Blending the visual cultures of children's entertainment and fine art, experimental artists and creative agency FriendsWithYou, aka Sam Borkson and Arturo Sandoval, encourage everyone—especially adults—to play. Known for their usage and combination of loud primary colors and Japanese-inspired cartoon characters, the duo create playful and vibrant worlds steeped in the tradition of graphic design and animation.Their visual influences range from Jodorowsky to Miyazaki, and the team's wide-ranging oeuvre of work incorporates performance pieces, art installations, paintings, playgrounds, sculpture, and music videos—all while embodying their unmistakable vision of communicating through the prism of youth.As Sam attests, "when you play in one of our installations, you really need to be in the moment and let go… you're interacting with this thing that's magical, that's trying to convey an emotion already inside of you."Last December, we met up with FriendsWithYou at Art Basel Miami Beach 2010, where we talked to them about their creative partnership, mingled with friendly spirits on set of their friendly, inflatable installation Rainbow City, and saw Pharrell perform in their "magical garden." Watch our two part video series on the making of the installation here.Starting tomorrow, FriendsWithYou will unveil Rainbow City as part of the much-anticipated expansion of Manhattan's High Line Park, the now famous NYC public park constructed out of an abandoned elevated railway line. The urban playground installation will occupy a 16,000 square foot outdoor space on West 30th St. and 10th Ave., and will be on view through July 5th. For specific times, click here. Simultaneously, FriendsWithYou will present their first NYC gallery show at The Hole.
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