Edgar Alejandro Gamez Sosa is an accomplished street artist and abstract painter who routinely sells his Phoenix-inspired canvases that feature a mixture of graffiti and Southwest abstract art. The Gallery at The Madison, an art exhibition space in Uptown Phoenix, is thrilled to present Sosa’s show, Art of Life, Art of Love, that will be on display in the lobby at The Madison Center for the Arts from Aug. 11 to Dec. 22, 2023.

Sosa’s artistic style is inspired by his graffiti roots and love for Arizona’s nature and culture. Graffiti was his expressive outlet as a young artist and now that has transformed his current style of abstract cacti. He uses many layers of color, lines, and texture in his work to help express the beauty of street art meeting the Arizona desert.

Sosa’s love for art came at a very young age, as his entire family are all artists. He was always surrounded by works from Diego, Frida, and Picasso in his childhood home. A lot of his current methods he learned through different art forms growing up.

As a child, Sosa used papier-mâché and balloons to make superhero masks. When he was a bit older, he watched another student in art class graffiti his name. Sosa asked him to tag his name, which immediately changed his love for art. He couldn’t stop thinking about letters. During his high school years, he visited the Phoenix Art Museum where he had another life-changing experience, realizing at that point he wanted to paint canvas.

“We are very excited to welcome Edgar’s Art of Life, Art of Love art exhibition to The Gallery at The Madison,” said Ari Levin, executive director at The Madison Center for the Arts. “Each one of his pieces represents Phoenix’s art culture in a unique and inspiring way that we are proud to share with the Arizona community.”

In addition to his art exhibition, Sosa will be teaching a masterclass series for students within the Madison School District. There will also be a Student Art Show on Monday, Nov. 20, that will allow students to showcase their art alongside Sosa’s works.

“It is an honor to be able to teach the techniques I learned [to the Madison students],” said Sosa. “I look forward to sharing my art with them and hope to inspire them to challenge themselves and chase their own dreams.”

Arizonans are invited to attend the gallery opening of Sosa’s show, Art of Life, Art of Love, on Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. in the lobby of The Madison Center for the Arts. This celebration will include a meet and greet with Sosa, a first look at his art show, a performance from local band, Dead City Revival at 7 p.m., and a chance to watch Sosa paint live.

The Gallery can be found in The Madison’s lobby, a spacious 24,500-square-foot space with a soaring 40-feet ceiling and windows that travel from top to bottom. The Gallery will be open Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by appointment and is free to the public.

The Madison Center for the Arts is a state-of-the-art venue featuring a 904-seat auditorium, extensive veranda and spacious lobby with a soaring 40-foot ceiling. The elegant versatility of this venue makes it an ideal choice for the performing arts, corporate events, galas, weddings, and other large life celebrations. The Madison features a variety of performances throughout the year, from Broadway to community arts. All proceeds from events at the Madison benefit the students of Madison Elementary School District through arts education and performances. The Madison Center for the Arts is located at 5601 N. 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85016. For more information, visit http://www.themadison.org/.