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    In ‘Pu$h Thru,’ Yvette Mayorga Examines Latinx Experience Through Rococo Maximalism

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    “She’s in the cake/Put out the fire, after Nicolas
    Lancret” (2025), collage, glitter, buttons, textile, birthday candles,
    pastel, cardboard, gold foil, silver foil, gold flakes, stickers, cake
    toppers, acrylic marker, acrylic nails, nail charms, and acrylic piping on canvas, 60 x 120 inches. all images courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago, shared with permission

    In ‘Pu$h Thru,’ Yvette Mayorga Examines Latinx Experience Through Rococo Maximalism

    June 11, 2025

    Art

    Kate Mothes

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    Known for her delectable, frilly, occasionally ominous acrylic paintings made with bakery tools, Yvette Mayorga (previously) nods to memories of her mother working as a baker and references Baroque and Rococo art while critically examining family, community, and notions of prosperity.

    Mayorga’s pieces are “dominated by shades of pink to critically examine the American Dream and the Latinx experience, often borrowing compositions from personal and family photos and art history,” says Monique Meloche Gallery, which presents a solo show of the artist’s work opening this weekend.

    “W3 R TIR3D” (2025), collage, rhinestones, plastic butterflies, acrylic marker, pastel, silver foil, gold foil, pen, acrylic nails, car sticker, butterflies, glitter, gold flakes, silver flakes, textile, belt, rhinestones, nail charms and acrylic piping on canvas, 48 x 36 inches

    Pu$h Thru, the artist’s first show with the gallery and the first in her hometown of Chicago since 2018, takes a semi-autobiographical approach by reflecting on her experiences during the last decade in the city. Beyond her characteristic confection-inspired works, she has created large-scale compositions incorporating found objects like lampshades, clothing, and jewelry, along with bits of ceramic, pastels, gold foil, acrylic nails, and more.

    Many of these works draw on Mayorga’s personal memories, like snapshots of the artist as a child during a birthday party or sitting in her family’s living room. Converging with romantic Rococo aesthetics and style, like portraits modeled after Elizabeth Vigee Le Brun or Jean-Honoré Fragonard, the artist addresses the Euro-centric narrative of art history and its overarching omission of other identities. Mayorga has even coined a term to describe her approach, “Latinxoco,” which merges Latinx identity with Rococo aesthetics.

    “Pink, a color that has a long history with Mayorga’s practice, is deployed as a conceptual strategy to destabilize Western ideals of skin tone, evoking questions of race, class, and gendered embodiment while also referencing cosmetic and domestic aesthetics—an ironic and radical reclamation of softness as strength,” the gallery says.

    Pu$h Thru runs from June 14 to July 26. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

    “La Ursupadora Not 4 Me” (2025), collage, textile, glitter, lamp shade, pen, electrical outlet, hoop earrings, shoes, jeans, marker, pastel, drawer handles, lampshade, ceramic, belt, felt, pastel, clock, stickers, gold flakes, gold foil, mirror, acrylic nails, textile, nail charms, TV control, and acrylic piping on canvas, 60 x 120 inches

    “What’s Hidden Beneath (Remnant Series)” (2025), found objects, nail charms, and acrylic piping on canvas, 16 x 12 inches

    “Hot and Ready” (2025), collage, rhinestones, acrylic marker, silver foil, gold foil, pen, pastel, mirror, acrylic nails, stickers, rhinestones, gold flakes, nail charms, collage, glitter and acrylic piping on canvas, 48 x 36 inches

    “Self Portrait of the Artist After Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun” (2025), textile, collage, stickers, gold flakes, silver flakes, pen, lace, buttons, acrylic nails, nail charms, and acrylic piping on canvas, 72 x 60 inches

    “The Portal (Remnant Series)” (2025), found objects and acrylic piping on canvas, 16 x 12 inches

    “Rhinestone Vaquero After Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun” (2025), textile, rhinestones, buttons, belt buckle, gold flakes, silver flakes, glitter, and acrylic piping on canvas, 72 x 60 inches

    “Taffy Taffy (Remnant Series)” (2025), found objects and acrylic piping on canvas, 16 x 12 inches

