The words ’affordable art’ can sometimes induce a roll of the eyes, but The Posters – a Los Angeles-based company producing offset lithograph prints featuring specially commissioned artworks – is the real deal. Co-founded by model/photographer Athena Currey and Adrian Rosenfeld, who was previously a director at New York’s Matthew Marks Gallery, The Posters debuted at Art Basel Miami with four images last December, and has steadily added to its offering ever since. Its collection now includes works by Nate Lowman, Wyatt Kahn, Owen Schmit, Sara VanDerBeek and Tom of Finland. Each poster is modestly priced at $55, with 10 per cent of its proceeds benefiting arts education partners, such as Inner-City Arts – an initiative located in Skid Row, downtown Los Angeles.
’It’s kind of like an ecosystem,’ says Currey, ’You have these great artists that are on museum walls and in galleries. We have them create offset lithographs and make them super affordable so people can then buy them and have them in their homes. That funds art education and it starts everything all over again, because these are the kids who are going to be making art and designing fashion.’
She continues, ’I’m a fan of art and I want to own this stuff, but if we can give back, that’s the real goal.’
The duo’s art credentials have made the success of the altruistic initiative possible. Approaching and selecting artists for the project has been a largely organic process; those involved are either friends or held in high esteem by the two founders. Although primarily an online operation – give or take a pop-up shop or two – The Posters celebrates its first brick and mortar presence at Opening Ceremony’s Ace Hotel store in New York City this week. Not only will visitors be able to purchase posters that aren’t available on the website any longer (such as Nate Lowman’s Heart Flower), they’ll also be able to savour the quality of the offset lithographs – printed on 80 pound McCoy silk cover paper – up close.
