The Life of Jason Polan
A gifted artist and writer
Jason roamed the city on a mission to capture the essence of Every Person in New York. Quiet and unassuming, he sketched and wrote about humanity with sensitivity and wit. Subway riders, eaters, and museum-goers all saw themselves chronicled in thousands of drawings that appeared on his blog as well as in major publications and exhibits worldwide.
Stories
-
“His emails are full of stories of small kindnesses noticed.”
Lauri London Freedman,
Head of Product Development
Whitney Museum of American Art- View Message 1
- View Message 2
-
“The ants remain to this day—a testament to the timelessness of the joy Jason shared through his art.”
Jacob Brege, Artist
- View Message
-
“He had a kid’s soul, and a huge smile!”
Sarah Andelman,
Founder, Just An Idea- View Message
-
“I am very happy to have gotten to know New York from Jason’s perspective.”
Stefan Marx, Artist
- View Message
-
“I smile when you smile.”
Miika, friend in Tokyo
- View Message
Timeline
A prolific talent
Courtesy of the Polan family
Jason’s life was well lived, with extraordinary accomplishments in his 37 years.
-
1982
Courtesy of the Polan family
Jason Polan born in Ann Arbor, MI.
-
2005
Photo: Leisa Thompson, Ann Arbor News
© 2004 MLive Media Group.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.Graduates with a dual degree in Art & Design and Anthropology from the University of Michigan.
Moves to New York City. Applies to work at the MoMA. Starts the Taco Bell Drawing Club.
Starts the Taco Bell Drawing Club.
Photo: Masaki Ogawa
His book, The Every Piece of Art in the Museum of Modern Art, is published.
-
2006
© Jason Polan/The New Yorker
His drawings are published in The New Yorker.
-
2008-
Starts the Every Person in New York project with the goal of drawing everyone in NYC. He will go on to sketch more than 30,000 people.
-
2015
His book, Every Person in New York, is published.
-
2016
First UNIQLO collaboration. Polan’s artwork is featured on merchandise and displayed throughout the NYC Fifth Avenue flagship store.
-
2017
Second UNIQLO collaboration. Jason Polan SPRZ NY collection launches.
-
2019
Third UNIQLO collaboration. Marvel X Jason Polan UT collection launches, with his variant cover for Marvel Comics’ “The Amazing Spider-Man #20”.
-
2020
© Elizabeth Shrier
A memorial event is held at UNIQLO’s Fifth Avenue flagship and The Museum of Modern Art in NYC. More than 5,000 people attend.
An enduring legacy
Jason’s work lives on in his designs for UNIQLO and the World’s Biggest Drawing Club.
