SASHA PRIMO SASHA PRIMO SASHA PRIMO SASHA PRIMO
Hi! I am Sasha Reisin, originally from Argentina. I have been drawing for as long as I can remember, which led me to street art in 2012. During this time, I focused on painting hyper-realistic portraits of indigenous tribes that strongly gazed back at viewers. I was eager to produce a cultural shock as a window to other parts of the world.
In 2017 we started an art collective called MUTA, hosting a cultural house that was planned for demolition, which allowed us to experiment freely in the space. For almost two years, we organized workshops, art events, and architectural interventions. We forged a creative community of artists, urbanists, architects, and educators. Later, I spent four years traveling across Latin America, working in multidisciplinary teams to organize placemaking projects and participatory murals, dedicating myself to building community.
Currently, I spend my time making localized public art projects, where I thrive to empower people through art. I do a lot of community outreach so people can gather, share and recognize their own identities. My goal is to produce striking, public artworks that truly represent people and help them feel proud of their places.
Artist Statement
My approach deals with collective memories, historic landmarks, and local identities of places and people. For the last twelve years, I have organized public art and community-based projects across Argentina, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Europe and the United States. I share specific public art techniques that encourage family participation and promote creative skills that can spark new interests and future professional careers.
I focus on translating the ethnic and cultural histories of the places I work into striking and meaningful site-specific artworks that strongly engage the public and tell a story about their surroundings. I achieve this by identifying and incorporating popular symbols that have significance for the identity of the place.
My mission is to connect with people’s backgrounds, support marginalized groups, and improve public spaces, all in service of communities feeling proud and developing a sense of belonging with their environment. Moreover, my overarching goal is to reduce the existing gap of social inequity by amplifying the voices of minority populations and encouraging the participation of people who have historically lacked opportunities to express themselves. I hope that viewers will enjoy the artworks, while also noticing the community involvement in the decision-making process.