XULA Alumni Shines in Debut Solo Art Show

March 2, 2024

By Ja’Leah Carter, Staff Writer

Xavier graduate and emerging artist Irvin “Irv” Washington brought his first solo art show to life Saturday, March 2, 2024 at Mr. Wolf Expresso, a local coffee shop in the Central Business District. After six months of hard work and creative enterprise, Washington gathered friends, family, and art enthusiasts to debut his art.

“He put a lot of work into his show,” said his mother, Stacie Barconey. “He’s been stressing me out some days, so I’m glad it’s happening.”

With a major in Art and a minor in Mass Communication, Washington said his background in Art Educationequipped him with the necessary foundation to explore and innovate within the realm of graffiti art.

“What [do] they say? You gotta learn the rules to break ‘em. Knowing the rules and being able to break them makes iteasier to tell your story through your art,” said Washington.

As the clock struck six o’clock, Mr. Wolf Espresso buzzed with excitement as art enthusiasts, friends, andfamily gathered to witness Washington’s debut. The walls were decorated with a comprehensive array of Washington’s works: a fusion of unique skateboards, graffiti tags, and a collection of photographs capturing his graffiti walks, which reflected his unique perspective on life, culture, and identity.

Touching on the personal significance of displaying underground artists like Washington, Mr. Wolf Espresso owner, Wayne Clark, emphasized the importance of providing platforms for emerging talents.

“I was once on the other side of the wall looking for spaces to do things I wanted to do, so I made it my mission togo and get a space to where I can go and offer up a space for people to do things like this,” said Clark. “I watch Irv’s work. I watch his passion. He’s in and out of here every day, and every time I see him, he’s head down,drawing or photography. “

For Washington, the art show represented more than just a display of his creations; it was a testament to tenacity, passion, and destigmatizing the skateboard community and others like it.

“My work is based a lot in changing perceptions of communities that I feel like people talk about and don’t knowanything about,” said Washington.