebrity collectors.

After moving to New York in 1982, he was inspired by his contemporaries, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, to elevate his career. This led to him establishing Kostabi World, a New York studio that mass produces his artwork using a production-line system of painting assistants.

His paintings commonly feature faceless figures in garishly bright surreal contexts, centering on themes that include love, corporate culture and technology's impact on the modern world. Kostabi World has been featured in numerous media outlets, including People Magazine and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Today, Kostabi divides his time between New York and Rome. His work can be found at museums in New York, Washington, D.C. and Princeton University.

Related Styles

• Pop Art


• East Village art


• Surrealism

Highlights and Achievements

• Kostabi sold his painting, Use Your Illusion, to Guns N' Roses to use as cover art for an album of the same name.


• He held a sold-out show at the Hermitage Museum in Russia during the Cold War.


• He has permanent public works on display throughout Italy.

Read Full Artist Biography