Dance
The artist behind a new mural honoring the dancers and style of the ATL.
Atlanta might seem a little more beautiful these days. Artist Lisette Correa, better known as ArrrtAddict, has just finished a new mural to commemorate Red Bull Dance Your Style 2021. Bursting with movement and color, the mural is as much a nod to the city’s heritage as a celebration of its cultural future.
Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Correa was a Disney kid (her alias is a nod to the freedom of pirates she saw in both "Peter Pan" and "Pirates of the Caribbean") who always dreamt of being a fashion designer. She grew up, moved to LA, and realized that dream—working to make graphic apparel with some major brands. It’s clear that Correa sees everything as a canvas and an opportunity to spread a message; transitioning from t-shirts to streetwear, posters, billboards, and murals. Correa moved to the ATL four years ago and has quickly taken to calling it home.
We caught up with her over the phone to chat about her new mural, her Puerto Rican pride and the complexities of Hispanic Heritage month. Read below and see her mural in person at Aisle Five in Little Five Points.
What’s a favorite spot [of yours] in Atlanta and where do you go for inspiration?
Every time I finish a mural, I reward myself by getting oysters and a mezcal cocktail at Watchmen. They have the best oysters in town and the staff is extremely knowledgeable.
I honestly love the neighborhood that I live in for inspiration. I’m between Reynoldstown and Cabbagetown and there’s a cool, authentic, kind of artsy vibe to it. It basically breeds diversity and has an edginess and street culture that gives me so much inspiration.
What is your heritage and what is one of your favorite things about being a representative of that group?
I'm a proud Puerto Rican! My parents were raised in the Bronx and I’m third generation. A lot of the younger generations raised in the States are drawn to research, dig into our roots, and find out why our island suffers as much as it does in the hands of America—more than our parents did. We feel the need to fight for our islands to finally be free and to highlight the indigenous cultures which have been torn away from us. That’s part of why I made my “Somos Borricanos” mural. It’s the biggest indigenous mural in the South and the first Puerto Rican and Taino mural in Atlanta. I’m proud to be able to represent my culture, but also offer a monument for all of the indigenous people of the Caribbean. That's what I'm here to do, provide representation through art.
How do you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
I'm not gonna lie, there has also been a part of me that has struggled with the Spanish part of it; it's like I'm celebrating my colonizer. It’s hard for me to both want to celebrate and separate myself from that word. But I have to remember that that is also in my story.
This year I’m hosting an event on October 23 under my “Somos Borricanos” mural that will be an art show and bomba, the African-Puerto Rican dance of our island. So there will be art, music, and dancing. I love being able to do events under this massive Taino mural and have people celebrate indigenous people and thank our ancestors for giving us the culture that we have today. Together in unison as Afro and Latinx people. I think Atlanta has been so black and white and, in the past few years, there's been a huge Latinx community that is thriving. I want to acknowledge that.
What is the story you want to share with this new mural?
For the Red Bull Dance Your Style mural, I wanted it to be really ATL and honor the dancers here in the city so I pay homage to that one Ciara video, “Oh,” where she is dancing on the old school Cadillac, which we call “Donks.” I feel like there is so much of the foundation of Atlanta’s freestyle scene in Ciara’s early videos. There is also a girl voguing in the mural. I wanted to honor the ballroom scene as it doesn't get recognized enough as a street dance style. Of course you can find my signature rich skin shade of lavender. I always highlight people of color in vibrant skin tones because that's what we are. It is also my way of unifying cultures because you don’t focus on if it’s a brown girl or a Black girl, they’re just representative of our beautiful culture and skin shade isn’t important. Last, you find Nate with angel wings on the license plate. He’s my childhood friend who loved Donks and passed during my illustration process. This was my way of honoring him.
Who are some Hispanic artists you want people to know?
LaRayia, who owns Laryia’s Bodega that will be opening soon in Ponce City market. She’s an artist and humanitarian who makes gourmet Puerto Rican, Black, and Latinx vegan food and gives it to our street fam, people who are in unfortunate circumstances and living on the street. She’s amazing. And M.Tony Peralta, an NYC artist who has a series called “Con Rolos” that any Caribbean Latin person will find nostalgic. I’ve always admired his artwork and aesthetic and the way he highlights our culture.
