Phoenix’s light rail system is getting a makeover, and local artists Hugo Medina and Isaac Caruso are two of the men tasked with updating it.
The City of Phoenix bid to have artists come and paint specific sections of the light rail including certain stations and electrical boxes.
After attending the project’s orientation last week, Medina learned he will oversee the Southern Ave station, and Caruso will work on some of the electrical boxes.
Medina, a full-time artist, has been making art pieces his entire life and is excited to paint the light rail station in his own unique way.
“Since I was a little kid, I’ve created artwork—painted, sculpted, things like that,” Medina said. “I’ve kind of developed my own style; you can recognize my artwork just by looking at it.”
Caruso, a graphic designer by trade partnering with the company Fyresite, has also been an artist from an early age and is enthused to begin working on the light rail, as well.
“Art was the first thing I gravitated toward strongly,” Caruso said. “I always like drawing. When I was about 16, I tried to learn about how art was made and the nuances and technique behind it, and I found it really interesting.”
Caruso has worked with the light rail before in 2016, but his upcoming light rail work will be his first non-mural.
“[My style] really comes from that graffiti style of art,” Caruso said. “I’ve always been attracted to big spaces with big impacts and using very noticeable and relate-able pallets and figure styles because I want it to be something everyone can enjoy. I joke that I make art for people who don’t care about art.”
Medina’s style varies depending on his interests when he begins working on a piece. Murals are not his forte, however. He prefers sculptural work and canvas paintings but has not done enough with either to gain prominence in the Phoenix community.
“I do a lot of works in series of particular topics or people or things, and I’ll do works in series depending on my interests,” Medina said. “In my canvas work, I’m currently working on portraits for my show in October at the Onyx Art Gallery.”
Medina is hoping to expand out of Phoenix and take his art around the country and world. He has done work in Cambridge, Canada, and is planning to take his show from the Onyx Gallery to Chicago.
“I’m always applying to do more stuff in and out of Phoenix as much as I can,” Medina said. “It’s kind of my job. The more work I do, [the more] I can pay the bills.”
Similar to Medina’s goal to gain exposure in and outside Phoenix, Caruso has a unique goal of his own: to paint a mural on every continent. He has completed murals in North and South America and will be traveling to the Arctic Circle next September to construct one in Norway.
“When you see a boring wall, it can actually be something interesting,” Caruso said. “Literally anyone can mural as long as you have permission or a few bucks. You don’t need a license or anything.”
As for how both men are planning on tackling the light rail project, neither wants to formulate ideas until they know the exact parameters they will be working with and hear what the public wants.
“I’ve kicked around plenty of ideas, but I want to wait so I know the exact parameters I’m working with before I start committing to separate visions,” Caruso said. “It could be anything at this point. I try to be as versatile with my subject matter as possible because I feel like breadth is the sign of a true creative talent.”
Medina feels the same sentiment.
“I don’t want to go in with preconceived ideas,” Medina said. “I want to listen to the people to see what they say and work with the limitations I have.”
Regarding the light rail, Caruso is excited to bring his personal flare to the scenery.
“It’s realistic to feel that my pieces will help brighten people’s days,” Caruso said. “If anyone has some type of profound experience next to some work I’ve created, that’s dope, but I’m just trying make the whole urban landscape a lot less bland and a little more interesting.”
Medina also loves the subjectivity of art and how it affects people in various ways.
“I want people to be moved,” Medina said. “I want them to take in the beauty, which I’m hopefully trying to express, and understand the story and make it their own. The cool thing about art is everyone can look at the same piece and see or feel something different. With every piece I create and with every mural, I’m hoping the public will be affected by it in a good way or a bad way, as long as it stirs them emotionally, strikes a feeling or brings out a memory or passion.”
Contact the reporters at Steven.Slobodzian@asu.edu.
