Ben Augustus (1960) has been working at the Galerie Atelier Herenplaats in Rotterdam since 1994. Ben likes musicals, film calendars, the series goede tijden slechte tijden, Feyenoord, naked women, Disneyland and the Efteling. These are also the main subjects of his drawings and paintings. Ben has a very recognizable style.

Piet Parra (1976) is well known for his illustrations in bright colors, vivid hand drawn letters and human figures with bird heads. Parra started in the ‘90s in the Amsterdam underground scene by designing flyers, vinyl covers and has become a respected and eclectic artis worldwide. Whether it’s a drawing, painting, animation, skateboard, t-shirt, billboard or sculpture of his own hand: you immediately know it’s a work of Parra.

Piet is usually not a big fan of collaborations, but when we asked him to join Outsiderwear he decided to make an exception. We met at the Outsider Art Gallery in Amsterdam and showed him a catalogue featuring the different artists that we had met. In this catalogue was also a drawing of Ben Augustus, a drawing that was only printed half, because the printer had failed. Nonetheless Piet was immediately drawn to this image and decided to get in contact with Ben.

It turned out Piet and Ben both didn’t really like to collaborate. But when they met each other in Rotterdam, they knew enough by just saying two words to each other. They found out that their way of working has a lot of similarities. Piet gave Ben an empty booklet bound by his father which Ben now uses to draw in. Piet ‘responded’ to these drawings with his own drawings and coloring Ben’s drawings. The result of this collab is a series of unique prints and an exclusive T-shirt in limited edition.

Ben and Piet