Calvin Klein and cultural and lifestyle powerhouse Hypebeast have launched a series of images and videos that follow the journey of four emerging artists as they create unique art installations paying homage to the iconic CK Monogram.
The films document the artists’ processes as they reimagine the CK logo through their own creative lenses and distinct mediums, from spray paint and airbrushing to graphic design projection. The films were shot by acclaimed director Nakaash inside of a minimalist warehouse, where he merged the artists’ four distinct worlds. The films are available on ck.com and hypebeast.com.
For over 30 years, Calvin Klein’s Monogram tee collection has served as a minimal and sophisticated wardrobe staple. The four artists reimagined the iconic logo into larger-than-life art pieces that channel their original style, vision, individuality and identity, and reach a new audience.
The artists are:
ALFIE KUNGU
Drawing on the Saturday morning cartoons of his childhood, British painter Alfie Kungu’s use of colour and shape is distinct and iconic. Hues blend and clash as patterns and silhouettes emerge, resulting in different interpretations from viewer to viewer. Playful on an almost fundamental level, he’s able to create textural landscapes that effortlessly combine the contemporary with the nostalgic.
“It’s always interesting to work with something that’s already there because you have to react to the shapes and the forms and be conscious about how you feel the space. Obviously, the “C” has got a lot of flow and the “K” is a strong rigid structure, so I started with the biggest, simple, curving shape. Working with such a large scale allows you to be much more expressive with your movement and your marks.”
MAÏTÉ MARQUE
Based in Paris, graphic designer and digital artist Maïté Marque’s work is a vibrant blend of fashion illustration, surrealism and Japanese animation. The uncompromising, sophisticated style of her home city underpins all her art, proudly rising to the surface in the chic, abstract characters she creates.
“Reinventing the CK Monogram was such an interesting experience because it’s such a well-known logo. I think it’s very interesting to add your own touch to something that is iconic and simple. The typography of the CK logo is very sharp and to add street style to it was so fun.”
RAFAELLA BRAGA
Brazilian-born Rafaella Braga’s work is a collision of uninhibited self-expression, ritualism and carefully controlled chaos. She draws inspiration from the street art culture of South America and describes her paintings as a portal that allow her to be her true self. She is based between Berlin and New York City.
“I approach a blank canvas with a mind full of ideas. Usually, I’m not that afraid of a blank canvas because I see it as a door that opens to many possibilities. It’s a place where I can be whatever I want to be.”
REDIET LONGO
In his youth, Rediet (or Red to his friends) turned to Milan’s graffiti scene as an outlet for rebellion. This flourished into a passion that now sees him creating art in cities worldwide. His work is bold and distinctive, combining a range of inspirations such as African art, his Ethiopian heritage and contemporary street fashion.
“When I accepted my identity which is both African and Italian, I joined these two identities in a name that is RED — a colour that has no racial basis, unlike white or black. I communicate my art through a style that is clearly African tribal, to pay homage to my origins by merging it with my Western roots.”
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Photographers: Nakaash Maqsood-Hussain
Videographer: Adam Barnett – DOP
