Scooter LaForge | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Edward LaForge 1971 (age 52–53) Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupation | artist |
| Awards | Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant[1] |
| Website | scooter-laforge |
Scooter LaForge (born 1971) is an American artist based in New York's East Village.[2] He is a painter and sculptor, and has a line of clothing for Patricia Field and has collaborated with other fashion designers. LaForge's work is "inspired by gay pornography, cute fluffy animals, and sometimes iconic cartoons,"[3] drawing from a number of pop culture and artistic references, ranging from Disney[4] and Popeye[5] to Keith Haring and Rembrandt.[6]
The New York Times has described his work as "recalling the Neo-Expressionism that was popular in the '80s, the manic Neo-Surrealism of George Condo, and the comics-to-graffiti-to-canvas style of Kenny Scharf."[4] Pop culture journalist Michael Musto has called him "my favorite living artist".[7]
LaForge was born James Edward LaForge[8] in 1971 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.[5]
LaForge earned his BFA from the University of Arizona in 1993,[5] and began his career as a painter in San Francisco.[6] He moved to New York City in 2001,[3] where he attended the Cooper Union School of Art under a fellowship.[9] His art is in the collections of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art[10] and Beth Rudin DeWoody.[11]
LaForge has a line of hand-painted, unique clothing items that are sold through fashion stylist Patricia Field.[12] He has twice collaborated with Belgian fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck.[13][14] His clothing has been worn by Susanne Bartsch,[15] Sandra Bernhard,[16] Beyoncé,[9] Miley Cyrus,[6] Boy George,[3] Debbie Harry,[9] Nicki Minaj,[3] Madonna,[9] Iggy Pop,[3] Rihanna,[6] and Lil Wayne.[3]