DPJ’s Urban Form series looks at the interplay between movement and surroundings through the lens of dancers and architecture in downtown Phoenix.
Dancer Juan ‘Coel’ Rodriguez. Photo by Ashley Baker.
The New Year has already brought a flurry of new additions to the downtown Phoenix landscape, along with old favorites re-emerging in new ways. One of these spaces is the alley between Adams and Washington, and 1st and 2nd Streets. The walls of this alley serve as a canvas for street art that pays homage to many facets of our local culture, including the Arizona Latino Arts and Culture (ALAC) Alley Mural.
The piece featured here is the creation of street artist Carlos Rivas, aka Servous Nystem. His rendering of a famous droid uttering the phrase “Art 2D2,” (along with the recent loss of the galaxy’s favorite princess) is a reminder that in this new year, art and creativity will keep our voice, style and culture alive.
As we continue to relish in the greatness of bodies, along with the bodies of work created here, we know this is what will continue to inspire for years to come. Here Juan ‘Coel’ Rodriguez showcases the possibilities of the human form. He is an artist who continues to make Phoenix his home as he advocates for more work within this great city. When I see the convergence of these artworks, I know that 2017 will be a year of creative expression.
