MXLXTXV
Spring has sprung on Kent State’s campus. The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and students are feverishly rushing to class. On your walk, if you look down, you might notice something colorful catch your eye.
It has been one year since local Kent artist MXLXTXV launched a creative campaign called Embrace Existence.
“It started out as just me and some friends going and spray painting around campus, but it has evolved into something more. I went out and drew the same sort of bizarre stuff I usually do, but then one night I decided to put a positive message along side it. Soon enough social media was blowing up with people writing about how much it meant to them, and how it had given them hope during some tough times. Really, I think they inspired me to do more of this kind of stuff, not the other way around”, said MXLXTXV.
For the past few months, MXLXTXV has been flooding Kent’s campus with bizarre surrealist chalk art, simple graffiti tags, and black and white fliers with motivational messages.
Although Kent State has no specific policy regarding graffiti and street art, most of MXLXTXV’s pieces only ever last about a week before they are washed away. He says he thinks it is because of the influx of campus tours that his art is being removed so quickly. He claims that in the past his works have stayed for months at a time without being bothered.
“It’s a bit frustrating when you spend hours drawing a 20ft chalk mural, only for it to be power washed away before morning. The point isn’t for me to get recognized, or even to really offer an opinion on something, one way or another. The point of all this is for other students to be inspired, or even just to have a little positivity added to their day”, said MXLXTXV.
On any given day, Kent State’s pavement is riddled with political messaging, Greek life information and other clubs’ instructions. While the messages from these organizations persist, the art created by individuals seem to perish almost immediately.
“I get it, it’s overwhelming. The university doesn’t want perspective students or their families to be exposed to huge detailed works of art when they walk up onto the campus. But what I don’t understand is why that is worse than all the other crap cluttering the sidewalks? Why doesn’t the “Trump for President”, or “Feel the Bern”, get washed away?”, said MXLXTXV.
In lieu of the backlash against the semi-permanent street art, MXLXTXV is heading in a new direction. He is printing more fliers, and using less permanent media to achieve the same effect. He says he thinks that this will put some space between him and the university, while still adding something positive to the campus. He says that this is not a set back, that he is more than happy to adapt to his environment.
Despite the apparent opposition from the university, MXLXTXV says, “he is only getting started.”
