Who Gets to Define Art? Disem on Creativity and Culture

From Que Bola Podcast · 01:08:17

Show by Fresh Or Phresh Media

Darwin welcomes Disem, also known as Gio, back to Que Bola Podcast. Their previous conversation took place in 2018, before the pandemic and before many of the changes that would reshape Miami's creative landscape. This episode picks up that thread, looking at Disem's evolution as an artist and the city that has grown around his work. Disem describes himself as a creative and explains why he identifies as a writer as well as an artist. The conversation distinguishes graffiti writing from muralism: both may involve paint and walls, but their purposes, traditions, and cultural frameworks can be very different. Darwin and Disem discuss how graffiti has moved from being treated as vandalism to becoming a visible part of Miami's identity, while still carrying risks and tensions. The pair explore graffiti's history, its unwritten rules, and the differences between tags, throw-ups, and more elaborate pieces. They also talk about the danger that can accompany illegal painting, including a story about being shot at while going to photograph a piece. The experience offers a glimpse into the risk and uncertainty that can exist behind the work. A major focus is Disem's Who Authorized This? exhibition at the Museum of Graffiti. The title questions who establishes boundaries around art, culture, and public space. Disem explains that he wants his work to spark dialogue rather than simply deliver a message. The discussion includes an installation involving an ATM and the way an ordinary object can become a conceptual artwork that invites people to question their assumptions. We also talk about imposter syndrome and the difficulty of claiming the title "artist." Disem explains that growing up around talented artists made the word feel significant, and that it took years of working before he felt more comfortable identifying that way. The episode closes with a conversation about Wynwood, gentrification, and the responsibility artists and society share in preserving local culture. Disem reflects on how Miami's identity influences his work and why it matters to keep that identity alive while still expressing his own perspective. Darwin wraps up by thanking Disem for returning and for representing Miami's culture through his art

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