Meet Joe Caito | Muralist and Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe Caito and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joe, what is the most important factor behind your success?
RISK. Without it I would have never made the decision to start an art journey with zero formal training/experience. It’s lead me to enter my work into galleries, collaborations with artists, mural projects, etc.. I believe to truly succeed at anything difficult, you must be willing to take the uncomfortable steps forward and accept the uncertainties that come with them.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art journey started much more unorthodox than others. I moved to NYC at the age of 19 in pursuit of a career in film. As I explored the city more, I found a love for the vibrant graffiti I was seeing. Then I finally got the guts to try it myself, and from the first spray I was addicted. I became proficient with a can of spray paint within a year, working on full scale murals around the city. I eventually would experiment with photorealism on canvas in mixed media and enter my work into galleries. From there I would meet hundreds of talented and like minded artists like myself. I’ve been fortunate to foster great relationships with many of these artists and hope to collaborate with as many of them as possible.

This journey certainly hasn’t been easy, especially at the beginning of experimenting with my hand at fine art. I had the constant feeling of imposter syndrome due to my inexperience and lack of presence in the community. Getting into galleries and helping curate shows myself gave me more than enough confidence I needed to realize I was right where I belonged.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would start the day in Bushwick at The Bushwick Collective, where some of the greatest murals in NYC are located. After that we would make our way to Williamsburg and check out all of the niche shops and vintage clothing stores. Then we would walk over the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan, and take in the beautiful panoramic view of New York. Once we get over the bridge we would explore Little Italy and Chinatown — starting with gelato at Ferraras then a meal at Chinese Tuxedo. After finishing our food, we will take a stroll to Washington Park and enjoy the vibrant scene with all walks of life. To end the night we will go to 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar to blow off some steam on the dance floor and take in the magnificent views of Manhattan on the roof.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be anywhere without the support of my friends and family and their full belief in my dreams. I would like to thank Vickie Yama and DETOX GALLERY for allowing me to help organize/curate multiple art shows in NYC. Another pivotal person in my journey, is the artist “Consumer”. His “love spray” wheat pastes inspired me to pick up a can of spray paint when I first moved to NYC. Eventually, I would reach out to Consumer and he was gracious enough to give me a tour of his studio along with giving me amazing advice on navigating the art world. We are still in touch and I hope to collaborate with him soon. Finally, I would like to recognize the art form graffiti. If I never found graffiti, I would have never known my full potential in art. It has lead me to do things I never dreamed of doing, and I know this is only the beginning.

Website: https://maninthebox.squarespace.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manintheb0xx___/profilecard/?igsh=MXU5YmFxa2R4ODJpZw==

Image Credits
No info