North Carolina-based graffiti artist JEKS ONE is known for his hyperealistic portraiture. Often accomplished on a large scale, these murals show JEKS ONE’s incredible mastery of spray paint. His work is all the more impressive when one realizes that not only is he self-taught but that he also only picked up painting again about 10 years ago after a career in music.
My Modern Met stumbled upon his work during 2024’s Miami Art Week, when founder and editor-in-chief Eugene Kim visited the Kobra Art Park and had the chance to watch him work.
“As I was walking down the street of Wynwood, a gorgeous mural by JEKS ONE immediately stopped me in my tracks. It was immediately clear how much talent this artist had,” recalls Kim. “A woman with a red rose covering her eye and a golden halo around her head was displayed for the entire world to see and enjoy.
“The colors, contrast, and details were outstanding. I’ve since looked into his work further, and I can say that I’ve only become more impressed. JEKS ONE wears his heart on his sleeve and stands up for what he believes in, and his artwork is at the highest level. We look forward to seeing more from JEKS ONE as he’s one to watch and follow.”
After Miami, we had the chance to catch up with JEKS ONE while he was in between mural commissions. Read on for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview, where he shares how his artistic career began and what drew him to hyperrealism.
What sparked your love of art?
I’ve always been a creative person. I was always drawing as a kid, and my mom was super supportive of it. I got into music and graffiti around the same time, but my interest shifted, and music took the front seat by the time I got good at graffiti. Drums were my new passion and I used to be a pretty rad thrash/metal drummer in a band called Bloodjinn.
What was your first approach to the street in terms of making art?
Graffiti was introduced to me through skateboarding and Boy Scouts in the mid-90s, and I ended up being pretty good with spray paint as a medium after a couple of years. I got more and more into the culture by the late 90s and was piecing and painting trains regularly until I started playing drums seriously and touring with bands. I didn’t get back into graffiti and art until 2015/16.
You are known for your highly realistic style. What drew you to portraiture and, specifically, hyperrealism?
I was always obsessed with characters in graffiti productions and thought portraiture was the top tier of characters. I added characters to my pieces regularly but did not get into realism until 2016/17, after I had gotten back into graffiti. I literally just experimented on some plywood in the backyard for a while, and after a couple of pieces, something clicked, and I just somehow knew what I was doing. I got invited to collab on a job with my good friend Noir, where I painted statuesque elements in black and gray, and it turned out awesome. Once I cashed the check, I decided that this was the path I was going to take. I was burnt out on my career in nightlife management and bartending, so I dove headfirst. After a year, I had completely shifted careers and was living off commissioned murals. I never turned back.
What’s the most challenging part of creating realistic portraits on such a large scale?
Contrary to popular belief, the larger the portrait is, for me, the easier it is to paint. Retaining the likeness is number one for me, so I took more time sketching and staying tight on my outline than others, I guess. The smaller the portrait, the less room for error, so I have to break out all the special caps and tools and get in there, and it takes a lot more skill and time.
You were recently in Miami Art Week at the Kobra Art Park. How was that experience for you?
I’ve known Golden for many years, so it’s always a pleasure and a great time being able to work with him. The Kobra team was super rad and excited for me to try their new line of paint, so it was exciting to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. I was very happy with the paint and had a blast.
Can you give a little insight into the piece you painted there?
It was definitely a more cliche “street art” piece for me, so I had to keep it a little dark and add a subtle hand gesture directed at the norm and generic subject matter. To be honest, I really just wanted to try and paint freckles because I hadn’t before. I’m huge on symmetry and gold elements, so that’s evident.
How does an event like that help you as an artist?
Stepping out of the comfort of the tools (paint brands) I usually use was fun and exciting. It’s good to be reassured that the quality of my art isn’t dependent on a brand but on my skill set.
What’s next?
Lots of traveling and festivals this year. Hopefully, I can paint something really big and continue to grow.
JEKS ONE: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by JEKS ONE.
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