Marcel Katz: The Art Plug

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/12/02

Marcel Katz (@theartplug) is a Miami-based creative director and founder of THE ART PLUG, a platform connecting contemporary art, innovation, and cultural events. With expertise in art, design, and music composition, he crafts viral brand campaigns, blending creativity and technology to deliver immersive experiences and elevate brand presence. Katz emphasizes the influence of travel and mentorship in his work, focusing on immersive experiences, innovative eyewear, and expanding into new fields. His dedication to fostering creativity and personal growth, both for himself and others, remains central to his mission.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What has inspired and evolved the vision for The Art Plug?

Marcel Katz: My inspiration has always been driven by passion. I began my creative journey simply because I loved helping creators. Over the years, through my travels, I’ve gained much of the inspiration that fuels my work today. The Art Plug has grown significantly since its beginnings as an art dealership in 2018. It has now evolved into a creative tech house, offering various services, from brand and art direction to creative solutions for individuals and businesses. We’ve expanded our expertise into diverse fields, including medical software, where we managed the branding and art direction, logistics and developer hiring. This blend of artistic creativity and technology perfectly exemplifies how innovation can transform industries.

While still providing residential and commercial curation of fine art, I’ve also explored my creativity, leading to the launch of MaisonMarcel. I.T.—my line of micro-collectible spectacles made in Modena, Italy. This project reflects my evolving artistic journey and commitment to creating unique, high-quality products.

On a personal level, I’ve grown into a mentor, coach, and brand builder, helping businesses and individuals scale both personally and professionally. My focus is to help creatives and brands unlock their full potential by refining their vision, guiding them through the branding process, and scaling their operations. Whether shaping a brand’s identity or developing business strategies, my approach aims to align personal growth with business goals, using creativity as a transformative tool.

Inspiration for The Art Plug has always come from the people around me. Our global reach exposes us to diverse perspectives, which continually fuel our growth and direction. As I mentioned on the podcast Empire is the Way with Steve Santacruz, we move where we are pulled, not pushed. This philosophy has allowed us to adapt, evolve, and scale while staying true to our core values.  

I can add here because it’s flowing—I like to flow—that I have a mentorship program where I help a select few artists or creatives for free every week. They can talk to, text, or contact me, and I help them with their creative journey. For example, an artist reached out to me.

Mind you, this is not a person paying me for coaching or anything like that. This is somebody who can’t afford it now, and that’s okay. The world should not be run by money. It should be run by human nature to help each other, not just to destroy.

So, this artist asked me, “Hey, I’m doing a deal with this company, and they want to create some products to sell in their yoga studios—like a bag, a yoga mat, things like that.” She’sShe said, “How do I approach this? What are the steps I should take to deal out?”

She texted me right before today’s interview, and I was like, “Hey, how are you?” I’ll call her Jane Doe. “Hi, Jane, how are you?” And she’s like, “I’m doing great. I’m just curious about this. What should be the next steps?” I told her, “Hey, here’s what you should do first. Here’s what you should do second. Here’s what you should do third.” She’s like, “Thank you so much for responding.” She’s happy with the response and ready to proceed to the next step. She will explain how the potential collaboration unfolds with the yoga studio.

I love those situations. And yes, my travels inspired me over the years. That fuels most of my work today—I was fortunate to travel the world.

For more information about The Art Plug and what we do, visit ARTPLUG.COM.

I’ve been to over 40 countries, and I draw much inspiration from various places—whether it’s from the currency, how things are documented, or the cultural representation of the people in the cities I’ve visited. Whether it’s Copenhagen, Modena in Italy, or my hometown of Miami, which has influenced me the most, I find inspiration everywhere. I love feeling like I can naturally relate to people from all over the globe. If someone contacts me from Asia or any other region, I can relate to them. I can relate to someone in Spain or from the U.K. just as quickly.

I have a natural ability to connect with people, which has fueled my brand. The Art Plug is not just an American brand. While we’re based in the U.S., we’ve activated projects worldwide. Since founding as an art dealership in 2018, The Art Plug has grown significantly. I started by buying and selling art.

