Wuhan, China born contemporary artist DALeast emerged out of the graffiti crews a decade ago from the streets of Beijing, China. As a young student of sculpture at the Fine Art Institute in his hometown Wuhan, he became increasingly disenchanted and demoralized by the ‘dead’ curricula and teaching, and opted to drop out of art college. A decade later he finds himself to be one of the key visual voices sparking a renewed interest in the possibilities of the urban mural. Shying away from labels and bracketing of his work, he is comfortable in finding creative energy and expression on the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico as much as he is at home in showcasing his work at the Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, USA. Best known for his ‘Creature‘ series, he travels much of the world seeking out public walls and surfaces to spray unleash his animals on. He is a true ‘auteur’, with a body of work that is distinctly identifiable not only by the characteristics of line quality but also with obsessive themes. I find his work extremely dynamic and energetic, with visible sculptural roots, and his reiteration of liberation, breaking away, human-animal calls for contemplation and reflection. Take a look.
Los Angeles, USA
Johannesburg, South Africa
Paris, France
Brick Lane, London, UK
Rochester, New York, USA
Cape Town, South Africa
Rochester, New York, USA
Miami, Florida, USA
Cape Town, South Africa
Miami, Florida, USA
New York, USA
Vienna, Austria
Tin Town, South Africa
Miami, Florida, USA
Paris, France
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Cape Town, South Africa
Hanbury Street, London, UK
Malaga, Spain
Malaga, Spain