Learn the story behind the latest Starbucks artist merch collaboration
Muralist, painter and illustrator Misha Tyutyunik’s collection is the latest offering in Starbucks Artist Collaboration program, available in Starbucks stores in the U.S. starting this spring.
Misha Tyutyunik’s work is often larger than life – with colorful murals that can stretch the length of a building or soar hundreds of feet into the sky. But for the artist behind the new merch collection from Starbucks, the stories he tells with his art start small.
“It’s interesting, because even the biggest buildings that I’ve ever done all started smaller than these cups,” Tyutyunik said. “It always starts with a thumbnail – just a tiny square – and then it scales up. It’s just about like understanding your canvas and then being able to transfer the image onto it.”
Tyutyunik’s collection is the latest offering in Starbucks Artist Collaboration program, which celebrates and elevates the voices and stories of local artists from around the world. His drinkware will be available in Starbucks stores in the U.S. starting this spring, in participating stores while supplies last.
Everything is united,” Tyutyunik said. “We are a part of it. Nature is a part of it. The moon, stars, sky – this is all part of life as we know it.”
Tyutyunik says his early artistic influences were classical, filled with museum visits and traditional art classes. When his family moved to the United States at age 7, he was suddenly exposed to pop culture and contemporary art.
“Once I moved to the States it was suddenly comic books and action movies. I never saw anything like it,” Tyutyunik said. “Somewhere in the middle is where I feel is the sweet spot – where you can reference history and classical art but it feels very modern and current.”
Now living and working in Brooklyn, New York, he seeks to use his art to explore social and environmental issues. His collection for Starbucks was anchored by his belief in the interconnectedness of humans and nature. He uses interwoven shapes, bold colors and figurative abstractions to remind us of the symbiotic relationship and connection among all living things.
“Everything is united,” Tyutyunik said. “We are a part of it. Nature is a part of it. The moon, stars, sky – this is all part of life as we know it.”
The collection features three pieces of drinkware, with each one representing a different facet of human experience within the world.
City Life
24-ounce cold cup
A double-walled vessel offers an opportunity for an artist to explore with layers, and Tyutyunik uses the opportunity to create an underwater world. The inner layer expresses life in the city, depicting a woman with an umbrella striding through a cityscape. The outer layer has a sea-glass quality that represents water overlaid with a line drawing of a ship trying to navigate stormy waves. “The idea behind this design is to bring awareness to the effect of climate change and that our coastal cities could be submerged as sea levels rise unless we collectively do something about it. It’s almost like we become part of an aquarium,” he said.
Nature Woods
12-ounce ceramic tumbler
Tyutyunik created the Nature Woods ceramic tumbler design as an ode to human responsibility for the stewardship of the environment. It feels both celestial and earthy, with the moon and stars shining brightly against a verdant landscape. A man hiking through the woods with a feather in his hat and is a nod to indigenous cultures of past and present, and their relationship to the land. “It’s about making sure we take care of the land, and it will take care of us in return,” he said.
Sky
16-ounce stainless steel tumbler
The Sky stainless steel tumbler features a vibrant swirling design depicting land, humanity and sky in harmony. “When I was first presented with this opportunity, turmoil and conflicts around the world were escalating,” he said. “It’s about seeing humanity as one people and being in communion with nature, with the skies. The birds symbolize peace, and the flowers symbolize rebirth and growth.”
