Xavi Panneton

Xavi Panneton approaches his craft with a unique perspective delivered by his history of creating work across many genres. First immersed in the Washington D.C. graffiti and skateboarding scene of the early 90s, Xavi was later a foundational member of the West Coast world of Visionary Art and continues to expand minds as he traverses an evolving aesthetic where design meets the uncharted territory of our collective consciousness.

Working primarily in acrylics and aerosol, Xavi wrangles a variety of influences into a single, cohesive whole. His mesmerizing pattern work and alternating use of hard and soft lines evoke meditative states, keeping the viewer grounded in a world of simple beauty.

The concept of vibration is seen throughout Xavi’s work. Through masterfully executed compositions of novel shapes, patterns, and symmetries inspired by nature, Xavi aims to connect with viewers by way of harmonic frequencies.

Ancestral influences of indigenous cultures are pervasive in Xavi’s work. Here again we find a dynamic tension in his art: Using formal design techniques, Xavi incorporates the old and the new, the seen and the unseen, in order to build a unique visual language which straddles multiple cultures and historical epochs.

QUOTES:

“My dad taught me a ton about psychedelics. He’d been raised strictly Catholic, went to all boys schools. In the 60’s tho, he tried LSD, mushrooms, and peyote, and went through a massive spiritual transformation, giving him a big sense of oneness with the universe. He shared these experiences with me & I was fascinated by what he called ‘The Oneness.’ He taught me that everything is interconnected and that the patterns of nature are like the actual skin of god-like energy that runs through all life”

“He taught me that psychedelics are serious, they’re not party candy, so I was raised with a reverence for them”

“Psychedelic album covers of the 70’s were a huge influence on me”

“I realized pretty early that I didn’t have much of an interest in drawing things from this world. I’m interested in drawing things from other worlds that don’t exist here so that I can bring them into existence”

“Before I even tried psychedelics, I’d imagine psychedelic landscapes and would just start painting them” 

“My art seems to exist in kind of its own separate dimension. An early lesson that I got from trying LSD when I was 16 was that it’s really important to treat people with kindness and respect. I was seeing pictures of other kids in school who I’d be in the habit of making fun of, and I saw that it’s not cool to be uncool to other people. That was a big lesson!”

“Marijuana for me is the main influencer of my creativity, not acid or mushrooms, which are really personal experiences for me”

“Marijuana & music helps get me to a magical & mystical place. The visual quality of my work, in terms of vibrating & repetitive shapes & patterns, happened from the combination of music & marijuana. It happened on dancefloors at raves in the 90’s. I’d smoke a joint & start dancing with my eyes closed for hours, and that’s where I’d start seeing all kinds of unbelievable things”

“My work became about visualizing this musical & totally synesthetic experience. I’d even try to visualize taste; it’s like this multidimensional state that’s hard to put into words and also into art. So it’s kind of good fodder for art because you can continuously explore it without ever feeling like you’ve fully grasped it”

“A master artist, sitting around & doing nothing, isn’t as cool as a complete beginner who’s totally working”

“I love working with kids. Their imaginations are just so opened compared to ours. To bring viewers into another world is the ultimate treat! Successfully doing that is like connecting multiple universes. To have a positive effect on kids, through my art, is the most exciting thing ever”