November 2009: Seher One in Mexico City

I'm on a Mexico City kick this week. Today, Seher One checks in from El Abismo. Born and raised in Mexico, he's represented el Distrito Federal for the past eight years with his colorful street pieces. In between playing football and spending time with his daughter, he found a second to drop us a line. He writes:

”Seher is an ambiguous word. It is used mainly in the Middle East. In Arabia, it is a common name with a magic meaning, denoting a mystical act chained to the aura of people, like a halo around us.‘Seher’ is synonymous with ‘prophet’. When I began painting, I needed a new name, a name that identified me and just talked about my work. I started to find different words linked with ‘magic’ before I reached Seher. I’ve been Seher One for 8 years.”
"I try to put significant personal elements against a backdrop of my childhood. There are works in which the saturation of items is huge to the point that reading becomes slow and chaotic. It gives the viewer a moment to think about each of the elements and shapes. I have elements that are repeated throughout my work: a carton of milk, pumpkins, peyote, flowers, animals, skulls. Each has a specific meaning. The milk carton brings more memories of my brother who is a cornerstone in my work."
"When I was a child, it gave me great pleasure to draw; my favorite characters were imaginary. I really like fantasy stories and since I grew up walking the streets, I liked seeing the painted walls. When I went to high school, I met a couple of fellows who were devoted to graffiti and that completely woke me the encouragement to do things on the street. I started to create handmade stickers, posters and then came the mixed technique for murals. Most of my work is based on spontaneity. It is difficult to create and control the balance because there are colors that are fighting to be together and require organization. In some cases, when I create a preliminary sketch, it is only black and white. Color is added depending on my mood or on the message."
"In Mexico, the street art scene has great distribution and I think that it continues to grow. A few years ago, the streets had so many stickers or posters. Today, people who did not believe in the medium before enjoy it now. It is no longer just the traditional graffiti but a very interesting mix between art and design is reflected in the new generation. Still, there is much conflict in street art even if you do it legally. I do not find as much trouble spot. The biggest challenge is to leave a message or feeling good on the wall."
"I want to transmit a good mood through color. I want to reflect their lives or illustrate part of a small momentary fantasy world. Each item to see figuratively lift them to a small episode in their lives. II hope people will take the time to think and play with their perception of things and believe that everything is in sync: movement, time, and space."

Gracias, Seher! For more photos check his MySpace and subscribe to his blog for more updates.