Danny Cole is an American painter and interdisciplinary artist based in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

Early life

Originally from New Jersey, Cole has been creating art since he was young. He filled journals with drawings before moving to painting. Cole moved to New York to pursue his career as an artist soon after graduating high school.

Career

Shortly before his high school graduation in 2018, Cole's debut solo show, "Danny Cole's Departure" was held in partnership with Stephan Alexander's Ghost Gallery in the

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Traditionally ...

. That same year, Cole went to

Coachella Coachella may refer to: * Coachella, California * Coachella Canal, in California * Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California * "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind "Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind" is a song by Ame ...

with

Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man is an American rock band from Wasilla, Alaska, currently based in Portland, Oregon. The group consists of John Baldwin Gourley, Zach Carothers, Kyle O'Quin, Jason Sechrist, Eric Howk and Zoe Manville. Gourley and Carothers met a ...

, exhibiting his artwork as the band's live visuals on the festival’s main stage. Also in 2018, Cole directed the animated music video for

Cherry Glazerr Cherry Glazerr is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 2013. The current lineup consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Clementine Creevy, bassist Sami Perez and drummer Tabor Allen. The band's sound has transitioned from lo-fi and ...

's song "Daddi." In 2019, Cole,

Matt Shultz Matthew Ray Shultz (born October 23, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician best known as the lead singer and occasional guitarist for the American rock band Cage the Elephant. Early life Matthew Ray Shultz was born on 23 Octo ...

Cage The Elephant Cage the Elephant is an American rock band formed in 2006 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They moved to England, U.K. and settled in London in 2008, shortly before their self-titled first album was released. The band currently consists of Matt Sh ...

, and

Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his experimental and lo-fi style, and became known for creating musical colla ...

held an art & music show in

Greenpoint, Brooklyn Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, in the U.S. state of New York. It is bordered on the southwest by Williamsburg at Bushwick Inlet Park and McCarren Park; on the southeast by the Brooklyn ...

. In 2020, Cole was arrested for his “HollyCow” art installation, erected atop the

Hollywood Sign The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is situated on Mount Lee, in the Beachwood Canyon area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Spellin ...

in Los Angeles, California. In 2021, Cole was selected to participate in a revival of the

Cow Parade CowParade is an international public art exhibit that has featured in major world cities. Fiberglass sculptures of cows are decorated by local artists, and distributed over the city centre, in public places such as train stations, important avenu ...

, sponsored by God’s Love We Deliver.

Creature World

Cole is known for his trademark “Creatures”: doodled, simple, round-faced humanoids that represent “a universal human spirit that transcends age, gender, and nationality”. The “Creature” figures are the centerpiece of the “Creature World”, a multi-disciplinary narrative construct, functioning as a unified art experience through which Cole connects with his audience, encouraging them to explore their own introspective worlds. “Creature World” art activations often boast an intersection of different artistic and interactive mediums - including painting, music, performance, dance, poetry, audience interaction, and cuisine.

Reception

Cole has been acclaimed for his unique aesthetic sensibilities. Grant Rindner of

Nylon Magazine ''Nylon'' is an American multimedia brand, publishing company, and lifestyle magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel. Originally a print publication, i ...

said “Cole's colorful characters are reminiscent of

Keith Haring Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual language". Much of his wor ...

's signature creations, but where movement was central to the pop art icon's work, Cole translates his own thoughts and struggles into static snapshots of personal, private moments.” Cole has also been noted for his cross-disciplinary and his community-oriented approach to art presentation and engagement. “His work centers around human connection, self-discovery, and communal understanding,” said Alisa Caira of

WBRU WBRU is an internet radio station based in Providence, Rhode Island. The station is owned and operated by Brown Broadcasting Service, an independent Nonprofit organization, non-profit organization, and is primarily staffed by students from Brown U ...

. “It’s personable and alien, abstract and specific, confusing and relatable.”

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Danny 21st-century American painters American graffiti artists Guerilla artists 2000 births Living people