David Plunkert
David Plunkert is a Baltimore-based artist and animator who has collaborated with They Might Be Giants on multiple occasions. Plunkert is a prolific artist best known for his poster designs; his works have been featured in countless magazines and newspapers, including the New Yorker (for which he has won an award[2]), Forbes, and the Criterion. He refers to his two distinctive styles as "collage style" and "block style." His block style often incorporates a focus on simplicity, taking influence from cave paintings and African art.[3]
Plunkert is friends with long-time TMBG collaborator Paul Sahre, who he has cited as an influence.[4] Sahre was the first person to introduce John Flansburgh to Plunkert's work. Plunkert went on to design several posters for the band for their 2015 shows. The characters Plunkert designed went on to be used in the music videos for Music Jail, Pt. 1 & 2 and Let Me Tell You About My Operation, both directed by David Cowles and Jeremy Galante.[5]
Plunkert has gone on to direct several music videos for They Might Giants himself, often working with his wife Joyce Hesselberth under their graphic design studio Spur Design.[6] He directed the music video for I Am Alone which heavily features his collage work. His work is also featured in several music videos for the 2018 Dial-A-Song run, including This Microphone, which he co-directed with Hesselberth. His artwork and character designs were also used in the music video for The Communists Have The Music, another video co-directed by Cowles and Galante.
In addition to his work with They Might Be Giants, Plunkert also designed the album artwork for John Linnell's Roman Songs and directed music videos for each song off of the EP.
Videography for They Might Be Giants[edit]
- "Music Jail, Pt. 1 & 2" (2015, co-director with David Cowles and Jeremy Galante)
- "Let Me Tell You About My Operation" (2015, character design)
- "I Am Alone" (2015, director)
- "This Microphone" (2018, co-director with Joyce Hesselberth, w/ Spur Design)
- "The Communists Have The Music" (2018, artwork)
Works for John Linnell[edit]
- "TECVM CIRCVMAMBVLARE NOLO" (2021, director, w/ Spur Design)
- "NVNC AVT NVMQVAM" (2021, director, w/ Spur Design)
- "HAEC QVOQVE EST RES" (2021, director, w/ Spur Design)
- "CATENAS MEAS AMISI" (2021, director, w/ Spur Design)
