Earlier in 2007, Target and the Art Production Fund came out with a series of four artist-designed towels. The 2007 series (seen below) was a big hit and Target sold out of all four almost immediately. As a big Alex Katz fan, I immediately bought two of his. The towels are nice and large 60" x 70" and well worth the $50.00 for which they retail.
Above: The now sold-out Artists Series of Beach Towels from 2007
Now, Target and Art Production Fund have announced the lineup of guest artists for their second-annual collaboration of fine-art towels known as the Artist Towel Series 2008.
Above: One of this years' wonderful artist series beach towels
Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Elizabeth Peyton, and Kehinde Wiley have each created a limited-edition beach towel as part of the WOW (Works on Whatever) items designed by contemporary artists to bring art off the walls and into everyday life.
Above: Jeff Koons' Balloon Monkey beach towel
Above: Cindy Sherman's Woman In Pool beach towel
They include "Balloon Monkey," "Woman in Pool," "Sidney," and "African-American Man." The 60 x 70-inch cotton towels, which will be available starting November 19 for $50 on Target.com and worksonwhatever.com, will also be the official pool towels for André Balazs' Raleigh Hotel during Art Basel Miami Beach December 5 to 9.
above: Elizabeth Peyton's Sidney beach towel
above: Kehinde Wiley's African American Man beach towel
Proceeds from sales will support Art Production Fund's mission to support major civic artwork projects, while half of all proceeds generated from sales of Koons' towel will also support the Koons Family Institute, a resource of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
Buy 'em quick, they don't stay in stock for long.