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Jonathan Bartlett Covers a Building

By Peggy Roalf   Thursday February 6, 2014

Illustrations by Jonathan Bartlett have appeared in top-drawer publications like The New York TimesWIREDPlayboy and Fortune, to name a few. But lately, his work is turning up on collectable clothing and the façade of a prominent Greenwich Village building—and he’s giving back to the School of Visual Arts (SVA) at the same time.

Bartlett was selected to participate in the Art Wall project, a public art initiative organized by the Ralph Lauren Corp. that has turned the Denim & Supply [a Ralph Lauren brand] shop at 99 University Place into a showcase for emerging artists. The exterior serves as an approximately 31 ft. x 80 ft. “canvas” for his site-specific illustration, which was printed on vinyl and heat-applied to the building’s surface.

Inside, shoppers can purchase limited-edition T-shirts based on Bartlett’s art. This project was organized in collaboration with the SVA Alumni Association, with Marshall Arisman, chair of the SVA MFA Illustration as Visual Essay department, and so the proceeds from T-shirt sales go to a scholarship for graduating MFA Illustration student(s) for use on their thesis projects. The funds will enable them to enhance their work, or to work on a much deeper level. Bartlett is a 2010 alumnus of this program. Last week I caught up with Jonathan for this email Q&A:


The Artwall Project, by Jonathan Barnett. Photos: © Read McKendree, courtesy Ralph Lauren Corp.

Who is the bowler-hatted character and where did he originate?

These characters, who may appear stuck in the past, but navigating the present, have been a recurring theme through out my work. Truthfully, I just like drawing fashionable people. 

The images for this project characterize story telling and the idea of exploring an imaginary place that can be uncomfortable and familiar all at the same time. I like to paint a reality that feels almost right, but is off in some way; I like that sense of thought-provoking fantasy. The characters on the wall are not meant to be specific individuals, but instead be representations of personalities or emotions that a viewer can sense or relate to it someway.  

What is the main challenge in going from desk-size artwork to 2-storey-high art?

The real challenge was making sure everything lined up properly. My worst nightmare was having an important detail get lost in door well or cut off by a corner. The building at 99 University Place has a fair number of windows and architectural details that were major considerations to deal with. Working to design an effective composition with meaningful content all the while thinking, “Does that face fall in a crack? How far apart must these flowers be? That would look good, but there’s a sculpted wall ornament in the way.” It made the creative process much less organic than usual, but was also a welcomed challenge. There is something about the struggle that I enjoy and embrace.

Please describe the social media component and how this reaches out beyond merchandising? Is there an app?

What Denim And Supply is doing with this project, giving almost total freedom to me to transform their store with my own vision is unique and exciting and they deserve attention for that. When’s the last time a major brand not only covered the entire facade of their building with conceptual illustration, but let that art continue through the windows and into the store itself?

My goal from the start was to present a world that doesn’t have a concrete reality allowing the viewers to come up with their own story or reasons “why.” You want people talking and right now those conversations are taking place on social media, be it with pictures or words. Presenting original content on platforms like twitter and Instagram, and getting people to share with you their own experience, is not only beneficial to a brand, but rewarding for everyone. People want to be a part of something and I want them to be a part of this. Tell me how it affects you, what you think the meaning may be, which character do you relate to? As the project lives, RL will be doing things online to generate that conversation.

The sale of T-shirts designed by Jonathan Barnett, above, will benefit an SVA MFA Illustration scholarship fund.

Was the SVA Illustration scholarship fund component part of the allure of this project?

Attending the SVA MFA Illustration program was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. It changed my life and to be able to, in some small way, give back to that which did so much for me is very, very important. I was very happy when I found out that would be the case.

Is there any spillover a large and involving commission such as this one has for your art and illustration practice?

Definitely. The goal was to make a 360-degree experience. I not only got to illustrate pictures, but also design fashion apparel, build sculptures, conceptualize displays, and more. Part of that was being given incredible freedom, but part of it was also realizing that while illustration may traditionally be on the two dimensional surface, I didn’t have to be confined to that narrow outlet. I remember thinking early on, for example, why would I draw a picture of a suitcase wrapped in chain for the window? Why not actually construct a suitcase wrapped in chain for the window? When people see the final results I want them to realize illustration can be so much more– it’s all just telling stories.

What are you working on now?

I'm currently working on an illustrated novel for Candlewick Press and another advertising opportunity, but this time involving music.

Jonathan Bartlett grew up in a small Pennsylvania town outside of Harrisburg and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. He has done work for a wide variety of clients in various markets, receiving awards and recognitions from American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators, Spectrum Fantasy Art, 3x3 Magazine, and The Art Directors Club. He has an MFA from the School of Visual Arts, Illustration as Visual Essay program.

Jonathan was recently named a winner in the Art Directors Club Young Guns 2011 competition and was awarded a silver medal by the Society of Illustrators for his poster work with The Bridge Theatre Company.

If you are interested in more (mostly) useless knowledge about Jonathan, look here and here. For a more extensive catalog of work take a look here.


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