>> Jason: THAT WAS ACTUALLY ME
DRIVING.
>> Tati: NO WAY! >> Jason: TODAY MARKS THE FIRST
>> Jason: TODAY MARKS THE FIRST
DAY OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
AS WE CELEBRATE THE RICH
HISPANIC CULTURE, WE WANT TO SHINE A LIGHT ON SOME OF THE
SHINE A LIGHT ON SOME OF THE
MAGNIFICENT MURALS AND DRAWS
PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO
OUR CITY.
HE IS CELEBRATING THROUGH HIS
OWN VIBRANT MURALS HE HAS CREATED THROUGHOUT THE AREA AND
CREATED THROUGHOUT THE AREA AND
IN PARTICULAR SOUTHWEST DETROIT.
WE’RE JOINED BY MURAL PAINTER
ELTON. >> HI, HOW ARE YOU?
>> HI, HOW ARE YOU?
>> Jason: FANTASTIC.
TELL US WHERE YOU’RE FROM AND
HOW YOU BEGAN CREATING MURALS IN
DETROIT IN PARTICULAR. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
AND SO I’M ACTUALLY FROM MEXICO.
I’M ORIGINALLY FROM MEXICO. I AM A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT.
I AM A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT.
I MOVED TO DETROIT IN 2015 AND I
STARTED PAINTING MURALS ALMOST
RIGHT AWAY. I APPLIED FOR DIFFERENT ART
I APPLIED FOR DIFFERENT ART
FAIRS AND CREATIONS AND APPLIED FOR OPPORTUNITIES.
FOR OPPORTUNITIES.
I RECEIVED A GRANT JAFRJS BEFORE
YOU CAME HERE, DID YOU KNOW MICHIGAN HAD A MEXICANTOWN.
MICHIGAN HAD A MEXICANTOWN.
>> THE IDEA OF COMING TO
DETROIT, MY IDEA WAS MOVING OUT OF MEXICO BUT I WAS PLANNING ON
OF MEXICO BUT I WAS PLANNING ON
GOING TO BERLIN, THE BIGGEST ART
MARKET.
>> MY FRIEND HAD A FRIEND HERE
IN DETROIT AND HE INVITED ME TO COME.
AND I DISCOVERED THIS BEAUTIFUL
COMMUNITY, I FELL IN LOVE AND --
>> Jason: I CAN TELL YOU’RE GENUINELY ENTHUSED ABOUT THE
GENUINELY ENTHUSED ABOUT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
BERLIN’S LOSS IS OUR GAIN.
WHAT’S THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR ARTWORK.
YOUR ARTWORK.
>> I’VE BEEN WORKING ON
COMMUNITY ENGAGED ART, AND
THAT’S WHAT, YOU KNOW, INSPIRES
ME.
I DON’T PAINT A MURAL BEFORE I HAVE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW.
HAVE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW.
LIKE WHEN I TALK TO THE
COMMUNITIES, WHEN I SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, THAT IS
THEY HAVE TO SAY, THAT IS
CREATING AN IMAGE IN MY MIND AND
THAT’S WHERE THE MURALS COME
FROM, FROM OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS, WHAT THEY WANT TO REPRESENT AND
WHAT THEY WANT TO REPRESENT AND
WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, AND THAT’S
WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING.
I’VE BEEN PAINTING MURALS
REPRESENTING COMMUNITIES.
>> Jason: YOU JUST COMPLETED NEW PROJECTS.
TELL US ABOUT THOSE.
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KNOW
MY WORK BECAUSE OF THE
CONNECTION WITH THE LATINO AND MEXICAN HERITAGE USUALLY.
MEXICAN HERITAGE USUALLY.
BUT AS THE PUBLIC ARTIST, I DO A
PROJECT FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES
LIKE THIS HERE THAT I DID FOR
CRANBROOK. I PAINTED THIS MURAL
I PAINTED THIS MURAL
REPRESENTING THE CRANBROOK
COMMUNITY.
AND I’VE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER
COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE MEXICAN TOWN
AREA AND OUTSIDE DETROIT HERE IN MICHIGAN, TOO.
MICHIGAN, TOO.
SO I COMPLETED THIS OTHER MURAL FOR
FOR MESCAL, A RESTAURANT OPENING
SOON IN FERNDALE.
>> Jason: AND HOW CAN PEOPLE SEE MORE OF YOUR WORK?
MORE OF YOUR WORK?
>> TO SEE MORE OF MY WORK,
FOLLOW MY SOCIAL MEDIA, FIND ME
ON INSTAGRAM AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY GOOGLE MY NAME OR
ACTUALLY GOOGLE MY NAME OR
FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
>> Jason: I’LL PUT YOU ON THE
SPOT.
YOU’VE ONLY BEEN IN DETROIT SINCE 2015.
SINCE 2015.
BEARING IN MIND THAT YOU KNOW
WHAT NATIVE CUISINE IS LIKE IN
MEXICO, WHAT PLACE IN MEXICANTOWN THAT YOU GO TO THAT
MEXICANTOWN THAT YOU GO TO THAT
HAS THE MOST AUTHENTIC FOOD?
>> I GO TO MANY PLACES.
[LAUGHTER]
>> SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING IS ORGANIZING THIS
INTERESTING IS ORGANIZING THIS
TACO TOUR, BECAUSE WE HAVE
DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS AND ALL OF
THEM HAVE THEIR OWN STYLE OF
COOKING, YOU KNOW.
AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO
RECOMMEND JUST ONE, YOU KNOW.
>> Jason: THAT IS A VERY
DIPLOMATIC ANSWER, ELTON.
>> YOU COME HERE AND TRY THEM
OUTLINE.
>> Jason: LET’S MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ELTON, YOU AND ME GOING ON A
TACO TOUR.
TATI, ARE YOU IN?
>> Tati: I’M IN.
>> I LOVE THAT IDEA. WE CAN MIX ART AND TACOS.