Los Angeles based artist Josh Mayhem gained recognition with his Blown Away aesthetic, transforming designer toys and iconic pop art figures into high-end contemporary gallery sculptures that transport the viewer to a refreshing world of wonder and curiosity. He started by simply customizing small scale designer toys but quickly evolved to create unique, one-of-a-kind sculptures with his colorful signature windswept style that portrays the illusion of motion and chaos.
Mayhem’s work has been featured in museums, major art fairs and gallery exhibitions and he has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the designer toy industry. His success can be attributed to his ability to combine popular pop art culture with high-end contemporary art, resulting in unique and captivating sculptures that push the boundaries of style and derivative art.
Derived from his sculptural creations, Josh Mayhem explores another captivating dimension of art through his DRIP canvas series. Utilizing gallery-quality canvases as his drop cloth, Mayhem artfully nods to Jackson Pollock's influence, introducing a method of "organized chaos." The canvases evolve as colorful drips accumulate, coaxing intentional patterns into existence. Enhanced with synthetic resin and extra paint splashes, these artworks come alive, boasting intricate complexity, a mesmerizing interplay of floating layers. In essence, Mayhem's DRIP canvas series stands as a mesmerizing journey through organized, yet chaotic, creativity conveying a delightfully colorful array of abstract pop art.
Curriculum Vitae:
Josh Mayhem - (b. 1979) Los Angeles, U.S.
Gallery Representation -
- June 2024 - Present - San Polo Art Gallery, Venice, Italy
- May 2024 - Present - Zany Studios Gallery in The Four Seasons Hotel, Westlake Village, USA
- Dec. 2023 - Present - Monica Graham Fine Art, Carmel-By-The-Sea, USA
- Dec. 2023 - Present - Aura Fine Art / Soho Fine Art, United Kingdom
- Oct. 2023 - Present - District Gallery, Cleveland, USA
- July 2023 - July 2024 - Gullotti Galleries, Perth, Australia
- May 2023 - Present - Boardz Gallery, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- April 2023 - Present - Jams Gallery, St. Barth
- Feb. 2023 - June 2024 - Belvedere Gallery, Dubai, United Emirates
- Dec. 2022 - Present - Art Space & Design, Calgary, Canada
- Dec. 2022 - May 2024 - Scapegoat Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Nov. 2022 - Sept. 2023 - Carousel Gallery, St.Tropez, France
- Nov. 2022 - Present - Animazing Gallery, Las Vegas, USA
- Oct. 2022 - Present - ZK Gallery, San Francisco, USA
- Sept. 2022 - Present - Art Angels, Los Angeles, USA
- July 2022 - Present - Arte Vivo, Mexico
- June 2020 to June 2022 - Avant Gallery, Miami, Aventura, NYC, USA
- May 2019 to June 2020 - Arushi Arts, Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Bombay, USA / England / India
- July 2018 to June 2020 - Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles, Miami, USA
Solo Exhibitions -
- Dec. 2021 - ART FIGURES, Avant Gallery, Miami
- Jan. 2020 - DRIP, The Crown Collection Gallery, Los Angeles
- Aug. 2019 - Hype Breeze, The Crown Collection Gallery, Denver
- Oct. 2018 - Cuteness in The Wind, PIQ, Grand Central Terminal, NYC
- May. 2018 - Gravitate, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Aug. 2017 - Josh Mayhem Solo Show, Clutter Gallery, Beacon
Museum Exhibitions -
- Oct. 2023 - Arte Vivo 2023, Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City, Mexico
- Sept. 2022 - Arte Vivo 2022, Tamayo Museum, Mexico City, Mexico
