DaCruz
Born in Paris, France to parents of Portuguese heritage in 1977, French graffiti artist ("graffeur") DaCruz grew up along the northern canals of the city's 19th arrondissement, an historically working class, popular, immigrant community.
Fascinated by cartoons about the treasures of the Maya as a child, his work is greatly influenced by Mayan cultural expressions and art forms, pre-Colombian art, and ancestral cultures, generally. Expanding from drawing and illustration to graffiti, DaCruz began sharing his art publicly in his native 19th arrondissement, namely in the areas of Ourcq and Stalingrad, in 2004. Today, his murals ("graffs") have become a beloved part of the neighborhood landscape.
His work is distinguished by its bright colors, Mayan-inspired masks and figures, and invocation of light through use of form and color.
Deeply committed to social engagement through his work, DaCruz seeks to address issues facing urban youth, not only in his native France, but also internationally, as well as issues of race and class, including the challenges presented by the increasing gentrification of the very "quartier du canal de l'Ourcq" in which he was born as raised, now rapidly changing.
Recognized internationally, DaCruz participates in urban art festivals around the world; his travels to South America (namely, Brazil), Africa, and the Middle East further inspiring his work, which has been displayed in museums and cultural spaces such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, and is visible along the streets not only of his native Paris, but also of cities such as Lisbon, Dakar, and São Paolo...
Fascinated by cartoons about the treasures of the Maya as a child, his work is greatly influenced by Mayan cultural expressions and art forms, pre-Colombian art, and ancestral cultures, generally. Expanding from drawing and illustration to graffiti, DaCruz began sharing his art publicly in his native 19th arrondissement, namely in the areas of Ourcq and Stalingrad, in 2004. Today, his murals ("graffs") have become a beloved part of the neighborhood landscape.
His work is distinguished by its bright colors, Mayan-inspired masks and figures, and invocation of light through use of form and color.
Deeply committed to social engagement through his work, DaCruz seeks to address issues facing urban youth, not only in his native France, but also internationally, as well as issues of race and class, including the challenges presented by the increasing gentrification of the very "quartier du canal de l'Ourcq" in which he was born as raised, now rapidly changing.
Recognized internationally, DaCruz participates in urban art festivals around the world; his travels to South America (namely, Brazil), Africa, and the Middle East further inspiring his work, which has been displayed in museums and cultural spaces such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, and is visible along the streets not only of his native Paris, but also of cities such as Lisbon, Dakar, and São Paolo...