Artist Statement

It was a joy to have the opportunity to underscore the “New York” in our series title, not just as the place Drake lives and works, but also as a spirit that Drake captures in his art. Drake absorbs the life of the city happening all around him and finds inspiration in the art and fashion of the city’s past and present. While he has a knack for drawing clothing and remixing sartorial details so that they make sense together, it is often the faces and poses of the people in his work that command the viewers’ attention, as they bring to life the eclectic characters that we might encounter in the city.

We extended this idea of mixing and matching, as well as the role nostalgia plays in Drake’s practice, to the form of the film and shot parts of it with a 90s-era home movie video camera. While we knew from the beginning of the production process that Happyfun Hideaway would be an integral part of Drake’s story we needed to capture, we didn’t realize we would end up filming one of his last days as a bartender there before transitioning into being a full-time artist. I’m glad we have a record of the end of an era, and can’t wait to see what’s next for Drake.