- Nov. 2020 - Arte Vivo 2020, Jumex Museum, Mexico City, Mexico
- March 2020 - Present - Sculptureum, Matakana, New Zealand
Group Exhibitions -
- Oct. 2023 - They Came from Planet Rainbow Sparkles VII, Clutter Gallery, Beacon
- Sept. 2023 - Emerging to Established (Part 2), Krause Gallery, NYC
- Dec. 2022 - CONTEXT Art Miami, Art Angels, Miami
- Nov. 2022 - Out of Order, Dcon Art Show, Designer Con, Anaheim
- Oct. 2022 - Dekai DR76 Custom Art Show, Mothership Gallery, New York Comic Con, NYC
- Sept. 2022 - Cold Dark Matters - Richard Taittinger Gallery, NYC
- Dec. 2021 - Art Miami, Avant Gallery, Miami
- Nov. 2021 - Gold Timey, Dcon Art Show, Designer Con, Anaheim
- June 2020 - Re-Imagined. Clutter Gallery, Beacon
- Feb. 2020 - Don't Drink the Kool Aid, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Feb. 2020 - Art Palm Springs, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Palm Springs
- Jan. 2020 - Los Angeles Art Show, Arushi Arts, Los Angeles
- Jan. 2020 - Los Angeles Art Show, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Dec. 2019 - CONTEXT Art Miami, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Miami
- Dec. 2019 - (not another) Art Show, Aced Gallery, Miami
- Dec. 2019 - Doheny Room Exhibition / Delano Hotel, Aced Gallery, Miami
- Dec. 2019 - Boulan Hotel Exhibition, Aced Gallery, Miami
- Nov. 2019 - SOFA Chicago, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Chicago
- Nov. 2019 - Splotch Custom Exhibition, Designer Con, Anaheim
- Oct. 2019 - Texas Contemporary, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Houston
- Oct. 2019 - Mega NYCC Custom Group Show, New York Comic Con, NYC
- Sept. 2019 - The Affordable Art Fair, Bruce Lurie Gallery, NYC
- Sept. 2019 - The Art of Sneakers, snkrINC Pop Up Gallery, Los Angeles
- Aug. 2019 - Anatoy Custom Show, Beijing Toy Show, Beijing
- July 2019 - Art Market Hamptons, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Bridgehampton
- July 2019 - Travelin' Creatures, PIQ Hudson Yards, NYC
- June 2019 - Rattle and Bones, Clutter Gallery, Beacon
- May 2019 - I Can't Believe It's Not Gutter, VS Gallery, Melbourne
- May 2019 - Fractured Bloom, Five Points Festival, NYC
- Apr. 2019 - Code Red - Quiccs Solo Show, Myplasticheart, NYC
- Apr. 2019 - Untitled - Edition 1, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Apr. 2019 - Grand PIQ, PIQ Hudson Yards, NYC
- Mar. 2019 - The Glow Show, Clutter Gallery, Beacon
- Mar. 2019 - SC Braver Exhibition, Vintage & Vinyl Club, Hong Kong
- Feb. 2019 - Art Palm Springs, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Jan. 2019 - Los Angeles Art Show, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Nov. 2018 - Legend of Lunar Beast, Culture Cartel Con, Singapore
- Aug. 2018 - Street Meet!!!, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Aug. 2018 - 1983 ATS: Toy Dream Maker, Enjoy Art Gallery, 798 Art District, Beijing
- July 2018 - Market Art + Design 2018 / Art Market Hamptons, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Bridgehampton
- Apr. 2018 - Aloha! Lolligag Custom Show, PIQ, Grand Central Terminal, NYC
- Feb. 2018 - NBA All Star Cross Over, Majestic Hotel, Los Angeles
- Dec. 2017 - Toy Stories - Star Wars Edition, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Nov. 2017 - Toy Stories, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles
- Sept. 2017 - The Art of Daruma, Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention, Singapore
- Aug. 2017 - Show Me The Munny, Rule Gallery / Leisure Gallery, Denver