    “PU$$H PU$$H THRU” (2025), collage, rhinestones, glitter, acrylic marker, silver foil, gold foil, pen, toy boat, mirror, marker, acrylic nails, stickers, textile, leather, nail charms, and acrylic piping on canvas, 48 x 36 inches

    “La Serpiente (Remnant Series)” (2024), found objects and acrylic piping on canvas, 16 x 12 inches

    Installation view of ‘Pu$h Thru’ at Monique Meloche Gallery

    “Party Favor (Remnant Series)” (2025), found objects, nail charms, party favor, and acrylic piping on canvas, 16 x 12 inches

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      Dara Schuman’s Rhythmic Tiered Vessels Embrace Intuition

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      Images © the artist, share with permission

      Dara Schuman’s Rhythmic Tiered Vessels Embrace Intuition

      June 11, 2025

      Art

      Jackie Andres

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      Experimentation is a driving force in Dara Schuman’s ceramic practice. Out of her Chicago studio, the artist conjures striking geometric forms that appear stacked, ribbed, and almost architectonic. With an air of retro-futurism informed by mid-century modern style, her jewel-toned volumetric vessels don earthy yet bold glazes in deep reds, ochre, and smokey blue.

      “Over time, I’ve found that my best pieces come from exploration rather than control,” the artist explains. Sitting before the pottery wheel, Schuman allows her thoughts to melt away before permitting her subconscious take charge. “Letting the clay guide me is what I enjoy most about the medium,” she shares.

      When Schuman discovers methods and motions that stick, she uses those processes as momentum to see how far she can push both the clay and her skills. Often, this approach naturally leads to bodies of work in which the iterative pieces feel and look inherently harmonious.

      Schuman is currently excited about lighting and has been experimenting with pendant lights and sculptural lamps. She is also working on a series of mugs for a shop update in the next month. Find much more from the artist on her website and Instagram.

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      Hew Locke’s ‘Odyssey’ Flotilla Sails Through Global Colonial History and Current Affairs

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      Installation view of ‘Hew Locke: Here’s the Thing’ (2019), Ikon Gallery, Birmingham. Photo by Stuart Whipps, courtesy of Ikon Gallery. All images © Hew Locke, courtesy of P·P·O·W, shared with permission

      Hew Locke’s ‘Odyssey’ Flotilla Sails Through Global Colonial History and Current Affairs

      June 10, 2025

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      Through a multidisciplinary approach spanning painting, photography, sculpture, and installation, British artist Hew Locke OBE RA interrogates “the languages of colonial and post-colonial power, and the symbols through which different cultures assume and assert identity,” says P·P·O·W, which will present a series of the artists’ boat sculptures at Art Basel this month.

      Locke has long been interested in the time-honored traditions and spectrum of histories associated with watercraft. For Those in Peril on the Sea (2011), for example, incorporated 70 model boats that, when suspended from the ceiling, appeared to float in a colorful, eclectic flotilla. The artist combined customized models along with vessels made from scratch, representing different styles used around the world. “No crew are visible—the boats themselves are a symbol of the crew and passengers,” a statement says.

      “Odyssey 17” (2024), mixed media, 26 x 14 5/8 x 39 3/8 inches. Photos by Damian Griffiths

      Eight new vessels in Locke’s Odyssey series will sail through P·P·O·W’s booth at the art fair opening June 19. Representing a range of styles, from wooden gun ships and dreadnoughts to fishing boats and yachts, Locke adds colorful details like flags, painted patterns, patchwork sails, and onboard equipment.

      He invites us to consider the myriad associations with boats as fishing vessels, commuter ferries, military fleets, leisure cruises, and symbols of power, exploration, colonization, global conflict, and migration. As people continue to struggle across open seas in search of better lives, crowding onto ships and embarking on dangerous, or even deadly, voyages, maritime history converges with present-day events and global socio-political realities.

      “Fusing historical source material with a keen interest in current affairs, often through the juxtaposition or modification of existing artifacts, Locke focuses attention especially on the U.K., the monarchy, and his childhood home, Guyana,” P·P·O·W says.

      Sailors have also historically been famously superstitious, based on the inherent risks of their occupation, and they put a great deal of stock in omens. In “Odyssey 30,” for example, Locke illustrates the vessel’s sails with images of men being haunted by skeletons, an instance of memento mori that infuses the piece with a sense of foreboding.

