Phil Frost was born in New York in 1973. A self-taught artist, he served his apprenticeship during the 1990’s by creating elaborate installations on the streets of New York City. His pieces are defined by the use of folkloric imagery, stylized caricatures and recurring patterns, which has made him one of the most distinctive members of the American contemporary urban art scene. By working on canvas or found objects such as wooden doors and window panes, he builds intricate layers of letter-forms, patterns, and figures to create intense, multi-tiered compositions that seem to buzz with life. Ritualism is recurrent in his work, both in tribal motifs such as totemic decoration, as well as in the grouping of modern-day objects, such as baseball bats and bottles. Repetition of pattern also suggests ceremony and custom. His highly original approach and unique execution have propelled his work from the urban to fine art arena, and his notoriety led to a PBS documentary about his work in 1994 when he was only 21. Frost’s transition to the contemporary art world followed rapidly. In 2005, Frost’s work was exhibited alongside Picasso, Dali, Magritte, and Warhol in a show tracing the written word in art during the last century. He now exhibits in commercial galleries and museum spaces worldwide.
