iam8bit Celebrates 20 Years with Anniversary Art Show in Los Angeles

Today, iam8bit announced that they'll be holding an art show for their 20th anniversary.

iam8bit celebrates 20 years at the forefront of games, art and pop culture, returning to its roots with the iam8bit 20th Anniversary Art Show in Los Angeles. In the last two decades, iam8bit has become a tastemaker at the intersection of games, art, and music, marking three original games published, 300+ albums and millions of records pressed. To commemorate this milestone, iam8bit is reopening the doors to its artistic roots with a gallery exhibition that celebrates both its origin story and its ongoing influence on the art and games landscape. The art exhibit will be open to the public on Saturday, Nov. 8, and Sunday, Nov. 9, located at Studio 8, 614 E 12th St., Los Angeles, CA 90015. 

Taking inspiration from its first gallery show in 2005, iam8bit helped ignite the modern pop-culture retro-gaming art movement, drawing 100+ artists and international press while reimagining icons like Mario, Sonic and Mega Man for gallery walls. Over the next decade, its Los Angeles exhibitions, including the supersized 2011 “SUPER iam8bit,” became destination events that brought game-inspired art and community to the mainstream, paving the way for today’s vibrant scene. 

Artistic interpretations of your favorite IP - across alt movie posters, album art, animation, and merchandise - was popularized by iam8bit, inspiring major brands like Disney, Nintendo, Capcom, SEGA, HBO, Warner Bros, Universal and so many others to break away from traditional style guides and try something fresh.

Evolving from curator to cultural producer and publisher, the company has released hundreds of acclaimed soundtrack editions and collectible projects all while producing the industry’s most recognizable events, co-founding the Day of the Devs indie showcase with Double Fine, collaborating with AIAS on Game Maker’s Sketchbook to spotlight game artistry and bringing the game industry together every June with Summer Game Fest: Play Days. The iam8bit 20th Anniversary Art Show is a tribute to the legacy of the artists, fans and creators who helped shape games and pop culture. 

Fans can RSVP via Eventbrite here

More than 70+ of renowned artists will be exhibiting at the 20th anniversary show, including: 

Alex Pardee

Alex Pardee is a LA-based artist, illustrator and apparel designer who designed the artwork for Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch. His distinctive “brightmares” aesthetic fuses cute and horrific elements and are vivid, nightmarish creations inspired by horror movies, pop art, and graffiti.

Cobcris

Cobcris’ work blends still images with claymation-style animation to craft surreal, tactile worlds that feel hand-built and alive, melding digital artistry with analog charm.

Drew Wise

An artist and illustrator whose bold, graphic sensibility bridges pixel art and modern design. His work has appeared in iam8bit gallery shows and across official game and soundtrack collaborations.

Hayden Evans

Hayden Evans blends mid-century flair with irreverent charm to celebrate pop culture icons, His vibrant illustrations combine nostalgic design language with contemporary wit and warmth.

Johana Molina

An award-winning illustrator and animator whose ethereal digital compositions explore memory, place, and time. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and international exhibitions.

Keita Takahashi

Acclaimed creator of the Katamari Damacy series, Wattam and To a T, Takahashi’s whimsical and genre-defying style blends playfulness with emotional depth and heartwarming themes. 

Lee Gatlin

Illustrator and cartoonist whose introspective comics and pop-culture homages blend humor and poignancy. His recent work includes contributions to Amazing Spider-Man #50 (Marvel, 2024).

Luke Chueh

Pop-surrealist painter celebrated for juxtaposing cute, cartoonish figures with dark emotional undertones. Chueh’s instantly recognizable characters have appeared in galleries worldwide and inspired a generation of designer-toy artists.

Mark Borgions

Award-winning designer whose distinct visual style blends bold graphics and surreal humor. Borgions’ charming illustrations are the cover art for iam8bit’s Joystick Jazz collection, featuring jazz versions of videogame soundtracks.  

Maya Quintero

Maya Quintero’s work channels a visceral intimacy, blending figurative forms with gestural abstraction and color charged with emotion. Her images often feel like moments suspended between vulnerability and strength.

Natalie Andrewson

Illustrator, comics artist, and Risograph printmaker known for The Nutcracker and the Mouse King: The Graphic Novel. Andrewson’s narrative artwork captures intimate worlds through expressive color and texture.

Paul Robertson

Acclaimed pixel-art animator behind Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, Mercenary Kings, and TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. His intricate pixel worlds helped define the visual language of modern indie games.

Rex Crowle

BAFTA-winning creative director and artist known for Tearaway, LittleBigPlanet and Knights and Bikes. Crowle’s whimsical, handcrafted aesthetic bridges illustration, animation and interactive storytelling.

Scott Campbell

Illustrator, author, and former Double Fine art director (Psychonauts, Brütal Legend). Creator of the beloved Great Showdowns series, Campbell’s work radiates warmth, humor and heart.

Tara Billinger

Emmy-winning art director and character designer known for Disney TV’s Mickey Mouse shorts and co-creator of Long Gone Gulch. Billinger’s animation work blends vintage aesthetics with bold modern energy.

Each artist puts their own individualized spin on the consoles, characters and games that defined the '80s and '90s through the lens of contemporary art. In-person attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase the unique art on display. Select pieces will also be available to purchase as prints at a later date. 

“This show has been a real labor of love from the entire team at iam8bit and the artists who helped bring it to life,” said Jon M. Gibson, co-owner and co-creative director of iam8bit. “It was extremely important for us to do something that called back to our roots as a company. 20 years after we started, we’re just as passionate today about showcasing how special video games can be as a pop culture art form.” 

“This event celebrates our love of the industry, ambition, sense of nostalgia and what we love to celebrate at iam8bit,” said Amanda White, co-owner and co-creative director of iam8bit. “We’ve really gone above and beyond in making this a show for 2025 that highlights how far we’ve come over the past 20 years.” 

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