Rodney Alan Greenblat

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Wikipedia

Rodney Alan Greenblat
Born (1960-08-23) August 23, 1960 (age 65)
Daly City, California
Education
Known for
Notable workArt and character design for the PaRappa the Rapper franchise
MovementNeo-Surrealist
Websitewhimsyload.com

Rodney Alan Greenblat (born August 23, 1960) is an American artist, graphic designer and children's book author born in Daly City, California.[2] He is a former director of the Center for Advanced Whimsy,[3] is responsible for the character design of several video games, including the PaRappa the Rapper series,[4] and was an active figure in the East Village art scene of the 1980s.[5]

Work

Greenblat's work was shown in East Village museums in the 1980s,[6] including the Gracie Mansion Gallery,[7][8] and was at the time considered part of a neo-surrealist movement.[9] Within the same decade, he did the artwork for New York-based alternative rock band They Might be Giants' first album.[10][11]

He has been recognized for his work on the 1996 and 1999 video games PaRappa the Rapper and Um Jammer Lammy, and for the Thunder Bunny series of books.[12]

In 2017, he opened The Rodney Shop, a retail outlet and gallery in Catskill, New York.[13] The location closed in 2020.[14]

Computer and video games

Solo exhibition history

1982

1983

  • Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York[1]

1984

  • Time of Love. Galerie Anna Friebe, Cologne, Germany[1]

1985

1986

  • House of Progress. Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York
  • The Tricentennial Room. Karl Bornstein Gallery, Los Angeles, California

1987

  • Reality and Imagination; Two Taste Treats in One! Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Reality and Imagination; Two Taste Treats in One! Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Texas
  • The Scenic Route. Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York

1988

1989

  • John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, California

1990

  • Cosmic Adhesive. Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York

1991

  • The Center for Advanced Whimsy. Carpenter Arts Center, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

1992

  • Land Ho! The Mythic World of Rodney A. Greenblat. Museum of Art, Roanoke, Virginia
  • Land Ho! The Mythic World of Rodney A. Greenblat. Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Virginia

1993

  • Technoweenie. PPOW, New York, New York
  • Land Ho! The Mythic World of Rodney A. Greenblat. World Financial Center, New York, New York

1995

  • Rodney Time. Creation Gallery G8, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

1996

  • Rodney's Late Breakfast at Milk. Milk, Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan

1997

  • Rodney Adventure. Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, Connecticut

1998

  • New Studio Rodney. Parco Department Store, Japan[15]

1999

  • Rodney's Art in a Box. Sony Plaza, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan[15]

2000

  • Rodney's Character Club and Post Office Parco Department Store, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan[15]
  • Cafe Rodney. Tokyo, Japan[15]

2001

2005

  • Modern Day. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York[15]

2006

  • Downtown – The New York Art Scene 1974–1984. Grey Art Gallery NYU, New York, New York
  • Universe. Centella Gallery, Tucson, Arizona

2007

  • Elemental. Art Print Japan Galleries, Tokyo, Japan

2008

  • Free Wheel. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York

2010

  • Thunder Bunny Buddha Shrine. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York[16]

2012

  • Karma-con. The Rubin Museum, New York, New York

2013

  • Gala Veinte!. Hudson Opera House, Hudson, New York[17]
  • The Wonder Verified and Fulfilled. BCB Gallery, Hudson, NY

2015

  • Vibrant Space. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Buckley, John (1985). "Rodney Alan Greenblat" (PDF). Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  2. ↑ Greenblat, Musho Rodney Alan. "About Rodney". Whimsyload.com. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  3. ↑ "50 for the future". Newsweek. Vol. 125, no. 9. February 27, 1995. p. 42.
  4. ↑ Zimmerman, Eric (June 1999). "Lamb rock: interview with Rodney A. Greenblat". The International Design Magazine. Vol. 46, no. 4. p. 98. ProQuest 214757949.
  5. ↑ "Rodney Alan Greenblat". Artnet. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Gracie Mansion". People. Vol. 24, no. 26. 1985. p. 112.
  7. ↑ "Multiples & Objects & Books". The Print Collector's Newsletter. 17 (2): 62. 1986. ISSN 0032-8537. JSTOR 24552971.
  8. ↑ Kirwin, Liza; Brown, Robert F.; Pacini, Marina; Karlstrom, Paul J.; Gustafson, Judith A. (1991). "Regional Reports". Archives of American Art Journal. 31 (3): 34–41. doi:10.1086/aaa.31.2.1557718. ISSN 0003-9853. JSTOR 1557611.
  9. ↑ Westfall, Stephen (1985). "Surrealist Modes among Contemporary New York Painters". Art Journal. 45 (4): 315–318. doi:10.2307/776805. JSTOR 776805.
  10. ↑ They Might Be Giants (Album notes). They Might Be Giants. Bar/None Records. 1986.
  11. ↑ Flansburgh, John (May 3, 2012). "John Flansburgh: Observer Media" (Interview). Interviewed by Debbie Millman. Design Matters. Retrieved September 2, 2013.{{cite interview}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. ↑ Beg, Tom (February 6, 2012). "The Supplement: Rodney Alan Greenblat". University for the Creative Arts.
  13. ↑ Waldron, Diana (August 22, 2018). "The Rodney Shop". Visit Vortex. High Falls, New York.
  14. ↑ "The Rodney Shop". Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Greenblat, Rodney Alan". Wave-I. Seoul, Republic of Korea. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Galleries & museums". Chronogram. Kingston, New York: Jason Stern. September 2013. p. 69.
  17. ↑ "Museums & galleries". Chronogram. Kingston, New York: Jason Stern. December 2010. p. 38.