Pairing popular art with popular clothing, the MoMA has teamed up with Japanese fashion giant Uniqlo to reproduce some of the museum's permanent collection images in a limited edition line of apparel and accessories.
The collection, called SPRZ NY (Surprise New York), features 200 pieces from artists including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Jack Pierson, Jackson Pollock, Lawrence Weiner, Ryan McGinness and Sarah Morris. The lineup includes not only T-shirts but socks, tote bags, shorts and bandanas.
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Basquiat UNIQLO shirt.
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Keith Haring UNIQLO shorts.
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The Pollock “splatter” shirts look much like the artist’s shirts probably did after making one of his signature drip and spatter paintings. Pierson’s clever word play is incorporated in designs on unusual sections of T-shirts, such as across the bottom or around the sides. The Haring designs are printed on long baggy shorts, with his radiant babies crawling all over them.
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Pollack UNIQLO shirt.
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Jack Pierson UNIQLO shirt.
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Keith Haring UNIQLO shirt.
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Uniqlo decided to pair up with MoMA due to a simpatico of fostering creative spirit, according to their website. Likening a "blank" t-shirt to a blank canvas as place where art can unfold for the public, both provide a place for art to unfold.
"With the world’s finest collection of modern and contemporary art and a dynamic exhibition program, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is a place for discovery and engagement that fuels creativity and inspires art enthusiasts of all ages and experiences," states Uniqlo about the new line. "With this special edition, Uniqlo celebrates its sponsorship of MoMA and affirms its commitment to making art and innovation accessible to people around the world.”
In their different fields of expertise, UNIQLO and MoMA both share a passion for quality and innovation. It is a happy coincidence that UNIQLO and the Museum are near one another - UNIQLO at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street, and MoMA on 53rd Street. As a neighbor in Midtown Manhattan, UNIQLO shares the Museum’s values and deep respect for art.
Uniqlo’s partnership with MoMA extends beyond the new product line: In May 2013, the company became a multi-year corporate sponsor of the museum. The firm sponsors the Friday night free admission program—now called Uniqlo Free Friday Nights—which provides free access to the museum and all exhibitions from 4 to 8 p.m. every Friday.
Starting in 2004, Uniqlo licensed images from the Warhol estate and made the firm’s first artist shirts. The process continued with images from Barbara Kruger and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as photographers Daido Moriyama, Elliott Erwitt, and Juergen Teller. Focusing on Japan, the company made T-shirts highlighting architects Tadao Ando and Kengo Kuma, manga artists, illustrators, and film directors.
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Warhol UNIQLO shirt.
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Warhol UNIQLO shirt.
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The entire collection is available at Uniqlo stores worldwide and on a special SPRZ micro-site at www.sprzny.uniqlo.com. Prices range from $5.90 to $49.90.
BASIC FACTS: UNIQLO is located at 666 5th Avenue at 53rd Street, New York, NY 10103.
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