Vans and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) came together for a collaboration to showcase MoMA’s amazing collection of modern art and to share their passion for inspiring individual expression around the world. MoMA was founded on the 7th of November 1929 in New York. The museum has become one of the largest and most influential in the world of modern art over the years and they are recognized worldwide. Always pushing the envelope on inclusion, diversity and celebrating unique voices and perspectives in art. 

For this collaboration Vans and MoMA have carefully curated works of some of the most influential artists in modern art to display on clothing and apparel. Each product was designed with careful consideration and a deep appreciation of the art. This is the second drop in this collaboration featuring Munch, Pollock, Ringgold and Popova

 Edvard Munch, whose best-known work, ‘The Scream 1895’, captures the “infinite scream of nature” and angst. A print version of this work has been carefully captured on each of the canvas panels of the Vans Era in a repeat pattern that can also be found on the Old Skool backpack and short sleeve tee.

Jackson Pollock was a pioneer of action painting, flinging and pouring ropes of paint onto his surfaces in a decidedly physical way. Pollock’s ‘One: Number 31, 1950’ has transformed the Vans Authentic with an all-over application atop the canvas and across the sidewalls and is complimented by a digitally printed short sleeve button-down and camper style hat.

Popova approached painting as an act of “construction” using color, line and shape to create dimensional work that expressed movement and dynamism. For the Vans MoMA collaboration, Popova’s ‘Untitled, 1917’ has been applied to the Vans Sk8-Hi using each medial and lateral side to translate her avant-garde vision across the hi-top model which is found on complimenting fleece and ringer tee options.

Faith Ringgold is an acclaimed painter, writer, sculptor, performance artist, educator and activist whose body of work highlights her experiences with racism and social injustice. Vans and MoMA. Curators worked closely with Ringgold to uplift her feminist poster art including ‘Woman Free Yourself 1971’ which brings bold type to the left side of the Vans Era while ‘Freedom Woman Now 1971’ poster art has been applied to the right side to form the affirmative demands that were called during the arrest of Angela Davis. A second footwear style, the Classic Slip-On is inspired by Ringgold’s, ‘Seven Passages to a Flight’ which was made in the 1990’s. Inscribed on the sidewall is a quote, from Ringgold, printed in her handwriting, that states “My mother said I’d have to work twice as hard to go half as far.”