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Source: YUKI IWAMURA / Getty
New York Artist Danny Cortez has built a reputation for his miniature representations of iconic scenes from hip-hop and popular culture.
For Danny Cortez, his artwork is a tribute to the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn where he grew up and all the nostalgia associated with it. His handcrafted miniature collectibles range from a recreation of a nearby Chinese takeaway restaurant, Ho May Kitchen, to one of his first creations, a white commercial ice box often seen outdoors. It focuses on “the little things that we pass by every day.” From street delis and bodegas to graffiti on the sides.
“We are surrounded by inspiration when we take the time to notice it,” he says on his website.
Other works include an ode to The Notorious BIG and the Wu-Tang Clan. What started as a hobby for the 42-year-old artist as a child became more as his COVID-19 pandemic began to spread in New York City and beyond.
“We’re adults, but we’ve never stopped being kids,” Cortez said. “Who doesn’t like toys? Who doesn’t like miniatures?” That led to a request from hip-hop legend Nas, an artist affiliated with his label, Mass Appeal.
That connection led Cortes to use a model of the classic boombox radio for the cover of DJ Premier’s EP. Hip Hop 50: Vol. 1. In March of this year, a special Sotheby’s auction of hip-hop items sold four of his works, one for $2,200. A replica of the aforementioned restaurant? He was purchased by Joel Ortiz for over $10,000.
“He really captures the dirty, gritty vibe that’s the birthplace of so much ’90s-style hip-hop music,” says the former head of Tommy Boy Records and Sotheby’s auctioneer. Consultant Monica Lynch said.
Cortez pushes his art forward, aiming to document a place where “a lot is changing” in his beloved Bushwick. As the neighborhood’s reputation as an arts paradise grows, so does the concern that gentrification will have serious repercussions. However, he sees the change as a good step forward. “Bushwick will always be Bushwick, but I think that’s a good thing. I think it’s safer,” he said. “There are more opportunities.”
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