Tapping into the talent of illustrators, graffiti artists, and typographers from around the world, ‘47 has reimagined the aesthetic of some of the most recognizable insignias in Major League Baseball. Stemming from the increasing appeal of America’s pastime abroad, the Global Artist Project, curated by the collective Monorex, paired six international artists with MLB teams for a fresh and original take on signature sportswear. The resulting collaborations, featuring names like the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants, showcase the artists’ work via creative graphic updates on ‘47’s headwear, apparel and pennants.
Take a look at the details on the team and artist pairings below and browse the complete collection in the lookbook above. Styles from the collection are available on ‘47’s website and at KICKZ in Berlin following an in-store launch this Friday.
New York Yankees –– McBess (France) French artist McBess (Matthieu Bessudo) takes a wildly unapologetic approach to his work, often inspired by old cartoons, visualized with surrealism and materialized by elaborately fun illustrations and animations. McBess’ talent doesn’t end at the drawing board — he also plays guitar in his band, “The Dead Presidents” and collaborates on a famed German lifestyle brand, “The Dudes.”
Oakland Athletics –– Conzo (United Kingdom) Scottish artist Conzo Throb is an adventurous illustrator with skills rooted in graffiti art, uniquely inspired in his early days by video games and television. His work tells clever stories on giant canvases with humorous discourse and complex character drawings that thoughtfully take on the voice of each project.
San Francisco Giants –– Pez (Spain) José Sabaté (EL PEZ) is a famed graffiti artist from Barcelona, known for his iconic smiling fish logo and the popular “Barcelona Happy Style” — a mindful initiative to create art that gives off good vibes. Pez has established a global reputation and has been featured in exhibitions worldwide since 1999.
Cleveland Indians –– Via Via (Holland) Via Via (Lennard Schuurmans) is a motor-obsessed, multi-disciplined artist from The Netherlands who specializes in painting, illustration, murals, signage and lettering. For his designs, he looks back to go forward with a touch of vintage art. Lennard founded the Barn Fresh Company in 2012.
LA Dodgers –– Low Bros (Germany) The Low Bros is an artist duo: brothers Christoph and Florin Schmidt – formerly active as graffiti writers Qbrk and Nerd. Their work most often centers around stylized animal characters with human features and addresses graffiti, hip hop, skateboarding and other elements that influenced and shaped the artists’ youth in the 1980s and 1990s. The Low Bros are represented by BC Gallery (Berlin) and Thinkspace Gallery (Los Angeles).
Detroit Tigers –– Bless One (Sweden) Swedish artist Bless (Anya Blom) is powerful with many a weapon whether it is a spray can, pencil or clay and her own imaginative mind. Her distinct style gives homage to traditional graffiti while infusing her own brand of organized free-flowing shapes and clear lines. Anya’s fame is growing in the urban art scene, in only a few years as a full-time artist.
