The Museum of Graffiti Presents SABER: "Escape From Los Angeles" Art Exhibit
The Museum of Graffiti is pleased to announce the opening of Escape From Los Angeles, a solo exhibition of new and recent works by SABER, the Los Angeles graffiti artist and activist. The exhibition opens on September 10, 2021, and will be on view through mid-November 2021.
Rising to international fame at the age 21, Saber created the world’s largest graffiti piece on the bank of the LA River, which was visible and documented by satellites in space. Over years of dedicated and often dangerous illegal painting, Saber’s work has helped bring public awareness to the true art form of graffiti. The artist’s upcoming solo show, Escape From Los Angeles, contains a body of work created during a year of self-isolation and quarantine. During the time spent inside his home studio, the artist created a body of work that reflected upon his current reality at home versus his life as one of Los Angeles’ most notorious graffiti writers. The artist’s colour and light intensive pieces show the results of his research on brain chemistry and his current experience living with repetitive grand mal seizures. These works will be presented together with darker pieces haunted by the specter of Los Angeles’ intense urban landscape, filled with danger, looming police helicopters, fires, and of course - graffiti. These pieces reveal the vantage point of the graffiti artist that once lurked in the night seeking public locations to enhance with art. The drawings and paintings will be presented with a large-scale mural made with modified fire extinguishers, filled with paint – a tool typically used by the most extreme graffiti vandals.
The decision to focus on his studio practice instead of creating art in the streets has allowed the artist to dive deeper into abstraction and move beyond using letters and graffiti as a source of inspiration. His escape from the streets to the studio has allowed him to remove the illegal aspect of street graffiti and push the boundary of abstract graffiti.
“The rapid cleaning and eradication of illegal graffiti in our cities creates a challenge to artists, so I figured let's start with a big, beautiful drippy and raw fire extinguisher tag, right there in the middle of the museum,” said Saber. Museum of Graffiti co-founder Alan Ket adds, “Graffiti and its proliferation can become easily invisible to the average commuter. As an activist and artist, SABER has been pushing boundaries with his work, creating meaningful dialogue for the public. The paintings show Saber’s versatility and his ability to channel the energy and style he once painted in the streets.”
ABOUT SABER
Described as one of “the best and most respected artists in his field” by the Washington Post, SABER, also known as Ryan Weston Shook, is an American fine artist who originated as a graffiti artist. Rising to international fame at the age 21, Saber created the world’s largest graffiti piece on the bank of the LA River, which was visible and documented by satellites in space. He, over years of dedicated and often dangerous painting, helped bring public awareness to the true art form of graffiti. His work has influenced a generation of artists and graphic designers, and has become an influential part of modern entertainment, social media, and art for and involved in social reform. He continues to make his vibrant, mesmerizing, and often political paintings from his home in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. His art can be found in galleries and private collections around the world. Meanwhile, he continues to create public conversation about and push the boundaries of what art should (or shouldn’t) be confined to.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF GRAFFITI
Located in Miami’s Wynwood District, the Museum of Graffiti is the first institution in the world to exhibit, educate, and celebrate the thousands of graffiti artists who have transformed walls in our public spaces into vibrant masterpieces. At the Museum of Graffiti, visitors can explore the history of graffiti in an indoor and outdoor experiential setting with interactive exhibitions and unique shows. Through changing exhibitions and programs, the Museum aims to introduce visitors to the artists, paintings, photos, sculptures, works on paper, and designs that have captivated youth and adults for over fifty years, as well as the environment in which the global art movement formed.
The Museum of Graffiti is open to the public with safety-first procedures, including an admission system that only allows for six people to enter the premises every 15 minutes. Guests must purchase tickets in advance online or from their mobile devices as they approach the Museum to avoid onsite transactions.
Tickets: General Admission tickets are $16; Children 13 and under are free. Tickets are available online and include access to all museum exhibitions. To purchase tickets, visit our website from your desktop at home or your mobile device, museumofgraffiti.com.
Hours: The Museum of Graffiti is open from 11 AM – 6 PM weekdays and 11 AM – 7 PM on weekends. Please check www.museumofgraffiti.com for special holidays, extended hours, and unexpected closings.
Location: The Museum of Graffiti, located at 299 NW 25th Street, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, please visit museumofgraffiti.com or email hey@museumofgraffiti.com.
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