The Pop Corporation

Where would we be without subversive, playful pop-art? The LPs and gig posters of the world would be drab without those with a flair for visual art. And one of the best to do it, Frank Kozik, has sadly left us.

So it’s only right to celebrate his work in the hope that someone else reads about it and picks the torch up.

The illustrator (and more) was 61 years old and the news was confirmed by his family on social media. Let’s look at some of his work. Whether you know it or not, this shit is awesome.

Kozik cut his teeth in the ’80s working from Austin, TX, looking at the punk community as likeminded and he ended up making tour posters for some legends of the scene. He worked with The Melvins, Offspring, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth and so many more. You will have seen his work on some huge LPs too.

Big, bold block colours and a clear love of pop art, Kozik always managed to twist it a little out of shape, with huge bugs, two-headed dogs, firearms and poking American whitebread culture with a stick whenever he got the chance.

Kozik would attract advertisers wanting his work, and he’d get gallery shows, but what we’re more interested in here is how he started the Man’s Ruin record label, releasing music by Kyuss, High on Fire, Melvins, and more. He was also the creative director of Kidrobot, the limited edition art toy company.

He said of his aesthetic that punk was a primary motivation: “I was part of the trash world – I was a no-education loser person, and was definitely into hedonistic experiences. While I have an appreciation of fine art and I understand it, I was going to punk rock shows, not college nor museums.”

Continuing: “All of the stuff that really turned my crank was that stuff, and it was all stuff that we could kind of reproduce in our own lives; we could get a shitty car and drive around real fast, and we could hang out with fun people and party… and a lot of that stuff is really visually arresting. It’s all power imagery, and it really gets basic impulses across: sex, drugs, violence, weird shit.”

A statement from his wife Sharon, about Kozik’s death, says: “Frank was a man larger than himself, an icon in each genre he worked in. He dramatically changed the industry he was a part of. He was a creative force of nature. We are so beyond lucky and honoured to have been part of his journey, and he will be missed beyond what words could ever express.”

“He loved his wife, his cats, classic muscle cars, mentoring others, and Disneyland. His forceful presence will be missed by all who knew him. His legacy, like all great masters, will live on through his art and our memories of him.”

Go find out more about Frank Kozik’s work, get inspired, and if a self-taught, low brow dude can make some of the most influential posters rock ‘n’ roll has ever seen, there’s no reason why anyone else can’t. That’s the legacy he’d want, we’re absolutely sure of it.

And pet the next cat you see. RIP Frank! x