Meet the incredibly talented emerging contemporary artist from Brooklyn, Eddie Cohen. The Wharton graduate has a unique approach to art, combining striking visual aesthetics, with novel materials. He is an artist who does not fear experimentation and innovation. Whether he is producing a digital print, a film, or a painting, he never limits himself from trying new methods and materials. If you can think of a substance, Eddie Cohen has probably printed on it: from canvas to aluminum to Plexiglas and more. He also experiments with new tools to create, like Maya, Rhino, and Cinema 4D. Mr. Cohen graduated from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2015 with an individualized concentration in Art & Technology in Business and Retail. He recently earned a Master’s degree in Product Design at Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. He’s now working on creating content for virtual reality.
On Eddie Cohen’s 14th birthday, his father gave him his first camera. He instantly connected with it, and by the time he was 17, he had started his own digital art company. People loved the art he was offering. It sold extremely well, and it was a truly exhilarating experience for him to be a part of, but as he travelled and saw more of the world, he soon started to recognize that his true passion was using the craft to foster a sense of empathy. He found it exhilarating to tell stories visually, and photography, in particular, is an outlet that enables him to understand people from all walks of life: trying to find optimism in everyone and everything. Overtime, his goal has shifted from simply selling his work to evoking a sense of empathy for his subjects. This transformation led to his exploration into portraiture, and eventually, product design. The two are rarely mentioned in the same sentence or mission, but Eddie Cohen cleverly draws similarities in that both require a combination of attention, understanding, and curiosity.
“The overarching theme in all of my work is joy. Everybody needs joy in their life, and I want my creations to not only embody my own values, but also resonate with those of my peers, my mentors, and the world.”
-Eddie Cohen
Eddie Cohen is one of a kind Brooklyn artist who is as revolutionary as an intellectual and business person as he is a photographer. He is one of those people who will change whatever field he is lucky enough to do into. He is young and ambitious; he has an appreciation for the arts; is extremely curious; and has a profound love of learning: these are the characteristics that make it obvious that Eddie Cohen is a once-in-a-generation thinker. His innovative work is transcending the art world, as we know it. His pieces are crafted so well, its imagery so striking, its format so unique: it is art that is also identity, art for those professionals who seek both modern and aesthetic work.
The artist is both a nature enthusiast and tech geek to his core. Eddie Cohen cultivated a love for the outdoors, while working for the renowned landscape architect, Piet Oudolf, at his home in Hummelo, Holland. Soon, he became obsessed with bridging the schism between nature and technology–an obsession that holds true today. He believes that the two should not be separated and instead they should live in harmony. “Technology can enhance nature, and nature can inspire technology. Eddie Cohen loves what he does and he is only just getting started.”
The contemporary art world is vibrant and booming like never before and it’s a twenty-first-century phenomenon, a global industry in its own right. Contemporary artists seek the power to astonish, challenge and satisfy: Eddie Cohen’s work achieves all of these things. He showcases artwork and photography that the public may not ordinarily have access to outside of a large urban environment within a welcoming, creative, and inspirational platform. He is as much a skilled professional as a truly unforgettable and capable human being. Eddie Cohen is a true artist of not only photography and film but also in fashion, technology, design, style, documenting and artistic interpretation. As time goes on Mr. Cohen will continue to delve deeper into the world of photography, film and design by utilizing a wide range of mediums and taking an intimate approach to art direction and design. I am looking forward to seeing what Eddie accomplishes next!
Visit his websites: http://www.zeligart.com/ and http://emc.nyc/
Follow him on social media:
Instagram: @ec
Facebook & Twitter: @EddieCohen