I had an uncle named Gary, who runs an amazing website called PremiumPopArt.com. I’m happy to mention him because we sometimes collaborate on certain deals. He has access to high-quality, blue-chip investment art and introduced me to this market. He helped me secure my first Basquiat, which I later sold to Wilson Chandler, a basketball player with the Denver Nuggets. Getting involved with blue-chip art was a new and exciting phase for me, and it’s interesting to watch how the market value of these pieces grows as they become more popular.

Sometimes, a collector will reach out years later, wanting to sell a piece they purchased, and it might be worth more than when they bought it. But that’s only sometimes the case. Sometimes, it’s worth less. However, when you’re good at recognizing trends and understanding your evolution and the market, you can make informed decisions about what is worth investing in and displaying in your home.

The Art Plug, which started as a dealership focused on transactional relationships with collectors, has since evolved into a creative tech house. Today, we are a technology-driven brand that helps individuals and businesses connect the dots. We’ve expanded into various fields, including medical software. I even partnered with an E.R. specialist to develop a medical application, and our vision continues to deepen.

I enjoy working with Dr. Gurpal, an E.R. specialist in Canada. We have an amazing relationship, and I thoroughly enjoy our conversations and the work we do together. It doesn’t feel like work because I’m learning so much. My communication skills are constantly improving, and my ability to think like someone trained for years to perform emergency operations is growing. Every conversation teaches me something new, and I’m constantly evolving.

You’re trying to surround yourself with inspiring people without realizing it. You don’t realize these people are inspiring you until you’re talking about it, like in an interview like this, and then it hits you that those around you matter more than you thought. Even though I’ve always been aware of this, it has become even more important now. I’m more drawn to writers, journalists, and those who give back to the world—not just creatives.

Katz: We offer various services, from branding and art direction to creative solutions. This applies to both individuals and businesses.

Right now, my pride and joy aren’t just in the Art Plug but also in this medical software that will alleviate doctors’ bandwidth and improve communication in critical situations. So that’s exciting. We also provide art direction, logistics, communication assistance, and work with developers. We can help find the right team to bring an idea to life.

We’re known as a company with endless ideas. If we love a project, expect 50 concepts and a way to make those concepts happen. While we still offer residential and commercial curation of fine art, which is where I started, I still have to leave my roots. It’s just that these things are easier than they used to be.

I used to need to study more to figure things out, but now it comes naturally because I’ve been doing it for so long. What used to take me a day, I can now complete in a few hours. My capacity has increased because I’ve stayed in my field while expanding into new directions within the creative space, allowing me to work more efficiently. My team has also become more efficient in what we do.

Something that reflects the evolution I believe in is eyewear. The future is going to be on your face—in wearables. What you wear will have a technological component. I’ve been saying this for years. Now you can see companies like Meta working on eyewear with A.R. and V.R. capabilities, like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which is super cool. It’s not just a small brand pushing the boundaries of technological advancements in eyewear; it’s a major brand making this technology accessible to everyone. These glasses are affordable, around $200, compared to premium eyewear costing $1,000.

These Meta glasses also have practical utility. I’m working on incorporating similar strategies and functions into my current designs because I believe that in 5 to 10 years, you may not need a phone in your hand anymore. You’ll be able to see your text messages through your lenses and communicate freely without moving or saying much. Your thoughts will be synced to your devices. It’s a bit scary, but it’s also cool and exciting.

My website for eyewear is maisonmarcel. It. If you like a pair, I’ll hook you up. We could set up a giveaway through the article if you are interested. Just let me know!

I’m just touching on that. I’m happy to give a lucky reader a pair of eyewear. All the eyewear is made in Italy and inspired by my travels.

