about the artist
Someone recently told me I was old now, for the first time in my life I found that statement to be so funny. Yes I have been here now many years but old, I don’t think so. Its true I was painting subways cars in the 80s at a feverish pace which has brought me “legitimacy” in the graffiti art and commercial world, a world that I remember being a part of hundreds of people, today I guesstimate I am now a part of close to a million, worldwide.
Graffiti, the foundation of my career (who knew?) is a worldwide phenomenon and I am proud to be a part of its history. Its true, because of graffiti I have traveled the globe, painted for celebrities, been written about and have been able to challenge the artist in me for well into 30 years now.
I have become less “old” these days, reinvigorated by the new challenges in life and its true that I will be sharing more on this website than in my previous sites, this site I will try to share my thoughts, my ideas that drove my body to create and create I did, thousands on thousands of drawings, sketches, paintings weather with tools or lately digitally I create, I hope to color everyone’s world with at least one small splash of color, of life and share my times with anyone interested enough to take a look.
Its true I’m old, but I’m so much younger than I ever was.
Erni Vales
Solo Shows:
2023 Museum of Graffiti, Wynwood, Miami
2019-2023 Fountainhead Studios, biannual Open Studio, Miami
2017-2018 Graffiti Gardens Gallery, Miami
2015 Scope NYC
2010-2018 EVLworld Gallery, Wynwood, Miami, monthly shows of new work
2014 Chelsea Market Concourse Exhibition, Chelsea, NYC
2013 Square Gallery, Orlando
2009 WuTang Records HQ, Staten Island, NYC
2002 Chelsea Market Concourse Exhibition, Chelsea, NY
Group Shows:
2023 Local Champion, Local Project, NYC
2023 Influenced by Comics, Museum of Graffiti, Wynwood, Miami
2023 Art Expo, NYC
2022 Art Basel: Red Dot Miami
2022 Superfine New York
2020 Museum of Graffiti Gallery
2017 The Omari Hardwick Blueapple Poetry Network with Jason Taylor Foundation Young Poets and Artists collaboration project
Commissions:
2023 Moxy Hotel with Museum of Graffiti, Wynwood. Large scale mural
2013-2023 Carnival Cruise Lines, multiple original paintings for over 17 ships
2020 Mexican Bar Company, wrap around murals and multiple original installations
2018 Graffiti Gardens, Miami. Painted and curated murals for GG urban park
2017 Royal Caribbean, Anthem of the Sea, 2 large scale paintings
2016 VICE69 clothing line by Funky Fashions
2010-2023 Pubbelly Hospitality, multiple murals in over 10 locations
2012 Eclipse album cover for Louie Vega
2008-2017 Mercadito Hospitality, multiple murals and paintings for over 15 locations
2014-2015 Seven Artist series collections for INVICTA Watch Company
1998-2010 Multiple photo and video projects with David LaChapelle for major publications
2006 4:21 The Day After album cover for Method Man
2003 Whitney Museum temporary installation
1994-2005 Chelsea Market creative director, multiple murals and installations
2000 Experience Music Project, HipHop museum, Seattle, WA
1992 Mercury Records, central lobby sculpture, multiple paintings and
furniture design.
Donations:
2021 Cuba Libre mural for Cuba Deside Foundation, Las Olas Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
2019 Museum of Graffiti historical retrospect mural, Wynwood, Miami
2018 HispAnisize Conference, Miami
2017 Collab community mass painting projects, Miami and NYC
2016 Miami-Dade Fair Grounds, Entrance mural
2015 Blue Apple beginnings, Jason Foundation
2013 Feed America Foundation, 2 original paintings donated for charity auction
Collections:
Museum of Graffiti, Miami
US Marshals
Interpol US
DEA
Invicta Watch Company
Wu Tang
NBA
Brooklyn Nets
Chelsea Market
David LaChapelle Studio
Louie Vega, DJ, private collector
Roger Sanchez, DJ, private collector
Diane Lieberman
Nataly Shostak
Irwin Cohen
Don Kurt
Private collectiors
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Now a creative powerhouse, Vales has completed many successful projects ranging from large-scale murals, to art directing films and videos, fashion, photography to restaurant and nightclub interior design worldwide. His collaborations have placed him in the heart of Google’s NYC office and the surreal world of photographer David LaChapelle. He has also worked closely with video director Hype Williams, spanning his art across all mediums.
It was at the High School of Art and Design where Vales was introduced to graffiti and the emerging culture of Hip Hop. Painting at a feverish pace both on subway cars and on canvas the artist was soon to start showing at Graffiti Productions Inc., one of the first galleries to feature authentic graffiti works by the legends of the era. These shows, greatly received by press, fans and collectors became the solid foundation to a spellbinding career.
Vales would hone this talent through an array of many mediums: a foray in hand painted clothing led Vales to creating large murals in nightclubs of NYC. Having practiced large-scale pieces on the flanks of subway cars, he was well qualified to execute fantastic large-scale murals, quickly. Vales executed murals in Limelight, The Tunnel and Gil and Erni’s Rock and Roll Bar to name a short few out of more than 500 at least.
Someone recently told me I was old now, for the first time in my life I found that statement to be so funny. Yes I have been here now many years but old, I don’t think so. Its true I was painting subways cars in the 80s at a feverish pace which has brought me “legitimacy” in the graffiti art and commercial world, a world that I remember being a part of hundreds of people, today I guesstimate I am now a part of close to a million, worldwide.
Graffiti, the foundation of my career (who knew?) is a worldwide phenomenon and I am proud to be a part of its history. Its true, because of graffiti I have traveled the globe, painted for celebrities, been written about and have been able to challenge the artist in me for well into 30 years now.
I have become less “old” these days, reinvigorated by the new challenges in life and its true that I will be sharing more on this website than in my previous sites, this site I will try to share my thoughts, my ideas that drove my body to create and create I did, thousands on thousands of drawings, sketches, paintings weather with tools or lately digitally I create, I hope to color everyone’s world with at least one small splash of color, of life and share my times with anyone interested enough to take a look.
Its true I’m old, but I’m so much younger than I ever was.
It was at the High School of Art and Design where Vales was introduced to graffiti and the emerging culture of Hip Hop. Painting at a feverish pace both on subway cars and on canvas the artist was soon to start showing at Graffiti Productions Inc., one of the first galleries to feature authentic graffiti works by the legends of the era. These shows, greatly received by press, fans and collectors became the solid foundation to a spellbinding career.
Vales would hone this talent through an array of many mediums: a foray in hand painted clothing led Vales to creating large murals in nightclubs of NYC. Having practiced large-scale pieces on the flanks of subway cars, he was well qualified to execute fantastic large-scale murals, quickly. Vales executed murals in Limelight, The Tunnel and Gil and Erni’s Rock and Roll Bar to name a short few out of more than 500 at least.
EVL (Erni Vales Ltd) has little to do with evil, but much more to do with vices. Vice is often defined as an immoral habit or practice. I could not however find a clear or satisfying definition to what is immoral. Whose morality has the ability to judge another thus labeling them, “immoral?” We all live with our vices, I declare mine proudly through my art, if I didn’t have my art would I still proudly declare? Probably not as doing so is viewed on as, well, immoral! My EVL World is not founded in immorality but in creativity and my art always embraces the flaws in myself as well as the people around me, its the flaws and breaks in life that serve to color our futures, it makes us real. If I buried or re-pressed my vices I’m sure my art wouldn’t be as touching, humorous or as well received. I am a creative misfit and luckily I have found my home in the world of my paintings.