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"I wanted to spread a positive message to a city going through some serious turmoil and those two mailboxes looked like a great location for it." -Duel RIS
With Presidential restrictions on mail-in ballots during the 2020 Presidential Election, this piece holds a strong symbolism.
Duel RIS is a Chinese American abstract artist who did not come up in a conventional way. Son of a fine arts teacher and famous oil painter, he did not follow in the footsteps of his mother. Growing up in New York City in the 1980s, he was drawn more to a different form of art, graffiti. He eventually became a graffiti writer himself, going by the tag name “Duel.” In the early 1990’s, Duel attended college for art and withdrew from classes to paint in the streets. In the mid 90’s, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
During his 23 years of honorable service, he traveled to many countries and deployed on several combat tours. While stationed overseas, he began painting as a form of therapy. His passion is depicting images that reflect the international nature of his life experiences. His art style is a manipulation of traditional forms and street art resulting in a unique, new style reminiscent of cubism, abstract expressionism, and urban art. Duel has an impressive exhibition record. In past decade, he has shown in over a dozen group shows and exhibitions in several countries. In addition, Duel’s work has been widely reviewed and referenced in several sources of media and books. Duel currently resides in California and is working on new projects.