Artist Jack Greer creates stream of consciousness illustrations that, when combined, create a sense of overwhelming, cartoonish anarchy. Now, the NYC experimentalist takes the lawless nature of his work to a new medium: denim jackets, courtesy of Opening Ceremony. Greg Krelenstein sat down with Greer for a chat to find out how his work looks off the wall and on a bunch of models.

GREG KRELENSTEIN So the first time I really met you was in my kitchen and you were painting this colorful mural on my counter.
JACK GREER I remember that well. My friend came over with a Colt 45 40oz—or wait, that was actually the first time—painting downstairs in Geordon’s room. The upstairs was a year later or so.

GK That’s right. Geordon’s bedroom mural was darker, skulls, and religious themes.
JG And Siouxsie eyes!

GK Yes! It was incredible. So clearly you’re versatile as an artist, what inspired this jacket collaboration with OC?
JG I made a jean jacket for myself with a bunch of studs, patches, and a portrait of my dog on the back of it and figured I would try making a jacket, not for myself, and see what sort of punk imagery I could come up with. I figured I could go further and much wilder if it wasn’t necessarily me wearing it in the end. I showed Olivia at OC and it quickly turned into “let’s make several.”

GK Were the patches from your collection accumulated over the years or something you had to source?
JG I made all the patches within the past few months. Each patch was made specific to the placement on each jacket. I didn’t want the jackets to feel as though they were in production. The idea was that this jacket could have been made by whoever ends up wearing it, little bits and pieces of information spliced together the same way a punk kid in high school might make their clothes.

GK That’s exactly why I loved them so much.
JG I didn’t source anything. The process is either a sharpie drawing scanned in, retraced on illustrator, and then either embroidered or cad-cut on a heat press flocking application, OR, a silkscreen-like application of photographic/hand drawn imagery.

GK My jean jacket growing up had band patches like Guns ‘N’ Roses all over it and it was my favorite jacket that I wish I still had.
JG That’s the idea: a grown up punk. Instead of saying “The Specials” it says “too much fighting on the dance floor.” Things come from lyrics and themes in punk songs but aren’t as blatant as “The Clash” or “Black Flag.” It’s my attempt at making a slightly more illustrative punk jacket that doesn’t rely on advertising bands. It becomes a visual piece that’s hopefully successful for the viewer.

GK Were there any bands in particular you were listening to a lot when you were in the process?
JG All the same stuff as when I was 15 years old, for better or worse, it’s what I find the strongest to pull from: The Germs, The Clash, The Specials, The Wipers, DEVO, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Stiff Little Fingers, The Ramones, The Minutemen, Billy Bragg, Bad Brains, etc.

GK As much as I love the current pop landscape of ladies, I have found myself recently going crazy on iTunes buying music from the bands I listened to in high school, I really think it’s hard to escape those formative songs you grew up with.
JG Things of the moment usually don’t last but the bands I was introduced to while watching skate videos as a little kid and subsequently running around Los Angeles with my friends have held their weight for many years and I don’t think I’ll ever be embarrassed to admit I love them. I mean my mom brought me my first Stiff Little Fingers and Minor Threat albums. You can’t go wrong with that!

GK Growing up in LA, did you always want to come to NY? How do you think this city has impacted your art?
JG I started thinking about NYC when I was getting ready to finish up high school. I came here in ’05 and I love it enough to still be here. I think experience influences art. Therefore, my work is a response to the past six years I’ve spent here in New York and the work before that was a response to the experiences I had growing up in Los Angeles. I don’t think one is stronger than the other, however, I do think my work is a direct reaction to my environment and my feelings towards people and place.

GK Are the jackets going to be sold in every OC location?
JG No, I don’t have enough jackets for that! I only made six! they will be in New York. Maybe one day if I ever have the time and my world isn’t still doesn’t rely on clocking in and out, I will make many more jackets for more locations. For now I can only pump out a few a month if I’m working’ diligently.

GK I truly feel the best work is organic, which sounds like a fair word to describe how these jackets evolved. What’s been the most satisfying process of working in this medium?
JG Seeing a pretty girl put one on and me realize that maybe they actually are wearable. At first I thought, nobody is punk, nobody will wear this shit, this is too crazy, the colors are wild, this is some music video shit. But then, when the photo shoot happened, it all came together and I realize that they might actually be worn by someone else than myself, maybe.

GK I just watched Gaga’s acceptance speech at the CFDA Awards and she was afraid of what designers would think, as she’s constantly deconstructing the clothes she’s sent, but Miucca Prada loves it because she said they look “alive.” In the same spirit of punk rock, would you want the girls and boys who wear your jackets to make them their own?
JG Once it leaves my hands I couldn’t care less what people do to it. Whether they hang it as a sculpture or burn it to the ground – I have learned to have a certain release from my things once I complete them but I’d much prefer someone to wear it until it falls apart and smells of all things terrible. No expectations, but I like the idea of people living rather than keeping things precious. I like to get fancy things and run them into the ground—the purpose is to enjoy something.

GK I was wondering whether you left some room for people to add their own patches
JG By all means I support it. It isn’t necessary, but I love the idea of people making something their own. That’s why I made these in the first place. I’ve always made things my own.

Photography Mike Piscitelli

www.openingceremony.us
www.digitalashtray.com

KEYWORDS: Greg Krelenstein, Jack Greer, Mike Piscitelli, Opening Ceremony