Though graffiti and street art have bled into the mainstream over the past decade, these public artforms still remain in an uncomfortable place that straddles the intersecting lines between vandalism, public art and sought-after collector’s items. Artist Poesia examines graffiti’s place in the context of art history in his current show at Anno Domini in San Jose, CA, “More Force than Judgment.”
Referencing Renaissance art and ancient mythology, the paintings in the show combine classicist realism, the expressiveness of 20th-century abstract art and the geometric flatness of old-school graffiti letters and characters. Poesia uses a mixture of traditional painting and spray can techniques to create these interdisciplinary works. Images courtesy of Anno Domini.
