• Intelligencer
  • The Cut
  • Vulture
  • The Strategist
  • Curbed
  • Grub Street
  • Subscribe to the Magazine Give a Gift Subscription Buy Back Issues Current Issue Contents
    Subscribe to New York Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Profile
    Sign Out
The Cut
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
Style
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Parties & Red Carpet
  • Fashion Shows
  • Cathy Horyn
  • The Cut Shop
Self
  • Health & Wellness
  • The State of the Uterus
  • Parenting
  • Advice
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Horoscopes
Culture
  • Books
  • Television
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Celebrity
Power
  • Politics
  • Work
  • Money
  • Rebecca Traister
More
  • Latest Stories
  • Video
  • About Us
  • nymag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
  • Curbed
experiential art
June 3, 2014

Here’s Some Spiritual Pop Art That Pharrell Enjoys

By Erica Schwiegershausen

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYouRizzoli New York2014 available at PK SHOP

In 2002, Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III founded the L.A.-based art collective FriendsWithYou with the “sole purpose of spreading the positive message of magic, luck, and friendship.” Starting with a series of plush sculptures — a collection of whimsy anthropomorphic “Friends,” like Albino Squid and Shoebaca (a telekinetically skilled creature who comes with two detachable kidneys) — FriendsWithYou has evolved to focus on experiential art, including interactive installations and live performances. The collective’s more recent repertoire includes everything from setting up an “interactive rainbow shrine” in Hong Kong to a mushroom bounce house in Rainbow City to psychic stones (resin-cast power amulets imbued with “customized spells” for self-empowerment and healing benefits).

FriendsWithYou also counts celebrity turned curator of the moment Pharrell among its biggest fans. “They’re people who utilize their gut instincts and imagination and turn it into reality,” Pharrell reflects enthusiastically in an interview with Maxwell Williams that appears in We Are FriendsWithYou — a new monograph that charts the collective’s 12-year evolution. “I admire the fact that they really live their art,” he continues. “These guys are more than just paintings and sculptures, they are two really large proponents for experience, which is the ultimate wealth as a human being on this planet.” Click through the slideshow for a look at some colorful, goofy, cloud-and-rainbow-heavy art that Pharrell enjoys.

The New York launch for We Are FriendsWithYou will take place at PK Shop on June 5 from 6–8 p.m.

Related

TheCut – Fashion, Beauty, Politics, Sex and Celebrity
View
1 / 14 Photos
"Mushroom Bounce House," Rainbow City, 2010  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou; Rizzoli New York; 2014 available at PK SHO... "Mushroom Bounce House," Rainbow City, 2010  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou; Rizzoli New York; 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Skywalkers," Art Basel, 2006  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou; Rizzoli New York; 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Cloudy," Animated Short Film, 2012  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Cloud City," Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, 2006  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 avai... "Cloud City," Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, 2006  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"The Boy," 2010  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Mafi Head," Vinyl Inflatable, Art Basel, 2006  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK ... "Mafi Head," Vinyl Inflatable, Art Basel, 2006  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Little Cloud," Silkscreen Print, 2010  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Psychic Stones," 2013  Photo: Arturo Sandoval/We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Happy Rainbow," TMT Plaza, Hong Kong, 2012  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou; Rizzoli New York; 2014 available at PK SHO... "Happy Rainbow," TMT Plaza, Hong Kong, 2012  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou; Rizzoli New York; 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Starburst," Unique Inflatable Structure, 2010  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou; Rizzoli New York; 2014 available at PK ... "Starburst," Unique Inflatable Structure, 2010  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou; Rizzoli New York; 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Into the Clouds," Light Installation, 2013  Photo: Little Cloud by FriendsWithYou in collaboration with PK SHOP and Case Studyo
"All The Wishes," 2012  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"Buddy Chubb," 2007  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
"In the Beginning," Colette Paris, 2011  Photo: We Are FriendsWithYou by FriendsWithYou, Rizzoli New York, 2014 available at PK SHOP
1 / 14

Tags:

  • friendswithyou
  • pharrell
  • curation
  • pop art
  • rainbows
  • clouds
  • slideshow
  • experiential art
  • More

More Galleries

Jan. 10, 2023
All the Looks From the 2023 Golden Globes  Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jenna Ortega, Jessica Chastain, Julia Garner, Jeremy Allen White, Angela Bassett, and more. 
parties! Sept. 23, 2022
Katie Holmes, Chloë Sevigny, and More of the Bestest Party Pics This Week  Chanel, Mejuri, and more celebrate. 
parties! Sept. 16, 2022
Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, and More of the Bestest Party Pics This Week  Fendi, Frame, and Coach all celebrated NYFW. 
emmys 2022 Sept. 12, 2022
Emmys 2022: All the Red Carpet Looks  Updating: What Hollywood is wearing to the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards. 
By Olivia Luppino
nyfw spring 2023 Sept. 9, 2022
Gigi Hadid, Chlöe Bailey, and More of the Bestest Party Pics of the Week  Saks Fifth Avenue, Longchamp, and more celebrate the beginning of NYFW. 
rip Sept. 9, 2022
The Queen Sure Did Love to Color-Coordinate  Monochrome for decades. 
red carpet Sept. 6, 2022
The Venice Film Festival Is a Major Fashion Event  Valentino and Gucci and Armani, oh my. 
red carpet June 5, 2022
All the Best Looks at the 2022 MTV Movie and TV Awards  Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Hudgens, Jay Ellis, and more! 
parties! May 20, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Harry Styles > everyone! 
parties! May 13, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Bury me in Dove Cameron’s Saint Sintra skirt. 
parties! May 6, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Cue the Met Gala after-party FOMO. 
met gala 2022 May 2, 2022
Met Gala 2022: All the Looks [Photos]  Billie Eilish, Kim Kardashian, Michelle Yeoh, Hailey Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Blake Lively, and more. 
parties! Apr. 29, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  This one goes to Olivia Rodrigo and her sweater vest. 
parties! Apr. 22, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  “Fuck those Zoom tops.” 
celebrity style Apr. 18, 2022
The Best Looks From Coachella 2022  From Harry Styles’s sparkling Gucci set to Megan Thee Stallion’s metallic bodysuit. 
style Apr. 13, 2022
A Look Inside the New Museum’s Spring Gala  Featuring all the best looks. 
grammys 2022 Apr. 3, 2022
Grammy Awards 2022 Red Carpet: All the Looks  Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Lenny Kravitz, Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, and more. 
oscars 2022 Mar. 28, 2022
How Were The Oscars After Party Looks Better Than The Actual Award Looks?  Finally, some fun. 
oscars 2022 Mar. 27, 2022
All the Looks From the 2022 Oscars Red Carpet  Zendaya, Regina Hall, Timothée Chalamet, Andrew Garfield, Kristen Stewart, Ariana DeBose, and more. 
style Mar. 22, 2022
Bridgerton Season 2 Premiere: All the Red-Carpet Looks 
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
  • About The Cut
  • About New York Magazine
  • Newsletters
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • We’re Hiring
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Ad Choices
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility
The Cut is a Vox Media Network. © 2023 Vox Media, LLC. All rights reserved.