{9} THE GALLERY PRESENTS MDMN: NOMAD
ROCKSTAR MURALIST DEFIES CONVENTION WITH DYNAMIC NEW COLLECTION

Phoenix, AZ, July 1, 2018 – Join us as {9} debuts a dynamic new collection of work by nationally-renowned muralist John “MDMN” Moody in NOMAD, opening First Friday, August 3rd, 6-10 PM at {9} The Gallery, 1229 Grand Avenue, Phoenix, AZ. After a decade establishing himself in the Los Angeles art scene, MDMN has returned to Phoenix to evolve his contemporary urban style into a fine art construction. His NOMAD series brings the weight and grit of outside structures into a gallery-ready experience, resulting in an incredibly rare balance between raw building materials and disciplined color theory.

“If I can make a 5-year-old and an 85-year-old feel the power of a hero through design or color then my job is done.” - MDMN

Experimenting obsessively, MDMN started analyzing the area between the actual paint on a piece of work, and the eye of the viewer. The contrast and perspective between the hues and raw surface is so vast there’s a sense of vibration where the two collide. The rough chaos of surfaces met with wandering bold lines and color brings to life the vision of NOMAD.

“If nothing else I want to bring viewers back to their youth, where all we did was create, imagine, and explore curiosities. By celebrating inner strength and utilizing contrasting, vivid color theory, I bring a peripheral view of work that rockets towards you off of a flat surface. You can displace imagination and dreams through years of disjointed paths, but through my work I can hope you at least lose yourself for a moment in a beaming fantasy world of luminescence and adventure.” - MDMN

About the Artist: John 'MDMN' Moody was born in Escondido, California in 1987, the year of Lethal Weapon and Wang Chung's "Everybody Have Fun Tonight". The radical late 80s-early 90s sound and style order of the day was the brighter, the busier, the better. Shoulder pads, glitched out VHS tapes, and Jack Kirby filled his days, thus beginning this beach boy’s love affair with flashy colors and design. His coloring books quickly turned into his own exclusive Crayola exhibition of what would later become MDMN's characters.

After relocating to Gilbert, Arizona at 8 years old, the desert atmosphere put his wild imagination into even greater technicolor perspective. His parents, gifted craftsmen themselves, pushed John further with his talents as he pursued his graphic design and animation degree from Mesa College.

Moving to Los Angeles, California at 23 was just the catapult into the urban scene John had greatly needed. Surrounded by graffiti, street art, and the bustling heartbeat of Los Angeles streets, he immersed himself into the contemporary world and learned as much he could about a medium of art that he never knew he always needed.

The name Madman, now MDMN, originates back to his wild teenage years and fierce attitude. It was a simple moniker to use on his Hollywood alleyway and rooftop escapades. Starting with graphic designed posters, quickly turned into rigorous stencil work, which in turn graduated into aerosol. Once acclimated with a spray can, he rapidly escalated to large mural work. Continuing his passion for retro designs, his spiral notebook doodles matured and came to life on any surface allowed to him. From San Diego to Miami, large scale designs can be located on alleyways, hotels, and anywhere in between.

Today he utilizes multiple mediums and surfaces including acrylics, inks, and aerosol combined with paper, wood, canvas, and any type of outdoor texture. Along with retro toys, digital prints, accessories, and clothing, the MDMN brand continues to evolve into more than an art career but a lifestyle to share for future generations to be a part of. John focuses on continuing his creative energy and boundless imaginative world of color to communities nationwide.

John maintains a house and studio in Tempe, Arizona where he currently resides.

“NOMAD” runs throughout the month of August at {9} The Gallery.

{9} The Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in Phoenix’s Historic Grand Avenue District. Founded in 2012, the gallery is committed to showing local, national, and international artists of the highest quality. {9} also incorporates music, poetry, dance, workshops and yoga to create an overall creative environment for self-expression in the downtown Phoenix area. The gallery is open Fridays and Saturdays from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM and by appointment by calling (480) 454-5929.

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For more information, please contact Carrie Beth McGarry at (480) 454-5929 or by email at [email protected].