Maximillian Gallery

Desire Obtain Cherish

About the Artist:

DESIRE OBTAIN CHERISH lives and creates in Los Angeles. He graduated from Parsons and has won awards creating advertising campaigns, composing music, designing furniture, and art directing fashion magazines. DOC has gained respect for his sharp wit and graphic style on both the streets and in galleries since landing on the scene in 2009. He has been attracting an international reputation as well by contributing to the Madrid Street Advertising Takeover (MaSAT) in Spain 2011.

Press Quotes:

“One of the most provocative new stars of the contemporary street art scene” – Street Giant

“It’s very rare to successfully pull off both painting the town red while the rest of us are sleeping and bring social awareness to new levels, but Los Angeles based street artist Desire Obtain Cherish not only does it but is at the top of the street art movement as a result of his great art. ” – According2G

“This billboard takeover in Hollywood is nearly perfect.” - Vandalog

“Desire Obtain Cherish has been killing the streets of Los Angeles. Everything from billboard takeovers, to larger than life size Oscar pastes, to art-walk interruptions, the quality of work is consistently breathtaking. Desire. Obtain. Cherish.” – Melrose Fairfax

“Brilliant, eye-catching pieces exploring themes like copyright infringement, self delusion, and a stunning series on celebrity overdoses, you quickly gain the impression that whatever Desire Obtain Cherish sets his mind to, he doesn’t mess around.” – Intrepid LA

In the Artist’s Own Words:

” I’m not a musician, figurative painter, sculptor, printmaker, or craftsman. Our society seems to have a difficult time accepting responsibility, and as a guy who paints on walls I guess that means that I do as well. As our attention span shortens from our sugar high, democracy has been replaced by capitalism. Rome is falling again. Hold on. Meanwhile lets play in the streets and have a good laugh. “

Buy Museum Quality Prints of Desire Obtain Cherish’s work.

‘Desire Obtain Cherish’ is our human instinct.! We desire. We obtain. We cherish.!It can also be attributed to the cycle of global consumerism constantly reinforced by corporate advertising.!

I first posted the 3 words in downtown LA on traction avenue in 2009. I had posted other images with the individual words around Los Angeles for a while, but the words together seemed to resonate with a greater audience outside of those who were simply paying attention to street art. ! The marketplace as well as our streets are unregulated with a relentless abundance of corporate images and slogans promising infamy and status.

DESIRE OBTAIN CHERISH spins these messages back, laughing at the absurd nature this constant over-saturation of corporate marketing,The commentary nature of DOC is more or less a direct stab at these vain promises offered by these!global salesmen. Many might see street art or culture jamming as a waste of time, but those companies who have their brand lit up on a billboard on Hollywood Blvd. think quite differently.

How successful a particular piece is or isn’t can only be measured by the resonance the art has to inspire others to comment, take a photo, or pick up a can of spray paint and try it themselves. That inspiration can only be measured by the sheer number of kids joining the street art movement in the last decade.!

While there is no filter for the art that shows up overnight, which may seem offensive or disconcerting to some, keep in mind there is no filter for the billboards, bus shelters, or phone kiosks either. The streets are overflowing with mixed messages. As a creative director for an advertising agency years ago, I became acutely aware of the power of a posted billboard and the message it conveys on one side, and the restrictions the corporate world places on the medium on the other. Having many of my ideas banned by various magazines for a message deemed too controversial, I guess has been a large part of the tread of synicism that lies underneath my work.Street art specific to LA seems to either portray the voice of the little guy, recontextualize popular icons, glorify celebrities, or celebrate the multicultural differences of LA.! These paradigms shift depending on the nature of the tabloids or world news but usually come from the context of specifically living in a glorified entertainment-driven city.!

The fact that graffiti, street art, defacing billboards, and sidewalk installations are illegal, adds to the lure of reclaiming and localizing the voice of a growing street art community. Galleries and the public alike have been quite accepting of street art as of late, always protecting the anonymity of the artist.

Our society seems to have a difficult time accepting responsibility of the repercussions of a free market, and as a guy who paints on walls I guessthat means I do as well. As our attention span shortens froma sugar high, democracy has been dwarfted by capitalism. Rome is falling again. Hold on.Meanwhile lets play in the streets and have a good laugh.

DESIRE OBTAIN CHERISH is constantly trying to interrupt the flow, shift your thinking, or simply put a smile on your face amidst the banality of your daily routine.