Born in 1962 in Queens, New York, Joe Foti joined Chrome Hearts in 1990 at its inception to oversee the Art and Science Division. It was around this time that Joe furthered his appreciation for art in general, especially due to his mentor and close friend, artist Daryl Trivieri. In 1997, after meeting his wife, Mayumi, Joe began working together with her as a team, locating strange treasures to incorporate into their art. Shortly after their union, Joe and Mayumi moved to Tokyo to work at Chrome Hearts Japan from 1998 to 2003 and continued working on art pieces there.

In 2002, during a Tokyo exhibition titled “Fisting Scars”, Joe inadvertently gave life to a collection of characters that would become central to his artistic oeuvre. What began as a series of unconventional sculptures designed to enliven standard display cabinets has since evolved into a fully realised alternate universe. These characters, born from Joe’s unique vision, serve as a testament to his ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Each figure possesses its own elaborate backstory and idiosyncrasies, reflecting Joe’s penchant for blending the familiar with the fantastical. The result is a body of thought-provoking and visually arresting work, offering a fresh perspective on contemporary art.