J Balvin has been confirmed for the 2021 Beyond the Streets art fair, a celebration of graffiti and street art, where he will serve as the event’s emcee, Billboard can exclusively announce today (Nov. 15).
During the two-day virtual art fair, taking place Dec. 1 and Dec. 2 on the NTWRK app, the award-winning Colombian artist will emcee different artwork drops and hosts various discussions with top artists.
“Balvin is a known art collector and has a clear vision for aesthetics. His home is a sanctuary where art is the protagonist, making him the perfect emcee for this year’s Beyond the Streets,” notes an official press statement.
Further expanding his partnership with the livestream shopping platform, Balvin’s integrated role will include daily episodes where he’ll be joined by Cleon Peterson, Beyond the Streets’ artistic director and L.A.-based photographer Estevan Oriol; in-depth art conversations with Peterson, Oriol, DABSMYLA, and Gustavo Zermeño Jr., that will dive deeper into today’s art landscape and the creative process behind their work; and exclusive limited-edition product releases by Balvin in collaboration with DABSMYLA.
This year’s Beyond the Streets, curated by graffiti historian Roger Gastman, will feature a lineup of artists, designers, and brands, including Bert Krak, CB Hoyo, DABSMYLA with Late Lunch, MADSAKI, Mike GIANT, Mister Cartoon, Takashi Murakami, POSE, Shepard Fairey, Spacebrat and Wild Style with Vic Mensa, to name a few.
The virtual art festival, which is “mainstay for art fans and continues Gastman’s vision as a longtime champion of graffiti as a contemporary art form,” will also launch exclusive products across fine art, collectibles, apparel, and home goods.
