Jake Wallace
Jake is a native New Yorker, artist, designer, photographer and dad. He sees beauty where many others see decay and has been photographing street textures, signage and urban architecture for over 20 years. He combines his passion for design, typography, graffiti, photography and silkscreen printing to create unique mixed media works inspired by the urban and industrial landscapes of his hometown, New York City and the history behind them.
In the early 1900’s, Jake’s family emigrated from Europe and settled on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. His grandfather ran a fruit stand in East New York for many years before becoming a stockbroker and his father was born in Williamsburg Hospital in 1946. Jake was born and raised in Bayside, Queens, went to high school in Long Island, and studied graphic design at F.I.T. in Manhattan but Brooklyn was always a part of Jake’s family history. After graduating from college in 1997 he moved to Brooklyn and since then has been documenting the disappearing industrial landscape of NYC in his work.
“The buildings tell stories, they hold the memories of the past that people have long forgotten. These stories are told through great brick facades, the foundations, the cracks, the peeling paint and the messages printed and painted on their walls. Many of these great structures were there when my great grandfather first came to this city over 100 years ago. His eyes gazed upon on the same beautiful architecture that we see today. But unfortunately a lot of that history is disappearing forever.”
Jake graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design from F.I.T. in 1997. For the past 18 years he has worked as a creative director for a wide variety of clients from Fortune 500 companies to fast-growing start-ups, as well as some of NYC’s top digital agencies. In 2012 he co-founded Rebellion Design Company, a digital design and development studio based in Soho.
Installations & Commissions
Starbucks, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Starbucks, 11 Penn Plaza, Manhattan
Striano private collection
Ciletti private collection
Konefal private collection
Zizila private collection
Crossan private collection
San Francisco themed painting for private residence
Shows
Urban Landscapes, Gold Coast Arts Center | Summer 2019
Moniker Art Fair | May 2019
Off the Wall, Gold Coast Arts Center | Summer 2016
Fiercely Curious Anniversary | March 2015
Fiercely Curious Pop-up | April 2014
Solo Exhibition at LIC Market | Winter 2014
