artwear nyc

At the end of 1970s, Robert Lee Morris, a jewelry designer, opened Artwear in the Soho section of New York City. Instantly becoming a breeding ground for the most popular new talents in the “jewelry as art form/wearable art” arena.

Artwear became a status symbol in and of itself and acquired a reputation for quality exhibitions, showing the works by designers who were at the cutting edge of their field, and much of that work became the impetus for a variety of innovative trends.

In the early 1980s, Klaus Laubmayer began a working relationship with Artwear and Robert Lee Morris. Klaus and Robert's talents organically united and brought out extraordinary works. Klaus generated for Artwear a visual identity, conceptualized and created the iconic Artwear Book which was published 1985. For the images, he created temporary human sculptures and incorporated natural materials such as gold leaf, ashes, clay, sand, and flour. He deliberately used these materials to provoke an emotional and psychological effect on the subject and the viewer. By the mid 1980s, Laubmayer made his mark as a prolific photographer, fusing art and fashion photography into some of the most provocative images. Klaus Laubmayer ended his working relationship with Artwear and Robert Lee Morris in the early 1990s.