Search

The geeks have inherited the Earth and they want to decorate their walls!

Take one step into my apartment and you will immediately see what my family and friends have known for years: I have a problem. Some might say addiction. I’m not scared to admit it. My name is Erick Salomon and I love art.

Here’s a just one of my frame-filled walls:

My passion for collecting art pieces has coincided with the boom of pop culture art or more accurately, geek art. Growing up, art was something I’d expect to see in a museum or inside a fancy, pretentious gallery. But over the last ten years, with the popularity of street art (Banksy be thy name) and the power of the internet (sites like DeviantArt), art has become accessible to the masses (not to mention affordable). And the best example of this new sub-culture is the big business of originals, prints and posters.

Geek art today is powered by all kinds of fandom encompassing everything from your favorite films, TV shows, music, video games and even viral sensations. You can purchase artwork at comic book conventions or online from countless companies. But there’s nothing like going to a brick and mortar space for a theme show and enjoying amazing pieces of artwork with others.

So for those of you looking to add to or start your own geek-friendly collection, here’s a list of the best US pop culture galleries to visit.

 

Gallery 1988 (Los Angeles, CA)



Located on the world famous Melrose Ave., the mecca of this geek boom was started in 2004 by Jensen Karp and Katie Cromwell. Gallery 1988 has set the template by which all other pop culture galleries have since followed. With a deep roster of talented artists like Alex Pardee, Tom Whalen and Dave Perillo, the gallery has done every conceivable geek-centric exhibition you could think of. From He-Man and The Goonies, to LOST and retro video games, they have what you want. Their art Super Bowl is the annual “Crazy 4 Cult,” a group show inspired by classic cult films.

 

Bottleneck Gallery (Brooklyn, NY)



If you’re in New York City, the ever-growing Bottleneck Gallery is your go to for fandom art. Working with artists like Mark Englert and Godmachine, Bottleneck has a constant lineup of fun and unique exhibits. The cool thing about them is that they constantly churn out special edition prints and giveaways—at the gallery and online. Sure they have Blade Runner, True Detective and Ghostbusters pieces, but when they screen the film and have prints of the Fred Savage masterpiece, The Wizard, you know they love their customers. In the immortal words of Lucas: “I love the Power Glove. It’s so bad.”

 

Mondo Gallery (Austin, TX)



Deep in the heart of Texas lives the pop art giant with a legion of followers. An offshoot of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Mondo has rapidly grown into a powerhouse brand that you could argue has surpassed its parent company. No other gallery has a diehard following like Mondo. The flip side is no other gallery draws customers in like Mondo. Their limited edition movie posters and prints instantly sell out like opening night Star Wars tickets. As a result, a ridiculously expensive secondary market on eBay has taken over.

With exclusive rights to entertainment properties and stunning pieces of work by Tyler Stout, Ken Taylor and the man himself, Drew Struzan, it’s understandable why people go crazy over Mondo. The gallery is so popular that there’s now MondoCon, an art convention where Mondo fanatics buy, trade and share their favorite pieces, while drooling over new releases. The Mondo brand keeps growing, as they’re now releasing beautifully designed vinyl movie soundtracks and toys.


Mondo - Tyler Stout

 

Gauntlet Gallery (San Francisco, CA)



Established in 2012 by owner Luke Lombardo, this San Francisco cool spot has an eclectic catalogue of artwork that’s in your face and oozing attitude. You won’t find the usual movie posters and prints that other galleries are known for. Gauntlet manages to truly find it’s own distinct style where street art, pop culture and the avant-garde come together. Bold artists like Scott Listfield, Fab Ciraolo and Cheyenne Randall have found a haven inside the walls of Gauntlet Gallery, which we all benefit from.

 

Hero Complex Gallery (Los Angeles, CA)

Even though Hero Complex is one of the newer galleries, it’s quickly building a name for popping out monthly shows that fanboys/fangirls love. Partnering up with companies like Twentieth Century Fox, Marvel and Disney—like the recent “Alice Through the Looking Glass” show—they make no qualms about catering to your geek passions.


Heather Theurer

 

Ltd. Art Gallery (Seattle, WA)

So this pick is a bit of a cheat since they no longer have a permanent gallery space, opting for pop-up shows. Regardless, when their last exhibition revolved around Game of Thrones, I had to include them. Lite on movie posters but heavy on originals and prints, this Seattle destination for iconic pop culture properties has a great collection of Star Wars artwork. Ltd.'s back catalogue also has cool retro pieces like this Monster Squad one:


Barry Blankenship

 

Spoke Art (San Francisco, CA)



Opened in 2011, Spoke Art keeps churning out pieces that collectors crave. Past shows include film and TV themed fare, but they also have tribute shows to filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick and Wes Anderson. If you’re looking for a “wow” piece for your wall, chances are you’ll find something at Spoke Art, as they feature work by Jason Edmiston, Joshua Budich, and Tim Doyle.


Kemi Mai

 

iam8bit (Los Angeles, CA)



If you live in Los Angeles you’re in luck, as there’s an abundance of riches when it comes to pop culture galleries. Located in the hipster hotbed of Echo Park, iam8bit is an art gallery part of the time and a creative think tank most of the time—serving as an entertainment company and creative space. Those of us looking for quirky and cool art won’t be disappointed, as they’ve done shows for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Robot Chicken, Street Fighter and recently, The X-Files.

23 56 15
Close

Press esc to close.
Close
Press esc to close.
Close

Connecting to your webcam.

You may be prompted by your browser for permission.