talking off the wall mag #6

How long have you been painting and where did you get started? Been painting since the age of 5, currently 40 years of age. With aerosol since 88’, possibly summer of 87’. Got started with formal painting from my grandmother. My grandmother was not an artist, but envied them. She owned an art store in Puerto Rico and all of the renowned artists of the 50’s, the Golden Era of Puerto Rican art, would get art supplies from my grandmother’s store. My

grandfather was a guitarist, a bohemian. From the age of 5 my

parents said you could throw me pencil and paper, then sit me in a corner and you would not hear from me for hours. I believe my grandmother saw that and wanted to build on it. So she would have me work summers at her art store, cleaning brushes for the artists. I would also do reports on different artists she would assign to me. I did this until I was in my 20’s.

When did you come to the U.S.?I would say when I was 5, because my grandmother would bring me to visit her during the summers. From Puerto Rico, I moved to Fort Edgar. Actually I’ve been everywhere in the US, not NY, lived in Germany and thru out Europe. Miami is home, though I do have a chunk of land in N. Carolina. I am an introvert. I know how to conduct myself amongst extroverted people, but every now and then I seek seclusion. I shift between the two. From being around nothing in N. Carolina, to the city life of Miami.

When did you officially started painting in the streets of Florida?I started in 88’. I really didn’t get going until the 90’s. I joined my real crew in the summer of 89’ with STV, been with them since. I painted my strongest from 90’ to 94’, then I really started hating graffiti. The hip hop scene, gun clapping and other things I got caught up in, it was not for me. I had to bounce in 1994, I didn’t get back to painting really until 2007. I did a little painting in 2000, 2003, lil spray painting in 2001. I finished up my art degree in Puerto Rico and ended up teaching there. Whenever I feel the art form is “watered down” I then look to other places for creative fulfillment.

Are you still affiliated with any crews?I’m still STV, I am still WH. I’ve been with both crews since the 90’s. STV stands for “Specialize To Vandalize” and WH is “Write History”. I was recently put down with CBS, “Can’t Be Stopped” on the west coast. I also have homies in N. Carolina, and good friends in Frisco and L.A.; we appreciate each other’s work, we get along, and we are helping each other to get exposure. These are crews that have been around for 30 years. I want to work with crews that will be around for the long haul. Crew is more family, they are still my brothers, whether we agree or not.

You have an unusual name, where does it come from, Trek6?It changes, it morphed over time. Initially when I was first writing, I tried on a bunch of names. I didn’t have a car, I lived in Kendall, so I walked. I would put my headphones on and walk, I would walk for 10 miles, I liked the open air. I didn’t like buses, felt claustrophobic, so I walked everywhere. Some of my friends in the neighborhood would clown on me for walking. They’d say stuff to make fun of me, “There he is going on a trek again.” or “Hey Trek, need a ride?”. I was too proud to ever accept. It finally sunk in and Trek stuck. I like the letters, the ‘k’, the ‘r’. The story of “6” depends on who you talk to. Well as a kid I was an asshole, I like to push people’s buttons. There was a time I used ‘666’, but one of my crew members felt it brought in negativity. Which I noticed and decided to keep it at Trek6. Which works, since I was the 6th member of the STV crew.

Any formal art training? Yeah, I do. I don’t know how much credit I give it. The joke for me; I’m the child of the magnet schools. (he went to a lot of magnet schools) There were moments where I picked up on some stuff, attending these schools. I think they prepared me for the amount of work; the volume of work in a short amount of time was so high, that I credit them for my high stamina creatively. Formal training taught me how to critique, handle critiques, and critique yourself. Technique though, I learned more from Puerto Rico and from painting with my friends. I also watch people paint and I pick up all kinds of things, you got to pay attention.

How has your work evolved over the years? It think it’s tightened up technically a lot. I shift quite a bit in terms of esthetic. Some people say it is bad. I like to paint different stuff. I’ll repeat stuff until I get bored and then for like a month I will paint something that will have nothing to do with that. Until I can find a reason to go back in that direction, then I will go back.

What kind of artist do you consider yourself a graffiti artist, street artist, a muralist, or just an artist? Just an artist. Creative being. The vocabulary has become so mashed up; I don’t want to use any of the other, out of respect for everybody’s culture. I don’t want to limit myself and say I’m just this or just that; but I also don’t want to disrespect the people who, that’s what they do and take it seriously, that’s their passion. So I prefer to say, I am just an artist.

In a past interview, you said Wynwood Artists were not respected; especially during Art Basel. As a local artist, have you noticed any change? I feel that it is the same. I am in introvert, hermit, so this is my perspective. I feel the agenda of bringing the “star” to Miami. I think it is a cultural thing, Miami itself was a swamp and was made into a tourist Mecca. So in its very nature, the design is to bring people here. I don’t think it does a whole lot for the locals. The real opportunities are so few for the local artist.

