Features

The 1960s may be ever-farther in the rearview mirror, but BFA Cartooning faculty member Gary Panter is happy to keep reflecting on the influences of that time. In fact, Panter almost looks at himself as a kind of archivist and conduit of the creative spirit that has become synonymous with that much-mythologized decade. "My role, at this point, is to be a remnant of the analog [age]," he says in our latest SVA Subway Series video profile. "I'm always trying to use amateur's magic to restart what I liked about the '60s."

Tasked with creating SVA's spring 2020 "Art Is!" subway poster, Panter already knew the version of New York that he wanted to depict. With a sketchbook fully dedicated to SVA poster designs, he went on an artistic journey to create what New York looked like to him—lo-fi yet sci-fi, peopled with all different walks of life. "I wanted it to be positive, kind of candy-like, and have an odd color range," he says. "Everything doesn't match up perfectly, but I'm not after that. I want something warm and human."

Panter grew up with an artist for a father and began drawing at a young age, but believes that everyone has inherent creative talent, regardless of nature or nurture. "People really can draw. They just have been discouraged. We get invaded by media and so we have to find out who we are, [and] making art of any sort helps us remember who we were. And that's what I'm always trying to do—remember who we are."

Panter's work has appeared in such publications as The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Time, The New York Times and Esquire, and he has received three Emmy awards for his production design on the 1980s TV series Pee Wee's Playhouse. For more information, visit garypanter.com.

Check out our new video feature with Gary Panter discussing his "Art Is!" poster above.