We chatted with internationally renowned street artist Vexta from her nest in Tulum, Mexico. We were located in Salt Lake City, home of Vexta artwork “Nature of Wonder” when we got the lowdown of what she’s been up to and her exciting upcoming projects. Take a read for the highlights or watch the video for the entire conversation.
with a phone app for an augmented reality experience.
During this time of pandemic and quarantine, it is try to remain positive and celebrate the good that remains in the world. It is a good time to “pause, be still, and … create something that we want to see come in to the world.”
Vexta has been making art on the street for over 14 years. She is internationally recognized and has been commissioned for work in Australia, New Zealand, London, New York, Salt Lake City, to name just a few cities. A combination of “hard work, determination, right place-right time,” and we’ll add talent to that mix. Coming from a background of social activism, Vexta always tries to inspire others to make a better world through her art.
Vexta herself finds inspiration through music, nature, and science. As a younger artist, she found inspiration from street artists Banksy, Blek le Rat, and the French street art scene. Banksy has been a long supporter of hers. It’s clear that Vexta has her own clear voice; and her point of view shines through in her works around the world. She holds high regard for women artists such as Miss Van.
For the creative process, Vexta generally has a vision of what she will make. She meditates on her idea and figures out how to make it a reality. She will often recruit friends for photo shoots, then photoshop them to manipulate the images, then paint them and change them again. It’s a process of taking reality and making something new out of it. The physical process of executing a large mural can involve extensive planning and a mix of techniques- digital mockups, sketches, projectors, lifts. The scale of creativity and internal perspective of that shines through in Vexta’s work is truly awe inspiring.
Vextas work transcends language barriers, cultures, and speaks to a global audience. She does not consider one place her home- Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Tulum, Europe, and of course we welcome her as a resident of Salt Lake City. The mix of cultures is represented in her work through imagery and color.
inspired by the salt of The Great Salt Lake. The owl represents the wisdom
derived from nature, and the constellations within the owl are the same that are
visible from the ground in Salt Lake City.
Upcoming projects for Vexta include an immersive augmented reality project in New York City near The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and Central Park, on 57th Street and 6th Ave. The project includes a large street mural along with an app that will allow for an AR interactive experience. She is also launching a Podcast called “Magical Wierdos.” She’ll be engaging with artists and creatives that she has connected with over the years. She’ll be diving in to the “magic behind art making,” The “rituals” involved, and the “narratives that inform [their] work, and personal histories behind their work.
We look forward to continue watching Vexta create works that inspire us. She seems to be evolving and growing as an artist and we can’t wait to see what she will do next! #BronxtonArt
work projected on to a set of hands rising out of the sand. It was intended to raise
awareness of the deterioration of the mesoamerican coral reef, the second largest coral reef in the world.
The woman is wrapped in a cloak of magical feathers and symbolizes the commisioner's wife.
The symbols on her earrings represent each of their children. The symbols in the background
have additional meaning that the observer is free to interpret.