Drunk in Gustav

MANILA, Philippines - Not everything in this world is created with careful thought and research. More often than not, we rely on eureka moments to get us started on a certain idea. These moments happen when you least expect them — just the way Gisella Velasco and Toni Potenciano, 21 and 23, respectively, started Fly Art productions in December 2013.

The creative duo was inspired by blogs mixing classic art with modern elements such as Swoosh Art (the Nike swoosh on top of famous works of art) and Modern Vampires of Art History (Vampire Weekend lyrics on top of paintings). Fly Art’s claim to fame was similar to these but they headed (Kanye) West and used hip-hop lyrics instead.

Their work for Fly Art attracted all kinds of people. Their selection of classic art lured the art aficionados in, while they enticed music enthusiasts with hip-hop lyrics. For the design folks, well, Futura was enough to get their attention. “Futura was always just a statement font. Plus it’s free,” says Toni. In its subtle way, Fly Art introduced classic art, modern hip-hop and R&B, and design to its audience who were previously uninterested in such things.

In just a few months, their team has created a number of designs featuring works from masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Juan Luna, and the eternal Queen B. For graphic designers, their line of work might seem simple. Typing lyrics on top of images looks like easy work but the real magic of Fly Art comes from their marrying of two completely different things and getting hilarious results. But the question remains: which came first? The art or the lyric? “There’s no one set process. Sometimes I will just binge collect paintings and other times it will be rap lyrics I’m collecting. Most of the time we create in big batches,” explains Gisella.

Currently, Fly Art’s following on Instagram (@flyartproductions) is 3,128 strong. Their Tumblr posts get hundreds of likes but some shine brighter than the others and reach a thousand likes. But just like any artists, they get criticized for their work. Call them art snobs or conservative art appreciators, but some people don’t really “get” the work they do. But the duo ignores the hate and carries on; they’re just having fun after all. 

Aside from creating the invites for the Young STAR prom, Fly Art also recently worked with French clothing brand Rad. Despite the collaboration’s success, their fans were disappointed. Why? Simply because the shirts weren’t available in the US. But the duo quickly solved the dilemma with their collaboration with New York-based designer Betina Ocampo for her Fall-Winter collection, distributed at Barney’s.

The team wants to work with Uniqlo and Museum of Modern Art someday, but the real goal is to get Beyoncé to notice their work. “(We just want her) to acknowledge us. After that, we’re good. We can (close) this project,” jokes the duo.

With wit and hard work, it’s not surprising how quickly Fly Art rose to fame. What’s the secret to their success? Toni says: “Constant exposure. Immerse yourself in whatever you’re doing — rap, painting, poetry, prose, whatever. See where that takes you.”