Jeremy Novy + Adam's Nest Collaborate

Adam's Nest has been following Jeremy Novy on social media for some time. While sheltered at home during the COVID-19 outbreak in Florida, scrolling instagram, we caught his praying hands with soap on a rope and we reached out about a collaboration.  Together, we decided to launch a charity t-shirt with 100% of net proceeds supporting Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund; National Domestic Workers Alliance, and One Fair Wage Emergency Fund.

Jeremy Novy Soap on a rope stenci street art

By chance?! As we are ironing out the details OnMilwaukee announced their Artist of the day: Jeremy Novy

"The coronavirus pandemic has changed our everyday life, but it doesn't need to change who we are. So, in addition to our ongoing coverage of the coronavirus, OnMilwaukee will continue to report on cool, fun, inspiring and strange stories from our city and beyond. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay informed and stay joyful. We're all in this together. #InThisTogetherMKE
Honorary lifelong Milwaukeean Jeremy Novy currently lives in Los Angeles, but continues to contribute greatly to our local public art scene by stenciling hundreds – maybe thousands – of orange-and-white-and-black koi fish around town.
The famous fish refer to anti-authoritarian coded symbols in Chinese art under communism. Much of Novy's art revolves around images of drag queens, physique pictorials and pornography. His mission is, according to his artist page, to "bring to life the multiplicity of modern identity, reminding us that we, each of us, must walk the streets of our cities in collective solidarity."
There is a great video OnMilwaukee shared with Jeremy discussing his Koi around Milwaukee.
jeremy novy stencil art koi

We're sure we'll have more to share about Jeremy, but we grabbed this from his site:

"Jeremy Novy’s unique brand of street art is ripe with thoughtful social examinations. Novy has combated a homophobic lack of representation with a celebration of gay iconography, bringing joviality and warmth to disused urban spaces.

With a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, he curated the first major exhibition of its kind, “A History of Queer Street Art,” premiered in San Francisco in 2011 and later toured to Pop Up Gallery in Los Angeles and Yale University.

Since graduating from Pecks School of the Arts, Novy’s art has been met with acclaim across the country. His work has benefited non-profit foundations, advocacy organizations, and community service programs and has been featured in numerous films, books, publications, and collections public and private.

His stencil work is cogent in its messaging and remarkably complex for its compositional simplicity—like the koi fish of his most-established series which, floating beneath the surface of concrete, refer to anti-authoritarian coded symbols in Chinese art under communism.

His pioneering images of drag queens, physique pictorials, and pornography bring to life the multiplicity of modern identity, reminding us that we, each of us, must walk the streets of our cities in collective solidarity." (Excerpt from Artsy)

jeremy novy charity t-shirt soap on a robe praying hands adam's nest

Thrilled to bring this collaboration to life, supporting these charities helping so many during this pandemic. 

During these challenging times it is important to check in with yourself and others.  Self-care remains important and mental health is as important as physical health.

Wash your hands, wear your mask, social distance, and don't touch your face.

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