Mear One, real name Kalen Ockerman, has been at the forefront of LA’s graffiti and mural culture for nearly three decades.
Los Angeles
He is famous for having pioneered the Melrose graffiti art movement in the late 80s and is considered by many to be LA’s most prolific public muralist.Early on in his career, Mear One gained his recognition for building the bridge between graffiti art and fine art.
He was the first graffiti artist to exhibit at the infamous 01 Gallery on Melrose, as well as at 33 1/3 Gallery in Silverlake, where Banksy would later debut his first North American show.
Art in the Streets
Mear One’s work was part of the landmark Art in the Streets 2011 exhibit at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.
Art in the Streets is the first major U.S. museum survey of graffiti and street art. Curated by MOCA Director Jeffrey Deitch and Associate Curators Roger Gastman and Aaron Rose, the exhibition will trace the development of graffiti and street art from the 1970s to the global movement it has become today, concentrating on key cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and Sao Paulo, where a unique visual language or attitude has evolved. The exhibition will feature paintings, mixed media sculptures, and interactive installations by 50 of the most dynamic artists and will emphasize Los Angeles’s role in the evolution of graffiti and street art, with special sections dedicated to seminal local movements such as cholo graffiti and Dogtown skateboard culture. A comprehensive timeline illustrated with artwork, photos, video, and ephemera will provide a historical context for the work.
Mission
Further he’s perhaps best known for constructing powerful narratives juxtaposing philosophy, ancient mythology and modern politics to inspire an evolved consciousness. This interpretation of reality is achieved through balanced dialogue between realism and the supernatural.
Mear One helps us envision the sublime spirit of our time – not by escaping reality, but by confronting it head on.
