Bip Apollo

Bip Apollo produces work internationally in both the luxury art market and urban art scene as a painter and sculptor.{{Cite web |last=Nash |first=David |date=2023-09-01 |title=Locally Made: From Beauty to Books, These Bay Area–Based Brands and Creators Are in Style |website=nobhillgazette.com |url=https://www.nobhillgazette.com/style_and_design/must-haves/locally-made-from-beauty-to-books-these-bay-area-based-brands-and-creators-are-in/article_8e93119e-2b04-11ee-8731-bf562ddbf376.html |access-date=2023-12-22 |language=en}} Likewise, Bip has claimed publicly that his work is not committed to graffiti for graffiti’s sake but rather, dedicated to a spirit of resistance to skepticism and estrangement, so as to positively change the way people interact with their environment.{{Cite web |last=Chow |first=Kimberly |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2011/04/22/meet-believe-in-people/ |title=Meet Believe in People |website=Yale Daily News |date=2011-04-22 |language=en |access-date=2023-12-22}}

"My main motivation is that I want to change the way people interact with their environment in a positive way. Seeing even a slight smile in an onlooker is deeply satisfying. Knowing that you were able to communicate a thought or feeling … It’s worth it .”

Bip's private artwork sells to celebrities and high end collectors, which he uses to fund non-profit public art.{{Cite web |date=2018-08-20 |title=Sem revelar identidade, americano mascarado pinta mural em São Paulo |url=https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ilustrada/2018/08/sem-revelar-identidade-americano-mascarado-pinta-mural-em-sao-paulo.shtml |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=Folha de S.Paulo |language=pt-BR}}

In 2011, Bip allowed Kimberly Chow, a 2009 Yale University alumnus and former Yale Daily News reporter, to interview him and witness him in action painting a piece that visualizes the origins to his creative work. According to Chow, the name, "Bip", as an abbreviation of "believe in people", is a manifesto in response to a theme the artist discovered repeated throughout his deceased childhood friend's journals.

Bip's spray-paint and stencil murals began popping up during nighttime hours around New Haven beginning in October 2010. Early in his career, Bip illegally painted buildings and spaces around Yale University in New Haven.[http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/believe_in_people_strikes_again/ MacMillan, Thomas. "Believe in People Strikes Again". New Haven Independent, 24 May. 2012] One of his highest-profile paintings in New Haven is a large smiling portrait of Anne Frank located outside of Partner's Cafe, a bar on Crown Street, a nightlife district.

During this time, reactions to Bip's work were polarizing. While his illegal work was celebrated by some city residents and journalists, some city officials condemned his works as acts of vandalism. Abigail Rider, real estate manager for Yale University said:

{{Quote|text=Our position on graffiti is that no matter how beautiful it may be (and most of it is far from beautiful) it is an act of vandalism which if not promptly removed sends a signal to people in the area that the owners and residents of the area think it’s not worth it to maintain their property. |author=Abigail Rider, real estate manager for Yale University}}

After he was invited to produce a mural at a lumberyard, NBC Connecticut speculated about his identity and intentions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/New-Haven-Graffiti-Artist-Remains-a-Mystery-206851741.html|title=New Haven Graffiti Artist Remains a Mystery|work=NBC Connecticut|language=en}}

In what is confirmed from news articles to be 2013 or 2014, Bip relocated to a permanent residence in San Francisco, California.{{Cite news|url=http://www.marinatimes.com/2015/08/mural-series-by-international-graffiti-artist-bip-comes-to-san-francisco/|title=Mural series by international graffiti artist BiP comes to San Francisco|work=Marina Times|language=en-US}} After re-location, Bip began to paint gigantic murals. In 2015, Bip completed a 7-story mural in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, depicting a man examining his own heart under a microscope.{{Cite news|url=https://hoodline.com/2015/04/anonymous-artist-bip-unveils-7-story-tenderloin-mural|title=Anonymous Artist BiP Unveils 7-Story Tenderloin Mural {{!}} Hoodline}}

The following year, Bip created a 5-story mural in downtown Oakland, California, of an elderly Oakland resident listening to a heavy metal album.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfweekly.com/culture/knowyourstreetart/know-street-art-vintage/|title=Know Your Street Art: Vintage - November 3, 2016 - SF Weekly|date=2016-11-03|work=SF Weekly|language=en-US}}

