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Part 4: Retna on Being Kylie Jenner's Favorite Artist, Doing Justin Bieber's "Purpose" Album Cover
Part 1: Retna on Learning to Paint, How He Got His Name, Transitioning from Graffiti to Fine Art
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Renowned street artist Retna recently opened up about a controversial incident at the Maddox Gallery in West Hollywood in 2018, clarifying misunderstandings surrounding his actions. Contrary to reports that he vandalized the gallery, Retna explains that he only added a small graffiti tag, “I Got Butterflies in your stomach,” on a white wall destined to be painted over. The incident involved a young fan from Australia who wanted to meet him and was mistreated by gallery staff, prompting Retna to take her on an impromptu street art tour and tag several locations, including the gallery windows, as a mentorship gesture.
Retna also addressed false accusations and sensational media coverage linking the episode to misconduct, emphasizing that no paintings were destroyed and rejecting claims of inappropriate behavior. He criticized the gallery’s treatment of artists and fans, noting the gallery eventually went out of business. Retna maintains his identity as a graffiti writer committed to artistic integrity amid the commercial art world’s complexities.
