One of Miami’s most lovable street artists is set to open his latest solo exhibition Ahol: Full-Time Feb 17 at Mercenary Square in Little Havana. His first exhibition in two years, Full Time finds the artist saluting the working class by visually and sonically documenting the decay of society. Tuning inward, he focuses on fruitless jobs he’s worked while juggling being an artist. This is Economic states and shapes. This is the American Dream of epic proportions. We sat down with the artist, to talk more about his show, the art scene in Miami and his take on the low brow art vs high brow art debate.

 

“My work day is the ammunition for my late night creations and rather than see it as a speed bump I use it to fuel the fire.”
- Ahol on balancing his 9-5 with being an artist.

 

Art Nouveau: What’s the meaning behind your name Ahol Sniffs Glue?

ASG: The name Ahol Sniffs Glue was the tag I chose many years ago. It’s mainly Ahol these days but the “sniffs glue” is a shout out to The Ramones. I also use Alouishous San Gomma as an occasional moniker since they both play well off each other. Different situations call for different measures and it’s nice to have options. Other than that, it’s just my name though I admit it does make me smile when older folks call me Ahol with a straight face.

AN: Being that Street Art is considered vandalism by authorities, how has the response from the city of Miami been to your work?

ASG: Since the arrival of Art Basel in Miami a decade ago there has been an explosion of street murals in areas like Wynwood powered by projects like Primary Flight and developers like Tony Goldman and his “Wynwood Walls” which have focused attention on an area which has essentially become ground zero for the city’s booming art scene. These initiatives have become popular with the public and draw top shelf national and international talent to create works in the once gritty hood that has become rapidly gentrified. While it has provided a platform for locals like me to paint murals, the work of homegrown artists often gets buffed over by resident building owners and area developers to make way for new murals and the next wave of attendant media coverage bringing them more exposure. City authorities have come to embrace or coexist uneasily with street art because the genre is hyped more and more in this climate as a stalking horse for real estate interests. For me personally my eye murals have achieved somewhat of an iconic status locally and the eyes were even chosen last year as the official logo for the Wynwood Art Fair in October. The three-day event was a combination street art fair and fundraiser that generated over $500,000 for Lotus House, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women and children recover from being homeless. In conclusion you can say what was once considered here as vandalism or illicit art is now increasingly embraced by those who previously frowned on it and has even begun to visibly eclipse legit forms of visual communication on the public stage. More importantly still, the density of these murals concentrated in one area function not unlike an outdoor museum where street art serves as a gateway for a general public that might never have stepped into a Wynwood gallery to now engage contemporary art and all the local dealers, business people and “fine” artists love that.

AN: You work two jobs to support your “full time” job as an artist. From experience I know, this can be grueling and exhausting. What keeps you driven to create?

ASG: Wow. That is a tough nut to crack. I have been working since I was 16 and lost my mom at a young age and had to grow up very quickly. The whole myth of the starving artist is such a cliche. I think to succeed as an artist you have to grind out your vision everyday just like if you were punching a clock at a blue collar job. I am an artist 24/7. To keep myself rooted I need to cover my bills anyway I can so I can be free of worry to make work. But, at the same time, the reality that most of my friends, whether they are artists or not are challenged daily to make the same sacrifices to survive, inspires me to strive laying it on the line. Nothing comes free in life. To become successful as a plumber, lawyer or even an artist you have to put in the hours. It’s what I learned from my mother and others whose work ethic fuels me to try harder and what carries me through moments of hardship when it might seem easier to give up.

AN: What’s your take on highbrow and lowbrow art movements? Should there be any distinction between the two?

ASG: I think the distinction between both is becoming more and more blurred but that’s nothing new. Today, many visual artists are looking beyond the traditional gallery space to target the public from the position of the street. At the same time some street artists aspire to occupy gallery walls hoping to reach a select audience who might invest in their work or for the blessing of art world legitimacy. Rather than seeing this as opposing views separating the high from the low, I prefer seeing it as a fertile ground to record the yet unwritten history of artists today struggling to communicate their individual aesthetic values without fear their voices will be drowned or repudiated in our progressively chaotic and visually deafening world.

