JUXTAPOZ ISSUE 181 / FEBRUARY 2016

Issue 181 rolls in with a “back to the good stuff” vibe—leaning hard into painting, character-driven imagery, and Juxtapoz’s East Coast roots. It opens in Brooklyn with Matt Leines in Studio Time, where his patterned, mythic figures and sharp, mask-like faces set a bold visual tone. The Report digs into Erik Parker’s Undertow—psychedelic colours, stacked compositions, and political angst woven into swirling, brain-melting shapes.

The Picture Book feature on Lucas Foglia brings a photographic counterbalance—open landscapes, communities off the grid, and quiet documentary storytelling—before the magazine jumps into design with Allister Lee, the black-marker obsessive whose crisp monochrome illustration style has become cult material. The fashion section highlights Freda Salvador, blending handmade footwear with sculptural minimalism. Perspective shifts gears into “Building the New View,” a piece on how artists reshape cities both physically and culturally.

Influences hands centre stage to Mark Ryden, focusing on his ventures into bronze sculpture—his signature pop-surrealism reimagined as heavy, ornamental relics. The artist features run big this month:
• Austin Lee with bright, digital-meets-painterly characters and soft, neon emotionality.
• Stephen “ESPO” Powers, a full spread of sign-painting poetry, love letters, and urban confessionals.
• Ermsy, the remixologist—cartoon mutations, graffiti energy, and pop-culture mashups.
• Run the Jewels, a cultural profile digging into their visual identity and political punch.
• Julian Wasser, the legendary photographer behind some of America’s most iconic art-world images.
• Matt Leines returns for a full feature, diving deeper into his tribal-graphic universe.
• Jesse Draxler, bringing noir collage, sharp contrasts, and post-punk atmosphere.

The back end of the issue rounds out the world: Travel Insider checks out small businesses across the USA; In Session spotlights the School of Visual Arts; book reviews follow; and a profile on David Ireland’s iconic 500 Capp Street house digs into conceptual history and preservation. Product picks, Sieben’s “Sharing Is Caring,” and a final profile on ICY SIGNS (ESPO’s sign shop and community hub) bring it home.

A lively, painter-heavy, personality-rich issue—classic winter Juxtapoz, full of colour, grit, and character.