{english below} Nació en el sur de Los Ángeles, en una zona llamada “The hood”. Su vida es el graffiti y nos cuenta que el graffiti salvo su vida en 1985.
Hace murales, va a festivales, y expone en galerías y museos. Pinta tanto en su estudio como por todo el mundo. “Lo que hago me mantiene dinámico, esperanzado, comprometido, inspirado y afortunado”, dice.
En relación a los murales, tiene muy en cuenta a los habitantes de la zona donde va a hacerlos, visualiza el espacio, incluyendo la parte negativa, se relaciona con el entorno e invita a los espectadores a participar.
Ha estado trabajando en una exposición en solitario en el CASS Contemporary, que se inauguró el pasado 5 de noviembre, llamada ‘Red Everything’. “Me gustaría que mi trabajo evolucionara hacia algo más conceptual”, cuenta, “mis tiburones no son tan literales como la gente cree”.
www.sharktoof.com
English:
SHARK TOOF
He was born and raised in south Los Angeles also referred to as “the hood”. His background is in Graffiti and as he says, graffiti saved his life in 1985.
His work is about murals and mural festivals. Galleries, Museums, Commercial work. He paints all over the world if not in the studio. “I not only love what I do but must do what I do. It keeps my life dynamic, honest, grounded, engaging communities, hopefully inspiring the less fortunate”, says.
In regards to murals, he considers the environment and its inhabitants first priority. He then visualizes how to activate the space keeping in mind the entire surface, including negative space. Through spacial relationships and movement he invites the viewer to participate.
He has been working on a solo show with CASS Contemporary Opening November 5th titled “Red Everything.” “I would like the work to evolve further conceptually. My sharks are not as literal as the average person might assume”, explains.
Keep painting sharks is the hardest thing regarding his work. “People generally have a love, hate, kitsch connection with sharks, which throws my work into either controversy or dismissal. Like any artist, the more you research the content behind the work, the more informed the appreciation becomes”, adds.
From his point of view: “The shark is saturated with inspiration with acute parallels to growing up poor, an inner city youth, an art form such as graffiti that virtually everyone hated, yet vibrant enough to survive extreme conditions. The shark is a perfect icon for the struggling, the misfit, the nomadic and misunderstood. From deconstruction, abstraction, to a more formal approach, the shark continues to inform my work”.
His favorite historic figure is Martin Luther King and after work he likes Happy Hour, Hike, Bike and Water.