Back in 2004, while still living in Philadelphia, a writer named Sew and myself began teaching classes at the Hawthorne recreation center. Back in the day you had mentors or crews to lean on to help you develop your style… Almost ten years strong and the other side of the country…Aerosol Technology flows on.

THE OASIS

The summer of 2012 Words Beats and Life took the lead for the Murals DC program in which Maxx Moses was invited to collaborate and paint the side of Oasis Liquor store in Washington DC. My first concept a vivid symmetric abstraction was rejected the owners simply wanted a mural identifying the four seasons. I understand that there is some compromise involved when doing community murals, especially within the design process, so I suggest before undertaking these types of projects have a collaborative state of mind and remain flexible. For the second design I used Photoshop cutting and pasting images from previous works to form the approved concept. Although the owners approved the sketch they still had concerns about certain sections. Once I arrived on the scene I tried to explain that the sketch was merely an idea, a guide and once I arrive to paint the wall my interaction with the people and the environment would spring me into greater levels of creativity…it’s a process.
The best part about doing community murals is the people you meet. Overall this project was a huge success the opportunity to exchange ideas was so valuable. The kind owners kept me hydrated all week and my young interns were outstanding especially Rob Bacote and Nique Dayrit. Mazi, big ups to you and Words Beats and Life for including me on this I look forward to working with you in the future. Washington DC is now another home for Maxx Moses.

Who do you think you are?

I probably spend too much time alone these days contemplating… so I have many questions derived from states of confusion panic and unknowing. The beauty is that I am not alone for you too are human and suffer. My father always said “there is a time and place for everything.” So who do you think you are? We tend to think our personalities habits likes and dislikes define who we are. And If you asked a group of ten people who say they know you well most likely they each would have a different perception of you. So our perceptions really are only opinions, personal observations subject to change, emotion and manipulation. So who really are we?

On one of my deepest spiritual journeys I ventured inward into a space of nothingness. My body had no form but I was aware, not lonely or sad just full with emptiness. At that moment I said to myself “I Am No Thing.” I realized that all the ideas we have developed about ourselves are just brief summations of experiences and what feels familiar and comfortable to us we attach onto like an insecure child relies on his blanket. So we’ve built a world that caters to our insecurities. Our self worth esteem and value is determined upon how much insecurity we can attain… I call this the The Ignorance Economy… I LIVE TO CREATE
Maxx Moses

The new Angelika Theater

This summer the Angelika Theater, an independent movie theater opened a state of the art theater in Falls Church VA. In search for some dynamic art for the building lobby they linked with Words Beats and Life of Washington DC. Over the past 5 Maxx Moses has developed a good relationship with this non-profit organization and they decided to commission him for the project. Angelika’s design team wanted a painting that was bright bold and said Angelika In “Wild Style”. The spacing for this project was vertical and challenging for lettering so I used one of my innovations called “alphabet soup”; where letters and characters are bounce in a rhythmic flow. Trust me it says Angelika you just have to find it.

The Mercado Project

In 2012 Naomi Nussbaum, of the Synergy Foundation, was spear heading the art for the Mercado project, a new housing development in San Diego for Shea Properties. Maxx Moses was one of four artist selected to adorn the new development with 2 murals titled “Honey Love” and “I once had a dream”. Next time you are in San Diego go to Barrio Logan and see them for yourself.

finally the second edition to this mural is installed and hanging right next the the new T-moble store…you think now they will upgrade my phone???

November 2011, the United States Embassy and Albus Cavus, a Washington DC non-profit organization, commissioned Maxx Moses to fly to Zimbabwe and create murals for World AIDS Day.

Two murals were painted simultaneously, one on the outside of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, the other at the beer garden within historical Makokoba Township. I painted both locations! The wall at the beer garden was long and horizontal, perfect for Wild-Style lettering. However I didn’t want to embellish my name, I wanted to say something relative to the people of Zimbabwe. While in Bulawayo I was learning about the Ndebele tribes. One evening during dinner Gary Owen, from the responsibilityallaince.com spoke the word Zenzele. It sounded so beautiful I asked what does it mean? He replied, in Ndebele it means “To Do For Self” I thought wow that’s the perfect phrase to begin the mural with, “Zenzele.”

“The Minstrel Cycle” and “The Final Sale”
Mr. Maxx Moses

“The Minstrel Cycle” and “The Final Sale” represent a visual examination of the relationship between America and its disenfranchised black population. Created by Maxx Moses, the self- portraits reflect the reality of American history in a vivid representation of how blacks have been defined, exploited, and dehumanized. “The Minstrel Cycle” depicts the artist in a literal state of arrested development, his American Dream is a nightmare of spiritual, mental and physical incarceration–a disturbing portrayal of the results of this country’s ignorance, fueled by fear and governed into law. “The Final Sale” tells the true story behind this dream, that despite our racial consciousness we only care to open our eyes to a collective lie of equality and freedom that has been sold and bought without question.
Maxx Moses represents the male portion of an ethnic group that makes up 13% of the population but 40% of the prison population–a group that has endured systematic institutionalized attempts of emasculation and racial stereotyping. The black man is seen as a threat to society, genetically predisposed to be criminal, disregarding a rich history of creativity, invention, brilliant minds and outstanding contributions to the sciences, arts, sports and entertainment, without which America could not have become the world power it is today.
Our own failure as Black people to recognize the splendor of our divinity within can be likened to committing suicide to our souls. Being unaware and detached from this truth puts us in the common practice of emitting thoughts that evoke feelings of inferiority, perpetuating a cycle of degradation. It is essentially living as though we are 3/5 human by not recognizing our full potential, which is the aim of institutionalized racism. We have supported the crescendo of this ignorance for over 400 years. We as Americans need to stop being uncomfortable about unearthing and addressing the darkest parts of our psyche… and let the healing begin!