‘Baby Alive’ beat back to life (2022) Photography by Blame Mr Ken

Mr Ken is Digital and Analog Mixed Media Artist, whose creations span photography, painting, drawing, collage, manipulation, printing, and analog originals and editions. His diverse body of work reflects subtle cynicism, often infused with humor and absurdity. He often uses Science often and psychology, bias and discrimination, living in the moment and the beauty in ‘big still life’.

Raised in Central America within a family of artists and adventurers, Mr. Ken's upbringing in Panama, with summers filled with travel, profoundly influenced his artistic journey. Embracing his identity as a gay man led him to a counter-culture scene and underground alternative dance clubs, where he explored fashion and persona creation. Introduced to photography and art early on, he began painting and later attended art classes in Austin, Texas, alongside RTF (Radio, TV, Film) classes at UT Austin.

Encountering conflicting influences from other artists, Mr. Ken transitioned into a creative career in hospitality and event planning. Simultaneously, he delved into graphic design and continued self-learning in various visual arts and sound design. With a career spanning years of conceptualizing and producing special events in major cities like Austin, Dallas, Houston, and South Florida, Mr. Ken eventually found himself in Miami, playing a pivotal role in establishing Rubell Hotels' special events department, drawing inspiration from the family's RFC contemporary art collection, now the Rubell Museum. Renowned for his creative happenings and events blending installations with performance art, he embraced his identity as an 'Outside Artist' or 'Fence Straddler Artist,' fusing personal and global influences to critically examine human behavior and societal constructs. He struggled with growing up in Panama as an ‘American citizen’ experiencing culture shock upon relocating to Florida after the death of his grandparents, then having to experience a tumultuous ride in the USA, being ‘different’.

Utilizing a glass 'canvas’ a variety of applications, the initial work is created, then a master pigment ink Giclee is produced on museum quality paper, canvas or metal which he adds various paint methods or even collage to finish the original work. Mr. Ken has a depth of experience and knowledge for creation of art and painting without limitations, employing diverse methods and styles dictated by his artistic journey. Despite challenges like a brain abscess in 2016, his dedication to being a full-time artist has only deepened, injecting resilience and depth into his creations. 

• Nationality: UNITED STATES
• Date of birth : 1966
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary American Artists