Alouishous San Gomma, also known as Ahol Sniffs Glue, has left his mark throughout the streets, walls, and corridors of sunny Miami. Should you not recognize the name, you can probably still identify the iconic eyes featured on the logo and flyer of the Wynwood Art Fair, or perhaps you’ve seen them adorning the walls of The Marguiles Collection, The Electric Pickle, or Butter Gallery, where his work is currently on exhibition.
Daily life on the streets of Dade County lives in Ahol Sniffs Glue an insatiable desire to create something from nothing. His work represents the struggle of the working class and the strain of urban living. Ahol has been representing modern decay through drowsy character sketches for years. Though his style has evolved, Ahol still features his well-known characters in his work, including a black figure called “la negra,” which he notoriously crops into random photographs.
Last Art Basel, Ahol’s first collection, 7.625 FL OZ, sold at Scope Art Fair via Butter Gallery. The exhibit was named 7.625 FL OZ for the amount of fluid ounces packaged in a generic bottle of Elmer’s Glue. The collection included sketches of his characters as well as installations inspired by Colt 45. He also participated in the Art of Basketball, for which various artists donated original artworks that were exhibited and auctioned in the Wynwood Arts District during Art Basel 2010 and 2011.
EYES OF THE COMMUNITY
As previously mentioned, The Wynwood Art Fair seeks to open peoples eyes and increase social consciousness for the Lotus House Women’s Shelter, while providing artists and the general public with a noncompetitive environment to collaborate and express themselves openly. Alouishous San Gomma created the eyes that are now not only the symbol for the Wynwood Art Fair, but have transcended to represent the eyes of the community.
As a way of giving back to the city that supplies him with so much inspiration, Ahol and his entourage hold annual benefits for art programs, homeless shelters, toy drives, and their famous breast cancer benefit, Goobs for Boobs, at their weekly party, (((SHAKE))). The party is an extension of street culture and art, incorporating urban music and occasionally featuring live painting by local artists.
For almost three years, Ahol and his associates, including Jsin Jimenez and Slim Biscayne, have been throwing ((SHAKE)) Thursdays at The Vagabond. You can find him there weekly with a Colt 45 at hand – and if not, try Steves Piza, where he is rumored to be the “mayor.”
“The thought of not being able to fulfill all that I can imagine is what fuels this machine. AHOLSNIFFSGLUE is all you really need to know. The rest is put out there for you as a bystander to dissect and interpret as you will.”