Bäst utilized mixed media art to challenge the dominance of Western capitalism and was a prolific figure in Brooklyn's graffiti scene. His artworks were created by amalgamating various elements of the city, including found objects, food waste, and advertisements, to produce an impactful collage. He often gathered his material from the beach by Coney Island, using broken plastic bottles, wood, and other random junk that had been bleached by the sun and torn apart by waves. Bäst then layered these items with spray-paint, collage, and stencils to create his unique pieces of art. He also collaborated with FAILE to innovate on wheat-paste techniques and created strange 'fly tip' puppets with Paul Insect.

The name Bäst was chosen as a reference to how he re-imagined and "bästardised" US culture, humorously exposing the detrimental effects of obsessive consumerism. In his artwork San Pellegrino (2018), Bäst's use of Pop Art references is evident in the portrait of a man's face and eyes, with the packaging of San Pellegrino used to highlight his features. This piece is a reflection of American culture, highlighting the animalistic desire to consume fizzy drinks and the harmful consequences of unchecked consumerism.

“I don’t want to influence how someone sees the work. The viewer should make up their own mind.”

Bäst

American

Main

Artist

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