The Carlsbad Art Wall (CAW) located on the east facing wall of Señor Grubby’s has once again become the focus of artistic expression in the Carlsbad Village with its newest mural painted on Saturday, November 7 by Los Angeles street artist MDMN.
Fresh of his successful solo show at Gallery 38, MDMN visited the Village by the Sea and became the 5th artist to paint the popular rotating urban canvas transforming it into a colorful explosion of urban comic adventure.
Para, MDMN’s powerful signature character bursts through ultra-saturated colors, comic book-esque iconography and shards of carefully arranged debris. Subtle shadows and strategically balanced gradients weave within the perfectly organized panel.
MDMN began under the early sun with dark outlines and early background color blocks. His ever growing talents with the spraycan immediately showcased his clean technique. As the sun rose high and the mid Fall sky shined hot, MDMN navigated the rungs of the rusted ladder within a sugary cloud of Ironlak paint fumes.
Lured by MDMN’s low-browed character and the large crowd of gathering spectators, the Carlsbad community watched every spray eagerly awaiting their next chance to converse with the visiting artist. Along with village locals, Los Angeles art enthusiasts followed their beloved street artist from LA to Carlsbad including the editor of Colors in Los Angeles. Word of MDMN’s visit to the Carlsbad Art Wall also reached down South resulting in a visit from editor of SanDiegoStreetArtOfficial.
In addition to the constant gifts of praise and encouragement, one enthralled spectator went as far as gifting the shirt off his back—apparently a rare pattern of Andy Warhol and James Dean portraits perfectly colored to match the palette of MDMN’s blossoming mural.
The first day concluded with a dawn-to-dark display of color blocking, photos, visits from family and friends eventually concluding with a late night on the beach under shooting stars and stories. The apparent UFO sighting prompted a return to civilization where MDMN’s beachfront room—graciously donated by the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort— awaited.
The final day began with sandy toes and coffee, ultimately returning to the CAW and MDMN’s looming low brow character. MDMN immediately began rendering the face with hard edged shadows and feathered highlights. Para, MDMN’s reoccurring character in an ongoing collection of mural-centric storytelling, soon glared down Carlsbad Village Drive exuding confidence, importance and merit.
Like MDMN’s character, The Carlsbad Art Wall has grown from an early idea into a fully developed member of the Carlsbad community exhibiting the fundamentals of culture, community and artistic enthusiasm. It’s presence has grown to that of a destination for both the informed and the unexpected.
With the 5th and final mural painted on the Carlsbad Art Wall in its inaugural year, the CAW has grown to unprecedented heights—ultimately supporting a stronger, more confident and relevant artistic culture within the Carlsbad Village.
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Directions to the Carlsbad Art Wall located at Señor Grubby’s
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