Artscapes – art is the heartbeat of a city… graffiti is the pulse

Leon Rainbow Reps Trenton

LEON RAINBOW:

My city is means realness.

We are the first generation of graffiti artists in Trenton, NJ. We put the scene on the map and are tight knit.

In 2000, I did my first wall here when nobody had ever heard of Trenton. Now we have people comin’ from NY, Philly, Camden, Newark and further to paint here.

We paint in the grimiest areas of the city brightening them up. The old ladies, the cops, drug dealers and average Joes all love us here!

We love them back; it shows in our walls. We have so much texture and contrast. We have our financial problems and political issues, but the people here keep it real and gritty … in my city!

Alice "AM" Mizrachi

ALICE “AM” MIZRACHI:

I love my city to death, as most New Yorkers do. My art is definitely inspired by being from here. I think your surroundings have a lot to do with who you are.

The textures, the patterns, the sounds, the chaos and order, the towering buildings, the parks, the streets, the art, the graff, the colors, the movement, the hustle, the constant ebb and flow…

All of that is part of me and who I am- I love it and am proud to add that to my work. If it wasn’t for me growing up here I wouldn’t have had as much close exposure to art, graff and street art. There is also an attitude and acceptance in NY that I haven’t felt in any other city I’ve been. Everything goes here, so that really helped shape me and my work. It allowed me the freedom to express however I wanted.

NY definitely influences my art on a daily basis.