David Amoroso
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David Amoroso is an American who was raised in Northern Virginia in an Italian-American household. He is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
I was adopted as a baby in Philadelphia — I know nothing about the individuals who placed me up for adoption,” he says. “I am not interested in taking a DNA test, because I prefer to not know where I came from. That gives me the flexibility of creating my own history.” Although the majority of Amoroso’s work is dedicated to painting iconic portraits of everyday people, he also portrays Mexican pop culture through his work. For audio tour:
(Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.)
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Bandit
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From a very early age, Bandit knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. As his parents will attest, he has been drawn to public art since they first caught him as a child doodling on their closet walls. To this very day, Bandit believes art is meant to be shared.
Best known for his work as a prolific, politically inclined street artist, Bandit is based in Los Angeles. In the majority of his work, Bandit strives to open dialogue regarding the most arresting socio-political issues of our time, with recent inspiration stemming from the homeless epidemic, ocean conservation, and bureaucratic discord. Bandit’s work can be found on the streets, rooftops, billboards, and freight trains across the country. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Jessica Moon Bernstein-Schiano
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According to her own website, Jessica Moon Bernstein-Schiano writes she was raised in Ohio by a Nicaraguan-Arab mother and a Russian-Irish father. She studied art and International Relations at the University of Colorado and the Instituto International in Madrid, Spain.
Bernstein-Schiano works with a wide variety of materials including discarded plastic bags, punctured bicycle inner tubes, and melting ice. Climate change, the waste stream, and endangered species are various subjects that influence her work, and are expressed in her pieces. Human impact on our planet’s environment is one of the most pressing issues of our time and can invoke a sense of powerlessness. Through her work, Bernstein-Schiano hopes to inspire and remind audiences of what we have, as well as what we stand to lose if we do not take action. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Bordalo II
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Artur Bordalo uses the artist name Bordalo II, which he chose as a tribute to his grandfather, the painter Real Bordalo, in order to promote a continuity and reinvention of his artistic legacy.
In his youth, Bordalo II spent hours in the studio of his grandfather. Bordalo II also spent a lot of time around the illegal graffiti in the underworld of Lisbon, Portugal. Bordalo II attended the painting course at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon for eight years, without completed it. The public space would become the chosen stage for his artistic work, which is currently focused on questioning the materialistic and greedy society of which he is also a member. The excessive production and consumption of stuff, which results in the continuous production of “garbage” and consequently in the destruction of the planet, are the central themes of his production. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Kia Carter-Duras
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California based Kia Carter-Duras is known for her large-scale mural near Channel and California streets in downtown Stockton, California featuring hands forming a tree for the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration, as well as her work on a temporary “Black Lives Matter” mural on the 1600 block of Argonne Drive in Stockton.
For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Betsy Casañas
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Betsy Casañas is a Visual and Public Artist, an educator, and a community activist. She is the director of A Seed on Diamond Gallery and founder of Semilla Arts Initiative. Casañas has 24 years of experience in the arts and has created over 40 murals worldwide.
“As a Latina artist who has been working in communities of color around the world, I understand the importance of the people in these communities to see themselves reflected in the artwork, and in the leaders of their communities. We have been depicted in a negative light on social media, news and television as second class citizens who should be feared. I believe it is our obligation as artists to reflect the times we are living in and to highlight the people’s story, and change the narrative that has been created for us. By normalizing and humanizing our collective stories we create communities that are more tolerant .” For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Nico Cathcart
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Nico Cathcart is a painter and muralist hailing from Toronto, Canada. Currently she lives in Richmond, Virginia. Cathcart strives to discuss intersectional feminism and climate change in her highly-colorful realistic works that often include local flora and fauna, as well as the female form.
The artist is in the process of going deaf, relying on hearing aids and lip reading to communicate. She often includes birds in her work as a nod to her disability. In 2020, Cathcart was honored as an Agent of Change for her use of activism in her art by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, and was the recipient of the 1708 Gallery Space grant. (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Nani Chacon
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Nanibah “Nani” Chacon, is a Dine (Navajo) and Chicana artist, most recognized as a painter and muralist. Born in Gallup, New Mexico, Chacon grew up on the Navajo reservation, as well as other parts of New Mexico. Her most notable works have been within the public arts sector, in which she has a cumulative experience of over 20 years.
Chacons’ works as an artist often include community- based integration and social practice. Both are key components of the public work pieces she creates. Creating public works facilitates social engagement. By making community a central part of her process, it elevates her personal philosophy that art should be an accessible and meaningful catalyst for social change. Her work has been recognized for its unique style, as well as the integration of socio-political issues affecting women and indigenous peoples. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Silvia Lopez Chavez
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Dominican-American visual artist Silvia López Chavez believes in the power of the creative process as an agent for positive change. Chavez uses art as a vehicle for connection. Through her murals, she provides opportunities for interrelation, healing, and celebration. Chavez is a seasoned community-based artist and frequent collaborator with urban planners, architects, non-profits, developers, and activists on public art projects.
For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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MISS CHELOVE
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Cita Sadeli, also known as MISS CHELOVE, is an independent, Washington D.C.-based art director, muralist, designer, and illustrator.
An active artist in the early 90’s DC graffiti scene, MISS CHELOVE’s work combines tools and methods of graffiti and street art culture with location-specific, often biographical storytelling. Themes in her work explore intersections between nature, resilient women of color, vibrant fashion, music, street subcultures, indigenous cultures, and issues affecting society and the environment. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Louis Masai
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Louis Masai’s subject matter focuses on animals, but always strives to find a human reference to juxtapose an element that might not be previously obvious. For example, with his show Afrofabrication, he entwined fabric patterns to the animals in an attempt to comment on a human desire to cover up, or use flamboyant colors, to attract a mate. The idea for this series of work was to question why humans often fail to recognize a disappearing species, yet mourn the death of a celebrity.
