Mario Enrique Figueroa is not your typical museum curator. While the museums downtown are dedicated to “fine art,” Figueroa is filling his space with something a little different.
Texas residents know him by a different name, GONZO247. Figueroa’s tag has become a fixture on the Houston street art scene. In the true spirit of graffiti, this self-taught artist took it upon himself to get his craft the recognition it deserves, creating The Graffiti and Street Art Museum of Texas as a monument to the art form.
Figuero first starting spray painting in 1985, just as street art was getting international recognition. After remaining anonymous for five years, GONZO247 revealed his real identity in the hopes of getting street art recognized as a true form of art. This was done with his studio/gallery, Aerosol Warfare, which has been supporting the local art community for more than 25 years.
GONZO247 © Aerosol Warfare
It has regularly featured street art legends ranging from Mark Bode to Shepard Fairey, but fans have been asking Figueroa when Aerosol Warfare was going to have a permanent home. This question sparked the idea of a museum dedicated to graffiti: “I cannot claim that this is the first graffiti and street art museum, because the art forms have been making the streets their museum for decades.”
The GASAM opened its temporary location in Houston, Texas, and is currently in the process of finding a permanent home. Until then, Figueroa continues to participate in the city’s art scene and mural program.
DASH DAY in Houston 2015 from GONZO247 on Vimeo.
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