Bip followed this growth with a string of large buildings throughout the Bay Area and by 2018{{Cite news|url=http://sfist.com/2017/07/11/muralist_believe_in_people_complete.php|title=Muralist 'Believe In People' Completes Brain Flower Piece In Tenderloin|work=SFist|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124103528/http://sfist.com/2017/07/11/muralist_believe_in_people_complete.php|archive-date=2017-11-24|url-status=dead}} had become synonymous with the West Coast street art revival.{{Cite news|url=https://hoodline.com/2017/07/muralist-makes-golden-brains-bloom-on-tenderloin-hotel|title=Muralist Makes Golden Brains Bloom On Tenderloin Hotel |website= Hoodline}}

Bip's most well known mural is a 2017 5-story building for the San Francisco Westfield Centre, known as "No Ceiling",{{Cite news|url=https://sf.curbed.com/2017/2/1/14472640/believe-in-people-no-ceiling|title=Noted street artist finishes, unveils new five-story SF mural|work=Curbed SF}}{{Cite news|url=http://sfist.com/2017/02/02/cool_new_five-story_mural_completed.php|title=Cool New Five-Story Mural Completed Near Mission And Fourth Street|work=SFist|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111055432/http://sfist.com/2017/02/02/cool_new_five-story_mural_completed.php|archive-date=2017-11-11|url-status=dead}} depicting a young African-American resident with artificially large muscles.{{Cite news|url=https://hoodline.com/2017/01/street-artist-believe-in-people-debuts-massive-new-mural-in-soma|title=Street Artist 'Believe In People' Debuts Massive New Mural In SoMa |website=Hoodline |first=Elaine |last=Gavin |date=January 20, 2017}} In 2018 Bip announced plans to continue with up to ten additional buildings in San Francisco.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/big-bip-murals-bloom-around-town/|title=Big BiP murals bloom around town|work=San Francisco Examiner|language=en-US}}

In 2015 Bip began to travel aggressively for international museums and public art festivals while maintaining total anonymity. Beginning with an eight-story mural for the Museum of Krasnoyarsk, Russia,{{Cite web|url=http://artradarjournal.com/2015/11/09/siberias-11th-krasnoyarsk-museum-biennale-in-pictures/|title=Siberia's 11th Krasnoyarsk Museum Biennale – in pictures {{!}} Art Radar|website=artradarjournal.com|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.streetartsf.com/blog/bip-in-siberia/|title=BIP in Siberia – Street Art SF|website=www.streetartsf.com|language=en-US}} Bip followed with a tour of South America sponsored by Montana Colors Spraypaint{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BX3u6dthUY1/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BX3u6dthUY1 |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=Montana Colors on Instagram: "@bip_graffiti + @pemexs are on tour as we speak... keep a watch for painterly updates|website=Instagram|language=en}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BYGz8DvBJnQ/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BYGz8DvBJnQ |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=Montana Colors on Instagram: "@bip_graffiti/@pemexs update 1 from Chile🇨🇱 @mtnshop_santiago "...walking through the city and I knock on this door, like, "hola mi nombre…"|website=Instagram|language=en}}{{cbignore}} as well as a four-story mural for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, Taiwan.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Throughout this time, Bip continued to wear a mask that has become a part of his public persona.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BjdUdv1FDb5/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BjdUdv1FDb5 |archive-date=2021-12-26 |date=May 31, 2018|url-access=registration|title=Bip Apollo on Instagram: "🎶made it past 25 and there I was🎶"|website=Instagram|language=en}}{{cbignore}}

In a 2017 interview with reporter Jonathan Curiel of San Francisco Weekly, Bip reflected on the changes brought on by international success as a young artist.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfweekly.com/culture/knowyourstreetart/know-your-street-art-bip-opens-up-about-figurine/|title=Know Your Street Art: BiP Opens Up About 'Figurine' |date=July 27, 2017 |work=SF Weekly|language=en-US}}

To date, the artist has created installations in over 25 countries which he publishes on his website.{{Cite web |title=Work {{!}} Bip Apollo |url=https://www.bipapollo.com/work |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=BipApollo.com |language=en}}

In 2023, Bip Apollo relocated his studio to Monte Carlo, Monaco where he has created large scale sculpture work and participated in local events such as The Monaco Yacht Show.

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Category:American graffiti artists

Category:Artists from Connecticut

Category:American investment bankers

Category:Princeton University alumni

Category:American expatriates in Taiwan

Category:American expatriates in Russia

Category:American expatriates in Hong Kong

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)