Guest blogger, Leah Gutierrez, joins us to tell the story of an artist who has inspired many creatives at Village Print & Media.
“Born to Tunisian parents and raised in the suburbs of Paris, artist eL Seed is inspired by the idea of two worlds colliding—something that many New Yorkers can relate to. This is reflected in his style of street art, which blends Arabic calligraphy with the modern art of graffiti. Through calligrafitti-—as it has become known as—eL Seed mixes street culture from Paris with Arabic history to give a poetic effect through storytelling to his art.
eL Seed is often referred to as a ‘street nomad,’ traveling from city to city across the globe and adorning walls with his work to express what he considers to be the truths of mankind. He gained much recognition after making a unique calligrafiti design for Louis Vuitton. He is the first and only Arab to have ever designed a collaborative product for the luxurious international brand.
In 2013, eL Seed showcased his art in Manhattan for the first and only time. He teamed up with graffiti artist, Jaye, also from Tunisia, and together they showcased their artwork on walls located on the lower east side. Using predominately pink and black shades of color, their final work read in Arabic, ‘We should all be nomads. We should cross ideas the same way we cross streets and cities.”
Read more about eL Seed and his work here.