Javier Arrés is a world-renowned motion / GIF artist and a 2019 London Art Biennale winner.
Arrés is known for his manically detailed illustrations of fantastical scenery from cities, architecture, and machines. He brings these worlds to life through what he calls “Visual Toys,” an invitation into a fantastical world, inspiring the viewer to drop rational thought and simply play with their imaginations.
With the assistance of inspiration from one of music history’s most singular and significant artists, Arrés will debut his most complex Visual Toys to date in homage to the great Thelonious Monk.
These two dizzyingly intricate pieces reflect Monk’s rebellious nature, creativity, and breaking of norms and barriers. In both, Arrés captures and mixes the soul of Monk’s music with the cityscapes of Manhattan, the city that nurtured Monk’s groundbreaking visions of jazz.
Moreover, and in a significant fashion, Arrés reinvents the cover of Monk’s famous “Underground” album, maintaining that rebellious visual power.
A work overflowing with details, these artworks should be approached with caution as you may lose yourself with an imaginary brand of cigarettes and a whiskey neat while listening to the “Genius of Modern Music.”
These two masterpieces are an invitation to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of two incredible artists — Javier Arrés and Thelonious Monk — merged to perfection.
Theloniopolis
- Editions: 1/1
- Pricing: No reserve, 24-hour auction
- Infinite Objects framed animated print included
Metro Monk
- Editions: Open
- Pricing: $150
About Javier Arrés
Javier Arrés is a world-renowned motion / GIF artist and a 2019 London Art Biennale winner. Inspired by the sweeping views from his childhood home overlooking his hometown of Motril, Spain, Arrés is known for his manically detailed illustrations of fantastical scenery from cities, architecture, and machines. He further brings these worlds to life through what he calls “Visual Toys.” Through these Visual Toys, Arrés invites the viewer into a fantastical world, inspiring the viewer to simply play with their imaginations.
About Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time. Known for his unique improvisational style, many of his compositions have become jazz standards, including “Well, You Needn’t,” “Blue Monk” and “Round Midnight.” Thelonious Monk has won multiple Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, is one of only five jazz musicians to have been featured on the cover of Time magazine, and is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington.
