Sculpture “Birds” by James Rizzi, 2 porcelain birds in a set

His friends called him Jimmy, and he looked like the nice boy next door. Despite university studies and academic training in painting, etching, lithography, and sculpture, James Rizzi miraculously managed to keep the positive qualities of childhood alive within him: childlike curiosity, naive joie de vivre, a love of color, and the games of the kids with whom he painted drab walls made his work so endearing and popular. Jimmy was a true child of the melting pot of New York before he became famous for his 3D prints. The painter, graphic artist, and sculptor James Rizzi was born in 1950 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, where he also spent his entire childhood. At the University of Florida in Gainesville, Rizzi initially attended business school. Gradually, however, he turned to art and finally graduated in 1974 with a degree in painting, graphic arts, and sculpture. In the first few years after graduating from college, Rizzi sold his prints and paintings on the streets of New York (near the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum). In 1977, James Rizzi was invited to contribute some of his work to the group exhibition "Thirty Years of American Printmaking" at the Brooklyn Museum, which also featured Andy Warhol, Jim Dine, and Roy Lichtenstein. Since then, he has participated in countless solo and group exhibitions and achieved international success. In addition to everyday items like T-shirts, hats, and ties, James Rizzi has also undertaken numerous projects. Volkswagen commissioned the artist for the relaunch of the Beetle, as did the Brockhaus publishing house for its latest encyclopedia. For the 40th anniversary of the airline Condor, Rizzi adorned a Boeing 757 with an exotic shell ("Rizzi-Bird"), setting the mood for vacationers. Music posters, CD covers, and even the Atlanta Olympic Games have benefited from his cheerful artwork. The first and only "Happy Rizzi House" was built in Braunschweig as part of EXPO 2000. Rizzi's colorful 3D graphics from the world of sports have become sought-after collector's items with high potential for appreciation. For example, the picture "New York Marathon for All" was released in 1997 for US$4,500 and was trading for over US$15,000 after just five years – other pictures achieved even greater increases in value! He was one of those artists whose ambition was nothing less than to create a world of his own with their art. The world's largest exhibition of the New Yorker's work, held in Bremen (until July 4, 2011) on the occasion of his 60th birthday in October 2010, demonstrated just how successful he was. James Rizzi, who for many years was considered the legitimate successor to the New York Pop Art legends Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, lived and worked in the Soho district of New York City until his sudden death in December 2011.