MIAMI.- The young Colombian American Danny Doyaknown for his large-format works, is the plastic artist in charge of the poster for the Miami Carnival 2024, which includes events between February 10 and April 6.
Loaded with symbols such as the bomb fruit (papaya) and the domino, the piece titled Olga refers to the artist’s grandmother, born in Cali, Colombia, in the first half of the 20th century.
To share more details about the conception of the poster, Doya spoke with DIARIO LAS AMRICAS about the aesthetics she chose to celebrate the Latin cultural roots that converge in this city.
Danny Doya’s creative process
He described his work (acrylic on canvas) with the label Girl with a domina earring and described it as a very special painting.
The domino represented is the five-three, with its traditional dot in the center, which in this case can be interpreted as 305 (Miami code), as well as the number eight, alluding to the renowned street in Little Havana. .
When I was painting it I imagined something not so serious, something different, but iconic. And the inspiration is my grandmother, who has a physical resemblance to the representation, but above all in terms of character. Her strong character, her look. I wanted to capture that through iconography and symbols, he explained.
The young Miami-based artist specializes in oil and large-scale paintings. Since he began drawing at the age of 5, the journey has been long, as he relates and affirms that he has experimented with paintings in order to develop an artistic style.
Linked to art since high school, Danny Doya managed to graduate: he obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Florida.
After graduating, Danny worked in galleries, sold artwork internationally, and even witnessed his paintings being transformed into tattoos around the world.
According to the official Miami Carnival website (of the Kiwanis Foundation), the artwork contributed by Danny Doya is extraordinary and distinctive, as it captures the essence of the Miami Carnival. “We are proud to have Doya as an integral part of our celebration,” it reads.
“It’s something I won’t forget”
I am very proud. It is an honor to be part of the event and to be in charge of the image that will headline the event is something that I will not forget,” Doya emphasized. “My parents are also very proud. They are immigrants who came here to give me and my brother a better life.
So the inspiration for this work, the artist states, arises from the conjunction of the strength of his family, founded in Colombia, with the cultural tradition of Miami, the city that welcomes them.
