Grave

Grave Herrera was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1970. Grave brings decades of experience working at many levels from street to classic painting to promote the power of art has to shape communities and border identity. Grave works predominately in the medium of large scale painting and public art projects, which include murals, street art, hand signage, typography design, aerosol art and various disciplines. His work has been exhibited at galleries in Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Texas, Los Angeles, California, Ciudad Juarez, and Durango, Mexico. He has founded and sponsored numerous projects and collaboration programs that help artist and the community, including Border Youth Public Art Space Outreach and the Silos Aerosol Art Space. Grave lives and works in El Paso, Texas.

Father, husband, friend, veteran, community builder, mentor, painter, creator and activator. The art relates to a strong sense of gratitude and passion for the culture, experiences, humbleness, struggles and success that come along with life’s journey. The dignity and self-value of hard work and soil stained hands from ordinary and impoverish folks are the inspiration of the work. It is an offering to the working class as it is sincere and at street level. There is nothing glamorous about the work, it is intended to be as far as possible from galleries and closer to the public’s eye. The work stands without borders, constrains, limits, or bureaucracy. Never hidden, this art is placed in exterior settings and intended to be in plain sight for the community to enjoy, and inspiring them through positive imagery. At best, it is large and a functional, serviceable art that eradicates neglected walls and surfaces. You should view it as a mash up of font engineering and a piñata party on a wall. It is always intended for the community and by the community. Its purpose is to reach out, uplift, upgrade, move and motivate.