The Mad Pups Present: A Black History Month Celebration

The Mad Pups Present: A Black History Month Celebration

Black History Month is about celebrating and remembering the ones who fought, sacrificed, and persevered so we all can be equal as we pursue our dreams. This Mad Pups drop seeks to honor that legacy by showcasing art from talented Black artists who created pieces in celebration of Black perseverance and excellence.

This drop features three drawings, two open editions, and one ranked auction. Each of the pieces will be available for 24 hours, beginning at 2:00pm EST on 2-22-22. Two of the drawings and one of the open editions will require a Pups Pass for access. If you do not yet have a Pups Pass, you can acquire one here. The remaining drawing, open edition, and ranked auction are available to the general public.

Dedicated to the memory of Louis Kirtman Jr. From segregated Gray, Louisiana, he fought through racism and hate to provide unlimited opportunities for his family to pursue their dreams.

Lethabo

Lethabo Huma is a digital artist born in Pretoria, South Africa, who's currently blazing a trail in the NFT space for herself locally and internationally. The main theme of her art is centered around her emotional responses, thoughts and experiences as a young African woman. While she explores various media in pursuit of more precise methods of communication, Huma is best known for her born-digital work: “I create digital paintings and illustrations but still follow traditional painting and drawing techniques in order to achieve expressive brushwork textures. I always strive to improve how I translate my emotions and the stories I share through my selection of muses and brushwork.”

Isaac “Drift” Wright

Isaac "Drift" Wright is a United States Army special operations veteran who learned to cope with PTSD and depression through urban exploring and documenting cities from unseen perspectives through photography. At the end of 2020 he was arrested for his work, being subjected to four months of incarceration without bond as the government used both his race as a black man and his special military background against him. The story arrived on the front page of The New York Times on June 6th, 2021.

Aleqth

Aleqth is a 22 year old Artist/Creative Director who was born in the United States, but lived in Jamaica for the first 12 years of his life. He started sharing art on the internet when he was 15, and since then has gained a following through social media. Alex Headlam lived in Maryland for his middle to high school years, even extending through some of his college years, before he dropped out and decided to be an artist full time. He lived in Baltimore and now lives and works in Miami.

Shay The Surrealist

Shaylin Wallace "Shay The Surrealist" is a 23-year old digital artist from Wilmington, Delaware. She specializes in creating surrealistic compositions by manipulating stock photos using Adobe Photoshop. As an artist, she strives to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, catching her audience’s attention with her surreal, yet so real masterpieces. She loves to use objects such as trees, clouds, birds and smoke to symbolize growth, freedom, and different emotions in her pieces. Clients include: Netflix, Adobe, AMC, Warner Bros, and more!

Tosinshotit

Tosinshotit’s journey started when he was young. His passion for art has always been strong, but there was something that gravitated him towards photography. Doing photography in portrait mode in 2016 was a pivotal moment in his life. In high school, he used this mode to experiment with depth of field. Although he enjoyed creating in various art fields, photography was what clicked. After his brother was unfortunately arrested, his brother used his last paycheck to buy Tosinshotit his first professional camera. Tosishotit’s brother opened the door for him. Since then, he has been using his creativity to bring people's ideas and stories to life. One of his strongest suits is capturing the beauty of melanin. As a young black man he uses his gift to uplift others’ gifts. He is a prime example of black talent. He works to inspire others in the black community to express and show off their talents and interests.