The Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum in Arizona recently commissioned gifted muralist El Mac to create a piece on one of their concrete exterior walls. Painted in the Los Angeles-based artist’s unique rippled style of applying spray paint, Desert Rose depicts one of his good friends and features some background designs at the top by a local Mesa resident and graffiti artist from the early 90’s – Mando Rascón.
He further elaborates – “The image is based on my photos of Karen Bracamonte, an immigrant from Guatemala who is married to one of my closest friends. At the time of the reference shoot Karen was roughly seven months pregnant, so in a way, this painting depicts not only her but her baby as well (my soon-to-be godson). I was honored to paint for this museum something that can hopefully be seen as beautiful and affirming of love, life, and diversity.”
El Mac’s show from the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center (covered) will travel to the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum on May 13th and stay open until August 7th.
Photo credit: Niba DelCastillo & the artist.
Discuss El Mac here.
