19 Facts About Frank Kozik

Frank Kozik was an American graphic artist best known for his posters for alternative rock bands.

Frank Kozik's album cover work included the bands Queens of the Stone Age and the Offspring.

Frank Kozik was born on January 9,1962, in Torrejon, Madrid, Spain.

Frank Kozik's father was an American serviceman and his mother was Spanish; they divorced before his birth.

Frank Kozik spent his earliest years living with his mother in Spain, where the fascist regime of Francisco Franco and its iconography would later serve as an influence in his art.

Frank Kozik first gained attention as a self-trained underground artist in the early 1980s, making flyers and posters for Austin punk bands.

In 1991, after having been given the funds to start a silkscreen press by art patrons from California, Frank Kozik began producing silkscreen posters for local bands, which became ubiquitous at music venues and record stores in Austin.

In December 1993, the Rolling Stone dedicated a three-page article to Frank Kozik's work calling him the "new rock-poster genius".

Frank Kozik moved to San Francisco in 1993, where he started a print shop and founded Man's Ruin Records, an independent record label that released more than 200 records by punk and alternative bands.

Frank Kozik folded the label in 2001 to focus on fine art and toy design.

Originally named the "Smokin' Rabbit", it was accidentally misspelled by a Japanese toy maker, and Frank Kozik thought the new name was too good to let go.

In 2007, Frank Kozik created his own toy line, Ultraviolence, for more experimental pieces that big companies might deem too risky.

In 2008, Christie's auctioned sets of multi-colored busts of Ludwig van Beethoven and Ho Chi Minh that were designed by Frank Kozik, valued at between $3,000 and $4,000.

Frank Kozik acknowledged that the market for designer toys was growing.

Frank Kozik helped turn the company around by working with young, urban artists to design new toys.

Frank Kozik designed an "Absolut Frank Kozik" print ad for Absolut Vodka.

In 2012, Frank Kozik designed a premium, high-top shoe for Nike with an Army green exterior.

Frank Kozik designed a special-edition watch for Swatch, and was commissioned by Gatorade and Harley-Davidson.

Frank Kozik died by suicide in San Francisco on May 6,2023, at age 61.