The Making of Iconographic

“This wallpaper represents all the icons of modern history that in some way, shape, or form molded me into what I am today. I truly believe in what each of them have given the world, and their influence will continue to grow in an impactful way forever." — Terry Crews

We are so excited to announce the launch of our biggest collaboration yet: Iconographic, by Astek x Terry Crews! 

This wallpaper was created out of a desire to celebrate the iconic figures who have inspired Terry throughout his multifaceted life and career. He provided us with an extensive list of pioneers and changemakers across entertainment, art, architecture, and sports who have, in some way, affected who he is today. The Midnight Marauders album by A Tribe Called Quest also had an impact on him, and the album art inspired the final layout of the wallpaper pattern.

This project was divided into two phases. In the first phase, Terry and our design team selected 39 total portraits to illustrate from the list. Our design team drew the portraits in a manner similar to Terry’s signature graphite-on-paper style, and throughout the pattern, you can see the hands of different artists at work — a testament to the collaborative and elaborate nature of the project. Terry’s portraits all have his signature nestled among the lines — can you spot them all?

The second phase was key to unifying the art styles and bringing this pattern to life. Members of the Astek design team worked to research, illustrate, and apply colorful graphic elements to each portrait to further represent the subject. Yayoi Kusama’s iconic dots form the highlights on her still more iconic bob. Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Center building forms her wardrobe. Salvador Dali’s melting clock tie is reminiscent of his infamous painting, The Persistence of Memory. The more you look, the more you find — each Easter egg resonating with different viewers and fans.

The portrait of Terry Crews himself was, itself, an Easter egg. Our team illustrated him as a surprise, and included him in the constellation of stars who have inspired him. His outfit and the stars behind him reflect his work as the host of America’s Got Talent, and the enamel pins on his lapel represent the different areas encompassing his varied career.

Once the first two phases were completed, it was time to focus on the fun part: color! Iconographic’s original colors are represented in the bright and expressive “Multi” colorway. “Greyscale” uses shades of warm grey throughout the pattern for a more subtle look, and “Monochrome” uses shades of pink and red in addition to the black and white faces. “Complementary,” made up of sunset hues, was named because of the complementary colors incorporated.

We are so grateful to Terry for his authenticity, artistic talent and whole-hearted enthusiasm about the project from start to finish. This wallpaper has launched with a bang, and we’re so excited to see where it goes!

Shop the collaboration here.