Ricardo Sánchez, aka RS Gráfiko, hails from Puerto Rico, and I’ve been following his Instagram (@rsgrafiko) for some time. This multi-talented artist is prolific in his offerings, presenting some of the most detailed and precise illustration work I’ve seen, as well as tattoo and mural work. His pieces contain so much movement and energy they might be chaotic but for the intensity of his lines and dot work, which carve out a place and position for every aspect of the scene. The result is artwork that invokes thought and tells a story – he is genius in his ability to manifest complex images but still with strong central elements or characters. Many of his pieces seem to be writhing before your eyes; even the pieces with death themes carry life within them, demonstrating the cycle of existence and extinction. The animal and insect kingdoms are featured heavily throughout his work, both in life and death. Rarely does he anthropomorphize his animal characters; rather, they are represented as both innocent of human flaw and powerful in their presence, dominating their surroundings but not defined by their relationship to human beings. I could spend many hours pouring over the minute elements of his work, with pleasure. Below find a selection of my recent favorites from his Instagram and website…
