FreeStyle Archityper Graffiti Sculpture by Carlos Mare

As a sculptor/designer/artist of the Hip-Hop generation, I have always advocated for education in the arts in which interdisciplinary practices and learning come together throughout the whole creation experience. I use my self as the example to bridge the easily accessible story of 'Hip-Hop' culture then turn back to the students and let them explain the visual cues they are receiving from the culture at large as a jump off to broader discussions of visual literacy. Depending on my class whether 6-12 or University level students I link history lessons where some of these visual cues may have originated.

With the FreeStyle Archityper project I take on a subject I pioneered 'Graffiti Sculpture' whereby students get a basic knowledge of style writing their names with graffiti style letters and iconography then asked to deconstruct them only to reconstruct them within the physical space they are in.

This practice introduces students how to create and employ their art and the environment they are in.

In practice, it is a lot of fun since it is open to interpretation and requires them to work collaboratively.

Process is simply an introduction into who I am as an artist from a video clip to give them context-

Students should have the following materials,

• Variety of papers in color and weight
• Scissors and or Xacto knives
• Glue and Tape
• Thumbtacks
• reference material taken from web of various street art and graffiti art
• Glitter, Paint or any medium they wish to apply

Once students research Graffiti Letters and Graffiti Design Elements they can start drawing and designing the shapes they wish to cut and form. The goal is to strip away inhibition about sculpture in the round and see how it can become a part of the environment.

More examples can me seen on instagram #graffitisculpture