Optimo NYC

The man behind Optimo NYC was born during the first largest blackout in New York City and the Summer of Sam in 1977. He grew up near the Highline in the Lower West Side of Manhattan, where violence and noise reined the street, unlike the gallery district we know today. In his earlier years, Optimo's passion for art was ignited by the colorful and playful graffiti dominating the trains and trucks of the mid-1980s. Living in Chelsea, an area with little development, the artist noticed a range of space to work with and began writing graffiti at the tender age of twelve, tagging under different aliases and painting outlined letters. Optimo continued to work on his different styles, seeking inspiration from artists such as Dr. Seuss and Vaughn Bode, as well as from a surge of 1990s graffiti artist. In 2003, after many years of practice, he began selling his custom painted hats and traditional canvases at the Chelsea Flea Market. In 2005, Optimo began experimenting with painting on recycled NYC street signs and found objects. Early 2010, Optimo decided to become a full time artist selling his artwork on the streets of Soho, where he has garnered many international clients.

The artist’s work is greatly inspired by his experiences and his surroundings, of having grown up in New York City. After many years of being in love with the arts, Optimo feels that he is in an intimate relationship with painting, dancing with his mediums and the surfaces of the streets, trying to figure out their every particularity. Painting on public walls allows him to freely expose his work and empowers him to create his own landmarks throughout the city. The wall has a special significance for Optimo's art in that it does'nt have to be for sale. The exposure of public wall space is limitless, transcending all boundaries of race and class and creating an ideal space for artists to communicate with the general public. This consideration is what brought about Optimo's signature character, who he has been developing since 2006. The character was created after a life changing experience, and represents his drive to make insightful decisions in his life and spread positive messages to the world. Optimo's character, often seen with an American flag bandana, reclaims the flag as a symbol of freedom of expression, and serves as a reminder to authorities of the First Amendment. Instead of the traditional stars, Optimo uses the space within the flag to extend messages and express spontaneous feelings through words. The artist adopted the name Optimo, short for Optimo Primo, meaning "Best Cousin," as a means to bring out the best qualities in himself that will impact others.

Optimo has participated in several exhibitions as of late. In June 2011 he had his first solo show with Artist Revolution Studios pop-up exhibitions in Chelsea. The show, entitled “Optimize America,” consisted of 40 works by the artist. In November 2011, his work was exhibited in the "Everything Must Go" group show at the Brooklyn Fire Proof Gallery Space, curated by Matt Dobbs. He has painted over one hundred box trucks in the city, using the truck as a mobile wall for maximum exposure. His most recent mural, located in Bushwick on Starr Street between Wyckoff and Irving, commemorates the late poet Frederico Garcia Lorca. Optimo aspires to create new and improbable juxtapositions while maintaining a signature style he refers to as "Optimism."