The Art of Revolution

Norm “NOMZEE” Maxwell was born in 1969, in Philadelphia. His mother attended art school and encouraged him to imitate her assignments. Drawing, painting, and the history of art were the earliest influences in Norm’s life. In the late ‘70s, the Hip-Hop era dawned on the urban landscape and Graffiti offered the rebellious thrill of art on a grand scale and the power of making a statement. By the time he turned 13, Norm was a veteran with regular commissions from local business owners. The artists who inspired him most were Vulcan, Doze, and Lee. In 1986, Norm was commissioned to do a mural for the Provident National Bank in Germantown. That same year, aged 16, he was accepted to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. The following year, Norm attended The Hussain School of Art. Here he studied traditional painting on canvas techniques as well as graphic design and illustration. Around this time, Norm began a mentorship under the tutelage of noted Symbolist painter, Virgil Nova. The works of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell and the mystique of Surrealism became major influences in Norm’s work. In 1988, he was selected to show at the prestigious Crittenden and Rittenhouse exhibitions, winning the outstanding student award at the latter. Norm hit the West Coast at the age of 20. One of his first works is the much-loved “Black Seeds” mural in the heart of L.A. In the early ‘90s, Norm co-founded the San Francisco-based clothing company, Revolution, distributing designs to Europe, Japan, and the Far East. However, music video and set design kept Norm based in L.A. He has contributed to videos for TLC, Destiny’s Child, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, Black Eyed Peas, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. These days, Norm’s various artistic, graphic, and filmmaking talents are consolidated in his company, Norm Maxwell Media. Commercial clients include Revlon, L’Oreal, T-Mobile, Playstation, and Lexus. This year Norm art directed videos for Janet Jackson and, most recently, John Legend. Norm’s latest work is “THE OSIRIS PROJECT”, a 15-minute film which brings together all his influences. Modern day filmmaking meets futuristic Hip-Hop meets the artistic exploration of the Egyptian myth of Osiris and his jealous brother, Seth.