Enzo Ferrari started Ferrari in Modena, Italy, and I make my eyewear 100% in Italy. Many other brands claim their products are Italian-made or made in Paris. Still, the reality is that the majority of their production happens in Asia. They assemble or do certain finishing touches in Europe to claim it’s made there. But the truth is, many of these brands are made somewhere other than Italy. I’ve often been advised to lower my costs by manufacturing elsewhere, but I refuse.

I love working with a family in a small Italian town, making eyewear since 1950. This is their passion, not something they do just for money, and that inspires me. So, that’s Maison Marcel—part of the evolution of the Art Plug.

On a personal level, I’ve grown into becoming more of a mentor, coach, and brand builder. I help businesses and individuals scale both personally and professionally. I focus on helping creatives and brands expand their operations while shaping what their brands look and feel like. What emotion are they selling? I help them figure that out. The inspiration for the Art Plug has always come from the people around me and my travels.

Our global reach exposes us to diverse perspectives, which I love. It continuously fuels my growth and direction as a brand. I always interact with people with unique perspectives, which feeds our innovation. It’s a cycle—constantly changing, innovating, and re-inspiring ourselves at the Art Plug.

When deciding where or how I will evolve, I say, “I go where I’m pulled, not pushed.” Go where you’re wanted, where people are showing they need you. If you force an interaction, it only sometimes works. But if you find where you naturally fit, everything comes easier.

This philosophy has allowed me to adapt, evolve, and scale while staying true to my core values. I talk about this in the “Empire is the Way” podcast I recently did with the host, Steve Santacruz. It’s on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TCbj7pEqmBM?feature=shared.

www.MaisonMarcel.IT

Jacobsen: How can art influence social change in subtler ways than other disciplines?

Katz: Art influences social change in ways that are often subconscious. Many people need to realize the impact of visual elements on them. For example, street art can reshape a city’s identity, like in Wynwood, Miami, where public murals have transformed the neighbourhood into a global art hub. This cultural shift happens subtly—people are influenced by the colours, shapes, and emotions that art evokes, often unaware.

The power of public art lies in its ability to touch people’s lives without them realizing it. This invisible influence makes art such a compelling tool for social change. Like marketing studies show how colour affects consumer behaviour, street art similarly alters how people view their surroundings and themselves.

Have you ever seen a piece of art that touched you deeply, but you can’t remember exactly what the piece looked like? You may only remember the colour or what it communicated, but its impact stays with you.

Jacobsen: I’m working on an educational series with a classical realist artist. The series will cover art history from the Stone Age through the Greco-Roman period, the Renaissance, and onward. Then, we’ll look at some of the works he created over the past several decades. I don’t always recall how every piece from the masters he shows me in this series looks. Still, I do remember the emotional impact and the shifts in technique over time. The realism and the advancement in methods certainly stand out.

Katz: Exactly. You don’t have to be in the art industry to feel a positive effect from art. If you visit a museum, you don’t need to read every description of every piece. Just being in the presence of art is like going to the gym—it will have a lasting influence on you, and usually a positive one. Miami has great institutions offering affordable art and science experiences, like the Frost Science Museum and the Pérez Art Museum. These are great places to visit for a few bucks, take a walk, bite, and learn something new. It’s also a great place to take a date if you ever want an idea.

But I’m mindful of the time—we only have about 9 minutes left, so I’ll make it quick and finish the rest of the questions.

For more insights, visit ARTPLUG.COM.

Jacobsen: How has being open about mental health challenges helped your creative endeavour and connecting with people?

Katz: Being open about mental health has been crucial for me, not just as an individual but as a creative. Sharing my mental health journey, including a recent public meltdown, allowed me to see who supported me and who didn’t. It also made me more intentional about the people I surround myself with. Therapy has been a huge part of this process, helping me work on communication and understand who is worth investing my energy in.

This openness has also deepened my connections with others. Being vulnerable has created space for genuine interactions and collaboration, both personally and professionally. I’ve seen how mental health struggles can both hinder and fuel creativity, and addressing those challenges has enhanced my ability to connect with others, especially through mentorship.

For more on this and other projects, visit ARTPLUG.COM.

