Tomorrow, Salon 94 presents For the Kids, an exhibition of action-sports lithographs from the archives of John and Tock Costacos. Featuring the likes of late ’80s greats Kenny Easley, Darrell “Dr. Dunkenstein” Griffith, and Patrick Ewing, the images project fantastical, blockbuster imagery upon some of the athletic industry’s heaviest hitters, turning them from great athletes into pop icons of heroic proportions. During the time in which these works were produced (between 1986 and 1990), the Costacos Brothers captivated the imagination of die hard sports fans at a time when athletes were beginning to become pop stars through licensing and ubiquitous media appearances.

“We wanted to make the athletes into comic book heroes,” the artists say. “They’re larger than life. They’re Superman. They’re Batman. They’re Hollywood action stars that kick the shit out of 20 bad guys always living to fight another day.” The images will be shown alongside pieces from Jeff Koons’s first solo exhibition, Equilibrium (1985), which included basketballs floating in display tanks and framed advertising posters appropriating imagery from Nike campaigns. Here are some highlights from the Costacos archive.

For the Kids is on display at Salon 94 Freemans, at 1 Freeman Alley, New York NY 10002

KEYWORDS: art, Costacos Brothers, Freemans, nike, Salon 94, sports