What is a typical artist/dad day like for you?It’s tough. It’s tougher on my wife, bless her, she’s done a phenomenal job. There’s moments where she has to behave almost like a of a single mom because I go out of town quite a bit. I travel to work. To get out there. She has to hold down the fort and she handles all the administrative side. If I have a lot of work, then she has a lot of work because of the administrative side of things, plus 24 hour baby.

TREK SIX

Trek Six | Photo by Pascal Doytier

Wynwood Art Walk Art Gallery, Public Art, and Event SpaceNW 2nd Ave (between NW 20th & NW 36th St), Wynwood Arts DistrictFood Trucks located at the corner of 23rd & 2nd Ave. 7-11pm

Saturday November 15th Downtown Hollywood Art Walk Hollywood Blvd./Harrison St. & Tyler Street 3rd Saturday of every month 7-10pm

Bird Road Art WalkExperience Miami’s Art SceneConveniently located just East of the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) & South of Bird Rd (SW 40th St), The majority of the studios are located off of SW 74 & SW 75 Ave, Miami 7-10pm

Wednesday November 19th Opening Reception: Thirty Years on the RoadCurated by Edouard Duval-Carrié ArtCenter/South Florida 924 Lincoln Road [Suite 205] Miami Beach 7-10pm

Friday November 21st Grand Opening: Rolando Chang Barrero Fine Art Gallery711 Lucerne Ave, Lake Worth

Saturday November 22nd Leaps & BoundsA one of a kind, custom-painted water tower model exhibitElemental 2399 NW 2nd Ave, Miami

FAT Village Art Walk North Andrews & NW 5th St, Fort Lauderdale 7-11pm

Flagler Village Art Walk MAC Fine Art Gallery, 833 NE 4th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale

ArtCenter/South Florida 30th BirthdayArtCenter/South Florida is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with a retrospective exhibition, Thirty Years on the Road, to be on view Nov 19, 2014 – Feb 1, 2015. The exhibition is curated by Edouard Duval-Carrié, an artist and curator based in Miami who was at the ArtCenter in the early 1990s 924 Lincoln Road [Suite 205] Miami Beach 7-11pm

Thursday November 20thBBAD Boynton Beach Art WalkProviding Florida Artists in all disciplines a venue to showcase their talent and creativity408-422 West Industrial Ave, Boynton Beach Every 4th Thursday of the month 6-10pm

Wednesday November 26thLast Call Comedy Show Hosted by Jessica GrossLast Wednesday of every month at 8pm Wynwood Brewing Co. 565 NW 24th St, Wynwood Arts District

Saturday October 25th FAT Village Art Walk North Andrews & NW 5th St, Fort Lauderdale 7-11pm

Divergent ExpressionA one night pop-up art event featuring some amazing talented artists Diana Contreras, James Brutus, Yuhmi Collective, Tsukasa Sookie Endo and Nate Dee who has also curated the exhibition.The Guild 5 Forty Five 545 NW 1st Ave, Ft Lauderdale

Flagler Village Art Walk MAC Fine Art Gallery, 833 NE 4th Avenue, Ft Lauderdale

Carnival of ColorIPC Visual Lab Fall Art Exposition curated by Carl JusteACND Gallery of Art at Archbishop Curley Notre Dame High School4949 NE 2nd Ave, Miami

Wednesday October 29thLast Call Comedy Show Hosted by Jessica GrossWynwood Brewing Co. 565 NW 24th St, Wynwood Arts DistrictLast Wednesday of every month at 8pm

Sunday November 2ndAverage Joe Sale The whole idea behind these Average Joe sales is to make it possible for everyday people to be able to support their local artists by presenting art work in a laid back environment at affordable prices. Cog Nomen will be back with us this month, playing their electronic psychedelic tunes around 5-6pm.Yo Space 294 NE 62nd St, Little Haiti 3-8pm

Wednesday November 5thGringo Bingo Wood Tavern 2531 NW 2nd Ave, Wynwood Arts District1st Wednesday of every month Starting at 7pm

Thursday November 6thWynwood Arts District Collectors’ NightOpening & Preview in most Art Galleries for Collectors and Media

Friday November 7thThe Downtown Miami Art Walk McCormick Place, 111 SW 3rd St, Miami 1st Friday of the month. 6-10pm

Saturday November 8thAlong the Edge Miami-based artist Ernesto Kunde, in a partnership with the Anne Kolb Nature Center, showcases his latest artworks from the Mangroves Series in a solo show, Along the Edge. Featured side by side the tropical flora, his primary inspiration, Kunde’s paintings take on new life.

