Pablo Sozyone Gonzalez

Pablo Sozyone Gonzalez, born in Brussels in 1973, is a Belgian-Spanish artist whose career spans over three decades, encompassing music, publishing, and visual art. Raised by a family from Asturias who fled Franco's Spain, Gonzalez developed an early sense of independence in his artistic pursuits in Brussels. In 1988, at the age of 15, he began collaborating with Smimooz, his artistic partner, tagging in public spaces and forming the hip-hop group De Puta Madre. This period established him as a notable figure in Belgium for his music, lyrics, and paintings. In 1994, he began working with Claire, who assisted him in developing the color aspects of his work, as Gonzalez is colorblind. Gonzalez and Claire co-founded INK Gallery in Brussels in 2000, which was among the first art galleries in Europe dedicated to Graffiti art. He also served as artistic director for Ticket magazine and later created Voxer magazine, maintaining an interest in publishing. In 2004, Gonzalez transitioned into the gallery scene with his exhibition "One Million Murders" at ALICE Gallery. From 2003 to 2013, his work often explored the concept of "La Voyoucratie," depicting figures from various criminal and counter-cultural milieus, including French anarchists, German terrorists, and street gangs. This thematic focus culminated in the exhibition "G.I.P.S.Y: Graffiti Is Probably Scaring You." In 2015, he initiated a new thematic chapter titled "The End of The Empire," featuring characters in urban landscapes anticipating societal events. Gonzalez has also explored diverse media, including steel sculpture, clay, and virtual reality, and has created large-scale murals, such as "The Man of the Meuse" in Liège in 2018.