Meet Alexis Frias aka 8-Bit Lexicon, maker of pixel art – illustration, street art, portraits, sculptures and 3-D art. 8-Bit Lexicon is the official resident artist of Block x Blog Music and Arts Festival (see: Block x Blog Does FTL). With a little help from 8-Bit Lexixon and friends, the festival will showcase pop culture, video game protagonists, 8-bit aesthetics, interactivity and all-around arcade nostalgia.

Where are you from? Where did you grow up?

Originally, I’m from New York City, 167^th Grand Concourse in the Bronx. I was exposed to lots of street art and graffiti in my youth. My family moved to Miami Beach in the early 90s. I’ve ping pong’d back and forth ever since.

When did you start making 8-Bit art?

Last year I took a 3D art class and one of our projects was to make a wooden sculpture. I started by cutting off some excess from a 2x2x8. After a little bit of  pixel,  the result was a perfect cube. That marked the beginning of an 8 Bit love affair.

Who and/or what inspired you?

I connect most with the works of Egon Schiele, Jackson Pollock, Damien Hirst, Shepard Fairey and obviously Space Invader.  My inspiration comes from my childhood. As the youngest of five brothers, many epic battles were waged over a Nintendo Controller.

Who is your favorite Miami artist?

By far, Kazilla (Instagram: @kazillathevanillagorilla). The evolution of her work is masterful. It only gets better.

What medium(s) do you prefer? Why?

I  work with wood for most of my larger pieces. After my father retired from carpentry, I was left with a garage full of woodworking tools –  mitersaws, jig saws, jointer / planer. It was part convenience, part curiosity. I found some experienced wood smiths online who were kind enough to share their years of knowledge.

What medium(s) would you like to experiment with?

I would love to get into metal smithing. The indestructibility of the medium fascinated me.

What are some of your functional pieces?

Much of my work resonates with the current generation of 24 – 36-year-olds. It taps into what Forbes.com recently called one of the most powerful forces on earth: Nostalgia. It takes the viewer back to a time of innocence and indestructibility when much of the stress their life was homework. It transports the iconic images of our childhood out from the digital realm –  Mario, Link (Legend Zelda), and Megaman are the new Marilyn Monroe, Jimmy Hendrix, and Elvis Presley.

Do you have any ongoing series/projects?

My current obsession is my Question Everything project which consist of wheat pasting Question Blocks all around Miami. Many more to come in the near future.

What artwork will you be featuring at Block x Blog? 

A little bit of everything. I want to exhibit as much of my work as possible. I’ll be creating most of the stage decorations at Revolution Live along with some smaller works on canvases for the  Market Place. After Block x Block I will continue on my 8bit Adventure creating larger and more intricate pieces. I am looking forward to getting down to some great tunes and seeing some other amazing artist!

For more information: Subcultureus.com |  Facebook Event | Purchase Tickets