Anne Kolb Nature Center 751 Sheridan St, Hollywood

Northwood Village Mural ProjectAn ongoing mural project in West Palm. Amanda Valdes will begin her mural at 444 25th Street the second Saturday Artwalk 6-9pm

TALKING OFF THE WALLYour CommUNITY Street Artist’s Voice

FACEBOOK /talkingoffthewall

INSTAGRAM @talkingoffthewall

Masthead/Logo: GG Artwork

Poster: Artwork by TREK SIX

Ads & Events due by the 10th of each [email protected]

Cover Photo: Portrait of Trek Six by DON RIMXCover Concept: Pascal Doytier

TOTW talented writers, amazing photographers, contributors, unconditional supporters, artists and friends:Christy Thompson, Clara Vanessa, Sandro Abate, Sean R Sullivan, Craig Ledermann, Robert William, Andrew Kaufman, Jonathan Delgado, Sunshyne Reels, Myra Wexler aka Yo Momma, Yuval & Lorie Ofir, Sookie & Maddie Endo, Justin Hamel, Yess Miakoda, Zoel Zupstar, David McCauley, Renda Writer, TMNK aka Nobody, Luis Valle, Able Gw, Ivan Roque, Chy Tea Shoulin, GG, Danny Ferrer, Kelo, Jorge Rodriguez, Subi Roberto, 2Square, Kazilla, The DOWW, Leza One, HecOne, Diana Contreras, Atomik, Jenny Perez, Evoca, Trek6, Don Rimx, Asek, Buddah Funk, Derek Wilson, Effis Art, Registered Artist, Rigo Leon, 8bitlexicon, Steven Reyes, Nate Dee, Sergio Quinonez, Krave Art, Luis Berros, Tee Davis & Jessica Schnur, Abstrk, Astre74, Gons, Ernesto Kunde, Jenny Perez, Danelle & Michele Pino, Barbara de Varona, Monique Lassooij, Eleazar Delgado, Joshua Kingston, Yuhmi Collective, Aquarela Sabol & Sharif Salem, Carolina Tesoro, Ramzi Adek, James Brutus, Jay Bellicchi, Rolando Chang Barrero, Jake Cordero, Craig O’Neil, Hector Garcia @ The Hangar, Gregg Shienbaum Fine Art, Nadia Desjardins, Stefanie Caro, Chor Boogie, Lee Hoechstetter and my children, Lucas, Maxence and Shayna. Kudos to John and his team at Artist & Craftsman Supply Store for your help and support with TOTW upcoming Art Basel ’14 project…Special thanks to Steev Rullman & PureHoney Magazine for believing in TOTW and making it possible. Peace

It’s around 11 pm on a weekday night and Sharif Salem aka Mr. Sofas of Little Havana is slowly driving up and down the neighborhood streets off SW 8th in a borrowed pickup surveying his options. Sleeper sofas, torn loveseats, rained on recliners, busted chairs, leather couches left at bus stops… these are the odd little gems he is after and there seems to be no shortage. Usually Sharif can be found with iPhone or camera in hand photographing the curbside phenomenon of dumped sofas in Little Havana. Tonight presents a slight variation on his typical sofa hunting activity (as if any sofa hunting activity could be called “typical”). Sharif been asked to supply a few authentic “Sofas of Little Havana” for a live paint-off by local street artists for a Wynwood event

called the “Wall Brawl”.

Sharif is well known locally and internationally as Mr. Sofa. What started off over 3 years ago as an Instagram hobby has successfully evolved into a prolific photography collection of “abandoned street furniture as art”. His work has been showcased at gallery exhibitions (both in group and solo shows), wooing the hearts of collectors and intriguing the general public at large through social media outlets like Instagram and Facebook. Google it. Sofas of Little Havana is a beloved local phenomenon gone global. Maybe it’s because his work beautifully captures the authentic, intangible quality of one of Miami’s most colorful neighborhoods. An abandoned curbside sofa makes an interesting subject in itself: the worn out cushions, faded pattern, the distressed texture it gains from being outside exposed to natural elements. Juxtapose that against a backdrop of 1930’s Spanish style homes, walkup cafecito windows and Little Havana’s lively residents and you have pure photography gold.

Sofas of Little Havana has stirred up a near cult-like interest in abandoned street furniture all around Miami extending beyond the borders of Little Havana. His Instagram feed constantly receives comments from followers worldwide which has led to deliberate and not-so-deliberate collaborations. One little graffiti tagged armchair Sharif photographed in Wynwood floated around for a few weeks on the Wynwood streets and eventually ended up in the Brisky Gallery as a part of a Leza One exhibition during Art Basel 2014. Followers on his IG account recognized the armchair immediately and tag their photo of it. “Your Sofa!” they say. Yep, a global phenomenon.

Support local artists. Follow SOLH at: facebook/SofasOfLittleHavana and on Instagram @sofasoflittlehavana ~ Aquarela

SOFAS OF LITTLE HAVANA

Mr. Sofas | Photo by Pascal Doytier

talking off the wall mag #6

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