“I am inspired by Andy Warhol, who taught us through his silk-screened images of Campbell Soup cans back in 1962 that objects of our popular culture cab be interpreted as “art” if we open our eyes and minds. Warhol’s work certainly captured Americana and I am attempting to capture today’s global popular culture through iconography... after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.
“In 1996 I authored The International Pictograms Standard, a book about international symbols - from their historical beginnings to current worldwide use in helping to communicate simple as well as complex messages. Pictograms are used everywhere in our contemporary culture: on maps and signs, right in your hand on your iPhone... and even posted next to a restroom door! When viewed out of their intended context (much like Warhol’s Campbell Soup cans), I find that pictograms come alive – conveying much more (or less!) if we simply open our eyes, minds, and more.
“My hope is to bridge language and age barriers through my work, opening a broader understanding of “what is art?””
