Artwork Description
Flower Vase HPM Risograph Print by MCXT- Monica Canilao x Xara Thustra Riso Print on Fine Art Paper Limited Edition Pop Street Art Artwork.
2023 Stamped Mark on Back HPM Embellished Limited Edition Artwork Size 7x8.5 Mild Crease Across Middle, Does Not Affect Overall Presentation
Flower Vase HPM Risograph Print by MCXT: Collaborative Layers of Identity in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
The Flower Vase HPM Risograph Print by MCXT—an artist collective composed of Monica Canilao and Xara Thustra—presents a layered, thought-provoking fusion of symbolism, activism, and material experimentation. Created in 2023, this limited edition 7 x 8.5 inch print on fine art paper merges risograph printing with hand-painted embellishments, making each piece a unique variation within a shared conceptual framework. The initials HPM refer to Hand Painted Multiple, which emphasizes the individual attention and craftsmanship given to each edition. Stamped on the reverse to certify its authenticity, this print operates at the crossroads of fine art and protest culture, reinforcing MCXT’s ethos of resistance, identity, and transformation through collaborative creation.
Symbolic Imagery and Hidden Messaging
At first glance, the Flower Vase Risograph Print appears as a tranquil floral composition, centered around a bold orange vase filled with abstract botanicals. Upon closer inspection, the piece reveals a more intricate and layered composition involving hidden text, translucent motifs, and faint echoes of anatomical and architectural elements. Embedded in the center is the faintly visible image of a saxophone, subtly forming the stem of the central bloom—an emblem of both improvisation and expression. Faint text appears above the vase, partially obscured by leafy overlays and risograph gradients, asking the viewer to confront themes of censorship, freedom of identity, and emotional honesty. The surrounding embellishments include stenciled circles, starburst patterns, and holographic stickers, all adding a dimensional, near-sacred quality to the work.
Monica Canilao and Xara Thustra’s Collaborative Process
As MCXT, Monica Canilao and Xara Thustra merge their distinct visual languages into a singular voice that speaks to marginalized identity, radical love, and cultural reclamation. Monica Canilao, based in Oakland, California, is known for her intricate mixed-media work using found materials and references to folk traditions. Xara Thustra, also a Bay Area icon, gained prominence through politically charged graffiti, public murals, and zines that challenge binary constructs and consumer-driven culture. Together, their work in the MCXT collective channels a mix of spiritual resonance and punk sensibility. This print, like much of their output, challenges the viewer to question what is decorative versus what is dissent.
Riso Aesthetics as a Tool of Resistance in Pop Street Forms
The use of risograph printing is not merely aesthetic but political. It speaks to underground publishing, DIY zine culture, and community-accessible production methods. The imperfect textures, overlapping tones, and color registration flaws are embraced as part of the visual identity of the work. These imperfections contrast the slickness of commercial art, aligning MCXT’s production with grassroots art activism. The additional hand-painted elements in the Flower Vase HPM Print turn each version into a one-of-a-kind expression, reaffirming the collective’s belief in autonomy and impermanence within art-making. As a piece of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork, it is both a visual poem and a quiet rally cry—a message coded in color, form, and spirit.