- July. 2017 - Warner Bros Entertainment x Funko - Marvin The Martian: Space Clones Custom Show, Funko Pop Up Shop, San Diego Comic Con, San Diego
- Apr. 2017 - TRASHed Coachella: The Art of Recycling, Coachella Festival, Coachella
- Mar. 2017 - Skullhead Samurai Custom Show, FLABSLAB, Singapore
- Oct. 2016 - Artsy Tartsy, Farmers Daughter Hotel, Los Angeles
- Oct. 2016 - Confection Affection, New York Comic Con, NYC
- Oct. 2016 - DTA Dunny Show, New York Comic Con, NYC
- Oct. 2016 - Bitches Be Trippin', New York Comic Con, NYC
- Aug. 2016 - Kaleidoscope of Kyoot, Clutter Gallery, Beacon
- May 2016 - the pARTy, NeueHouse, Hollywood
- Apr. 2016 - Hello Kitty & 99 Friends Show, PIQ, Grand Central Terminal, NYC
- June 2016 - All J Long, Suburban Vinyl, New Jersey
- Jan. 2015 - DTA Dunny Show, Clutter Gallery, Beacon
- Nov. 2014 - Dead As F*ck, DesignerCon, Pasadena
- Aug. 2014 - Monster Kolor Custom Show, PIQ, Grand Central Terminal, NYC
- Aug. 2014 - Toy Box Cleveland, Breakneck Gallery, Lakewood
- July. 2014 - Clutter Custom Show, Clutter Gallery, Beacon
- Dec. 2013 - 20 Rangers for 20 Years, Toy Art Gallery, Hollywood
- Sept. 2013 - TAG Anniversary Show, Toy Art Gallery, Hollywood
- Aug. 2013 - Music To My Ears, Toy Art Gallery, Hollywood
- July 2013 - The Ghost Within Us, San Diego Comic Con, San Diego
- Apr. 2013 - Designing Outside The Lines, 1AM Gallery, San Francisco
- Mar. 2013 - So Bad Ass It's Good, WonderCon, Anaheim
- Mar. 2013 - Spring Forward, Blu Dot, Hollywood
- Feb. 2013 - Art Without Borders, Art Whino, National Harbor
- Dec. 2012 - Hug, Toy Art Gallery, Hollywood
- Nov. 2012 - Dunny Show, Plastic Chapel, Denver
- Aug. 2012 - Memories Are Made of These, Munky King, Hollywood
- June 2012 - Battle of a Lifetime, Pehrspace Gallery, Los Angeles
- Apr. 2012 - Playsam 500, Super 7, San Francisco
- Apr. 2012 - Twisted Mickey, Suntec City Mall, Singapore
- Mar. 2012 - Bellicosity, Toy Art Gallery, Hollywood
- Dec. 2011 - Holiday Bizarr, Crewest Gallery, Los Angeles
Juried Exhibitions -
- Apr. 2017 - TRASHed Coachella: The Art of Recycling Exhibition Preview, Zynderia Studios, Los Angeles
Awards -
- Nov. 2021 - Winner, Custom of the Year, 2020 Designer Toy Awards, NYC
- June 2019 - Winner, Custom of the Year, 2019 Designer Toy Awards, NYC
- Apr. 2017 - Best of Show, TRASHed Coachella: The Art of Recycling Preview Exhibition, Zynderia Studios, Los Angeles
- Sept. 2016 - Breakthrough Artist Nomination, Designer Toy Awards, NYC
- Sept. 2016 - Custom of the Year Nomination, Designer Toy Awards, NYC
Published Articles & Interviews -
- Nov. 2021 - Josh Mayhem: Turning Art Toys Into Contemporary Sculpture, HauteLiving.com - Read Here
- May 2020 - Clean Break Podcast with Matt Gondek - CleanBreakPodcast.com - Listen Here
- June 2018 - Gravitate Featuring Josh Mayhem, CON ART Magazine
- Feb 2018 - Super Player, 24 Page Picture Spread, Designer Books
- Aug. 2017 - Josh Mayhem's Solo Show of Blown Away Works, CoART Magazine
- June 2015 - Mischief & Mayhem, Clutter Magazine
- Nov. 2014 - Josh Mayhem Makes Gunnys & Customizes Munny's, News.EntertainmentEarth.Com
- Apr. 2014 - Josh Mayhem Makes Awesome Custom Toys with Old Gundam Kits, Geek Magazine
Collections -
- Private Collection, J Balvin - Recording Artist, Colombia
- Private Collection, Josh Altman - Million Dollar Listing, Los Angeles
- Private Collection, Matt Altman - Million Dollar Listing, Los Angeles
- Private Collection, Lisa Hochstein - Real Housewives of Miami, Miami
- Private Collection, Greg Anzalone - CEO Sideshow Collectibles, Santa Barbara