Steve Kaufman Mixed Media Painting of Canter's Deli Jewish History Mural

Mixed Media Paintings Art Paintings and Drawings

Item Details

Daniel “Ringo” Funes (American, 21st century)
Untitled (Canter’s Deli mural)
Acrylic painting and serigraph on unstretched canvas
Initialed on verso

Steve Alan Kaufman was born in the Bronx in 1960. Growing up in an artistic family, Kaufman was introduced to various art mediums such as oil painting by his mother and sculpture by his uncle. It only made sense that he would grow into a prolific, multidisciplinary artist.

Kaufman had his first solo show at the age of 8, sponsored by a local Synagogue. The works were later donated to the Jewish Holocaust Memorial in Brooklyn. He attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, and immersed himself into the Studio 54 culture. At SVA, Kaufman befriended fellow student Keith Haring. In 1981, Kaufman was hired by Andy Warhol to work at The Factory studio. There he was introduced to oil screenprinting, a technique he would continue to favor throughout his career. At the Factory, Kaufman took on the artistic name SAK, which was given to him by Warhol. Growing into his own, Kaufman took part in various AIDS demonstrations, during which he was arrested. Upon his release, Kaufman used exhibitions to bring awareness to the AIDS epidemic. With Warhol’s support, he left the studio to focus on his personal work. By 1989, Kaufman had opened the SAK studio and hired displaced New Yorkers. His career truly took off in the early 1990s, when he was hired to create the graphics for Saturday Night Live. Kaufman continued using his art to engage with socio-political issues, such as inner-city race relations. He created a series of 55 murals called “Racial Harmony” and appeared on Fox TV, MTV and local radio stations to promote his messages. In 1993, Kaufman moved his studio to Los Angeles. There he continued his tradition of aiding disenfranchised communities, and hired homeless workers and ex-gang members to work in his studio. In LA, Kaufman developed the style of “comic book pop art,” and worked with DC and Marvel Comics. Beginning in 2004, Kaufman suffered from multiple strokes, each time recovering to complete work for exhibitions. In early 2010, Kaufman was in Vail, Colorado working on his latest exhibition when he died of a heart attack. His name continues to lead a sought-after portfolio. His work has been exhibited in institutions across the world alongside his modern and pop art affiliates, including the Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art, Slovakia; Loft Gallery, Tokyo; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; White Gallery, London; and Palazzo Costanzi, Trieste.