      “Odyssey 30” (2024), mixed media, 21 5/8 x 35 7/8 x 6 3/4 inches

      Art Basel runs from June 19 to 22 in Basel, Switzerland. From September 2025, an installation titled Cargoes in King Edward Memorial Park, London, will take inspiration from the history of the site’s mercantile and dock communities. And the largest solo survey of the artist’s work to date, Hew Locke: Passages, continues at the Yale Center for British Art through January 11, 2026. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

      Installation view of ‘Hew Locke: Here’s the Thing’ (2019), Ikon Gallery, Birmingham. Photo by Stuart Whipps, courtesy of Ikon Gallery

      Detail of “Odyssey 30”

      “Odyssey 10” (2024), mixed media, 24 3/4 x 7 1/2 x 25 5/8 inches

      “Odyssey 22” (2024), mixed media, 15 3/8 x 7 7/8 x 28 3/4 inches

      Installation view of ‘Hew Locke: Here’s the Thing’ (2019), Ikon Gallery, Birmingham. Photo by Stuart Whipps, courtesy of Ikon Gallery

      “Odyssey 13” (2024), mixed media, 29 7/8 x 15 3/4 x 38 1/4 inches

      Detail of “Odyssey 30”

      “Odyssey 15” (2024), mixed media, 10 1/4 x 20 1/2 x 20 1/2 inches

      Detail of “Odyssey 15”

      “Odyssey 25” (2024), mixed media, 26 3/4 x 20 7/8 x 14 5/8 inches

      Detail of “Odyssey 10”

      Installation view of ‘Hew Locke: Here’s the Thing’ (2019), Ikon Gallery, Birmingham. Photo by Stuart Whipps, courtesy of Ikon Gallery

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    • 150 Shares24 Views

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      Paper-Thin Porcelain Works by Mark Goudy Balance on Folds Inspired by Origami

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      All images courtesy of Mark Goudy, shared with permission

      Paper-Thin Porcelain Works by Mark Goudy Balance on Folds Inspired by Origami

      June 10, 2025

      ArtCraftDesign

      Kate Mothes

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      From delicately folded paper, Berkeley-based ceramicist Mark Goudy draws inspiration for an ongoing series, Origami. He describes his work as “minimal forms with hidden complexity,” building on a love for simple yet elegant forms that reflect nature’s inherent geometries.

      In meticulous sculptures that merge form and function, Goudy pulls from his experience as a 3D graphics hardware design engineer. Using algorithmic 3D software, he creates objects that nod to the art of Japanese paper folding. “Many of these forms are designed to balance on the folds—when set on a flat surface, they rock back and forth, naturally settling into their inherent point of equilibrium,” he says.

      Goudy’s thin, translucent, slipcast pieces are made from black or white porcelain, which he occasionally colors by painting metallic salt watercolors directly onto the surface after they have been bisque fired. Salt soaks up and redistributes the pigment, which is further influenced by the texture and permeability of the material.

      “As the metal salts soak into the porous clay body, they move and interact with each other,” the artist says. “And during the drying process, they naturally gradate and concentrate on the edges, highlighting the folds and ridges of my forms.”

      Using only three metal salt pigments: gold, cobalt, and chromium, Goudy achieves various shades of red, blue, and green. “I am especially drawn to cobalt blue, a reference to the ineffable blue of water and distance,” he says. “I think of these objects as containers for light and atmosphere.”

      Goudy’s work will be on view in the 63rd Faenza Prize for the International Biennial of Contemporary Ceramic Art in Faenza, Italy, from June 28 to November 30. See more of the artist’s work on his website and Instagram.

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    • 225 Shares32 Views

      in Art

      At Joy Machine, Five Artists Bring a Gust of Fresh Air for a Joint Exhibition with The Jaunt

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      Stevie Shao, “Thistle Butterfly sheltering from rain,” acrylic gouache and latex paint on paper, 16 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches

      At Joy Machine, Five Artists Bring a Gust of Fresh Air for a Joint Exhibition with The Jaunt

      June 9, 2025

      ArtPartner

      Joy Machine

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      Joy Machine is excited to announce a joint exhibition with The Jaunt. Opening this week in Chicago, Ventus features paintings, sculptures, and prints by Cody Hudson, Seonna Hong (previously), Seth Pimentel, Stevie Shao, and Scott Sueme.

