Hugos Art

My educational background, professional experiences, and a gift for creating deep connections with people are what drives my innovative multi-disciplinary public artworks. As our globalizing world has increased the need to improve public spaces and create a sense of place-based identity, researchers and urban planners have also become increasingly aware of the benefits of environmental aesthetics in urban public spaces (Alyari, 2018). Psychological connections are fostered through public art and placemaking enhancements which are essential for creating an authentic sense of community and meaningful impression of identity and place. My designs draw inspiration from the arts, our history, the collective human experience, and our natural environment.
Born in La Paz, Bolivia, I immigrated to New York as a child. My great appreciation of the Southwest and a constant search for adventure brought me to Phoenix in 1998. I was awarded the first public art award by the Mayor of Phoenix (2012) resulting from years of demonstrated ability to develop and organize public art programs/events, and my ongoing commitment to community-based public art. I am recognized for my work in a wide range of artistic mediums, building on a 30-year career producing innovative and iconic art projects -creating a conduit not only for art and place-making, but also for economic development and commercial growth.
Working in collaboration with communities, architects, and public administrators, I have technical and design experience leading large scale public art projects connected with transportation infrastructure, such as the upcoming valley metros light rail expansion in Phoenix, where my station designs are scheduled to be installed during February 2024. Additional experience at as a project manager, estimator, fabricator, and designer fortified my expertise in custom steel fabrication through working closely with artists, architects, designers, and fabricators to create unique public works of art.
My passion for creating original works of art in collaboration with the community is highlighted on the two recently completed murals at the new Soluna Apartments. The project was the first mural commissioned by the City of Phoenix. The project was part of a $300 million transformation of the Edison-Eastlake community. Gorman & Company partnered with the City of Phoenix Housing Department on this multi-phased project that will redefine this neighborhood for generations.
The world is becoming a mecca for murals and community projects where non artists and artistic citizens have worked tirelessly to create a destination that highlights who they are. Public art tells the diverse multi-cultural story of not only present-day inhabitants, but also the rich heritage that is a narrative in color. These stories also provide material for a vibrant visual art scene and assist artists in setting trends that are shaping the identity of any great city. Public art is a visual way of telling stories, a form of communication as old as humankind.
Being an avid reader, and history buff, when I am not creating, my head is constantly buried in a book. I share this with you because, I can’t help but to think of the importance of stories, local stories from the community. I believe reading brings stories, and history to life. Through the use very dramatic colors, and vivid images the communities’ stories will come to life and tell the stories to all who view it. Taking you, the viewer into their next adventure. With my work, I strive to engage with the community. Together developing a design that will make us all proud of what we created and shared with generations to come. My aim is to engage critical awareness and foster mutual acceptance through educational elements that showcase cultural diversity and celebrate non-normative definitions of beauty. Through celebrating diverse representations, this design will have a lasting impact -not just for the children in the community, but also on the community in a whole. A “Beloved community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.” ~ Bell Hooks

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