Kai Aspire Art: Spreading Positivity

Photo by @emmagordonlevine

Photo by @just_a_spectator

Nicole Gordon: Lovely meeting you in person at the newly painted Rag & Bone wall. I have been a fan of yours for years, which you already knew. The messages in your work always makes the audience think about the subject matter and I do believe you want to spread positivity.

How do you view your work and what are you trying to convey through your newly painted wall?

Kai Aspire: I view my work as a voice. I don’t think anyone likes walking anywhere and being bombarded with advertising, and when I 1st started making work i was making anti advertising. By doing that I was still part of the same problem, telling people what they should do. So my newer works are a bit different, they are made of subtle colors and extremely simple, they never tell a person what to do but allow a person to take what they want from the artwork.

I like to say “Plant a seed in the viewers mind, let them decide if it grows or dies”.

Photo by @just_a_spectator

NG: How I love the square 3D pieces all around the city you created. Last trip, 400 were put up? This trip, 5? We need more! How do you create those metallic looking pieces? What messages do they convey?

KA: I wish I could have put up more, last time I was in NYC about 2 years about I stayed for close to a month which really gave me the time to produce and hit the streets, this time I was only in town for 5 days, and I had a lot of appointments and murals already scheduled. But this time I put up huge 4 foot 3D pieces not the small framed one. So that's a bit different and a larger statement in the streets. The pieces are actually made of cement and each piece is hand treated to have an aged look. I spend a pretty large amount of time on my street work. I really believe that the streets are what made me so I need to thank the streets!

I try and convey a little of everything: Love, life, pain, consumerism, technology, time, war anything that can effect anyone in their life.

Photos above provided by Kai Aspire

Photos above provided by Kai Aspire

NG: Where can we learn more about who you are and the work you create?

KA: Well my street work can be found on my website www.Kaiart.com or my Instagram @kaiart .

If you’re looking to purchase something, Markowicz Fine Art in Miami is the only place I sell out of because they are kind and honest.