Bachelors Degree
Mixed Media
40.5 x 35.5 cm
2024
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About this artwork
This mixed-media piece embodies the delicate tension between identity, transformation, and decay. A human face merges with the image of a skull, blending vibrant colors and chaotic strokes that signify the complexity of change. The layers of paint seem to peel back, as if unveiling the inevitable truth beneath every mask we wear. Set within a gilded, ornate frame—both beautiful and fractured—it evokes a conversation between life’s elegance and the slow erosion of time. The snowflake-like eyes hint at fleeting moments of clarity amidst the chaos, suggesting that even in the face of death, there are glimpses of transformation and rebirth. This piece confronts the viewer with questions about who we are beneath our carefully crafted selves and whether the journey toward authenticity requires a confrontation with our mortality.
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Artwork History
Oct 16, 2024
Peggy buyer protection
About the artist
Papayon is a boundary-pushing artist whose work merges classical gravitas with the raw immediacy of contemporary expression. Deeply influenced by the chiaroscuro drama of Caravaggio, the meticulous realism of Velázquez, and the emotive humanity of Degas, Papayon reinterprets these legacies through a modern, often provocative lens. Equally informed by the disruptive energy of Warhol, Basquiat, and Banksy, his practice bridges eras, mediums, and ideologies to create works that resonate with timeless questions of power, identity, and desire. Through an alchemy of stencils, acrylics, spray paint, soil, and recycled plastics, Papayon crafts pieces that oscillate between visceral rebellion and poetic subtlety. His art is not merely visual but experiential—a cryptic dialogue of sensuality, societal critique, and existential tension. Each piece confronts viewers with layered narratives and invites them to unravel the complexity of their own interpretations. Papayon’s work exists to challenge: traditions, perceptions, and comfort zones. It provokes not for shock value but as a catalyst for dialogue and introspection, embodying the conviction that great art doesn’t just adorn spaces but transforms them—and those who encounter it.
Curriculum Vitae
Born in 1980 in Tucson, Arizona. Currently residing in Houston, TX, USA.
Democracy on the Dance Floor Casa Villa, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
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Mimosas and Art: A Gilded Affair Houston, Houston, TX, USA
Galeria Seis Zero
Viva la Irresistance! Distrito 60, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Contravene : The Speak Easy Art Exhibit Houston, Houston, TX, USA
Disruptive Art Xico Inc
Aesthetic Amarchy
Democracy on the Dance Floor Casa Villa, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Vivid Visions at Chelsea
Mimosas and Art: A Gilded Affair Houston, Houston, TX, USA
Galeria Seis Zero
Viva la Irresistance! Distrito 60, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Contravene : The Speak Easy Art Exhibit Houston, Houston, TX, USA
Disruptive Art Xico Inc
Aesthetic Amarchy
Tucson.com 4th Avenue Street Fair
El Imparcial Press - Estilos Papayon Interview
Consulate interview Little Rock, Arkansas
88.1 Radio Station - La voz del Pitic Papayon Interview
Ida y Vuelta TV interview
Must see arts events for July in metro Phoenix include tapestries, plays and high fashion.
The Artist Stoop: Papayon Interview
Tucson.com 4th Avenue Street Fair
El Imparcial - Estilos - Magazine interview
Ida y Vuelta TV interview
Consulate interview Little Rock, Arkansas
Viva la Irresestance, Solo Exhibition Interview
The Artist Scoop interview
Tucson.com 4ht Avenue Winter Art Fest
AZ Central - Must see Arts events in Metro Phoenix
88.1 Radio Station - La voz del Pitic Papayon Interview
Cafe Cultural Phoenix, AZ Consulate Interview
Papayon Media Alert-Vivid Visions
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