Zimer
Michaela Rising, 2018
Brooklyn, New York

Photo Credit: David “Chino” Villorente

Michaela Rising is a tribute to the persistence of world-renowned ballerina Michaela DePrince, who recently passed away in September 2024. Despite discrimination, the Sierra Leonean American rose through the echelons of ballet to become the second soloist for the Boston Ballet in 2021. The ribbons that make up her red dress form the artist’s name, “ZIMER,” demonstrating the intricate lettering of graffiti art.

Since 2001, Zimer began experimenting with the art of graffiti on the walls of Queens, New York. In time he mastered his craft by spending every available moment painting or studying countless international artists at 5pointz aerosol museum. After developing his personal aesthetic, he increasingly adopted fine art principles into his paintings with frequent visits to the Met. Eventually the mix of street and fine art are intertwined to the point where his art transcends any typology. Stretching his creative mind to the maximum, he enrolled in architecture school, earning a B.Arch. from New York Institute of Technology. In addition to painting and architecture, Zimer works in sculpture, fashion, furniture, animation and graphic design. Of the hundreds of murals Zimer has completed, many were painted nationally and internationally. Some locations and events he painted include The World Trade Center, The New York Auto Show, Comic Con, Philadelphia Tattoo Convention, London’s South Bank, and the Northside Arts Festival. Zimer has worked with many reputable clients over the years, such as Vice Media, MTV, Virgin Records, USA Network, A&E Network, Rebel, Intrinsic Wine Co., Bowen Media, Random House Publishers, The City of New York, and The City of Glen Cove. His press features include Forbes, Business Insider, Huffington Post, New York Times, Newsday, Elemental Magazine, Rides Magazine, and the books ‘Hip Hop Files’ and ’Burning New York’

齐默 (Zimer)
《米凯拉崛起》(Michaela Rising)，2018 年
纽约市，布鲁克林区

照片来源：大卫·“奇诺”·维洛伦特 (David "Chino" Villorente)

《米凯拉崛起》意在致敬 2024 年 9 月去世的世界著名芭蕾舞演员米凯拉·德普林斯 (Michaela DePrince) 坚持不懈的精神。尽管饱受歧视，这位塞拉利昂裔美籍舞蹈家依然在芭蕾舞界崭露头角，并于 2021 年成为波士顿芭蕾舞团的第二位独舞演员。艺术家的名字“ZIMER”变成丝带，构成了她身上的红裙，展现出艺术家对于字母涂鸦的非凡想象力。