Imon Boy collapses the boundaries between graffiti and fine art in new solo exhibition

Spanish artist Imon Boy started his career tagging the streets of his home country, and since then, he has gone on to exhibit all around the world in the likes of Munich, Seville, Hamburg, Sydney, Taiwan, Madrid, Los Angeles and New York City. Now he's come to Moosey London for the first time with his solo exhibition, Things Happen.

Running until 25 September 2022, Things Happen is a self-referential show that harks back to the world of graffiti and the years he spent practising writing on the walls of Malaga's streets. Drawing on stylised lettering and drawings of graffiti-related memes, the works on show straddle the often-separated mediums of street art and fine art.

As well as his artistic influences, Imon also brings in other elements that have formed the development of his personality, including video games, the internet, cinema, music and travel. During his creative process, he finds a union of all these diverse inspirations and plays with the curiosity of searching for new forms and settings.

"I've been painting for many years, so it's all about evolution," Imon explains. "Traditional graffiti is based on letters. Everything changed when I started incorporating other elements outside of graffiti and testing my curiosity. All this has been over several years and is a continuous process.

"Now, those elements have overcome graffiti. The graffiti scene has always been closed with classic ideas. I have never felt completely comfortable in the graffiti scene, and I'm still not. Everything has names, rules, and protocols."

The decision to refer to a wealth of cultural material isn't a new one, though. "I paint everything that comes into my life, everything I consume daily or have consumed," adds Imon. "My work is pure experimentation.

"I draw a lot. It is something that I recommend to everyone – drawing without fear and creating new shapes. When I draw, I don't try to do something perfect, just ideas and play with the letters or scenarios."

Things Happen by Imon Boy is available to view now at Moosey London and runs until 25 September 2022.