Watch the Milwaukee Tonight Hispanic Heritage Month Special Friday at 6:30 p.m.
MILWAUKEE -- Once considered to be illegal and an act of vandalism, graffiti has become mainstream and a highly appreciated form of artistic expression. We even have “Street Art Tours." My, oh my, how times have changed.
Mauricio Ramirez started as a graffiti artist, and though his works are now seen in galleries on canvases, he still enjoys creating murals.
![art2.jpeg](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b95b49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/960x1280+0+0/resize/960x1280!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbb%2F7f%2F7fba7c3a489c8da985976823266f%2Fart2.jpeg)
“It’s an entire physical commitment. When I paint a mural, I paint with my whole body," says Ramirez.
And I guess so, as they measured in feet, not inches. Still, Ramirez admits that his murals take less time than his canvases.
I went to Latino Arts to see "Poly Wave: Seeds of Color and Shape," a solo exhibition featuring new works by Ramirez, and was surprised to learn that I’d been enjoying his work on buildings sprinkled throughout Milwaukee’s south side. I would describe them as images that he deconstructs and then re-imagines in geometric shapes, with precision, creating a beautiful image which says the same thing in a different way.
![art3.jpeg](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a7f2811/2147483647/strip/true/crop/960x1280+0+0/resize/960x1280!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F30%2F44d6e8314babaef04b8fc7d7d4f9%2Fart3.jpeg)
You know I am all about self-expression, so I say “Express Yourself Mauricio! and “Thank you for sharing!”
To learn more about Mauricio Ramirez, click here.
And be sure to check out Latino Arts by clicking here.