AN: How has the art scene in Miami influenced your work?

ASG: For the most part, Miami influences me. It’s not necessarily the art scene itself. I have met several great artists who I consider close friends but I am more motivated by my city in general. Miami has become and is becoming more and more accepting and encouraging of the arts and it’s nice to see this happening right before my eyes. I choose my friends over a scene any day.

AN: Who are some of your inspirations?

ASG: My inspirations are my friends and family. I am inspired by the average person who gets up every day and hustles. Whether it’s to feed a family or feed a passion. The drive to live and create goes hand in hand. My crew inspires me as do my coworkers who I’ve built lasting relationships with even after switching jobs. Miami’s rich and complex tapestry of contrasting cultures, its pitch-perfect blend of diverse music and languages one can tune into on any street corner, and the lush tropical landscape and beaches that surround us are all fertile ground for the imagination. You can say that the clockwork of my city, both the good and the bad is what most inspires me.

AN: Tell me about your upcoming show Full Time? How long has it taken to create the work? And visually what can viewers expect?

ASG: “Ahol: Full-Time” is a very special show for me. I have had the opportunity to create freely with zero pressure from a gallery and have been able to dig deep into reality and represent my daily struggles within the context this show. Having to work a full-time job has always been something that kept my creativity on a physical back burner but never mentally. This exhibit has allowed me to think creatively, and explore new directions, not to mention employ challenging mediums for this project with the means I have available to me. My work day is the ammunition for my late night creations and rather than see it as a speed bump I use it to fuel the fire.

This exhibit has been in the works for 2 years almost. You might say I began conceptualizing it following my last show at a traditional gallery space. Soon after I started to feel the squeeze was being put on me to substitute urban walls with a canvas as an easier product to pitch. I also felt my desire to experiment and grow my art practice wasn’t being properly supported. And, all though the gallery was selling my panels at a brisk clip, somehow I began to feel it was developing more into a job relationship if you get what I mean and without lasting benefits. I knew I had to dig deep and this is where I am at. Viewers can anticipate encountering something that they would not have expected from me. Lust just say in addition to paintings and drawings I have incorporated photography, video and sound components into the exhibit and will even be showing a series of works transforming peoples words into sculpture. I have avoided giving hints at what is going on in the show to give this new work the proper baptism but have never felt so stoked over a project. Also my close friends, Otto Von Bass Warrior, Mr. Feathers and Jose Blue Jeans will be spinning during the opening to ratchet up the vibe on the proceedings. Panama’s Don Abuelo Rum has even offered to keep the spirits flowing all night for our multi-culti barrio baptism. Finally the time is here and it is hard to express how much I’m feeling it. I am very fortunate to have been offered this opportunity to have my show launch Mercenary Square in Little Havana. The new space is run by my long time friend and mentor Carlos Suarez De Jesus, the art critic for the Miami New Times and an artist himself who has always supported and encouraged me and my work. This space is the truth, no sugar coating here.

AN: What’s next for you?

ASG: Who knows what the future holds. I just want to keep creating, expanding and representing my town to the max.

AN: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

ASG” Big up everyone, love your city. SSK all day!!!

 

Ahol Sniffs Glue’s solo exhibition “Ahol: Full-Time” opens Feb 8. at Mercenary Square in Little Havana. Opening Reception February 17^th from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Mercenary Square. Admission is free and open to the public. DJ Sets by Jose Blue Jeans, Mr. Feathers, and O Von Bass Warrior. Complimentary cocktails will be served courtesy of Don Abuelo Rum. And an after-party following the reception beginning at 11:00 P.M. at The Vagabond.

 

Related Posts: