Niclas is a contemporary German artist whose paintings and sculptures reflect the influences of Pop Art as well as the Neo-Expressionism of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Incorporating commercial imagery and luxury brands, his series The Kiss, is a nod to the oversized appropriations of Jeff Koons, while his luxury-branded fire extinguishers are reminiscent of Takashi Murakami’s toys. Born on July 21, 1978 in Neuhaus am Rennweg, East Germany, Castello cites the fall of the Berlin Wall as a major influence on his work. The sudden exposure to new cultural artifacts led him to a lifelong fascination with vibrant color and glittering objects. Involved in the street art movement in Germany during the late 1990s, Castello relocated to Paris In 2001, where he pursued an education in painting. He briefly returned to Germany to attend art school before dropping out to and moving to New York. During his early years in New York, the artist received mentorship from the performance artist Arleen Schloss, who helped Castello establish his career. He has gone on to exhibit his work at international art fairs, including FIAC 2011 in Paris, Art Stage Singapore 2013, and Art Basel 2014. Castello currently lives and works between New York, NY and Berlin, Germany.