Exploring the importance of the visage to fame, the 'Guise and Protagonist' by Craig & Karl depicts some recognizable celebrities.
The design duo's work creates awareness of fans' ability to recognize the faces of these famous celebrities. Stripped down to bare essentials mixed with patterns, the visage depictions are abstract yet recognizable. The hybrid mix inspired by the work of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein blends both styles of pop art whilst enticing Craig Redman and Karl Maier's comically thought-provoking style.
Guise and Protagonist even borrows from Picasso: "The portraits break down the subject’s face, borrowing from Cubism," explains Craig Redman. The protagonists of their portraits include the likes of filmmaker Woody Allen, rapper Kanye West, celebrated photographer Terry Richardson and even the late and great Anna Piaggi.
Hybrid Celebrity Portrayals
The Series 'Guise and Protagonist' by Craig & Karl Depict Famous Faces
Trend Themes
1. Hybrid Celebrity Portrayals - The trend of using abstract yet recognizable depictions of famous faces in art and design, inspired by the work of pop artists like Warhol and Lichtenstein, creates spaces for innovative ways to represent modern history and culture iconography in a striking manner.
2. Cubism-inspired Portraits - The trend of integrating Cubism-style in portrait drawing, especially in digital arts and advertisement practices, creates an opportunity to challenge the conventional way of creating portraits while still achieving recognition and representation of the subjects.
3. Abstracted Pop Art - The trend of abstracting, or altering, patterns of vivid colours and bold lines from pop art, creates an opportunity for cross-industry experimentation and mutualistic inspirations, from fashion and graphic design to video production and animation.
Industry Implications
1. Art and Design - Hybrid celebrity portraits and cubism-style portraits present opportunities for artists, digital artists, and designers to create unique and captivating works that challenge the traditional style of portraiture and stir cultural conversations.
2. Advertisement and Branding - Innovative and abstracted pop art-inspired visuals can help advertisers and marketers present products and services in an engaging and eye-catching manner that resonates with their target audience's tastes and preferences.
3. Entertainment Media - Design trends such as abstracted pop art and portrait Cubism can inform visual storytelling and content production in films, TV series, and other video media, and help them reflect and shape popular culture icons and references.