Harif Guzman


Harif Guzman is a contemporary artist living in New York City. His work has been exhibited internationally as well as across the United States. He first gained recognition for his work as a street artist in New York. Often executed in collage form, his work is vibrant, provocative and dark in nature. He is known for exploring topics such as women, materialism and popular culture.

Early life

Born in Venezuela, Guzman came to the United States in 1980 when he was five years old. His father was a printer and typesetter, growing up Guzman worked in his father's print shop and gained an appreciation for mechanical reproduction.
During a period of time when he was homeless, Guzman began tagging his name on the streets of New York. He became recognized for his work and his career as an artist flourished. Known for his alter ego “Haculla,” Guzman's created character has become an iconic figure in NYC street art. Today Guzman's street art inspired work can be seen in the tunnel at the Dream Hotel in New York. Guzman has worked with such artists such as Theo Tarrega and model Luka Sabbat.

Technique

Today his work is inspired by the city he lives in, New York. The inspiration of his work derives from mechanical reproduction. Further inspiration is the result of Guzman's earliest experiences of image making that he encountered working in his father's print shop as a boy.

Critical reception

Guzman's work has been purchased by Tommy Hilfiger, Uma Thurman and Dag Cramer. He was featured at The Whitney Museum of Art in May 2013.
Guzman has collaborated with companies such as Ralph Lauren, Volcom and Burtons. His work has also been featured in Italian Vogue, Sugar Skateboard Magazine, Thrasher, Sport and Street, Flaunt Magazine and Oyster Magazine.