Welcome to lowercase focus, a bi-monthly program which seeks to highlight emerging artists and exhibitions over the world.

 In my last focus article I looked at an exciting bunch of emerging artists whose experimental practices explored video, installation and publishing. As the world is becoming far more interconnected, artists are using more new technologies to critique expanding global issues. This time around, I’d like to take a step back and return physical art-making, with a specific focus on public mark-making and graffiti.

5. hyuro

Tamaya Djurovic aka hyuro is first on this list. Unfortunately, hyuro passed away only a few days prior to the writing of this focus article. I pass on my condolences and sympathies to her family, friends and colleagues.

 Hyuro was an inspirational street artist, originally from Argentina, who resided in Valencia, Spain for much of her working life. Her larger-than-life murals which are widely celebrated explored topics including feminism, personal experience and poetry. She is one of the first and remains one of the few female mural artists to break into the field of international muralism.

4. Rilo

Rilo is a North American, Mexico-based artist who I just stumbled across this week, and have been captivated by since. His practice spans illustration, screen-printing and muralism, all in his highly stylised aesthetic. His works combine an influence from modernist illustration, such as Matisse’s early sketches, and a hyper-contemporary graphic realism. Fast passed, bold, mono-coloured drawings which feature people, symbols from various religions and some sci-fi fantasy.

3. Gina Kiel

Gina Kiel is a graphic designer, illustrator and muralist currently based in Wellington, New Zealand. Her hyper-colourful geometric artworks can be seen throughout the walls and streets of New Zealand, where Gina has developed a unique approach to colour which could be described as geometric rainbow fractals. Best observed in images rather than words.

2. ST4 The Project

Tunisian born, Paris based street art duo ST4 The Project are a group certainly worth keeping an eye on. Initially coming onto my radar with a series of bold and patterned large-scale pieces littered throughout Tunisia and Northern Africa, their unique style has developed and progressed into a wonderful amalgam of European and North African styles.

 Their highly progressive approach to muralism is one part modernist through their playful yet effective approach to coloration and linework, however includes lettering from the Maltese alphabet and neo-Arabic symbols. Moreover, as many of their works are placed within Northern Africa, they are backdropped with dryland locations not usually witnessed within the graffiti world.

1. 3TTMan

Louis Lambert aka 3TTMan (Trois Têtes Man) is an explorative and ludic muralist, painter, sculptor and designer from France. His aesthetic combines punk heritage, DIY, religion, surface-explorations, arts and craft and many more. Diverse.

 3TTMan was described by anthropologist and graffiti-historian Dr. Rafael Schacter as a diverse artist whose practice seeks to explore and adjoin the gap between art and craft. Seeking to blur the boundaries between the venerators and the venerated, or, high and low brow, his works are hugely explorative and enticing. Coming up with novel ways to approach surface, such as layered concrete on existing locations, or by reinterpreting folkloric or popular imagery, 3TTMan is an artists who blends, blurs and repositions frameworks.

Emerson Radisich is a curator, writer and educator currently based in Melbourne, Australia.