      Founded and curated by Jeroen Smeets, The Jaunt (previously) is a travel project that sends artists around the world to experience new locations and cultures. Once they return home, artists create a limited-edition silkscreen print inspired by their journeys.

      Seonna Hong, “Summer Swimmers” (2025), acrylic on linen, 30 x 24 inches, framed

      Being outside our comfort zones heightens our senses and opens us up to new experiences and inspiration. The Jaunt is a gust of new perspective and energy that flows through artists’ creative processes, allowing them to reorient and establish a new current.

      For Ventus, Smeets gathered a group of artists who have each participated in the project, traveling to places like Shanghai, Mexico City, and Jeju Island, along with the towns of Shelton, Washington, and Joseph, Oregon. Each lets their experiences and observations lead as they create new artworks.

      Chicago has always been somewhat of a home away from home for The Jaunt. The very first exhibition was in the city, and over the years, amazing artists living and working in Chicago–including Cody Hudson, David Heo, Liz Flores, and others–have participated. The Jaunt and Joy Machine are excited to partner and present these five artists, many of whom are showing here for the first time.

      Ventus runs from June 13 to August 2. RSVP to the opening reception here.

      Stevie Shao, “Swallows,” acrylic gouache and latex paint on shaped wood

      Seonna Hong, “Bigfoot,” hand-finished print

      Scott Sueme, “Self-Schema, Pillar One” (2025), acrylic, flashe, and pastel on wood, 69 x 5.5 inches

      Cody Hudson, “Self-Sufficiency, Tangerine Variant”

      Cody Hudson, “Alternative Education, Tangerine Variant”

      Seth Pimentel, silkscreen print, 50 x 70 centimeters, edition of 50, signed and numbered by the artist

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      An Astronaut Finds Symbiosis with Nature in Agus Putu Suyadnya’s Uncanny Paintings

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      “Utopian Visions of Hope” (2025). All images courtesy of Sapar Contemporary, shared with permission

      An Astronaut Finds Symbiosis with Nature in Agus Putu Suyadnya’s Uncanny Paintings

      June 6, 2025

      ArtClimate

      Grace Ebert

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      In Symbiotic Utopia, Agus Putu Suyadnya imagines a future in which tropical ecosystems not unlike those of Southeast Asia become sites for humanity to commune with nature.

      Surrounded by verdant foliage and moss-covered roots that seem to glow with blue and green fuzz, a recurring astronaut figure approaches each scene with comfort and ease. In one work, the suited character cradles a chimpanzee à la notable conservationist Jane Goodall and waves a large bubble wand to create trails of the iridescent orbs in another. And in “Cosmic Self Healing,” the figure sits in a comfortable chair, a large potted plant at his side. This typical domestic scene, though, is situated on the moon, and Earth’s swirling atmosphere appears behind him.

      “Cosmic Self Healing” (2022)

      While alluring in color and density, Suyadnya’s paintings are surreal and portend an eerie future irredeemably impacted by the climate crisis. The astronaut, after all, is fully covered in a protective capsule, a sign that people can only survive with this critical adaptation. “Humans cannot live without nature,” the artist says, “whereas the natural world without mankind will continue to survive. So why, as humans, do we think we have the upper hand?”

      Symbiotic Utopia is on view through July 7 at Sapar Contemporary in New York. Find more from Suyadnya on Instagram.

      Detail of “Cosmic Self Healing” (2022)

      “A Hug for Hope”

      “Steady Humility Wins Every Time” (2025)

      “Yearning for Home” (2024)

      “Playful Nature is the Future” (2024)

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    • 138 Shares36 Views

      in Art

      William Mophos Conjures the Carefree Joys of Childhood on Salvaged Architecture

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      Detail of “Quintal da Vovข” (2025), acrylic painting on wall fragment, miniatures of mixed materials, acrylic dome with cement board base, 21.6 x 23 x 21 centimeters. All images courtesy of William Morphos, shared with permission

      William Mophos Conjures the Carefree Joys of Childhood on Salvaged Architecture

      June 6, 2025

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      The thrills of childhood play are on full display in the miniature works of William Mophos. On salvaged bricks, cracked tiles, and other architectural matter found throughout São Paulo, the Brazilian artist composes mixed-media scenes of a toddler drinking from a water hose or a youngster walking a dog. Intimate in size, the dioramas meld photorealistic portraits in acrylic with sculptural elements like minuscule flip-flops flung off a child’s feet or a red balloon frozen in an acrylic pane.

