Miami 2013 Photo Blog: Thursday with Benjamin Alejandro

 

More from Benjamin Alejandro as he captures Wynwood Walls. Curious about Alejandro?  James Daichendt writes:

The self proclaimed graduate of the School of Hard Knocks, Benjamin Alejandro is motivated to broadcast his message by any means fit. From the streets to social media outlets, this self-taught artist has embraced past failures and transformed them into a gambit of funny, disturbing, and peculiar artworks that make you wonder whether he is a social scientist conducting an experiment or someone who is lifting a veil on our obsession with celebrity and success.

Alejandro is well known for appropriating a mug shot of himself into silkscreens and street based works. Arrested for graffiti, the artist created a signature look with an experience that many would try and hide. This type of thinking makes Alejandro an unusual character as his idiocentric attitude seems to surface in all of his work. His mug shot portraits continue this idea with a series featuring celebrities like Bill Gates, Kobe Bryant and Shepard Fairey. This is certainly a quirky idea and one most would not consider flattering. However, Alejandro is celebrating these folks who have overcome missteps and are great examples of triumphant victories in their respective fields.