“The Art Army”
Long ago, there was a story about The Art Army’s creation. After Mike sculpted his first “action figures” in 2002, they ran rampant through 2012. Juxtapoz Magazine said of The Army, “Michael Leavitt has a deep set of beliefs about who deserves a reserved parking space in the annals of history.” By now Mike has sculpted nearly 400 different one-off’s and the project has evolved dramatically, still with eye on who to spoof and lampoon, or who to remember and love as a member of The Art Army.
"Andy Warhol"
2022
19"
Hand-carved wood
INQUIRE ABOUT AVAILABILITY
with P/ZZZZ Gallery
"Colin Kaepernick"
2021
18"
Hand-carved wood
WATCH MIKE MAKE KAEPERNICK
"Yayoi Kusama 2"
2012
30"
Hand-carved wood
SEE MIKE MAKE YAYOI
"Jeff Koons 2"
2012
30"
Hand-carved wood
WATCH MIKE MAKE KOONS
"Takashi Murakami 2"
2012
36"
Hand-carved wood
WATCH MIKE MAKE MURAKAMI
"R Crumb 2"
2009
36"
Hand-carved wood
WATCH MIKE MAKE CRUMB
"Ai Weiwei"
2011
10"
"Barbara Kruger"
2011
10"
"Cindy Sherman"
2011
10"
WATCH MIKE MAKE CINDY
"Yoshitomo Nara 2"
2011
10"
"Matthew Barney"
2011
10"
"Yayoi Kusama"
2011
10"
"Takashi Murakami"
2011
10"
"Jasper Johns"
2011
10"
"David Hockney"
2011
10"
"Kara Walker"
2011
10"
"Frank Stella"
2011
10"
"Gilbert & George"
2011
10"
"Ed Ruscha"
2011
10"
"Frank Stella"
2011
10"
"Damien Hirst 3"
2011
10"
"Claes Oldenburg"
2011
10"
"Jeff Koons 2"
2011
10"
"Lucian Freud"
2011
10"
"Chuck Close"
2011
10"
"Andy Warhol 3"
2007
36"
Hand-carved wood
SEE MIKE'S WARHOL IN-ACTION
"Mark Ryden 3"
2007
30"
Hand-carved wood
WATCH MIKE MAKE RYDEN
"Shepard Fairey 2"
2006
10"
Hand-carved wood
"Emma Gonzales"
2018
6"
WATCH MIKE MAKE EMMA
"Audrey Kawasaki"
2007
10"
READ KAWASAKI'S REACTION TO MIKE'S SCULPT
"David Byrne"
2009
7"
"Stephen King"
2009
6"
"Dale Chihuly 3"
2009
6"
"Joe Sorren"
2009
10"
"KAWS"
2007
10"
Permanent Collection of KAWS
"Ron English 3"
2007
10"
"Ron English 2"
2007
10"
SEE RON WITH THIS
Permanent Collection of Ron English
"Ron English"
2006
10"
READ RON'S REACTION TO MIKE'S SCULPT
"Damien Hirst 2"
2007
10"
SEE HIRST #1 IN-ACTION
SEE THIS HIRST IN-ACTION
"Jackson Pollock 2"
2007
1.5"
"Friends With You"
2007
10"
READ THE 'FRIENDS' REACTION TO MIKE'S SCULPT
"Luke Chueh 2"
2007
10"
SEE CHUEH WITH THIS
READ HIS REACTION TO MIKE'S SCULPT
"CRAOLA"
2007
10"
SEE CRAOLA WITH MIKE'S SCULPT
"Joe Ledbetter"
2007
10"
SEE J LED WITH MIKE'S SCULPT
"Sam Flores"
2007
10"
"Lola 2"
2007
10"
SEE LOLA WITH MIKE'S SCULPT
Unless otherwise noted here, Mike sculpted each piece in polymer clay with at least 5 moving body parts. Articulated by elastic and steel armatures, and often equipped with removable accessories, Mike has fabricated many pieces with custom display stands, frames and diorama sets in mixed media.
"Jeremy Fish"
2007
10"
READ FISH'S REACTION TO MIKE'S SCULPT
"Lady Pink"
2006
10"
"Futura"
2006
10"
"Basquiat 2"
2006
10"
"Margaret Kilgallen"
2006
10"
"Luke Chueh"
2006
10"
SEE CHUEH WITH MIKE'S SCULPT
"Lisa Petrucci"
2006
10"
"Frank Kozik"
2006
10"
WATCH MIKE SCULPT KOZIK
"Geena Davis"
2006
10"
Hand-carved wood
WATCH MIKE CARVE GEENA
Permanent Collection of Geena Davis
"Mark Ryden 2"
2005
12"
SEE THE REAL RYDEN WITH HIS FIGURE
"H Bosch"
2005
12"
"Vincent Van Gogh 2"
2005
12"
"Jim Jarmusch"
2004
6"
"Sue Bird"
2004
6"
SEE THE REAL SUE WITH HER FIGURE
Permanent Collection of Sue Bird
"Jackson Pollock"
2002
6"