Anthony Cozzi Debuts With Skeletal Marilyn

1xRun Thru Interview
Norma by Anthony Cozzi

1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this piece, is the original still for sale?
Anthony Cozzi:  There is no original for this piece, it was created specifically for a print.  I started the piece in late 2012 and finished in early 2013.   It’s fucking Marilyn Monroe!

1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?    
Anthony Cozzi:  I have always loved pop art. So, I created my own take on the genre. I thought it would interesting to use an icon like Marilyn Monroe, but strip away some of her facade to reveal her skeleton. Hence the name Norma, which is Marilyn’s real name.

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1xRun: How long did the piece take?    
Anthony Cozzi:   On and off over a 3 month period.

1xRun: What is unique about this piece?     
Anthony Cozzi: It features Marilyn Monroe and her lovely skeleton. Also includes excerpts from the FBI surveillance file on Mrs. Monroe.

1xRun: Describe this image in one gut reaction word.     
Anthony Cozzi:  Iconic.cozziboth

1xRun: When did you first start making art?  What was your first piece?   
Anthony Cozzi:  I started in 2003. My first piece was a giclee print called Celestial Phenomena.

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1xRun: What artists inspired you early on? What artists inspire you now?  
Anthony Cozzi:    Designers Republic, Your Work For Them, Universal Everything, Evan Hecox, Shepherd Fairey, Jim Phillips, Jeff Kendall, Vernon Johnson, and Lucas Musgrave.  Now it’s Andy Warhol, Faile, Basquiat, Takashi Murakami, Ai Weiwei, David Carson, Jasper Johns, Ron English, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Wayne White, Barry McGee, BASK and D*Face.

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1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what? If not then what is your environment like when you work?
Anthony Cozzi:  Oh yes! Without music I feel like I couldn’t create art. Here’s a short playlist of what I have been listening to lately:  1. Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid 2. My Bloody Valentine – New You 3. Tame Impala – Elephant 4. Ty Segall Band – Goodbye Bread 5. Jeffrey Wentworth Stevens – Walk on to Tucson   

1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why? Any deceased artist?
Anthony Cozzi:  Undoubtedly, Ai Weiwei. In my opinion he is the greatest artist living today. For the latter it would be Andy Warhol or Keith Haring. I’d like to say Andy, but I think Keith would be a little more friendly and easier to work with.   

1xRun: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last?   
Anthony Cozzi:    I consider my first piece of art a TransWorld SKATEboarding magazine from around ’86-’87. Of coarse, I don’t have it anymore, wish I did. At that time David Carson was the Art Director and it also contained contributions from Lance Mountain, Spike Jonze, Mark Gonzales and I believe Barry McGee. As a kid nothing was more inspirational. I didn’t recognize it as art back then, but I do now.   The last was a gift from my wife, she gave me 4 porcelain sunflower seeds that were made for Ai Weiwei’s exhibition in the Tate Modern. No, they weren’t stolen, they were extras that came from his studio.

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1xRun: What else do you have coming up this year?
Anthony Cozzi:   I will be releasing a lot more screen prints, my next 4 pieces are near completion. Also a couple of t-shirts designs. I also recently completed a snowboard design for Sims Snowboards. This North America made board is called the X-wedge and is Sims’ top of line model. It will be available next winter season (2013/2014).

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1xRun: Where else can people find you? 
Anthony Cozzi:  – Website

-1xRUN