Jacobsen: How do you create immersive environments for people to join?

Katz: Creating immersive environments is about telling a story through the brand’s lens. When we work with a company—like a water brand, for example—we aim to create spaces that elevate the appreciation of their product by engaging multiple senses. Whether through lighting, materials, or even sound, we tailor each element to enhance the audience’s connection to the brand.

When promoting an artist, I focus on bringing their work to life, turning visual art into an immersive experience. This approach creates emotional bonds between the audience and the creator, similar to how Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms immerse viewers in a boundless, emotional space. We also pride ourselves on adaptability; sometimes, the final product looks different from the initially planned, but the improvisation often leads to even more impactful results.

To explore our immersive work, check out and visit ARTPLUG.COM.

Jacobsen: When promoting an artist, how do you focus on bringing their work to life and creating immersive experiences?

Katz: I focus on turning visual art into an immersive experience, creating emotional bonds between the audience and the creator—similar to how Yayoi Kusama’s infinity rooms immerse you in a boundless emotional space. We also pride ourselves on adaptability. Sometimes, the final product looks different from initially planned, but the improvisation often leads to an even more impactful result.

Jacobsen: How is A.R. influencing marketing?

Katz: A.R. is a game-changer in marketing, making experiences more interactive and personalized. It allows brands to integrate virtual elements into real-world environments, significantly boosting consumer engagement. Take IKEA’s A.R. app, which lets customers visualize home furniture. This kind of functionality makes the decision-making process more intuitive and engaging.

At The Art Plug, we’ve embraced A.R. to extend the reach of art beyond galleries, creating virtual exhibitions that people can experience through their devices. This democratizes art and makes it more accessible, breaking down the barriers of traditional spaces.

We host pop-up digital experiences throughout the year, depending on the partner or opportunity. I’m upgrading my platform, including a digital space and marketplace where collectors and creatives can connect, communicate, and showcase their art directly—no strings attached.

It will be subscription-based, but we’ll also offer a free option, which is super cool because not everyone can afford expensive platforms. Many of these spaces are costly, so artists are sometimes called “starving artists.” I’ve been there myself, eating ramen noodles for months because I had no money. I want artists to feel like they can showcase their work only because they think it’s not good enough or can’t afford it. We will always have a place for those people at the Art Plug. We’re a pedestal for artists to explore new ways of showcasing their creativity, and we promote their art fairly. It’s not just pay-to-play here.

For more AR-driven marketing ideas, visit ARTPLUG.COM.

Jacobsen: How can art be therapeutic?

Katz: Art is one of the most effective forms of therapy, offering an emotional outlet and a way to process difficult experiences. It promotes mindfulness, reduces stress, and fosters personal insight. Professional art therapists use guided sessions to help individuals work through trauma, improve communication, and enhance cognitive flexibility. Studies have shown that engaging in creative activities can boost self-esteem and motor skills and serve as a medium for social connection.

On a personal note, I found art to be a therapeutic escape during the COVID-19 pandemic. My digital art started as a hobby but became much bigger when one of my stickers went viral, amassing 30 million views monthly. This creative process helped me cope with the challenges of the pandemic but also connected me with a global audience, showing how art can heal and unite.

If you’re interested in exploring art’s therapeutic potential, head over to visit ARTPLUG.COM.

Jacobsen: What was your creative process like when you started making digital art?

Katz: During that time, I wondered what was happening in the world, like many others. I created digital art, which I had always experimented with but have not publicly shared. I decided to start putting it out there, and it became a hobby. I pushed it publicly, and unexpectedly, one of my first stickers got 30 million views. I was like, “Wait a minute, this is interesting!” It was just three frames—not even that complicated.

I kept creating more and more. Now, I have over 4.2 billion views on my Giphy channel. So, a hobby can become something you do for the rest of your life. It can help you heal, express yourself, and improve your cognitive abilities. For me, it was a way to work through my traumas.

Jacobsen: Thank you, Marcel!

Katz: Thanks so much.

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