Alec Monopoly

Miami, FL – December 2, 2015 – When it’s Art Basel there’s no doubt you’ll find artists everywhere looking to showcase their talents. In between the hustle and bustle, World Red Eye found street artist Alec Monopoly tagging up the walls of Wynwood with his signature designs. Monopoly gave us an inside scoop into what inspires his designs, as well as what the rise to the top is like.

Alec Monopoly

WRE: How did your signature “monopoly” theme come about?

AM: I started tagging The Monopoly Man back in 2008 in the midst of the economic crisis. The world felt like it was collapsing, and the Monopoly Man felt like a natural satirical answer to that. It’s since morphed and taken on new meaning; I believe you need a lot of ambition and hustling to get what you want in life, and my art pushes that theme.

WRE: Tell us what a day in the life of Alec Monopoly like?

AM: A lot of painting. People see the more flashy side and gravitate towards that, but I’m painting like a maniac most days. It’s a 24/7 job and I don’t ever take that for granted. Paying my bills by doing what I love everyday is a blessing.

I believe you need a lot of ambition and hustling to get what you want in life, and my art pushes that theme.

Alec Monopoly

WRE: What does “being creative” mean to you?

AM: I think being creative is pursuing whatever it is your passionate about. Whether it’s finding creative solutions to problems in business or making a beat or painting on a canvas, creativity and passion are very closely linked in my opinion.

WRE: Is their a creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet? Why?

AM: Sculptures! I see other artists doing such crazy things in the sculpture world and it’s something I’m very excited to explore and tackle in the coming years of my career.

Alec Monopoly

WRE: What message are you trying to communicate with your art?

AM: Originally it started as a commentary on capitalism and corporate greed. Those themes are still there, but it’s also taken on an inspirational element. Skies the limit sort of thing. If you put your mind to anything you can achieve it, and characters like The Monopoly Man and Richie Rich who represent wealth and success are very overt examples of that.

WRE: How have you seen street art change in the past decade?

AM: More and more street artists are exploring with canvas and galleries. I think to some extent, it’s moved away from only being a shady, illegal activity to a lot of cities embracing it. There’s now more and more opportunities for street artists at all levels to legally paint walls and make a living doing it, which is amazing.

WRE: Is their a person or brand in which you would like to collaborate with and have yet to do so?

AM: Richard Mille. I’ve got a great idea for a collaboration with them.

Alec Monopoly

If you put your mind to anything you can achieve it, and characters like The Monopoly Man and Richie Rich who represent wealth and success are very overt examples of that.

Alec Monopoly

WRE: If you were stranded on an island with one artist, one musician, and and one writer who would they be and why?

AM: Artists are a pretty unpredictable, rowdy bunch so it might end disastrous if two of us were stranded on an island together. I’d probably choose Jay-Z as far as musicians, that guy seems pretty resourceful he’d definitely figure out how to get us off the island. For writer maybe Hunter S. Thompson if he were still alive, I’m guessing he’d figure out how to ferment coconuts into vodka so we’d at least be drunk waiting for Jay Z to save us!

Alec Monopoly & Mario

Alec Monopoly

Alec Monopoly, Mario, & Fred Khalifa