Monster Children

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27.06.08 - 16.07.08

An Exhibition of new works by Kevin Lyons presented by Stussy.

When Kevin Lyons was 14 and Will Smith was still cool, Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince created a hip-hop anthem called "Parent's Just Don't Understand". Since that time there has been Larry Clark's "Kids", Ryan McGinley's "The Kids Are Alright", and of course the gallery called Monster Children. Kevin tells us "The fact is, my parents never understood anything about me. Sure they supported me sometimes often unknowingly, and other times begrudgingly, but they continued to never quite get it. In art school they had no idea what I was up to and where it would all lead. The more I went against the grain of my parents, the more it all made sense to the kids whose parents also didn't understand them"

Now Kevin too is a parent, of two girls and the ultimate legitimate irony in life, the ultimate payback will be understanding nothing about them. "And I should not. I realize now that it is the natural cycle of things and it should be expected, perhaps even relished. My daughters will be entertaining and capturing a generation that no where near includes me and that will be fine. Cause doing work that parent's just don't understand works."

A typographer, an Art Director, a designer, a teacher, and a father. In 2001, he was named as one of "The Top Forty Designers Under Thirty" by ID Magazine. His work has been published worldwide from Thrasher to The Face to Lowdown to Anthem and Refill. He has shown his art worldwide including solo shows in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo. He has written articles for the AIGA Journal, as well as addressing the AIGA on two occasions including once as a published recipient of its Fresh Dialogues Series. He has also held teaching assistant positions at both RISD and CalArts (where he graduated and earned his masters respectively), and has been a visiting critic at the Yale Graduate School of Design. He was an Assistant Professor at the Pratt Institute teaching Typography from 2000 - 2002. Lyons has gone on to work for Nike, was the former Art Director of Urban Outfitters on two separate occasions, has been Art Director for filmmaker Spike Jonze's Girl Skateboard Company, was the original US Art Director for TOKION Magazine and maintains long-standing freelance relationships with Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Stussy and Stussy Japan, Beams Japan, HUF, Nieves Books, Stones Throw Records, Commonwealth Stacks.

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Monster Children Gallery is supported by Lee Jeans, Asahi, and Resolution.