Brian McCarty Plays God

Collectible toys are works of art doomed to a life stuck in packaging, lest they lose their value. That’s where Brian McCarty comes in. His photographs imaginatively flesh out the secret lives of collectible characters and, in the process, serve as a playful look at consumerism. In the final of three Vis-Ed episodes of XLR8R TV, we join him in Malibu on a shoot and talk to him about his colorful world.

Channeling the Cosmos with JK5

In the second of our three-part series focusing on visual artists featured in XLR8R’s Vis-Ed special edition, we talk to Joseph Ari Aloi, better known as JK5. A tattoo artist and obsessive illustrator, Aloi spins everyday iconography—logos, characters, political figures, etc.—into something much less mundane and much more psychedelic.

Damien Correll Is No Square

The first in a three part series focusing on visual artists featured in XLR8R’s Vis-Ed special edition, Correll walks us through his studio and creative process. Unlike a lot of artists currently designing t-shirts and skateboard decks, Correll draws inspiration from children’s book authors and groundbreaking mid-century graphic designers.