      Shown here are pieces of Colossal, a series that’s taken shape during the last five years. Marked with age, the materials evoke times passed and conjure a nostalgic, wistful longing for days filled with exploration and imagination. Find much more of Mophos’ work on his website and Instagram.

      “Estou Voando…” (2023), acrylic painting on tile, framed in acrylic and with a cement board background, 25.5 x 25.5 x 7.5 centimeters

      “Quintal da Vovข” (2025), acrylic painting on wall fragment, miniatures of mixed materials, acrylic dome with cement board base, 21.6 x 23 x 21 centimeters

      “Quintal da Vovข” (2025), acrylic painting on wall fragment, miniatures of mixed materials, acrylic dome with cement board base, 21.6 x 23 x 21 centimeters

      “Violeta e o Amarelo” (2023), acrylic and miniature painting on tiles, framed in acrylic and with a cement board background, 29 x 29 x 12.5 centimeters

      Detail of “Violeta e o Amarelo” (2023), acrylic and miniature painting on tiles, framed in acrylic and with a cement board background, 29 x 29 x 12.5 centimeters

      “Bexiga” (2023), acrylic painting and miniature on a wall fragment, framed in acrylic and with a cement board background, 24 x 26.8 x 7.5 centimeters

      Detail of “Bexiga” (2023), acrylic painting and miniature on a wall fragment, framed in acrylic and with a cement board background, 24 x 26.8 x 7.5 centimeters

      “Bento e seu amigo” (2025), acrylic painting on a wooden fragment, miniatures of mixed materials, framed in acrylic with a cementboard background, 33 x 26.5 x 9 centimeters

      Detail “Bento e seu amigo” (2025), acrylic painting on a wooden fragment, miniatures of mixed materials, framed in acrylic with a cementboard background, 33 x 26.5 x 9 centimeters

      “Ligia e o Urso” (2022), acrylic and miniature painting on a clay floor, framed in acrylic and with a cementboard background, 22.6 x 28 x 7.5 centimeters

      “Ibirapuera” (2024), acrylic painting on wooden board, framed in acrylic and with a cement board background, 32 x 18 x 7.5 centimeters

      “Bem Te Vi” (2024), acrylic painting on tiles, framed in acrylic with a cement board background, 20.3 x 42 x 7.5 centimeters

      “Dia de Chuva” (2023), acrylic painting on floor, framed in acrylic and with a cement board background, 9.3 x 19 x 7.5 centimeters

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    • 138 Shares62 Views

      in Art

      Natural Motifs Entwine the Monumental Figures of Robert Pruitt’s Divine Portraits

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      “Portrait of Herman
      Smith from Atlantic
      City” (2024), charcoal, conté, pastel, and coffee wash on paper, 84 x 120 inches. All images © Robert Pruitt, courtesy of the artist and Salon 94, New York, shared with permission

      Natural Motifs Entwine the Monumental Figures of Robert Pruitt’s Divine Portraits

      June 6, 2025

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      Through tight, circular marks and soft shading, Robert Pruitt creates portraits that invite viewers into a magical world. Rendered in a mix of charcoal, conté, and pastel, his works are rooted in storytelling and how personal narrative offers insight into broader, more collective questions about Southern culture, rituals, and enmeshed identities.

      The artist brings models into his Harlem studio and photographs them donning elaborately constructed costumes. His drawings emerge from these sessions, although Pruitt prefers a monumental scale. Rendered on paper dyed with coffee, the portraits stretch upwards of seven feet, their meticulous shading and linework backdropped by washes of the characteristically warm hue.

      “Eve hiding in the Garden of Eden” (2024), charcoal, conté, pastel, and coffee wash on paper, 84 x 60 inches

      A recent self-portrait presents the artist in his signature novelty glasses, the swirling X-Ray lenses resting on his forehead. His hands, rather than his face, are the subject of this ten-foot-wide work, and each wears gold jewelry, his hometown represented on a Houston Rockets ring. The title nods to the character of Herman Smith, played by Richard Pryor in the 1978 retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wiz.

