Anno Domini gallery

About the Artists:

Poesia
Poesia (San Francisco Bay Area) 1975

Ever since I can remember I have always written my name, whether it was on walls or a piece of paper scribbling it over and over again the same letters “Poesia” have been scribbled 10’s of thousands of times. 25 years later my work still references this repetitive act of mark making. Graffiti was my introduction to art and remains a key inspiration. My artwork references my involvement painting graffiti as an adolescent and as an adult as well as graffiti’s temporary nature as a medium. Painting public art has allowed me to utilize my experience to create larger work who’s impact seems more immediate, even if impermanent. Being influenced by the do it yourself nature of painting in the streets I have incorporated this into my studio work as well. The act of painting remains an important aspect of my oeuvre, as much as the idea of leaving a physical mark behind. Not being a formerly trained artist I have instead relied upon my knowledge and personal experiences painting in public throughout the years to build on. Utilizing new mediums and techniques such as Spray paint have allowed me to utilize traits learned over the years. The need to paint quick and fast is a physical aspect of my work that I embrace.

The act of painting is as much as an influence as graffiti has been on me personally. I choose to produce in multiple series of works. These range from my Old Master series, collage, to gestural and geometric abstract paintings. I also take this approach when painting on walls with different series of work ranging from letter based, to abstract non representational murals. This approach allows me to expand ideas not with one painting or wall at a time, instead I can create large bodies of work pushing through ideas. I paint in a range of mediums and scale utilizing multiple mediums ranging from large scale Insitu installations, Murals and studio work. Insitu (Site Specific) installations have become a new direction for me, these abandoned areas and temporary murals have allowed me to further my experimentation in graffiti and the ephemeral nature of our art form. Placing or removing material from these locations is a newer medium that I am exploring through collage, photography and sculpture.

I have shown internationally in cities including. Milan, Hawaii, Glasgow, London, Paris, San Jose, Miami, Oakland, Monaco, San Francisco, Portland and Los Angeles. I have also traveled internationally painting murals or installations in cities such as Barcelona, Brighton, Glasgow, Miami, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Paris, Cannes, San Francisco, Perpignon, Oakland, Tijuana, Hawaii, New York and San Jose (Anno Domini Gallery).

I am also the founder of the website Graffuturism.com that has led to the Graffuturist group or Graffuturism Movement. Graffuturism was founded in 2010 and has now exhibited as a group in 5 major cities around the world including Paris, Los Angeles, London, Glasgow, and Miami. With a group consisting of some of today’s top contemporary painters Graffuturism has established itself as an emerging movement in today’s Art scene. Graffuturism as a group was named #5 on the list of most important artists of 2012 by Complex magazine.

Samuel Rodriguez
Samuel Rodriguez is based out of San José, California and has had his work shown in public art spaces, museums, companies, galleries and in editorial publications. For a number of years he was self-taught through the graffiti scene, until he later decided to expand his studies by pursuing a Bachelor in Fine Arts at California College of the Arts. Rodriguez has since blended what he absorbed from both experiences to create his current style. He is interested in two types of portraiture which he refers to as, ‘Topographical Portraiture’ and ‘Type Faces’. The Topographical Portraits Rodriguez creates, are made by stylizing a portrait with topographical lines and shapes, in a similar manner to those found through images on geographic maps. His Type Faces, incorporate typography and portraiture. He has stated that he developed these forms of portraiture through countless studio sessions, with the intention to use them as a platform to explore his interest in social, historic, and cultural hybridity.