Cleofus, as he is known by fans of his art and illustration, has placed himself among the presence of “the gods” by reinterpreting them in vintage Polo gear and observing the world in a similar, awkward, witty fashion.
The results have been promising. Just a few months ago in June, Cleofus was commissioned for a solo show in Japan that has helped catapult steady production for his apparel brand Polito USA, named after the famous Latin radio host, Polito Vega and its relation to the word Polo. And just a month ago, the New York Times held an art event where Cleofus sold a very “Poli”-tical canvas. It was an image of his signature No Way Jose character dishwashing Donald Trump’s dome. How’s that for attention to detail? This level of wit and sheer work ethic—Cleofus’s zine catalog and Instagram illustration game is solid—made me ask questions like, Who is this guy and why is he so good at quietly poking fun at so much of our Big Apple cultural zeitgeist? So I met with the man behind the pencil at Bryant Park one fall afternoon and got some answers.