AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

My favorite contemporary Los Angeles artist is Mear One. He comes from the graffiti tradition, and continues to build his fine art career along the path of artists like Banksy and Sheppard Fairey. Ask me about him. I love him to death.

Here is the new bio I just wrote for his website & promo materials... Enjoy!

***

MEAR is a philosopher-artist with a raw, vibrant style that captures essence of pain, struggle and the human experience. His name is an acronym that stands for Manifest Energy And Radiate, which is a philosophy he invented to combine soul-level spirituality with creative expression and the energy of the streets. Keenly interested in art as a transcendent language, MEAR first became known in the art world for his political messages, crying out with intense sorrow, rage and disbelief at American foreign policy, the cult of consumerism and all forms of oppression.

His new work explores struggle and triumph with a level of symbolism that only comes with growing older and wiser. As the artist moves beyond his traditionally overt political territory, his increased focus on the essentials gives his new work incredible raw energy. Mear’s recent work reflects an evolution of maturity that has given him a new perspective on graffiti and the public landscape. With a street pedigree that includes a longtime run with legendary Los Angeles crew, CBS and incredible pieces all over the city, the 35 year old definitely has chops, but nowadays it’s more about creating fine art and pushing the boundaries of perception.

Though the fresh paint of his colorful burners can still be seen drying on billboards and alley walls throughout Los Angeles, MEAR is moving farther into the gallery scene with recent shows in Marseille, France and Portland, OR where his one piece garnered a purchase price of more than $10,000. MEAR’s talent cannot be denied. His paintings are in collections alongside artists such as Banksy, Sheppard Fairey and Dondi White, a nod to his elite status as a painter.

No other artist in America today can translate such vibrant mental images into as detailed, realistic paintings. When MEAR expresses his hallucinations and mental journeys with color and canvas, it’s as if he is taking cell-level snapshot of his thoughts, and nothing is lost in translation.