The 501 jean turns 150 on May 20, and that’s a great reason to celebrate the iconic garment designed by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis. Ian Berry (@ianberry.art), the British artist, knows this very well, and decided to make two paintings in jean patches in honor of the founders of the brand, which were revealed to the public on May 11 at the Levi’s office located in the commune of Las Counts, Santiago de Chile.
“I have always loved Levi’s and for me it is an honor to be part of the 501 anniversary by doing these works, since the brand is an important part of the history” commented Berry.
the founders
He further added that “I presented this idea to celebrate these two men, because most people do not know their importance well. And along with that, we deliver a message of sustainability, which is that you can buy a great quality pair of jeans and they can last a long time. And, that is something that must always be celebrated”
Berry’s work stands out for being sustainable in its processes, which goes hand in hand with what the brand promotes. Levi’s stands out for the little use of water in the creation of its garments. Through pieces of disused clothing, the artist invites you to discover that art can be made while reusing them and thus not harming the environment.
second artistic milestone
The Londoner is a friend of the brand, since it is not the first time that he has worked together with Levi’s. During the year 2022, he visited Chile and made three paintings, demonstrating that music and sustainability can come together in a very creative way. He was in charge of creating giant portraits of Anita Tijoux, Roberto Márquez and Jorge González, of which the first two can be found today in the Plaza Egaña subway, available to all who want to look at the works.
“For us it is a pride to have the presence of a great international artist and that he leaves us a great memory that will last for years in our office. Those works will remind future generations of the importance that these two wonderful men had in history”, concludes Magdalena Calderón, Marketing Lead Andes Cluster at Levi Strauss & Co.