Paul Kostabi

Paul Kostabi is a celebrated musician, record producer, and visual artist whose work hangs in prestigious institutions including the Guggenheim and the Whitney Museum. Born in Whittier, California, he immersed himself in the late 1970s and early 1980s punk rock scene before relocating to New York City, where he quickly became a fixture in the East Village art scene. He exhibited throughout the city and performed with his band Youth Gone Mad at legendary venues like CBGBs.
Paul developed an experimental approach that sets him apart from his brother Mark Kostabi, who was also emerging as a major New York artist at the time. His artwork seamlessly blends multiple styles, ranging from figurative expressionism to abstraction, with compositions that continually evolve. He describes his creative process as A-R-T: Attack, Release, Threshold—attacking the canvas spiritually until he releases it upon reaching his threshold.
A founding member of influential bands White Zombie and Psychotica, Paul continues to produce and perform worldwide. In 2014, he painted live in Times Square during the CBGB Festival while Devo and Jane’s Addiction performed. He is represented by Park West Gallery and maintains studios in New York and Italy. His art appears in permanent collections at museums including the Guggenheim and the New England Museum of Art, and has been featured in publications like Architectural Digest.