Atlanta illustrator and designer Killamari! is bringing his signature world of wacky characters and vibrant layered compositions to the Atlanta Beltline Fest this weekend as part of ABV Gallery’s Kickstart series, a live-painting activation featuring eight artists across eight locations, now through July 11.
Killamari! grew up the son of Asian refugees in a community where every wall, shelf and storefront told a story. Carrying that visual density into his artwork took him from street artist status to collaborations with Nike, Marvel Entertainment, and Coca-Cola, and shows at Kai Lin Gallery and Cat Eye Creative, among others.
We caught up with the artist on his influences, his process, and the one art supply store in town that has a hold on him.
You grew up shaped by immigrant culture. How does that find its way into your work?
I just love chaotic things. I love crowded imagery and random knickknack-filled spaces. My parents are refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia, and we lived in a heavily immigrant and refugee-populated community. I think when you grow up in spaces like that, there’s a density you experience … Everyone is packed tightly, and all nooks and crannies go to use. So shops and restaurants from all walks of life are just stacked on top of each other. On one block, I could grab a banh mi, score a bootleg DVD and a Godzilla toy, and stop at the corner to watch the older kids throw a piece up on the side of the building.
You’re about to paint a giant 3D soccer sculpture in public. How do you prepare for that?
I like to keep things loose. If I think about it too hard or try to plan too much, it takes all the fun out of it for me. So I very much like to wing it. Sometimes I have a rough sketch, but other times I usually don’t know what I’m doing, throw paint in my bag, and just see where it goes.
…. even though I draw weird characters, so many of them are inspired by or based on people that are in my real life. I think that adds to the life and energy of my characters, but also grounds them in reality.”
illustrator and designer Killamari!
Atlanta’s mural scene is also one of your communities. Is there a spot in the city that’s shaped how you think about public art?
My favorite spot is up and down Wylie Street in Cabbagetown, when we paint Forward Warrior. When I started painting there, it was the first time I had painted a spot that had 50-plus adjacent murals going on at the same time, with the street opened up for people to just walk, hang and chill. It’s also a time where I catch up with people I haven’t seen in a while, so it kind of feels like the annual family barbecue. I love it. But yeah, that’s how public art should be experienced — open to all, and make it a block party. Shout out to Peter Ferrari for inviting me to that party.
What do soccer and your art actually have in common?
I love illustrating characters and packing them into crowded or even cramped compositions. I like layers, I like finding hidden things in the painting, and I also try to make sure there is a sense of movement. All that makes a high-energy image — and I think that kind of mirrors the energy of a soccer match.
You’ve worked with clients from Nike to Marvel to Coca-Cola. How do you keep your own voice intact inside someone else’s vision?
I think that because I draw weird characters and use bright colors, if someone [comes] to me for art, that’s the vibe they are looking for. Also, even though I draw weird characters, so many of them are inspired by or based on people that are in my real life. I think that adds to the life and energy of my characters, but also grounds them in reality and makes them work in any situation.
Read More:
• As Seen in ATL: Forward Warrior 2022
• Celebrate the FIFA World Cup™ at Atlanta Beltline Fest
Who or what is inspiring your creative practice right now?
I’ve been going down a rabbit hole of zine artists and tabletop RPG game makers. I like the lowbrow, DIY nature of that scene … making art because you just want to make art. I always try to maintain that energy, and I like to follow people who do the same. A couple of artists from that scene I’m into right now are Odd Artworks and JP Coovert.
Best art supply store in Atlanta?
Sam Flax. Every time I go in there I’m in there longer than I need to be and walk out with stuff I did not come in for.
Atlanta Beltline Fest runs June 20–21at Pittsburgh Yards. Killamari! paints live 12–6 p.m. each day.
