Rodney Alan Greenblat (born August 23, 1960) is an American artist, graphic designer and children's book author born in Daly City, California. He is a former director of the Center for Advanced Whimsy, is responsible for the character design of several video games, including the PaRappa the Rapper series, and was an active figure in the East Village art scene of the 1980s.
Work Greenblat's work was shown in East Village museums in the 1980s, including the Gracie Mansion Gallery, and was at the time considered part of a neo-surrealist movement. Within the same decade, he did the artwork for American alternative rock band They Might Be Giants' first album.
He has been recognized for his work on the 1996 and 1999 video games PaRappa the Rapper and Um Jammer Lammy, and for the Thunder Bunny series of books.
In 2009, he designed characters for the Japanese transportation smart card SUGOCA, sold by JR Kyushu.
In 2017, he opened The Rodney Shop, a retail outlet and gallery in Catskill, New York. The location closed in 2020.
Computer and video games
Rodney's Funscreen (Published by Activision, 1992, PC/Mac) Rodney's Wonder Window (Published by Voyager, 1992, PC/Mac) Dazzleoids (Published by Voyager, 1994, PC/Mac) PaRappa the Rapper (Published by Sony, 1996, PS1) Rodney's Funscreen 2 extreme (Published by Interlink, 1997, PC/Mac) Rodney's Artbrain (Published by Interlink, 1997, PC/Mac) Um Jammer Lammy (Published by Sony, 1999, PS1) PaRappa the Rapper 2 (Published by Sony, 2001, PS2) Major Minor's Majestic March (Published by Majesco, 2009, Wii)
Solo exhibition history
1982 The Threshold, Rodney Alan Greenblat. Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
1983 Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York
1984 Time of Love. Galerie Anna Friebe, Cologne, Germany
1985 The New World. Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York Suburban Utopias/Familiar Frontiers. Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1986 House of Progress. Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York The Tricentennial Room. Karl Bornstein Gallery, Los Angeles, California
1987 Reality and Imagination; Two Taste Treats in One! Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Reality and Imagination; Two Taste Treats in One! Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Texas The Scenic Route. Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York
1988 Design Your Own Future. Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1989 John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, California
1990 Cosmic Adhesive. Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, New York
1991 The Center for Advanced Whimsy. Carpenter Arts Center, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1992 Land Ho! The Mythic World of Rodney A. Greenblat. Museum of Art, Roanoke, Virginia Land Ho! The Mythic World of Rodney A. Greenblat. Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Virginia
1993 Technoweenie. PPOW, New York, New York Land Ho! The Mythic World of Rodney A. Greenblat. World Financial Center, New York, New York
1995 Rodney Time. Creation Gallery G8, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
1996 Rodney's Late Breakfast at Milk. Milk, Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan
1997 Rodney Adventure. Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, Connecticut
1998 New Studio Rodney. Parco Department Store, Japan
1999 Rodney's Art in a Box. Sony Plaza, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan
2000 Rodney's Character Club and Post Office Parco Department Store, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan Cafe Rodney. Tokyo, Japan
2001 Canworld Expo. Takashimaya Department Store, Osaka, Japan
2005 Modern Day. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York
2006 Downtown – The New York Art Scene 1974–1984. Grey Art Gallery NYU, New York, New York Universe. Centella Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
2007 Elemental. Art Print Japan Galleries, Tokyo, Japan
2008 Free Wheel. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York
2010 Thunder Bunny Buddha Shrine. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York
2012 Karma-con. The Rubin Museum, New York, New York
2013 Gala Veinte!. Hudson Opera House, Hudson, New York The Wonder Verified and Fulfilled. BCB Gallery, Hudson, NY
2015 Vibrant Space. BCB Gallery, Hudson, New York
References
External links Rodney Alan Greenblat's official site Rodney's official Japanese-language site