About
Before he could walk, Rob Prior’s grandfather affixed crayons to his hands, the first steps he would take to becoming the artist he is today.
In late 2016, Rob embarked on a project that would begin his transition away from pop art and to mainstream fine art when he partnered with comic book legend Stan Lee. With the Legacy Collection, Rob reimagines iconic Marvel covers as portraits of Lee in central roles. Ultimately comprising more than 115 portraits, the Stan Lee Legacy Collection catapulted Prior to international fame.
As a live painter, he has performed with movie stars, rock bands, hip-hop artists, and more. For more than thirty years, Rob has balanced fine art with pop art. He has appeared at Biennale Arte 2024, where he received the Arts and Humanitarian Award.
With additional appearances in France, Eastern Europe, Italy, and across Asia and the Pacific, Rob has continued his meteoric rise to the pinnacle of the art world.
Most recently, Rob has been training to become an astronaut and, upon successful completion of training, will spend seven to ten days in orbit, where he will live stream the creation of more than 30 new works of both pop and fine art.
Rob continues to make his home in Los Angeles, where he also maintains a workshop studio honing the talents of the next generation of preeminent artists.
ART BASEL | MIAMI BEACH | 2021
Rob Prior’s portrait of Virgil Abloh Prior cemented his position as one of his generation’s most prominent artists. In 2021, Rob live painted a portrait of the late fashion icon. The portrait sold moments later for $1 million.
BRITNEY SPEARS | THE ZONE
At the height of the Free Britney movement, Rob created a massive mural capturing the most iconic moments of the pop queen’s career. The mural covered the face of a large, former retail complex near The Grove in Los Angeles.
WOLF OF WALL STREET | LANDMARK AUCTION SALE
At the height of the NFT movement, Rob’s Wolf of Wall Street commanded a landmark auction sale, but the buyer would never take possession of the physical piece. In a bold, first-of-its-kind “proof of origin” moment, Rob live-streamed the burning of the artwork—transforming it into a purely digital asset.
FINE ART | GALLERIES, MUSEUMS, & FESTIVALS
Not since Andy Warhol has an artist so masterfully blended pop art and fine art. Rob demonstrates time and again the power art has to transform society – and the importance pop culture has in setting the themes driving it. In recent years, he’s begun to focus more on fine art, with appearances at major art events such as the Biennale Arte Venice in 2024, Art Basel, and others. He continues to push the boundaries of art with his unique vision of the world.
Love & Light
When I first met Aliia and heard her story, it was almost unbelievable. But it was all true, and I was blown away. Her strength was just captivating.
I immediately knew I wanted to capture some part of her life in painting. That’s what’s behind
“Love and Light.”
But, there was a catch. She’d told her story through the podcast, in speeches at the U.N. and interviews. Those details were all out there.
What I found most interesting was the person behind those stories, how she survived, her strength and compassion. I wanted “Love and Light” to introduce who she was instead of what she’d been through.
That’s “Love and Light.”
– Rob Prior, Artist
