1990 1990

Lee Quinones made this mural, ‘1990’, using spray paint, and you can really see that process right there on the wall. It's like he's building up the image layer by layer, letting the colors bleed and interact in unexpected ways. The way the red letters of ‘Graffiti’ pop against that fiery, orange explosion behind them – it’s pure energy. Look closer, and you can see the drips and the way the paint seems to almost melt down the wall. It’s as if Quinones is embracing the fluidity of the medium, turning chance into a key part of the work. Then down below, among all of the characters, there's this lone, little planet with Saturn-like rings, and a spray-painted star next to it. To me, it's about creating these little universes on the wall. That rawness reminds me of Jean-Michel Basquiat, but Quinones has a style all his own. It’s like he's saying that art doesn't have to be perfect; it just has to be real.