Rob Pruitt

Rob Pruitt is a Post-Pop artist who blends pop culture with high art to create social commentary on subjects like consumerism, gender politics, and youth. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1964, he rose to fame in his twenties after attending Corcoran College of Art Design and Parsons School of Design. For decades, Pruitt has created a series of subversive work that have bordered on shock to pure aesthetic beauty in his range of paintings, installations, and sculptures.

In 2000, Pruitt became popular for his series of panda paintings. In the early 2000s, his portfolio continued to expand with a successful series of gradient paintings and The Andy Monument. The 10-foot-tall sculpture of Andy Warhol, which originally appeared in Union Square — once home to the Warhol Factory, now resides in Aventura Mall as part of the Aventura Arts Collection.

“Like so many other artists and performers and people who don’t fit in because they’re gay or otherwise different, Andy moved here to become who he was, to fulfill his dreams and make it big. He still represents that courage and that possibility. That’s why I came to New York, and that’s what my Andy Monument is about,” Pruitt shared with the Public Art Fund.