“My recent documentation of endangered creatures and raising of awareness of statistics has on occasion been associated with activism. I find this a bit daunting as I only see myself as an artist, but I definitely see the power of visual language, and I’m enjoying using that power via my murals and the modern world of social networking.” For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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MasPaz
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MasPaz is a Colombian born multidisciplinary artist, based in Washington, D.C. He is known for his distinctive street murals that explore topics of earth preservation and indigenous peoples. His work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the United States and Latin America, and his larger murals can be found in streets and spaces around the world. MasPaz means “more peace” in Spanish, a message he strives to embrace through art and philanthropy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, MasPaz initiated a series of free online art classes. He encourages using art as an avenue to maintain positive mental health. MasPaz also designed a limited edition print and textile in order to raise money for local charities and community centers. MasPaz can usually be found with a brush in hand, painting, teaching, or spreading his message of “more peace” abroad. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Tom Meyer
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Tom Meyer has been referred to as an “outsider” artist. As a self-taught painter, he works primarily with acrylic on canvas or board. Meyer’s paintings originate from impulses within his soul. He has referred to this collection–his first to be exhibited, as “narrative visions”.
Meyer’s cast of characters that inhabit his paintings give an account of his inner life and imagination. As Meyer has described it, they tell a story with themes “of redemption, forgiveness, acceptance, rejection and love.” Meyer has said, “I don’t paint things, I paint ideas.” His work is informed and inspired by a variety of ideas from current events to ancient philosophy. Meyer’s work is part of a creative tradition with roots that include early American folk art that has continued to evolve in numerous and dynamic ways. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Felipe Ortiz
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Colombian artist Felipe Ortiz focuses on the practice of painting, from traditional easel painting to murals and public installations.
In 2009, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2D Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Ortiz has participated in numerous art exhibits of private and public collections. In 2016, he founded the Fresco Exchange, a group invested in the creative and cultural exchange for artists across countries. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Chris Riggs
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Chris Riggs was born in Manhattan, New York in 1973, and works in Miami and New York. Riggs’ artworks are based on a unique combination of cubism, abstract, surrealism, minimalism, pop and street art that has made him a leading artist of his generation. He executes his political city-based paintings and sculptures in acrylic and spray paint. Riggs associates the vivid colors and geometric shapes he uses with New York City’s unique vocabulary and palette; and most importantly, New York’s politically active, world-changing dynamic.
Riggs feels strongly about his love of people worldwide, and the earth. He created this piece specifically for this exhibit. As a returning artist for the project, Riggs is proud to share his love for the Earth with China. For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Ivan Roque
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Born in December of 1991, Ivan J. Roque is a visual/street artist from Miami, Florida. Raised in the inner city of Carol City with a passion for the concepts of birth, death, renewal, and social struggles. His influences range from Caravaggio, Rothko, Typoe, and Gianni Versace. Roque has been able to accomplish many achievements for his young age. “The idea behind the Fall of the Artic King is impending extinction of the great polar bear, a creature so magnificent and powerful that one can only be in awe in its presence. I’ve decided to create a thinned out polar bear due to the lack of prey. The chrysanthemum is considered the flower of death, used mainly for funerary occasions and the vines are a symbol of its nearing time.” For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.)
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Tallboy (Chris Coulon)
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Tallboy grew up in Lynn, Massachusetts, and has been an illustrator for almost 10 years. He has been making artwork for brands such as Creature Skateboards, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Emerica Shoes, and Volcom Clothing. Tallboy co-owns Night Watch Studios with his wife, where they sell online products and curate ‘zines featuring a lot of other like-minded artists.
For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Stefan Ways
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Currently based out of Portland, Oregon, Stefan Ways has worked for over 13 years in the United States and abroad with private property owners, small businesses, city entities, and large corporations to produce public art projects.
Ways explains that his work is meant to activate vacant space, and empower the viewer to connect with their immediate and greater surroundings to give them a sense of place within their community. His work has explored themes of environmental awareness. These concepts are meant to inspire children, communities, women’s empowerment, and LGBTQ+ resilience. (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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Matt Willey
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Over the course of the last five years, Matt Willey has created 27 murals with over 5,400 hand-painted bees. He has shared the stories of The Good of the Hive through speaking engagements such as the United Nations and the Food and Agricultural Organization in Washington, DC. Willey has created large-scale works at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC, Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in New York City, and Burt’s Bees Global Headquarters. He has also collaborated with the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations, and New York City’s Parks’ Art in the Parks Public Art Program.
(Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) 
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Art for the People: The Earth Logo
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The Art for the People Earth logo was done by Sanny, Art for the People’s creator and curator. Sanny is passionate about street art that makes a statement and changes the community locally and worldwide for the better. Sanny is a huge believer of art for all people and of art that it is accessible to everyone. David Amoroso is a friend of Sanny’s, and graciously let her add his pollinators and cicadas to the logo. This year saw the emergence of millions of 17-year cicadas, a species that emerges from underground burrows once every 17 years to mate and die. Cicadas provide aeration for the ground and food for the birds. We need to protect pollinators as they are integral to sustainable ecosystems.
For audio tour: (Bios are provided by the artist to explain their works and background. Artists’ views are their own and do not represent the United States Government.) |
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