      Adornment is prominent in Pruitt’s works and serves a dual purpose: it provides a means to excavate questions about identity, culture, place, and time and also offers a chance to find something “fun and weird to draw,” he says. Recurring motifs like lemons, mushrooms, snakes, and birds are a more recent addition to his portraits, and they often envelop the central figure. In “Princess with a plague of Grackles,” for example, the quintessential Texan creature perches on a seated woman’s shoulders and arms.

      “Lately, I’ve been thinking more about the body as continuous with the world. Our bodies take things in, let things out—and that process, to me, signals a kind of equality with everything around us,” Pruitt tells Colossal.

      “Figure Crowned in T.S.U. Ceramic Headdress (After Roy Vinson Thomas)” (2024), charcoal, conté, coffee wash on paper, 84 x 60 inches

      Connecting to nature also invokes the divine and alludes to the artist’s constellation of references, whether it be his interest in science fiction, comic books, music, or his enduring love for “swampy, humid Houston, Texas,” he adds.

      I think part of it is nostalgia, especially in contrast to my life now in New York City. I miss home…On some level, these works feel like staging grounds for my own origin story—coming from a complicated metropolis that also feels deeply rural. A kind of Eden, but one filled with mosquitoes and stray dogs. Nature not as cute or comforting but indifferent—and still sacred.

      If you’re in New York, you can see Pruitt’s work in a solo exhibition named after a Sun Ra libretto, …Son…Sun…Sin…Syn…zen…Zenith, at Salon 94. Find more from the artist on his website and Instagram.

      “Lemon Tree” (2024), conté, pastel, and coffee wash, 84 x 60 inches. Photo by Brica Wilcox, courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles

      “Princess with a plague of Grackles” (2024), charcoal, conté, pastel, and coffee wash on paper, 84 x 60 inches

      “Y’all Are Just Gon Have to Make Amends” (2021), conté, charcoal, and pastel on coffee wash on paper, 87 1/4 x 63 1/8 x 2 inches. Photo by Dan Bradica

      “Man born with a veil” (2024), charcoal, conté, pastel, and fabric dye on paper, 84 x 60 inches

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    • 113 Shares44 Views

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      Reskate’s Youthful Murals Transform into Glowing Symbols of Peace

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      Reskate’s Youthful Murals Transform into Glowing Symbols of Peace

      June 5, 2025

      Art

      Jackie Andres

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      During the day, Reskate’s extensive murals cover large swathes of space on buildings, stage backdrops, and even transformer towers. While these monumental public works are striking during sunlit hours, they completely transform with the darkness of night.

      Artists Javier de Riba and María López are the artistic duo behind Reskate. Primarily based in Barcelona, both artists travel throughout the year, visiting different corners of the world to complete projects to “raise awareness of care for culture, nature, and peace.”

      Detail of “Paix” (2025). Reims, Champagne. Image by Romain Berthiot

      Reskate’s subjects are often children. In a bold, illustrative style with graphic linework, the artists depict young figures holding objects related to the area in which the mural is placed, as well as articles that reflect global concerns. “The invisibilization and invalidation of youth as an active element that should be part of society is a burden that continues to be perpetuated,” the duo explains in a statement covering “Eulalia,” a previous mural completed in 2023.

      An example of this is prevalent in “Bruit,” taking the form of stage design for an immersive concert. In the piece, a young girl protectively wraps her arms around a fishbowl, nodding to the impact of sound pollution within the oceans.

      The pair recently completed an exhibit at the Museu Picasso in Barcelona and plans to continue their artistic endeavors both in and out of the public space. Find more work on Reskate’s website and Instagram, and browse prints in their online shop.

      “Harmony” (2025). Liverpool. Image by Corbyn John

      “Transformateur” (2024). Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, France. Image by Sophie Palmier

      Detail of “Transformateur” (2024). Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, France. Image by Sophie Palmier

      “Bruit” (2024). Le Mans, France

      Detail of “Bruit” (2024). Le Mans, France

      “Boycott” (2024). Ghent, Belgium

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